Kindergarten Lessons Come in Handy

Recent negotiations between Minnesota and Wisconsin suggest that the recession is creating some unlikely friendships at the same time that it sparks innovation in the world of commerce.

The two midwestern states are becoming mighty neighborly as they attempt to pinch pennies to work with shrinking budgets, turning towards the idea of sharing resources in a way that has never been considered before. The discussion started thanks to a fishy dilemma: Minnesota needed some of the tiny walleye fish, and Wisconsin needed some fingerlings; Minnesota had plenty of fingerlings and needed some walleyes.

Duh. It was a match made in heaven.
Some genius suggested the states share their resources, and now that idea has extended to everything from bullets for police use to sign language interpreters. A full report on the proposal can be found here. And all over the country, other states are acting in kind, sharing (everything from prison inmates to townships!) in order to cut costs instead of jobs.

It will be interesting to see how these deals pan out, and whether this will mark a smart new trend in trade or is just a temporary strategy borne of necessity.