For most people, Minnesota is simply a fly-over state that’s bitter cold in the winter. But now, with Governor Walz as a VP candidate, we’re getting a bit more attention.
Having lived here all my life, I was ready to share a few interesting things about my state. Like the fact that we’re the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” or that we’re called “Minnesota Nice.”
(Per Wikipedia, we’re “unusually courteous, reserved and mild-mannered compared to people from other states.” Also, we don’t like confrontations or making a big fuss.)
But when I read this yesterday, my thinking changed.
“The Dems choice of Tim Walz as a VP pick is almost an admission that all hope is lost. It seems obvious they know they can’t win, so they’re doubling down on the planned riots, civil unrest and left-wing insurrection against America.”
“WHAT?” I wanted to scream. “That’s the weirdest thing anyone has ever said about us. We’re nice. We’re not going to lead any big insurrections or create civil unrest.”
Plus, life is GOOD here. Really good! Check out the statistics below.
The Hidden Underbelly
Here’s what most people don’t know about Minnesota. In just the past 12 months, we were ranked:
- #4 Best State in the U.S. News & World “Best States Report.” Factors that were considered included the economy, opportunities, health care, fiscal stability, infrastructure, crime and natural environment.
- #1 for the best healthcare system in the country. This includes the cost of drugs, accessible healthcare and more. Mayo Clinic is based here and it’s our largest employer.
- #6 in America’s Top States for Business by CNBC for factors that included workforce, economy, quality of life, cost of doing business, technology & innovation, business friendliness, education and more.
- #3 Best States for Women due to excellent economic opportunities, low unemployment rate, and education. And we’re the 3rd best state to raise a family.
We like it here. And we’d like to see other states enjoy the same quality of life that we have. We care about our neighbors.
What About Minneapolis?
Personally, I think all this talk about riots and insurrection is because of what happened here in 2020. It was a very “weird” year.
After George Floyd’s murder, our city was rocked by a series of riots and protests. It was unprecedented. But we’ve not only recovered from those days, we’ve also made lots of improvements.
In June, Minneapolis was selected by the Institute for Quality of Life as … (drum roll) … the …
#1 Happiest City in the United States.
It’s true. The Institute evaluated over 250 cities around the world. They assessed cities on factors that included citizens, governance, economy, environment and mobility. In fact, we are the only US city listed as a “Gold City.”
Finally …
When things are going well, people don’t look for revolution. They look for ways to make things better for citizens. And that’s exactly what’s happening in Minneapolis and Minnesota.
Don’t let people try to scare you. Instead, look at what’s really happening and what could be happening if we’d work together. Because really, so much more is possible!
P.S. You may be wondering about my political standing. I describe myself as “one of those millions in the middle.” On some issues, I’m conservative; on others, I’m liberal. In short, I’m an Independent.
