Lizzie:Thank God the NYT saw fit to print that because I know that for y’all left leaning blue state folk, the NYT is gospel. Even the somewhat brilliant, and effusive, Todd Stark wouldn’t accept that race was more than a “social construct” until I pointed to a NYT article that affirmed that races do exist—and I suspect that my friend still struggles with that unpleasant reality.

And regarding your point—“that how well people are doing has a lot to do with the personal choices they make (regarding their families and reproduction) the political choices they make (should we share or keep resources), and the depth and range of their perspectives (big picture, rationality/ small picture, short term, often emotional responses to immediate problems)”—I think that most red state heterosexual couples that stay married and have 1.8 children would say, again, “Amen sister.”