US Elections - The Country Is Splitting in Two

by Richard Coulson

International observers often worry about the centrifugal trend in  many  countries -  the tendency of regions or ethnic groups to demand autonomy or independence, weakening the control of central governments and any “national” identity.

Just a few examples: in Spain, wealthy Catalonia is threatening  to spin off; Scotland wants separation from England;  the Kurds want nothing to do with greater Iraq; Nigeria is split between the Christian south and the Muslim north;  tribal allegiances in Pakistan and Afghanistan shatter any hopes for unanimity.

Yesterday’s elections show the same trend in the United States. Thanks to a county-by- county map provided by the  New York Times, we can see vast stretches of rural areas  colored solid  red,  for the losing Republicans, and smaller urban  zones  colored  blue,  for the victorious Democrats. The huge preponderance of red counties nationwide did not determine  the Presidential electoral votes;  the key factor was the larger population in the far fewer blue counties.

 Clearly there is a basic difference in political thinking  between  the  country  folk, largely white,  church-going and socially conservative, and city dwellers, often mixed-race, agnostic and socially liberal. One example is the vivid split between the  blue Atlantic and  Pacific coastal regions  on the one hand, and the overwhelmingly red Midwest,  South and Mountain States  on the other hand.  The effect is even more striking when we look inside the heavily Democratic states of   California, Washington and Oregon, which show blue counties clustered in the  cities  along  the shore with red counties dominating the larger rural  interior regions.

Many other states are likewise split internally, where geographic size does not translate  into votes.  Ninety percent of Nevada  is colored red, but the counties  with Reno and Las Vegas are blue, so the state went Democratic. In the crucial  state of Ohio, red counties dominate the map, but again the lonely blue counties hold the three major cities, giving Democratic victory. 

It’s also notable that within many counties the party divisions were not minor, like 53%-47% ,  but heavily weighted,  sometimes 70%-30%, indicating  intense political slant at a local.  level.  In three red states, like Oklahoma, one does not find a single blue county, and in two other red states only a single blue county.  Massachusetts,  by contrast, does not show a single red county. It must be  lonely to be a Democrat in Oklahoma City, or a Republican  in  Boston.

These sectional and ideological differences  are unlikely to be as severe as the irreconcilable split over slavery that tore the nation apart into Civil War 150 years ago. But they will certainly make the country hard to govern during the next four years, with a blue-state President and Senate and a red-state House of Representatives. We should not expect an early end to the gridlock that has paralyzed crucial decision-making  affecting not only the US but also The Bahamas and the rest of the world.

 

Comments

[Tradewinds]

This is not a split; the United States is broken.. But even worst, the country is financially broke and now is looking at a 22 trillion dollar deficit over the next four years.. Just this past week, hundreds of corporations announced massive layoffs as the private sector votes no confidence in America near-term future.. Next year every American can expect to pay over $2,100 MORE in taxes which will dry up discretionary income which might have been added to meager savings.. Another severe recession is on the horizon which will cause permanent destruction to the economy from which recovery will be severely limited.. The social and economic forces that today are changing the United States are a road map to economic and financial self-destruction..

[zzzzz]

@Tradewinds
is that your opinions no matter who won or because the democrats won?

[Osprey Rocks]

Ahh - the less populated, very red American states. Disproportionate consumers of, but not lovers of, federal tax dollars. Recipients of disproportionate representation in the United States Senate (California two senators, Mississippi two senators). Unloved by entrepreneurs, venture capital, stem cell research, high technology and educators. How'd that happen?