Ernie : I think it is deeper than simply a reaction against flawed policies or tone deaf leadership. There is something cultural going on that is directly related to Leftward social values and also demography. --although the demographics is far more a "California thing" than is the case in Oregon or the state of Washington. Negligible minority population in OR and, while visible in WASH, still in the 10% or so range. In California Anglos are now under 50% if I am not mistaken, and school age kids are 1/3rd Hispanic and 25 % Asian For this not to have major consequences would be impossible. This has been true in Hawaii for many years of course, but you can almost say that the Japanese are "more white" than Euro-Americans, so maybe it doesn't seem to be as radical a place as California where most Hispanics are first generation and still identify with Mexico --which is nest door, not an ocean away. But the immigration model doesn't apply ( very much ) in the NW. This leaves culture as the main culprit. Besides, this is hardly the first election in which the Dems have picked up all the marbles in the coastal West despite GOP tides elsewhere. The significance of Tuesday seems to be, to test this theory, that it puts the divide into high relief. The tsunami was huge, but nearly all ( think there were only 5 House seats involved in the whole West ) of the 65 or so that the GOP won were from the Rockies eastward. Had the West voted similarly the gains might have been in the 80 range. Point is, to generalize from the WSA (Western States of America ) to the rest of the country based on what people are saying in SF or San Jose or Eugene is a mistake. The Left Coast is atypical of everywhere else except maybe Connecticut & metro NY. OK, toss in Atlanta if you want, or the DC burbs, but you surely get the idea. My guess : 2010 shows the shape of a new political landscape that will impact future elections for many years into the future . We may well see the WSA become as much of an actor in US politics and the states of the CSA. Speaking of the CSA, in some ways it may be becoming a moderate type of WSA. Asians now in governorships in two states, with an Hispanic Republican elected to the senate --plus the first black Republican elected to Congress from Florida since, I donno, the time of Christ ? So cultural considerations are redrawing the political map -with demographics as foundational in key states, especially CA and FLA. Only a theory for now, but it really looks this way after Nov 2. Billy ================================================== In a message dated 11/3/2010 1:37:34 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, [email protected] writes:
Maybe, but arguably premature, since most of the U.S. is more 'anti-Blue' than actually Red... E On Nov 3, 2010, at 1:35 PM, [email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected]) wrote: 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 -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org
