Halloween and "Divided" America

The premise of much of the punditry over the past few years is how "divided" America is, and how angry people are, and how Red State America and Blue State America are so fundamentally different that it's hard to believe the country can avoid civil strife. Well, I live in a "blue" state, Wisconsin, that might just go "red" this year, and IMHO all that is self-dramatizing by the media elites and our chattering classes. America is not that divided.

How do I know? Halloween. This weekend we went out for Halloween to trick-or-treat in our neighborhood with the young-uns, and I ran into literally hundreds of friends from our neighborhood and parish, and I didn't hear one political comment. Not one. The weekend before the election where "so much is at stake." In a "swing" state. After months of being barraged by political ads. No one was angry. No one was "mean-spirited." Everyone was nice to each other, and having a grand time passing out candy to Disney princesses and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Maybe this is a bad thing. Maybe people should care more about politics. But I think it is a sign of fundamental health in our society that, three days before a presidential election, my friends -- college-educated, profesional people for the most part -- are talking about the Packers, fall home improvement projects, how the capital campaign at the church is going, whether our kids are going to do indoor soccer this year, etc., etc., etc. They are not talking about the election, I think, because they fundamentally trust that all will be well.

And, the bonus is, a Happy America, is an America that re-elects incumbents.

Bush, PV 53-46, EV 330-188.