Kansas: A second-world country?

Something I wrote for Usenet a couple of years ago:

> That's like calling Kansas a 2nd world country! Let's not dismiss that idea so quickly, now... 2nd world: Communist Bloc (mainly, Soviet Union) Soviet Union: Mostly barren prairie Kansas: Mostly barren prairie Soviet Union: Hellish winters Kansas: Hellish winters Soviet Union: Began with Civil War b/w Whites and Reds Kansas: Began with Civil War b/w Blues and Grays Soviet Union: Once known for wild revolutionary fervor Kansas: "What's the Matter with Kansas?" Soviet Union: Later known for corrupt bureaucracy Kansas: Bob Dole Soviet Union: Unusually high %age of population in agriculture Kansas: Unusually high %age of population in agriculture Soviet Union: Economy supported by state subsidies Kansas: "Parity pricing" Soviet Union: One-party state Kansas: One-party state Soviet Union: State run by aged, stiff party functionaries Kansas: Bob Dole I think we can justifiably call Kansas a 2nd-world country.