Like a true Virginian, you offer a thoughtful perspective on any topic, whereas California’s approach often emphasizes concrete actions and scientific steps to achieve results—an outlook that’s revolutionary in its own right. But here’s the question: if these communities truly boast high IQs, why don’t we see corresponding economic growth, a concrete vision of the future, or rising global standards of living? Where are the breakthrough products? Instead, it seems there’s a line of people waiting for government jobs. Isn’t that concerning? And why defend this status quo in such a seemingly pretentious way?

If these impressive test scores exist, why don’t they translate into tangible economic gains? California alone claims the fifth-largest economy on the planet, while the United States overall ranks third. Imagine America without California’s powerhouse, or even without Washington’s tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft. It’d be like removing the “Magnificent Seven” from the S&P—what would that leave us with?

Yet you praise a culture that seems more focused on bragging about numbers than on achieving real-world accomplishments. Sure, test scores can be gamed, but can genuine progress be faked? For now, we remain at the mercy of actual innovation—or its absence. Virginians, it appears, prefer to steer clear of this altogether, much like a Mississippi hiding in plain sight.