which three states in the US would have the greatest impact on the
rest of the country if it suddenly ceased to exist? This includes all
people, land and resources here and abroad. Another way to ask is what
three states are the most important to the USA?

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Clarification of Question by fallstaf-ga on 06 Jan 2005 11:57 PST

jaymf-ga has a good idea by looking at each state as a separate
country. A version of the GDP with Economy, produced goods and
services, land value and accumulated personal wealth and fortune 500
companies. I would however include individual companys (this would
give  Arkansas a fairly high ranking for just one company). And this
is in some respects a physiological and subjective question. Power and
influence is an element that should be estimated, but how?

What States would have the least impact if they no longer existed?

New York is one.  Unless you don't really need those mutual funds for
your retirement.

California is another. Unless you hate movies. Or especially if you hate movies.

And how about the rogue state of Texas as the third :)
It contributes a land border abutting the Rio Grande, oil, beef
cattle, home of the Johnson Space Center, and a unique cultural
panache.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/about/index.html

The two states already mentioned, NY and CA, are important because
they have major import/export locations.  Not that I looked it up for
a good statistical measurement, but that's what comes to mind. 
Assuming Texas is actually our biggest oil producer, that gives us 3
states pretty important to buying, selling, and transporting stuff
(like food and oil).

I have to make a case for Washington State...

Boeing Aeorspace
Trident Submarine
Microsoft ...go ahead, I'm ready for the guff - *sigh*
Starbucks ...you can tell I'm a native
Apples

Oops, I almost forgot Oklahoma!

Sorry, Pink ...

Am I forgiven?

Hi Fallstaf,

The states of attitude, dress sense and humour of course.

Phil

I would define your parameters for answering this question.  My
recommendation would be to rate the categories of population, State
Economy and produced goods and services (a state version of the GDP),
fortune 500 companies, land value and accumulated personal wealth. 
This is off the top of my head, but I would lay those out, and most
likely you'll come up with Texas, California and New York, with
Florida being a close fourth.

One more note, I would not think about individual companies and their
impact on their states, only the broad numbers associated with that
state.  For instance, don't take Microsoft in Washington or Johns
Hopkins in Maryland into consideration.  Then you are getting into
philosophy which is not measurable.

dear fallstaff,

your question sounds very ominous to me . . . are you planning to
'disappear' a state or two?

I can tell you that the folks here on the islands in North Puget Sound
(WA state) would be happy to secede, in fact are scheming a way to do
so  . . . quietly.  One day soon we will magically become a part of
the island archipelago of British Columbia.  Shhh . . . don't tell
anyone . . . shhh.

Kaiser Wilhelm I should have deemed us British!
http://www.pigwar.com/pigwar_sum2.html

ts

What States would have the least impact if they no longer existed?

Nevada, Wisconsin and Oregon.

(Sorry, Omni)

Nevada?????????

You gotta be kidding PB...

Whatever would the States do without Las Vegas, quicky marriages or Don Ho ?

Steph53

Well this is dead easy. Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. That would
allow easy marine access to the Gulf of California via the canals,
opening up world trade and the US could reduce its expensive
?influence? upon central America. And if Dubya were in residence when
Texas disappears........ :-)

Best