September 12, 2025
A note: I wrote this piece and submitted it to Rylie the day before Charlie Kirk’s assassination. I reopened this morning to see if changes needed to be made to it. None were necessary.
Without really noticing, because it has crept up on us for several decades, we have become two political nations. The map above illustrates what are commonly called trifecta states. A trifecta state is one in which the governorship, the state house and the state senate are all of one party. So, Florida is wholly Republican, California wholly Democrat. The few gray states you see (Michigan…) have a divided state government.
It has become a mostly red country with blue states generally touching an ocean as a state border. And in recent gerrymandering eruptions, mostly notably in California and Texas, we see the dominant party attempt extend its power and control.
Nothing new in that. Read on…
I’ve always found gerrymandering to be more an example of incredible political hypocrisy as much as anything else. Texas Republicans attempt to gerrymander; Democrats turn apoplectic at the horrible threat to democracy! And then they do it and the Republicans accuse the Democrats of destroying democracy. All politicians clearly believe people are stupid and swallow that one whole.
A natural tension has always existed between the Federal government and the States. It is all outlined in the Constitution. Here is what the Federal government can do, and the rest is delegated to the states. Over the decades the Federal government has shouldered its way in until state power has been significantly eroded. The Great Depression was the starter’s gun going off on Federal expansion of power. It is now swinging back somewhat, but when you put anything under increased tension, it’s going to create a reaction.
It is a quirk of history I think that many states have done 180 on this issue. Just consider the American Civil War, or The War Between the States. While many people believe the war was all about slavery, it was actually about preserving the Union, the power of the Federal government. Slavery of course energized passions and its elimination became a clear goal of the war.
Generally not known is that Lincoln was willing to allow slavery to continue where it already existed, even after his election but before the Civil War began. This reflected both his political pragmatism and his constitutional understanding at the time.
Now, which states were the strongest supporters of the Union? Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York, Illinois. And what states were willing to die to get rid of the Union? Texas, Florida…
180: Today, what states are pushing back against Federal power? Minnesota Massachusetts…and which supporting the Federal intervention? Florida, Texas…
Now this isn’t a cut and dry thing, but I think you get the idea.
But the upshot is an increase in differences. For example, abortion is now banned or restricted in about 1/3 of the states, all of them Rep. Abortion is protected or allowed in every Dem trifecta state.
It’s a similar story in issue after issue…employment law, gun regulation, gun registration, immigration enforcement, transgender, church vs state.
To me, there is no point at all in playing a blame game. No point to say the Dems are right and the Reps are wrong. That so-and-so started it and is at fault. Waste of time. No one is going to be moved by that. Rather, all of this tension is simply the result of people voting their personal preferences, which is what democracy, at its heart, is all about.
I did not appreciate Mr. Trump’s goofing on social media with the idea of sending the troops to Chicago, I thought it was undignified for a President to make light of that potential use of force. I confess to mixed feelings about the idea itself. On the one hand, you just want the killing to stop. On the other, it is a slippery slope increasing central government power, which I am generally against.
But I was equally unappreciative when Governor Walz of Minnesota referred to “that thing” in the White House and hinted that he hoped he might wake up one morning with “that thing” no longer there…the implication…however that happened.
Politicians need to understand that this depersonalization of their political opposites is an extremely dangerous thing. Because depersonalization eggs on those of a weak mental state, those disturbed and angry people willing to act on their perceived frustrations.
“This is a war. We are at war,” said Kathy Hochul, New York’s Democratic governor. “And that’s why the gloves are off. And I say: Bring it on.”
This is the man going on trial this week for bringing a weapon into the bushes at Mara Lago:
I love living in Florida. I feel freer in Florida than I have in other places. So, there is a place for me. I also know Florida is not everyone’s favorite state. And another person might find more solace and a sense of freedom in, say, California or Minnesota.
Thus, here’s a reasonable deal…
We should each live where we are most happy. And we should also recognize that not everyone feels the same way as we do on issues. But if they don’t, it doesn’t make them a demon, it does not rise to a call for violence, or hate, or anger. It’s a big country and we have the luxury of fifty different choices where to build our lives. And there are many choices and many differences.
I have generally been a fan of more rights for states and less power to the Federal government (Libertarians are that way). I was fine on taking education funds from the Federal government and instead, block granting the money to the individual states, let the parents (that would be you and me) and their school boards decide how their children are educated. The parents in Iowa will spin it their way and the parents in Wheeling their way and those in Missouri, another way. I’m fine with it as long as we have SCOTUS as referee on the ideas that come forth…frankly, I don’t know where else we can find a referee other than the ballot box.
I really don’t see any other way through than tolerance, compromise and goodwill. I’m not going to change your beliefs, nor you, mine. To be sure, you can bend me a bit and my friends do all the time. But all of us need to get out of the foxholes, fill them in and move about on dry and sunny lands.
We’ll get there. History shows that clearly.
But we can surely accelerate the process by how we comport ourselves.
Clearly, we can’t leave it to our elected officials
Thoughts, questions, or reflections? I’d love to hear them. You can reach me anytime at anthony@workingprofit.com
