Why Idaho is Better Than Montana

Montana sucks!!!  No, seriously, it's very nice and you can buy a good hamburger there.

If there wasn’t a sign telling you that you were leaving one and entering another, would you know the difference between Montana and Idaho? I’ve made the drive up and down I-15 on a number of occasions and I can’t really say the terrain is vastly different.  The same while driving on I-90.  It’s a little greener along that road and there’s some water in places, but the view is pleasant in both states.

Differences may exist between communities but that’s like saying there are differences between Pocatello and Twin Falls.  One is an old railroad town that welcomed immigrants from all over Europe.  Twin Falls is a bit more homogenous.  Across the state line, Helena was built by roughhewn miners.  Some neighboring cities were the constructs of early cattle barons.

I like vacationing in Montana and friends have asked if I plan on moving there.  Short answer is no.  I vacation there because I’ve already seen most of Idaho.  Long answer is a bit more complex.  I’m not ready for retirement.  If someone wanted me to host a program in Montana and offered a really big pile of cash, then I guess I would look at Idaho as a vacation locale.  Right now, my loyalties are more here because I know most of the names of local county commissioners and state legislators.  A move would mean learning a whole new slate of names.

On the whole, Montana appears slightly more liberal when it comes to politics, however.  I’m keeping an eye on the Treasure Valley, which has grown so large it could flip to the dark side.  Montana’s cities are all smaller, but I should mention the ones with large colleges are already often liberal bastions.  Advantage Idaho.

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