From Seattle writer and consultant Matt Rosenberg...: Cafeteria Politics, Minnesota Style

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Cafeteria Politics, Minnesota Style

September 20, 2004

Yes, the points below have been made before, but perhaps not forcefully enough. And yes, I do contribute to (and highly recommend) a national group blog called Red State, where - as it happens - Ds and other non-Republicans regularly come to offer comments and disagree.......and a civilized, edifying dialog occurs.

And so, with that out of the way, I heartily point you to this piece from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. It's about how the Red State-Blue State divide may be overstated, or at least, how within any state's electorate - and more importantly - within any one person's political psyche, positions are often taken on an issue-by-issue basis, Rather than some crude party-line basis.

That's something for everyone to bear in mind, whether R, D, I, Libertarian, or free-love Socialist. (We had these in WA, BTW, in early 1900s, on Key Peninsula, in NW Pierce County, in a place now called Home. Seriously).

Anyhew, the Star-Tribune requires free registration, which I know, is a pain in the arse. But go on ahead. It's a good paper, and an antidote to "Inside The Beltway" and "Left Coast" insularity. Minnesotans are kinda unpredictable politically, and in a good way.

Here's a bit from the article:

The sisters look alike and work together at the Life Time Fitness Center in Coon Rapids. But they are divided -- like Minnesota and America -- in their presidential preferences. Crissy Hill, 25, admires President George W. Bush, wants him to finish the job in Iraq, and finds Sen. John Kerry "arrogant and unlikable." Big sister Mary Hill, 30, doesn't like the way the war is going and complains that Bush "can't even speak properly."

According to a fashionable view of America, the sisters should be at each other's throats. They should disagree about everything from tax cuts to gay rights. But that idea makes them laugh....Like the sisters, many Americans and Minnesotans have strong feelings about Bush. But on most subjects, we, like they, agree more than you may realize.

...In his recent book, "Culture War? The Myth of a Polarized America," Stanford political scientist Morris P. Fiorina argued that the noise comes from a relatively small, politically obsessed slice of the population.

"The simple truth is that there is no culture war in the United States -- no battle for the soul of America rages, at least none that most Americans are aware of," Fiorina wrote. "Many of the activists in the political parties and the various cause groups do, in fact, hate each other and regard themselves as combatants in a war. But ... the bulk of the American citizenry is somewhat in the position of the unfortunate citizens of some third-world countries who try to stay out of the crossfire while Maoist guerrillas and right-wing death squads shoot at each other."

Read the whole thing...and let me know whatcha think. While you're registering for free access to the MST, sign up their free daily e-mail of the paper's highlights. Speaking as a former denizen of the Midwest (OK this is the Upper Midwest, I realize), a little middle-American perspective helps.