Thune versus Goodman

With the Republicans Convention looming, politicians are debating whether to temporarily move the bar closing time from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM. The city council members representing the downtown areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul have differing opinions on the proposal.

• Nay - St. Paul council member David Thune: "I've got 8,000 people living downtown who don't want a bunch of puking Republican lobbyists on the streets at four in the morning."
• Yes - Minneapolis council member Lisa Goodman: "We can be a cold Omaha or we can stand up and be a 24-hour city."

If we attribute the two attitudes to the entirety of the respective cities, a portrait emerges of Minneapolis as a fun place that wants to be a 24-hour city. (Anyone who has spent time in Minneapolis and also a true 24-hour city might observe that Minneapolis still has a ways to go in this regard, but still, it's trying!) St. Paul, on the other hand, is a cold (and smaller) Omaha.

To Omaha: I'm sorry you got dragged into this.

Once the work day is done, standing in downtown Minneapolis is quite different than downtown St. Paul. Downtown St. Paul can be a ghost town. The council members' attitudes reflect reality. Minneapolis is a New York City wannabe. St. Paul is a Omaha wannabe.

Minneapolis wins.

Minneapolis: [ 2] / St. Paul: [ 2]