>>837319yes but the institutions of elite power should be structured such that they vote on the simple question of "do i feel richer than 4 years ago"
rural areas are subject to strong negative selection effects. that is, talented and interesting people tend to flee, leaving behind the dregs and the cosmically unfortunate. the best you can do for the latter type is limit the power of the dregs as much as possible.
america itself is subject mostly to positive selection effects, as the people most willing to gamble on a better life all fled there. the only downside is that this also gives americans a higher "crazy factor" than elsewhere.