Two Visions of the U.S.

I wrote about Colin Woodard's book American Nations a long time ago, which described the 11 different nations he saw as making up the U.S., based on the initiating cultures in each area, or that spread from the initiating area.

A few days ago he had an op-ed in the New York Times, reprinted in today's Star Tribune (also in the Salt Lake Tribune, which posts it online with no paywall) called "There’s still a shared American story, and JD Vance’s blood-and-soil vision isn’t it."

It outlines the long-time dichotomous visions that exist in this country between a U.S. based on ideas — a place dedicated to creating a society of equals — vs. a U.S. as a place of "privileged heritage and bloodlines." In my words, that's an idea of "we made this and it's ours, you can't have it." (Despite it being on stolen land, made largely by stolen labor.)

J.D. Vance, as you may have heard, made a speech not too long ago declaring himself and MAGA for the latter vision of America, which excludes well over half the country's population. And that's even assuming he thinks any women would be included.

Woodard, of course, disagrees with Vance and MAGA, but his main point in writing the op-ed was to report that his institute's research finds about two-thirds of Americans also don't agree:

...when offered rival statements... Sixty-three percent of Americans preferred the statement that we are united “by our shared commitment to a set of American founding ideals: that we all have inherent and equal rights to live, to not be tyrannized, and to pursue happiness as we each understand it” over one embraced by just 33 percent of respondents that said we are united “by shared history, traditions and values and by our fortitude and character as Americans, a people who value hard work, individual responsibility and national loyalty.” That 63 percent included just shy of half of Republicans, nearly two-thirds of independents, and eight in 10 Democrats.

So that's good news. 

But it's that same blasted 33%.

I'm willing to bet that a very high proportion of the 33% minority would also come out in a particular way on those authoritarian screening questions I wrote about back in 2016.