My (Not So) Secret Sympathies...

Ever since the 2004 Presidential election, there have been news stories and speculation about disenchanted Democrats and other leftward-leaners packing up and moving out of the U.S. and into Canada or Australia or New Zealand or France. They do not want to contribute any more time or energy or taxes to a government that does not reflect their beliefs. Living up here near Seattle (which is pretty much almost Canada anyway), I have seen several recent news stories about people who have gone beyond consideration and actually have plans in action to make the big move. One local radio host even devoted an hour to a lady-leftie who had put her Volvo on the market and had applied for a conjugal visa to immigrate north and live with her Canadian boyfriend. I was amused but not surprised at the responses of the callers who alternately bid her a "don't-let-the-door-hit-you-on-the-way-out" farewell or reprimanded her for not sticking it out in the U.S. and working to promote her own values within the system. These latter folks seem appalled that someone could so cavalierly leave their country behind. I cannot understand their almost hurt reaction to a person's not choosing their national affiliation over their personal, individual convictions. I am fully in sympathy with those who hate the Bush administration so much that they cannot stand to live any longer in this country.

You see, I have a little secret of my own. These Canada-bounds and I are flip sides of the same coin. While they are planning a move up north, I am plotting my own move east. No, not "Boston east," "Midwest east." Destination: Jesus Land. I'm tired of living in Blue America, and I want to live where land is cheap and plentiful, the gov'ment stays out of your way, and Jason can easily follow his entreprenurial dreams in a business-friendly place. More than anything, I want to live in a state where there is only one clinic that performs abortions, where no tax money goes to fund abortion, and where, when Roe vs. Wade finally gets overturned, abortion will be outlawed (except, most likely, for "life of the mother" cases). Whoo-hoo! South Dakota here I come!

Gosh, I love so much of what Washington State has to offer. I love the climate, the trees, the mountains, the museums, the Woodland Park Zoo, the Seattle Aquarium, the coffee culture, the abundance of really good Thai food, the laid-back attitude. I love the Seattle Mariners! I will miss this state when we leave. But, but, but...for a family that wants to own about 25 acres with a big, ol' farmhouse and horses, cows, goats and dogs and not have to wait 20 years to save up the moola needed for such an estate when the kids will be grown and gone and unable to grow up in that environment, this area just doesn't cut it. Plus, it has become more and more difficult for me to stomach this place since I discovered that some of my tax money goes to killing tiny babies.

We're only given one life on this earth, and I can totally understand why people feel the need to live where their values are reflected. Two years ago, I told Jason (who has been yearning for Big Sky Country practically since he moved out of SD ten years ago) that if Tom Daschle were ever voted out of office, I would move back to Sioux Falls with him. This seemed like a pie-in-the-sky condition, as T.D. had been a popular senator for some years and was good at bringing home the pork. Then, lo and behold, Thuney-Baby (aka John Thune) knocks the fox out of the henhouse. At the same time, decent, pro-life, pro-business Dino Rossi gets the governorship of WA stolen from him by evil troll-lady Christine Gregoire. What's a free-market-loving pro-lifer to do?

We can buy a house, comparable to the one we now own, in Sioux Falls for about $100 Grand less. The homeschooling laws are even more libertarian than those of Washington (and WA has very free homeschooling laws). Sales tax is 2% lower. No income tax, and no one seems to be bandying that idea around like so many do here in WA. No congestion. Business friendly. Near grandparents (yay - a much needed and appreciated aspect). Clean air. Open spaces. Can-do frontier attitude (except all the farmers on the dole - stupid welfare farmers!). Horrible weather (but, you can't have everything in this world - at least it keeps the riff-raff out!).

It's so wonderful that we live in a world of such diversity, that you can find a place in it to live out what you value most highly with like-minded folks. That's the marketplace of ideas for you.