j;j @ down on your knees and thank the Lord above (or whomever we happen to believe in in our blue states) for the Middle West. Now. And everyday.

The Midwest: our salvation, the source of so much of our greatness, the buffer that protects us from what lies without.

Am I serious? Damned right I am.

If Chicago were on either coast, it would be overrun by people who just check in and check out. We would not be nearly in control of our own destiny as we are in the heart of the Midwest. Boston, NY, Philly, and DC play off of each other on the northeast corridor. The megalopolis, at times, overwhelms the city.

Not in Chicago. An island of a city, but a hugely important island, Chicago gets to keep power and identity.

There is a secret about the Midwest. We know it; many outsiders don’t. It can be a totally cool region to live in. What don’t outsiders know (and I may regret telling them):

• the midwest has terrific rolling and hilly scenery: Vermont like in Browns County, complete with covered bridges and blazing fall colors.

• the midwest is downright coastal. How about Michigan? Rocky and roughed, Cape Cod-like around Mackinac with beaches in Harbor Country that could put many in FLA to shame

• history...well, not colonial, but American. St. Louis speaks more about the might of the US spreading across the continent than Boston ever could. How about Galena. 1830’s and still in tact....and sorry, folks, in European eyes, 1830 is about as old as 1776 and 1607.....and all 3 are old to us. And US

• cool, sophisticated and liberal college towns? If Ann Arbor and Madison aren’t among the best nationally, which ones are?

• you want the super rich and the movers and the shakers? I have no doubt that Lake Geneva can give Newport a run for its money

• great resorts? plenty in Michigan, Wisconsin, elsewhere. The Grand Hotel in Macinack is a national treasure. Harbor Country and Door County provide resorts that are outstanding

In other words, a complete, whole, livable and lovable region. A lot more like Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania than it is with Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.

Chicago has plenty of places nearby, just a short car trip away, that are terrific. And if that weren’t enough, it’s pretty easy to fly off to further and perhaps more dramatic locales. I don’t know if you heard it or not, but we do have airplanes landing in Chicago these days. And when we return to O'Hare afterwards, we're pretty happy to be back in the midwest.

I don't know how I managed to get this one so screwed up at the start, but let's give it another try...

******************

Chicago: get down on your knees and thank the Lord above (or whomever we happen to believe in in our blue states) for the Middle West. Now. And everyday.

The Midwest: our salvation, the source of so much of our greatness, the buffer that protects us from what lies without.

Am I serious? Damned right I am.

If Chicago were on either coast, it would be overrun by people who just check in and check out. We would not be nearly in control of our own destiny as we are in the heart of the Midwest. Boston, NY, Philly, and DC play off of each other on the northeast corridor. The megalopolis, at times, overwhelms the city.

Not in Chicago. An island of a city, but a hugely important island, Chicago gets to keep power and identity.

There is a secret about the Midwest. We know it; many outsiders don’t. It can be a totally cool region to live in. What don’t outsiders know (and I may regret telling them):

• the midwest has terrific rolling and hilly scenery: Vermont like in Browns County, complete with covered bridges and blazing fall colors.

• the midwest is downright coastal. How about Michigan? Rocky and roughed, Cape Cod-like around Mackinac with beaches in Harbor Country that could put many in FLA to shame

• history...well, not colonial, but American. St. Louis speaks more about the might of the US spreading across the continent than Boston ever could. How about Galena. 1830’s and still in tact....and sorry, folks, in European eyes, 1830 is about as old as 1776 and 1607.....and all 3 are old to us. And US

• cool, sophisticated and liberal college towns? If Ann Arbor and Madison aren’t among the best nationally, which ones are?

• you want the super rich and the movers and the shakers? I have no doubt that Lake Geneva can give Newport a run for its money

• great resorts? plenty in Michigan, Wisconsin, elsewhere. The Grand Hotel in Macinack is a national treasure. Harbor Country and Door County provide resorts that are outstanding

In other words, a complete, whole, livable and lovable region. A lot more like Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania than it is with Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.

Chicago has plenty of places nearby, just a short car trip away, that are terrific. And if that weren’t enough, it’s pretty easy to fly off to further and perhaps more dramatic locales. I don’t know if you heard it or not, but we do have airplanes landing in Chicago these days. And when we return to O'Hare afterwards, we're pretty happy to be back in the midwest.

I don't think Chicago owes anything to the midwest just as the midwest owes nothing to Chicago. Chicago and the midwest created each other in an intimate balance of economic properity where the farmers and loggers cleared the land and chicago provided them a place to hawk their wares. Chicago and the midwest grew in mutual harmony not in spite of each other.

I don't think Chicago owes anything to the midwest just as the midwest owes nothing to Chicago. Chicago and the midwest created each other in an intimate balance of economic properity where the farmers and loggers cleared the land and chicago provided them a place to hawk their wares. Chicago and the midwest grew in mutual harmony not in spite of each other.

suburbanite, i realize that. what i was really trying to say is that chicago has benefitted enormously from its midwestern location. the region, of course, benefitted greatly, as well. chicago was always key as the middle man connecting the midwest with the east. and chicago is one of the key factors in this being one of america's most unified regions. there was an old line that you could tell the boundaries of the midwest by finding the line between places where you could buy the Chicago Tribune and where you couldn't.

My post was more of reminder to us that the midwest is a lot more of a blessing to us than we sometimes realize. i'm not about to send Millenium Park to Peoria or Navy Pier to Cleveland in gratitude.

Yeah, but the downside is that to get to another great city, we have to fly somewhere. We can't just hop on the train and take a daytrip to NYC like somebody from Philly can, even if that city is overwhelmed by its larger neighbor.

Frankly I'm not a huge fan of the Midwest as a region, but I'll leave it at that.

There is a secret about the Midwest. We know it; many outsiders don’t. It can be a totally cool region to live in. What don’t outsiders know (and I may regret telling them):

• the midwest has terrific rolling and hilly scenery: Vermont like in Browns County, complete with covered bridges and blazing fall colors.

• the midwest is downright coastal. How about Michigan? Rocky and roughed, Cape Cod-like around Mackinac with beaches in Harbor Country that could put many in FLA to shame


Here is aguably some of the best scenery in the Midwest:

http://img127.exs.cx/img127/3311/79252448hinbdO_ph.jpg

http://img118.exs.cx/img118/6408/79393211ElWpgt_ph.jpg

http://img118.exs.cx/img118/5219/81352310OcnUsa_ph.jpg

And a few pics of my own:

http://img118.exs.cx/img118/5442/2988.jpg

http://img118.exs.cx/img118/8532/2989.jpg

http://img118.exs.cx/img118/1175/2990.jpg

http://img118.exs.cx/img118/5226/2991.jpg

Yup, that is the midwest.

where in the midwest is that?

where in the midwest is that?

Guess.

Hint: It's a 3 1/2 hour drive from Minneapolis.

I would have to guess, the shores of Lake Superior perhaps on the Wisconsin side.

I would have to guess, the shores of Lake Superior perhaps on the Wisconsin side.

Close. It's the north shore of Lake Superior. The Wisconsin side doesn't have cliffs like that.

The Minnesota and Ontario shores of Lake Superior have the sawtooth "mountains" rising up from the shore, that's why there are so many waterfalls on the north shore.

Here are a couple more pics of the north shore:

http://img30.exs.cx/img30/754/Superior20View.jpg

http://img47.exs.cx/img47/6339/Rivers_02.jpg

I would guess that most people would never imagine anywhere in the midwest looks like this.

That last pic is on the border! I've been there before. And the lighthouse.

It is nice, eh? The Norwester Moutains along the border were volcanoes, billions of years ago. Now they're huge mesas. The Northeast shore is also like that, but the cliffs are father away from the lake than in the North and west.

Here is pic from the Canadain side
http://img111.exs.cx/img111/2594/lakeshore.jpg

Don't let the cliffs and boreal forests fool you though, the north shore has it's share of farmland as well. ;)

Yeah, but the downside is that to get to another great city, we have to fly somewhere. We can't just hop on the train and take a daytrip to NYC like somebody from Philly can, even if that city is overwhelmed by its larger neighbor.

Frankly I'm not a huge fan of the Midwest as a region, but I'll leave it at that.

MILWAUKEE! Its only a 1.5 hr drive, heh. :)

Don't let the cliffs and boreal forests fool you though, the north shore has it's share of farmland as well. ;)

It does? I've never seen any in the north shore area of Minnesota, the area doesn't seen condusive to farming, with all of the hills and rocky soil. There might be a field here and there, but nothing like the acres of corn fields that you'll see in southern Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois. I've been all over the north shore in Minnesota, and all I've seen are lakes, rivers, extremely dense forest, bogs, and rocks.

Speaking of boreal forests, did you know that Minnesota's arrowhead area is the only area in the lower 48 states that is a boreal forest?

That last pic is on the border! I've been there before. And the lighthouse.


This pic?
http://img130.exs.cx/img130/754/Superior20View.jpg

This has to be one of the most amazing views in the midwest, if not the most amazing. It looks like it could be the ocean, except that the lake is too calm. I'm sure it really looks like the ocean during a storm.

Wow! The canadian coast looks almost tropical. Weird.

No, the last waterfall pic. I't on pigeon river. i'll post another pic of it..

http://www.tbsource.com/SuperNova/Content/Images/496869785.jpg.jpg
High Falls, on pigeon river. Actually, it might not be the same one.. They all look alike.

Even Kakabeka Falls, the tallest of all the waterfall in Northern Ontario (as far as we know, there could be some in places that have yet to be surveyed properly)

http://www.tbsource.com/SuperNova/Content/Images/401011420.jpg.jpg

And another one from minnesota.
http://www.tbsource.com/SuperNova/Content/Images/520585535.jpg.jpg
Split Rock Lighthouse

If you're interesting, here are some more pics from Northwestern Ontario and Northerm Minnesota (http://www.tbsource.com/pictures/) mainly Omtario tyhough, cause it's a Canadain site. Still the midwest though.

Wow! The canadian coast looks almost tropical. Weird.

http://img130.exs.cx/img130/754/Superior20View.jpg

This picure is from the "coast" of Minnesota. You should see how tropical it looks in January.

I think he meant the picture I posted, I've heard people say it looked tropical before :P

The midwest is gorgeous. Thanks for the scenery and industry.

No thanks for places like Ohio and Indiana, though. Get a clue, guys, you're spending fuckin $2 per gallon to drive your annoying SUV like an ass just to buy a gallon of milk or go to work. Try supporting a train system instead of voting for another round of bombing innocent Iraqis while taking your family to Church in the morning.

My feelings about the midwest? Mixed, at best..

No thanks for places like Ohio and Indiana, though. Get a clue, guys, you're spending fuckin $2 per gallon to drive your annoying SUV like an ass just to buy a gallon of milk or go to work. Try supporting a train system instead of voting for another round of bombing innocent Iraqis while taking your family to Church in the morning.

Tell that to every state in the country. Everybody had votes for Bush and Kerry. Ohio went 51/49. Thus, 49% of us don't need to hear your rhetoric. But alas, I keep an open-mind, unlike others...

i like the midwest.

even the red states.

seriously.

Well, even those parts of the midwest (Ohio, Chicago, etc.) have a beautiful aspect. I prefer the northern untouched beauty of North Ontario and Minnesota though. Remember, Bush only won Ohio by a bit, just because the entire state is now republican because of that, doesn't mean all of them are. There's lots of great people in Ohio. Well, I assume there is :P

SUVs have no place in Chicago or Ohio. If you want to live in the midwest and use an SUV, come up to northern Superior area. We have alot of places they'd probably like to see up here, and an SUV would be the best way to taravel. Even in the city, the roads here are nothing to brag about. But larger cities don't need them.

i like the midwest.

even the red states.

seriously.
I hate all red states.


vid touches on a good point. There are at least 3 distinct regions within the "Midwest" that are vastly different from each other...


Plains states (KS, IA, NE, SD, ND):

Huge, boring, Republican, largely Bible belt, lacking major cities or anything much of interest (last one's an opinion, so leave it alone if you disagree). Basically serve to produce grain.


Farmbelt (all or most of MN, WI, IL, MO, IN, MI, OH):

Rural, heavily farmed, more scenic than the Plains with many small towns, and slightly more heavily populated. Vary from moderate to conservative politically.


Great Lakes (small geographic region encompassing greater Milwaukee, greater Chicago, northwest Indiana, greater Detroit, northern Ohio, southern Ontario, western tip of New York state):

The 19th century "rust belt" of heavily industrial urban trade centers, with legacies of huge immigrant populations, strong organized labor, and more left of center politics. This is the part of the Midwest that's much like the Northeast, but not quite as old.


It's hard to make generalizations about the region as a whole.

well cedar point is in a red state.

i love cedar point.

red states can't be entirely bad.

I hate all red states.


vid touches on a good point. There are at least 3 distinct regions within the "Midwest" that are vastly different from each other...


Plains states (KS, IA, NE, SD, ND):

Huge, boring, Republican, largely Bible belt, lacking major cities or anything much of interest (last one's an opinion, so leave it alone if you disagree). Basically serve to produce grain.


Farmbelt (all or most of MN, WI, IL, MO, IN, MI, OH):

Rural, heavily farmed, more scenic than the Plains with many small towns, and slightly more heavily populated. Vary from moderate to conservative politically.


Great Lakes (small geographic region encompassing greater Milwaukee, greater Chicago, northwest Indiana, greater Detroit, northern Ohio, southern Ontario, western tip of New York state):

The 19th century "rust belt" of heavily industrial urban trade centers, with legacies of huge immigrant populations, strong organized labor, and more left of center politics. This is the part of the Midwest that's much like the Northeast, but not quite as old.


It's hard to make generalizations about the region as a whole.

^are these actual divisions or did you make these up?

He made them up.

The official divisions of the Midwest are:

East North-Central (Great Lakes)
Wisconsin
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Ohio

West North-Central (Northern Plains)
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri

Well Chi-town, you know what I think of your opinions and all I can say is grow up kid.

Well Chi-town, you know what I think of your opinions and all I can say is grow up kid.

absolutely nothing good will come from bashing red or blue states. along with all the other problems the electoral college has given us, let's add the whole red state/blue state issue. if there had never been an EC, we would never be thinking along those lines.

He made them up.

Actually, I didn't.

Those are the three regions, more or less*, that are described when one looks at the Midwest from a historical/political/socioeconomic viewpoint, rather than by drawing arbitrary lines on a map. Dividing the country along state borders is stupid... Chicago and southern Illinois couldn't be more dissimilar, nor could northeast & southwest Ohio.


*I say "more or less" because it certainly isn't perfect... St Louis and Minneapolis are industrial cities as well, of course, they're just geographically detached from the industrial region directly bordering the Great Lakes.

Don't hate the red states, about 50% of them are just like you! It just so happens that the "bad" 50% did better than the "good" 50%. Democracy rules :P

Don't hate the red states, about 50% of them are just like you! It just so happens that the "bad" 50% did better than the "good" 50%. Democracy rules :P
I don't this is accurate. There's a big difference between a southern Democrat and a northern Democrat, and between a northern Republican and a southern Republican. And nowhere near 50% of Alabama is "just like me"...

Thanks, speaking as a central Illinoisan, it's nice to see that not ALL Chicagoans think the rest of Illinois is garbage. People who criticize "downstate" have often never been there and havent seen that which we are so proud of.

Also, Im new here, but I can't understand how this thread went to politics...

I don't this is accurate. There's a big difference between a southern Democrat and a northern Democrat, and between a northern Republican and a southern Republican. And nowhere near 50% of Alabama is "just like me"...

There are no more conservative Southern Democrats as there are conservative Northern Democrats. That line of party politics died in the 1990's.

They just stated on the news that Michigan Ave is the 2nd largest shopping district in NA (behind 5th Avenue NYC). Damn, and it had its busiest day in two years today, and no I went to the friggin YMCA. Thanksgiving weekend baby. Thanksgiving weekend. I'm bringing my camera too.

Don't hate the red states, about 50% of them are just like you! It just so happens that the "bad" 50% did better than the "good" 50%. Democracy rules :P

Red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states, red states, blue states........

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ENOUGH!

This red state, blue state shit has got to stop. Please. One thread for red states, blue states. Please.

In the end, you're all Americans ;) That's what unites your country. The red/blue shit (which is actually reverse in Canada, our liberals are red and conservatives are blue) has very little to do with it. the elction is over. Go back to being normal Americans again, the kind that [/I]doesn't[/I] give the rest of the world a reason to hate them. Then we'll all get along!

Or else :evil:

You're probably red on the inside! Be vanquished foul red monster!

I'm blue. Blue to the FRIGGIN CORE!

Matter of fact, I'm Blue Da Ba Bee Ba Ba Ba.............

They just stated on the news that Michigan Ave is the 2nd largest shopping district in NA (behind 5th Avenue NYC). Damn, and it had its busiest day in two years today, and no I went to the friggin YMCA. Thanksgiving weekend baby. Thanksgiving weekend. I'm bringing my camera too.
Maybe I will run into you.

You're probably red on the inside! Be vanquished foul red monster!

I'm blue. Blue to the FRIGGIN CORE!

Matter of fact, I'm Blue Da Ba Bee Ba Ba Ba.............

I voted for Kerry, even though I still think he's a douche bag.

Whatever. I can't be bothered by what the rest of the world thinks. I was born here and I'm not going anywhere. Canada may be great, but I'm staying put.

Some people in others countries will hate America no matter what and it's beyond my control. You can't please everyone, especially being America. When I was going to school up in North Dakota, there were a lot of Canadians going to school up there that seemed to despise America, and this was way before George W. So, I don't give a shit. What am I going to do about it personally? Nothing. I'm just sick of this whole "red state, blue state" garbage that people can't stop talking about. People apologizing to the rest of the world? Geez. You wanna move to Canada? Be my guest.

Red State/Blue State is just a framework to examine the divisions in this country today. It is probably a highly faulty and inaccurate paradigm as it is so tied to the electoral college and gives very little understanding of divisons within each state.

But correct framework or not, this country is terribly divided today. The divisons go far beyond the political issues rasied in the presidential campaign; many of the issues have nothing to do with politics at all.

Dump Red State/Blue State? Sure. It has no bearing now that the polls are closed. But ignore the divisons? That's burying our heads in the sand. It's fatal. The divisions are not going away, not going to evaporate.

Chicago does have, in so many ways, more in common with Toronto, with London, with Tokyo than it does with Kansas, Mississippi, and Idaho. If that doesn't affectg what our concept of nation is, I don't know what does.

Although many Chicagoans (as i have seen in real life and on other threads here) consider themselves far, far, removed from the rest of Illinois and for that matter the midwest, in reality they are just living in denial. One more obvious example of this is the Chicago Board of Trade, centered primarily around agriculture. Agriculture that obviously comes from the rest of the midwest (as well as other parts of the country) , because I don't see any cornfields in the city. Chicago owes it's lifestyle and existence to the midwest, and I personally as an non-Chicago Illinoisan would like to see more Chicagoans admitting it and stop treating the borders of your Metro Area like the edges of the earth.

Of course, I am not denying that midwesterners in general owe a lot to Chicago; it is easily the most important and worldly city around, but I am suggesting that the citizens of this wonderful city open their mind and explore that which surrounds them.

Well said, Airmale. I agree that Chicago owes a lot of its existence to the midwest. But I think the reason Chicago does not always recognize this is because Chicago sees itself among a league of world cities, and many of those cities view the midwest region as rather rustic and conservative, especially with the red/blue state eyes of this recent election (although, proudly, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota went blue). Thus, Chicago tries to sometimes "shake off" its association with this region.

It's much like Pip in Great Expectations. He rises to power and wealth from the money of an ex-convict, but once he enters polite society he becomes very ashamed of him...

Okay, I know I just pissed somebody off

Although many Chicagoans (as i have seen in real life and on other threads here) consider themselves far, far, removed from the rest of Illinois and for that matter the midwest, in reality they are just living in denial.

We're not denying anything. We're not all that far removed. And like an elephant, we don't forget:

In fact, airmale007, we hold you and Decatur responsible for that football team you sent us that got walloped 43-10 on Sunday.

LOL Great Expectations haha...
I can't stand that book...

What football team? The Millikin football team? I don't really follow that sport...

But were used to having our sports teams walloped.

decatur is such an awesome city
too bad i had to move up here to the DMI (des moines iowa)

go macarthur!
go eisenhauwer black panthers!

staleys, ADM, caterpiller, rock rock on

go to st pats church downtown, that place is cool too

cant wait to visit again

LOL Great Expectations haha...
I can't stand that book...

What football team? The Millikin football team? I don't really follow that sport...

But were used to having our sports teams walloped.

I'm talking about the one with an orange football shaped "C" on their blue helmets. The old Decatur Staleys. Sorry, but I forgot the present name of the team.

I too am sick of the red state/blue state discussion. Everyone who is educated on the matter knows that there is an urban/rural dichotomy when it comes to this issue. You can go to a big city in just about any red state and you wouldn't see any more Republican propaganda than you would in a big city of a blue state. Shut up about the red states already. Outside of Chicago, Illinois is pure red, as is the case with most other Midwest urban centers.

Outside of Chicago, Illinois is pure red
That is not entirely the case. There were vast areas in west central Illinois that were blue and all the Illinois counties in the vicinity of St. Louis were blue. Of course, the vast majority were red but not all of rural Illinois was.

Interesting that you would say that... Macon County (where I am) has voted democratic in almost every Presidential election, if I remember correctly.
I think Illinois as a whole has always been a democratic stronghold.

Oh, and about the Decatur Staleys, yeah, I know what your talking about... heh. Funny story about that.

Interesting that you would say that... Macon County (where I am) has voted democratic in almost every Presidential election, if I remember correctly.
I think Illinois as a whole has always been a democratic stronghold.

Oh, and about the Decatur Staleys, yeah, I know what your talking about... heh. Funny story about that.

and one Hal(as) of a story it is. Chicago didn't just borrow from Dectaur downstate on this one.....we got our orange and blue from Champaign/Urbana.

I too am sick of the red state/blue state discussion. Everyone who is educated on the matter knows that there is an urban/rural dichotomy when it comes to this issue. You can go to a big city in just about any red state and you wouldn't see any more Republican propaganda than you would in a big city of a blue state. Shut up about the red states already. Outside of Chicago, Illinois is pure red, as is the case with most other Midwest urban centers.

Jive, I hope you're sitting down on this one. The blue-red-urban-rural stuff you just observed. I'm in complete agreement with you.

Airmale, as to our discussion of sports and Decatur and now that I've got you stuck here as a captive audience, there's a little matter that I would like to settle with you

Back when I was a senior in high school (that's before there was a Lincoln Park, Lincoln Hwy or Lincolnshire or Lincolnwood in Illinois...but we did have a Lincoln in the White House), my high school (ETHS...as in Evanston High) went down to Assembly Hall for the state b'ball tournament. A great and thrilling season (including an upset over Crane in the Sweet 16) put us in the Elite 8 in Champaign vs. Stephen Decatur. We lost. Big time. And it may have ruined my senior year.

So since you are convenient and here, I'm taking my frustrations out on you and blaming you fora the whole mess.

I love Chicago but you guys must know.The city is what it is because of the Midwest, not despite. Chicago is the perfect example of a healthy MIDWEST city. I'm confused on the fact that you'd want to seperate youself from the ideals of the midwest, when in fact Chicago is the ultimate MIDWEST city.

I say fuck the other regions, the midwest has a strong example to the world of the type of cities the Midwest can and will produce in the future.

Sure, it's a midwest city. It should be proud of that. But it also has assets and attributes that allow it to compete in the global market--thus it is also a global city--with a midwestern upbringing.

Personally I think East Sider makes a lot of sense on this one.

Personally I think East Sider makes a lot of sense on this one.
Of course, he is right! Chicago would never have even come to be the global city it is without the grain and corn of Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana; the lumber from Wisconsin and Michigan; the iron ore from Minnesota; and lets not forget the seaport proveded by the connection of the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes. Chicago is the culmination and perfection of what the midwest has to offer.

I too am sick of the red state/blue state discussion. Everyone who is educated on the matter knows that there is an urban/rural dichotomy when it comes to this issue. You can go to a big city in just about any red state and you wouldn't see any more Republican propaganda than you would in a big city of a blue state. Shut up about the red states already. Outside of Chicago, Illinois is pure red, as is the case with most other Midwest urban centers.
Cook County which is almost half the population of the state of Illinois went 70% for Kerry. Just suburban Cook County went clearly the majority for Kerry.

folks, let's keep in mind that red/blue was just one framework we used to look at the presidential election and would have had no bearing if we did not have an electoral college. and for the period of the campaign, in its own warped way, the term worked.

i think we have had a lot less of such red/blue discussions since Nov. 8. Personally, I find the terms metro and retro to be much more descriptive (although a generalization still). our metro areas are looking outward, more global, more tollerant, more diverse. our countryside tends to be more retro, looking to the past to solve issues, more fundamentalist in their religious beliefs, more black and white in thinking. again, a generalization and oversimplificaton, but one that does help to clarify the divisions in modern America.

Cook County which is almost half the population of the state of Illinois went 70% for Kerry. Just suburban Cook County went clearly the majority for Kerry.

Kerry won just about every single major metro in the Midwest and Northeast. Core suburban counties too. Wayne County (Detroit), Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), St. Louis County (STL), Milwaukee County (MIL), Jackson County (KC), etc. all went for Kerry. Hamilton County (Cincinnati) was the resounding exception. Kerry's win margin increased even more significantly when you consider only central cities. Cleveland, Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago and Milwaukee all went over 80% for Kerry. Chicago's share of population is what allowed it to "Kerry" the whole state.

Sorry to hear it ruined your senior year edsg, but it would probably please you to know that Stephen Decatur High School no longer exists; we now have Eisenhower HS (of which I am a proud student) and MacArthur HS (which is evil).
Not that it matters, but in basketball this year: EHS-57 MHS-52
Yahoo!

Sorry to hear it ruined your senior year edsg, but it would probably please you to know that Stephen Decatur High School no longer exists; we now have Eisenhower HS (of which I am a proud student) and MacArthur HS (which is evil).
Not that it matters, but in basketball this year: EHS-57 MHS-52
Yahoo!

actually i was aware that it closed.

we tried to do the same to new trier, but the damned thing wouldn't cooperate.

Kerry won just about every single major metro in the Midwest and Northeast
And I was responding to this assertion you made:
Outside of Chicago, Illinois is pure red


The difference is Cook County's population is the size of most states including Missouri and almost half the size of Illinois. And Cook County is easily well over half the size of metro Chicago.

And?

what querty is trying to say is that Illinois is solid blue, because 85% of the state's population is located in Metro Chicago.

so there is a logical conclusion here. Airlift metro Kansas City and the vast amounts of people living in other Missouri metro areas to St. Louis and re-educate them into liberals....you have 24 hours. ;)

Red state, blue state.... whatever. Cities voted Democratic. And we all hate the South. Lets focus on what unites us here :)

And?
For the love of god year after year. Can you please just go away? Find another city to troll - please.

I'm just confused-- did you not read my post before? You said exactly what I already said, that Chicago's share of the population in Illinois is what makes the state blue. No one was arguing with you and I'm not a troll.