Posted by Dinah on May 10, 2012, at 9:39:05
In reply to why blue, red, yellow ?, posted by ert on May 6, 2012, at 10:22:35
In the northeast, west coast, part of the midwest, and a few of the inland states like Colorado and Nevada, there are more liberals.
In the many of the inland states, there are more conservatives.
In some states, the numbers are closer to equal so moderates, impulsive voters, etc. make a powerful swing vote.
Why which states are which? Hmmm... I think on the West Coast it's likely immigration and self selection. In the Midwest, I think it may have historically been unions. In the Northeast... Darned if I know. I think it may have been the birthplace of intellectual liberalism in the US. I know in my very conservative state, I hear separate reference to East Coast liberals and West Coast liberals, with very little heard of the other liberals.
The few inland states? I'm guessing immigration. North Carolina developed a destination high tech area. Nevada... Well, that's likely self evident. Las Vegas, proximity to California,etc. A few Western states have become desirable destinations for the wealthy and liberal. Colorado always had liberal pockets, I think. Montana is likely becoming less conservative.
Much of the south is known as the Bible Belt so it tends to be more conservative. After the civil war, the republicans were so hated that Democrats were overwhelmingly elected, but they were Southern conservative democrats. While I'm not sure that Bill Clinton or Jimmy Carter were actually conservative or even more moderate than most democrats, I don't think it was a coincidence that Southern Democrats were the most common Democrat presidents recently, until Obama. After Reagan though, most conservative Southerners found it politically possible to change parties. So I'm guessing that the Democratic party trended more liberal after that.
But I'm not sure what happened to the old moderate republicans. I wonder if they were killed by that very absorbing of the Southern democrats....
poster:Dinah
thread:1017259
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20120327/msgs/1017627.html