Do we really need them all?

Right around Benton Harbor on the way home from Chicago, Laura and I started to get rather bored. Laura broke out the Atlas, and after a short time said, "Can you name a city in Idaho?" To which I'm ashamed to admit I couldn't. Boise was on the tip of my tongue, but I didn't get it out. This spawned a list of states that we would remove from the Union, in Lilly and Mia style (The Princess Diaries).

Amber & Laura's List of States We Would Keep:(Laura's reasoning in parentheses)
1. Alabama - Gulf Shores is needed for the Midwest spring breakers.(I love Sweet Home Alabama. And southern charm is pretty intriguing.)
2. Alaska - Oil(Oil and penguins. If we got rid of Alaska, we would have no penguins. Think about it.)
3. Arizona - The Grand Canyon is amazing.(I've heard the Grand Canyon is amazing.)
4. California - Hellogoodbye and The O.C. I don't think I could live without them.(Governer Shwarzeneger... I mean... fabulous music comes from Cali.)
5. Colorado - Denver is a pretty sweet town.(Ok, I admit that at first I wanted to keep CO because that's where Dr. Quinn is from. But they also have the Rockies. They're just as sweet as Dr. Mike.)
6. Connecticut - We need some place for the waspy-WASPs.(Um, I think only Amber wanted this on the "keep" list...)
7. Florida - Disney World is way better than Disney Land.(Despite the fact that FL is the official wang of the US, it does have some nice beaches and Disney. I guess those things are redeaming.)
8. Georgia - This is the epitome of southern charm to me. And, my favorite welcome center in the U.S. is there.(Um, the peaches?)
9. Hawaii - Do I really have to write the reasoning here?(Hellllooo? Why get rid of the aloha state?)
10. Idaho - I love potatoes.(I love me some potatoes.)
11. Illinois - Home to Chicago which is home to Fall Out Boy. I need it.(Chi-town is a beautiful, though windy, city. We'll keep it.)
12. Iowa - We have to have some place for the dorky CRCers who want to go to Dordt.(I love corn...? Is that a good enough reason?)
13. Kentucky - Mammoth Caves are some of the most incredible caves I've ever been in.(Again, I think only Amber wanted to keep this one...)
14. Louisiana - I've always wanted to go to New Orleans. Not as much after watching Skeleton Key, but I still want to go. I think.(I've always wanted to go to New Orleans.)
15. Maine - I love moose and they live here.(Three words... Acadia National Park. And Ben and Jerry's. Ok.. that's more than three words. At least they can count in Maine, and they have killer accents.)
16. Maryland - It helps protect DC.(I love crab!)
17. Massachusetts - Salem has an incredible history.(Boston is a pretty sweet city. And there's too much history to get rid of MA.)
18. Michigan - Pure awesomeness.(MI looks like a glove. That's good enough reason to keep it.)(Um, it actually looks like a mitten...)
19. Minnesota - Mall of America. Yeah, I have to keep it.(Mall of America. Again, I think Amber pulled this one though...)
20. Mississippi - I think I kept this just because it's fun to spell.(The river is pretty essential, no?)
21. Missouri - St. Louis, Hannibal and Branson are fun cities.(St. Louis is beautiful. And it's actually a nice state to drive across.)
22. Nevada - Vegas. I've never been, but I kind of want to go. We briefly considered removing it because we would then lose Celine Dion.(Vegas. I've never been, but I kind of want to go. We briefly considered kicking it out because we would then lose Celine Dion.)
23. New Jersey - Garden State Plaza is quite possibly the best mall I've ever been to. I mean, come on. A Free People store and no sales tax? I love it.(Do you even need a reason to keep it? Don't challenge me on this one...)
24. New Mexico - I think we kept this just for Linds.(Ditto.)
25. New York (Islands) - We're only keeping Manhattan and Long Island.(We're keeping Manhattan and Long Island, but the State can go. Sorry, Sarah)
26. Ohio - Cedar Point is probably the best amusement park in the world.(I like the Herwerdens... and Dillon's sister is pretty cool too. )
27. Oklahoma - I would actually leave this off the list, but Laura wanted it.(I like the musical. Not much other reason to keep it.)
28. Oregon - I want to go to Portland.(I've heard it's lovely.)
29. Pennsylvania - I'm strangely intrigued by the Amish.(One word only... Hershey.)
30. South Carolina - Myrtle Beach is another popular local for Midwestern spring breakers.(We figured that we only need one Dakota and one Carolina. And since the Souths have better features than the Norths, we kept them instead.)
31. South Dakota - Where else have they taken a big rock and turned it into a wicked sweet sculpture?(See above.)
32. Tennessee - Huge music scene in Nashville.(The Smokey Mountains are pretty fabulous.)
33. Texas - Oil(Ok, I was pushing to ditch TX because then we could be rid of the Bushes... but I suppose we do need the oil.)
34. Vermont - I like covered bridges and maple syrup.(Ditto)
35. Virgnia - Actually. I think I would have kept West Virginia for the white water rafting.(Virginia is for lovers...)
36. Washington - Seattle(Seattle... and Dillon.)
37. Wisconsin - I eat more cheese than the typical person who is lactose intolerant does.(Yum... cheese.)
38. Wyoming - Yellowstone is my favorite national park.(Again, I've never been... but I've heard that Yellowstone is pretty fab.)

Amber and Laura's List of States We Removed from the Union:
1. Arkansas - R-kansas.(In Little Rock, they welcome you by giving you little rocks. Lame.)
2. Rhode Island - Would you even notice if it was gone?(Ditto)
3. Indiana - Goodbye Gary!(Indiana isn't the crossroads of America, it's the armpit. You're out.)
4. Kansas - Too many tornadoes.(Ditto)
5. Delaware - Delawhat?(Delawhat? Delawho? Why?)
6. W. Virginia - I would keep it.(I'm pretty sure the gene-pool is seriously disturbed.)
7. Montana - Eh...(Ditto)
8. Nebraska - Ditto.(Ditto)
9. New York non islands - Ace Diamond Mine was the crappiest campground I've ever been too.(The State just doesn't have much going for it. Sorry, NY.)
10, 11. North Carolina, North Dakota - We only need one.(Ditto)
12. New Hampshire - Gorgeous, but we kept Vermont instead.(Ditto)
13. Utah - Nothing spectacular.(Ditto)