[Hoot Gibson]

Do you think Kentucky could survive without government money(money that other states citizens send)? They do get more than they give, you know. You did acknowledge that money KY gets come from citizens from all 50 states.

Kentucky's problem is that if it seceded, it would be surrounded by a country that is dooming itself to poverty by spending beyond its means. Kentucky is blessed with abundant resources, but the fact that it is landlocked would make it difficult to succeed as an independent nation.

One of the key differences between us, RV, is that I see taking other people's money as a problem. Government dependency has almost destroyed the work ethic among eastern Kentuckians. Losing federal welfare and other benefits would be a blessing. States should stand on their own, except in those areas of the U.S. Constitution that mandate collective action.

In other words, the scope of the federal government should be very limited and the citizens of each state should be free to decide how much government "help" their citizens actually need.

Gay marriage is a political issue that has nothing to do with constitutional rights.