In the heartland
Visiting family in downstate Illinois for Memorial Day. You fly into O'Hare and then drive....
It's about 3 hours through the cornfields; a drive that I've done countless times and always find profoundly relaxing and reassuring. Imagine -- real farms that aren't designed for tourists or for making artisanal camel's milk cheese. Also a great reminder of the vastness of the American heartland; one could drive for days through Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and see mile after mile of this incredibly fertile soil dotted with sturdy farm buildings. (Granted, some of these farms are probably now devoted to bio-fuels, but let's ignore that for now).
In this part of the country, "American exceptionalism" comes naturally and un-ironically. Sadly according to the latest Rasmussen poll, confidence in America's future is at a low ebb (only 42% believe America will continue to be #1). I haven't looked at the polling data, but I bet the percentage is a lot higher in these parts.
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May '10
Re: In the heartland
Did you make it to Elwood for the President's appearance at the Abraham Lincoln national cemetery? Yes, it was very rainy hereabouts today. Our local Memorial Day parade & observance was also rained out.
May '10
Re: In the heartland
I think most folks outside the liberal regions occasionally imagine the country's coming apart at the seams, but they're generally more focused on day-to-day life and dealing with whatever comes their way.
I know many retirees who have bought guns in the past year. They hope for the best, but they're preparing for the worst. It's trickier for us young adults who are trying to figure out if there's really much point investing in retirement plans. My brother expects his toddlers will grow up to face challenges far greater than making it through college and paying the bills. But he's saving up for those college years anyway.