Exploring the Tri-Cities’ Mindset

(from an outsider, no less!)

I always think of our areas a contradiction in terms –  MANY of our jobs are provided by the money which comes from the federal government.  Which would lead one to believe that we’re an area that supports big government.  After all, it puts the roofs over many heads and the food on many tables.

On the other hand, we are out west, with elbow room.  We have an agricultural economy, as well.  Farms are often small businesses. I don’t know if you know a lot of small business owners, but traditionally they’d rather everyone stay out of their business, including the government.

So, as you can see, disparate forces collide along the banks of the Columbia, Snake and Yakima rivers.

We’ll be helping to elect a senator next week.  We’ll either send the current senator, Patty Murray, back to Washington, or we’ll elect “missed-it-by-this-much” gubernatorial candidate and former state senator, Dino Rossi, to represent our interests.

The Los Angeles Times ran an article about the race, and I found it fascinating to read about our area from a non-local perspective.  The author writes about the dichotomy present here, and how, yet again, Rossi is in a position to win or lose by just “this-much”.