In another excuse to ask people to send him money, Gordon Howie groans linklessly that a Gallup poll finds South Dakota is not in Gallup's new list of the ten most conservative states.

Here's the Gallup poll:

Gallup poll, percentages of self-identified conservatives, moderates, and liberals in each state, 2012

Gallup poll, percentages of self-identified conservatives, moderates, and liberals in each state, 2012

South Dakota is 19th on that list. We have fewer self-identifying conservatives and more self-identifying liberals (howdy, neighbor!) than North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Nebraska.

Our 19th ranking on this conservative list suggests various conclusions:

  1. The folks in the states above us are lying to themselves, since, as mostly rural states, they subsidize their comfortable local conservatism with big federal subsidies paid for by their urban, liberal neighbors.
  2. Fellow liberals, South Dakota is not a lost cause. We're the minority everywhere (and admit it: it's more fun that way!). But remind the moderates that our liberalism is on their side much more than the theocratic crony-corporatism masquerading as conservatism, and you have a better chance of winning elections than a similar coalition in several other red states (like North Dakota, which just managed to elect a Democrat as their Senator).

Gordon, you're welcome for my adding value to your pablum. And because I'm a liberal, I won't ask for a cut of your contributions. (However, my own Tip Jar, below the comments atop the near-right sidebar, remains open to liberals, moderates, and conservatives alike.)

Update 12:49 MST: The Displaced Plainsman, a skilled teacher of rhetoric, also gives Gordon an F for claims wholly detached from evidence poorly cited.