Again, Minnesota is an island in the Midwest

[question everything]

During the pandemic we were the only state mandating masks. There was even a Sack cartoon showing how we are shoving away visitors from Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas.

Now we see maps of states that are ready to ban abortion and, again, Minnesota is an island among these and also Michigan.

Will be one more answer when, while shoveling snow, our neighbors ask why we still live in Minnesota.

[TheRealNorth]

1. WI got fucked sideways by 2010 and Snotty Walker

Last edited Fri May 6, 2022, 12:30 PM - Edit history (1)

They passed antiabortion laws that I don't think can be stopped from going into effect (although I am sure Josh Kaul is looking for ways).

And until the state legislature gerrymandering can be undone (again, losing the WI State Supreme Court race in 2019 hurt us there), I don't see a way to undo the damage there.

Moral of the story - all election matter.

[a kennedy]

12. Or as I call him Wanker.....

Totally destroyed the great liberal standing State. He totally destroyed it, along with others, but he was a huge factor for the once proud Liberal State to become the laughing stock, and paved the way for ROJO. 🤬 🤬 🤬

[Metaphorical]

2. It's the Canadian connection, and urbanization

The Canadian-facing states - Washington, Montana, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine - are closest in temperament to their Canadian neighbors. Minnesota in particular is a lot like Ontario. Montana is interesting because, while it's generally a conservative state, it has a quirkiness to it that makes it more purple than red. North Dakota and Wisconsin are more rural (and are becoming more rural) than Minnesota, which has Minneapolis/St. Paul acting as the anchor for the state. Washington similarly has the Puget Sound region (Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia) that anchors the state - without that, it would probably look a lot like Montana - The fact that the I5 corridor includes Vancouver, BC also strengthens the association.

[geardaddy]

7. You forgot Idaho

Plus NoDak and Michigan have trigger laws that will outlaw abortion if Roe is overturned.

[LizBeth]

3. My son has been going to law school in Minneapolis to graduate in a week.

He has a job there now and will be settling down. He raves about his city, loves the progressive. Equals it to the NW. Seeing advantages, the NW doesn't have. But loves the NW too. May return sometime, or not. I am off to visit for the first time in a week. I am excited. So, this is good to read.

[murielm99]

4. Don't forget Illinois.

[PortTack]

5. Yes, illinois mandated masks

[murielm99]

6. Not only that,

Pritzker had one of the best possible doctors in charge of pandemic matters. He held daily press conferences, which were covered in full on t.v.

He started early, and announced that the state would help out with setting up abortion clinics near the state borders so women from nearby states could get here easily for medical care.

Not all billionaires are bad guys.

[question everything]

10. No, but I was looking at the upper Midwest

[dflprincess]

8. And, for now, Iowa

The Iowa Supreme Court did reaffirm the right to abortion in 2018 though they may be revisiting it soon.

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2022/05/03/iowa-abortion-law-if-roe-v-wade-overturned-supreme-court-ruling/9627766002/

[Ocelot II]

9. In 1995 the Minnesota Supreme Court held that the state constitution protects

a woman's right to get an abortion and to receive state funds for it, finding that there is a right to privacy that covers reproductive rights, and further refused to follow a U.S. Supreme Court case, McRae, holding that refusing to provide government funding for abortions doesn't violate the federal constitution. Instead, the Minnesota court relied on Justice Brennan's dissent in that case. The state court isn't bound by US Supreme Court precedent when interpreting the state's constitution.

"This court has long recognized that we may interpret the Minnesota Constitution to offer greater protection of individual rights than the U.S. Supreme Court has afforded under the federal constitution. ... In some cases, we have in fact interpreted the Minnesota Constitution to provide more protection than that accorded under the federal constitution or have applied a more stringent constitutional standard of review. We find that this is one of those limited circumstances in which we will interpret our constitution to provide more protection than that afforded under the federal constitution."

http://users.soc.umn.edu/~samaha/cases/women%20of%20mn%20v%20gomez.htm

The GOP will keep trying, but this case and the state constitution will make it very difficult for them.

[Lulu KC]

11. It is my homeland

It is simply the best. In so many ways.