Illinois City Mouse vs Country Mouse (Again)

I had to laugh at this exchange in the Illinois forum over at Democratic Underground regarding Governor Blagojevich opting to spend funds on a Chicago music show but not on a Springfield livestock show.

Pockets
Livestock vs. Music... Hmmm.
Is that what people like to do in Springfield, look at livestock, rather than attending a music festival? Regardless, I would contend that music is under the category of entertainment for everyone, whereas a livestock show is more of a gift to people in that industry. I don't think the comparison is valid.

DrGonzoLives
And we wonder
why the Democrats aren't that popular downstate. Big surprise.

Pockets
I'd really like to hear from them.
I spent most of my life downstate and can testify that I'd prefer a show with music rather than lifestock. Music is universal whereas livestock is industry specific even in the country. What would be great is if the state would sponsor more music festivals
downstate.

DrGonzoLives
That's you
Not everyone. And besides, this is an "electronic music festival" - that is not exactly a genre that has a huge appeal. So, the "everyone likes music" argument doesn't really apply here.

Pockets
I just got done saying that....
Illinois should spend money on downstate music festivals, so I agree that downstaters should receive the message that they matter too (despite their lack of population and all the additional funds they require to maintain vast expanses).

All I'm saying is livestock is industry specific. I'm sure many downstate might be a little disappointed that a governor would assume that they must be interested in livestock. I might have continued living downstate if it weren't for things like livestock festivals. Okay, so not everyone is interested in electronic music either, but it is still, strictly speaking, just entertainment.

DrGonzoLives
You keep missing the point
Not everyone thinks that a music festival is universal entertainment. For some people, livestock shows are the entertainment for the summer along with the country fair and the fireworks they buy over in Missouri.

Oh, gawd. I've written before about the Chicago vs. Downstate tension that divides Illinoisians at times. This is a good example of that problem.