CALL THE MOVING VANS – AT 8:31 A.M. ET:  We generally don't look to NBC for great journalism these days, but its business outlet, CNBC, often does solid work on the economy and finance.   CNBC has now published its annual survey ranking the 50 states as places to do business.  Please examine.

Which state is the champ this year?  Why, it's Rick Perry's Texas.  You remember Rick Perry, don't you?  Laughed at, ridiculed, during the GOP presidential sweepstakes.  But, if any state can be called booming these days, it's Texas.

Rounding out the top five this year are Utah, Virginia, North Carolina, and North Dakota.  All conservative states.

Of course it's not all that simple.  There have been years that Massachusetts ranked high because of its educated work force.

The bottom five states are Mississippi, Alaska, West Virginia, Hawaii and, dead last, Rhode Island, a liberal state with a high cost of doing everything.  (Hawaii and Alaska are special cases, not being on the mainland.  They each have a very high cost of living.)

What about the big guys?  My state of New York ranks 34th overall, but in business friendliness ranks...50th.  No surprise there.  People are leaving New York in droves.  Try starting a business here.  And in cost of living we rank 47th.  Expensive.  High taxes.  Business unfriendly.  What's for a socialist not to like?  But we do rank first in technology and innovation, so there's some pride left.

Oh, California, the great trendsetter:  Ranks 40th.  Forget those old movies of people flocking to California.  Forget the old newsreels taken inside aircraft plants.  The old trendsetter ranks 48th in the cost of doing business, and 46th in the cost of living.  Also, 43rd in business friendliness.  No more aircraft plants.  The last one has closed.

And what about Illinois, home to our president?  The state once known as the land of Lincoln, now the land of Obama, ranks in the middle, 26th.  (But Scott Walker's Wisconsin, right next door, ranks 17th.  And Mitch Daniels's Indiana, also right next door, ranks 14th.)  Illinois is kept from utter disgrace only because, like New York, it has technology and innovation.  But the president's state ranks 45th in its overall economy, and 46th in business friendliness.  Hey, the guy in the White House apparently brought his home-state mentality with him.

Congratulations to Texas for winning the gold, in more ways than one.  And shame on those states that are slipping badly.

July 11,  2012