"Florida of the North" --- without the beaches

Before heading to bed last night, I noticed that the lead story at The Washington Post had shifted to this --- Iowa’s sharp right turn: From centrist state to ‘Florida of the North.’  

This is not news to Iowans, of course, but significant because our state has begun to attract nationwide attention for its "costly school choice bill and legislation targeting the LGBTQ community, a historic divergence from Iowa’s history as a civil rights bastion," as The Post put it. 

And other moves motivated by politics infused with the fundamentalist Christian zeal our friends and neighbors once devoted to saving souls.

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Iowa traditionally has been a place easily overlooked --- pleasant to look at, but not dramatic enough to draw tourists; with rich soil enough to feed the world but now producing Ethanol.

Our industries are small --- many struggle to find workers to power them.

Our excellent education system --- now under threat --- has a long history of preparing the best and brightest to leave the state and flourish elsewhere because of lack of opportunity here. 

Rural Iowa is emptying, leaving the old behind, as cities flourish modestly.

And, as The Post pointed out, we have no beaches --- or mountains, or weather than avoids extremes, or historic monuments, or cultural icons.

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Much of the collective national attention so far during 2023 has been directed toward "red" states that have been busy adopting legislation similar to that embraced by Iowa's Legislature --- Florida (with its aspirational politicians, and beaches), Tennessee (Nashville and country music), Texas (sheer size), and others.

It's not a good thing to have the spotlight turned toward Iowa.

Since Iowa opened for settlement, it has relied on a flow of bright and creative people who grew up elsewhere to supplement hometown talent and keep it viable.

But the sort of activity that has dominated this year's legislative session in Des Moines is the sort of thing that frightens people away, rather than attracts them.

And not once during this legislative session have we seen any indication at any level, from governor down, of hopes and dreams that might carry Iowa forward.