Perhaps the first step in helping the 'two Americas' understand each other is not to imply that Less Crowded America is good ('local, hands-on') and Crowded America is bad ('looking for Big Daddy solutions').

In fact, most parts of Crowded America receive far less in 'Big Daddy' federal benefits than they pay in taxes. New York pays $17 billion more than it receives, New Jersey $11 billion. Meanwhile, Uncrowded America (the South and the West) has always lapped up 'Big Daddy' pork-barrel solutions such as military bases, dams, elaborate irrigation schemes, vast agricultural subsidies, shiny new highways through the middle of nowhere, etc. All thanks to taxpayers from Crowded America.