We have that in America too, y'know

I have strong opinions about the Scottish Referendum today, although I've kept my mouth shut in the sure knowledge that nobody in a position to be personally affected gives a damn what Jane Q. American thinks. (Secession is not as academic a concept as you'd think over here; 140-odd years after the Civil War, we've still got states threatening to secede. You could set your watch by how often Texas brings it up.)

So, I'm watching the news today, specifically the Telegraph's liveblog, and I just hit a quote that made my jaw drop:

Moira Love, a 49-year-old mobile hairdresser, has never voted in an election before. But she is voting Yes because “Scotland is one of the wealthiest countries in the world – and yet we’ve got food banks”.

First off, yay for you Moira. Honestly. Voting is a powerful, important tool as well as a right.

But second... America's also one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and we've got food banks all the hell over. Seriously, everywhere. Government ones, private charity ones, church soup kitchens, from sea to shining sea. With our independence, with total control of our natural resources, with our vast wealth as a nation We. Have. Got. Food. Banks.

If Texas ever actually puts its citizenry where its mouth is and reestablishes itself as an independent nation, y'know what it's going to have?

Oil.

Cattle.

And food banks.