Amy e-mails to comment on my recent bout of Wisconsin envy:
Are you [bleeping] out of your mind!?!
There is no good reason why anyone, especially Minnesota, should ever look to Wisconsin and those stupid-ass cheddar-heads for anything other than beer and how to behave like spoiled drunken children throwing inebriated temper tantrums and what not to become in the realm of politics, human behavior, intelligence, sophistication and good taste.
What you are hearing and reading in the MSM is not all that is going on in WI and don’t think for a second that it is. It is worse than what is being reported in the MSM.
Minnesota is better even on its worst day than Wisconsin on its best...and don’t you ever forget it! Don’t make me come home to deprogram you.
While I’ve long been steadfast defender of the North Star State as well as a long-time lampooner of all things Badger related, it’s almost impossible for a Minnesotan to take an objective look at things right now and not consider heeding the adage of the old bumper sticker and planning to “Escape to Wisconsin.” Yesterday’s recall elections were just the latest example of how Wisconsin has it all over us at the moment. Not only did the state’s voters elect a Republican legislature AND governor last fall, they just rejected a well-funded and organized effort to overturn the government reforms those Republicans had implemented.
I spent some time in Wisconsin a few weeks ago and the ads that were running against the Republican state senators were some of the most crass attempts at vilification, victimization, and stoking the fires of resentment and class warfare that I’ve ever heard (and I’ve experienced a lot of this from the DFL over the years). Is there any doubt that under such a withering assault and national scrutiny, Minnesota voters would not have folded like cheap suits, meekly handed the keys of power back to Democrats, and hung our collective heads muttering “Yeah, maybe I guess we did go too far..”? Of course we would have. After all, WE elected Al Franken. WE elected Mark Dayton. As much as it pains me to say it, when it comes to prudence, judgment, and wisdom I’d much rather put my fate in the hands of voters from Wisconsin than Minnesota.
And they have Paul Ryan. As much as I like both Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann neither can hold to a candle to Ryan when it comes to understanding the true nature of the fiscal/debt crisis we face and how we can find our way out of it. While having a couple of local politicians vying for the GOP nomination in 2012 certainly makes it more interesting, my current level of excitement about either Minnesota candidate would be instantly eclipsed if we were so fortunate as to have Mr. Ryan throw his hat into the ring.
Sorry Amy, but it really is better on the other side.
