The Western States of America Not sure what to make of this, but there may be a geographic realignment under way in American politics. The tsunami hit full force from the Atlantic to the Mississippi valley but mostly didn't make it past the Great Plains. This is a generalization, obviously, but the Midwest is now Republican country again, with the former solid blue states of the Atlantic seaboard now with significant GOP representation. But the West, especially the Coast, is almost as blue as in 2008. The big challenges to the Dems in California and Nevada mostly fizzled. And there never was much of a challenge here in Oregon , at least not after early polls showed a conservative tide. In the end the Left " came home" and saved nearly all major offices. Why is the West now --apparently-- the "solid West" ? This is a question worth asking. A corollary is this question : Has California become, with Oregon, a separate country ? Obviously this is metaphor, and unacknowledged is the fact that away from close proximity to the ocean the rest of Californian and Oregon --and we should add parts of Washington state-- is similar to the balance of the United States. But it is difficult not to see this phenomenon. This has a variety of implications going forward in American politics. Billy
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