Blue Cities Surrounded by Red Suburbs and Countryside
Steven Malanga in City Journal [click to read] shows how a closer analysis of 'Blue America' finds it very much an urban phenomenom, fueled in part by public sector unions [read SEIU here].
"Is it really true that America is politically divided between conservative “Red” states in the southern and middle sections of the country and liberal “Blue” states on both coasts? Not exactly: a close look at the district-by-district voting patterns of the coastal states in the 2004 elections brings into crystal-clear focus the real nature of our political divisions. There’s really no such thing as a Blue state—only Blue metropolitan regions. Indeed, the electoral maps of some states that went for John Kerry in 2004 consist mostly of Red suburban and rural counties surrounding deep Blue cities."
Virginia's 2006 and 2008 voting patterns, which are supposed to 'prove' that Virginia is 'purple' only reflect the continuing urbanization of Northern Virginia. Virginia is still very much a place that values well articulated Conservative values. A collected survey of the campaign rhetoric of both Democrats and Republicans shows that it is important to present yourself as a champion of fiscal responsibility and an affirmer of Conservative values. Jim Webb did not run as a progressive... he ran as a Reagan Conservative who "was better at it than George Allen." His voting record, especially on the monster healthcare bill, does not square with that claim.
Mark Warner, speaking to some of the urban elite during his Senate run said: "One of the things you are going to see is a coalition that is just about completely taken over the Republican Party in this state and if they have their way it’s going to take over state government. It is made up of the Christian Coalition, but not just them. It is made up of the right-to-lifers, but not just them. It’s made up of the NRA, but not just them. It is made up of the home-schoolers, but not just them. It’s made up of a whole coalition of people that have all sorts of differing views that I think most of us in this room would find threatening to what it means to be an American." [1.]
Clearly there is a need for the progressive candidate to pitch the blue urbanites in intimate settings while presenting himelf in public as the champion of the very gun-totin' Bible thumpin' people his true supporters find 'threatening.' It's hard to have to maintain two messages but the media seems all to eager to oblidge. [2.] When a friend of mine tried to explain Warner's comment in a letter to the editor, the newspaper declined to print it.
Dennis Prager [click to read] points out that the Left and Right's visions for America are not reconcilable. An informed electorate, asking some hard questions, will be able to point that out.
Chicago's Wrigley Building.
"What makes these cities so Blue is a multifaceted liberal coalition that ranges from old-style industrial unionists and culturally liberal intellectuals, journalists, and entertainers to tort lawyers, feminists, and even politically correct financiers. But within this coalition, one group stands out as increasingly powerful and not quite in step with the old politics of the Left: those who benefit from an expanding government, including public-sector employees, workers at organizations that survive off government money, and those who receive government benefits." -- Steven Malanga
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