Maastricht Treaty revisions needed?

[Jester]

So, it looks to be about seven to one in support. Which means that, for each job lost in the base economy, eight jobs are lost in total.

Those numbers would be close, if Okanogan County was an autarky. The 4.2% in manufacturing presumably also counts, which would make the number more like 4 to 1.

While you're right that it's not quite as easy as looking at the raw %, it's also not quite as easy as assuming the entire economy is based 100% on its primary industries.

Given its relative isolation, low population density, and low average incomes, I can only imagine it is the recipient of substantial government largesse, at least per capita. Quite a lot of the US (and of most first world countries with hinterlands) is primarily employed in simply existing - despite the incredibly low population density of, say, the Northwest Territories, without government subsidy, people would be moving out, not in. Given a ruthlessly operating free market inhabited by homo economicus with no attachment to its hometown, these areas would be essentially abandoned.

That then raises the question of why 40,000 people live there in the first place, if the predominant occupations are economically unfeasible given free trade with what amounts to the very same region across the border.

-Jester