The Polarisation of US Politics
As we have seen, the 1990s brought a seismic shift in US politics.
With the breakup of the old Solid South, southern conservative Democrats began to
cross to the Republican Party, making the Republicans a far more ideologically
conservative party and leaving the Democrats as a more homogeneous, liberal party.
Commentators began to talk of 'Red America' and 'Blue America'
Red America
Characterised as white, overwhelmingly Protestant (and specifically, evangelical) but
often joined by practising Catholics (because of the abortion issue).
It was rural or suburban, and unmistakably conservative.
In Red America, the majority of voters think that the federal government does too
many things which would be better left to private businesses and individuals, and
they tend to think that federal income tax should be cut, even if that means cuts in
federally funded services.
Red America is pro-life, pro-guns and pro-traditional marriage, and is opposed to
Obamacare.
Red America gets its news from the Fox News channel and listens to conservative
talk radio featuring such hosts as Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, and Mark Levin.
Blue America
By contrast, Blue America, it is claimed, is racially a rainbow coalition of white, black,
Asian and Hispanic Americans.
Attending a place of worship on a regular basis is not all that important in Blue
America.
It tends to be wealthier, predominantly urban, and unmistakably liberal.
In Blue America, the majority of voters think that the federal government should do
more to solve problems, and they tend to think that federal income tax should be
increased on the wealthier in order to protect federally funded services.
Blue America is pro-choice, favours gun control legislation, is pro same-sex marriage
and is supportive of Obamacare.
Blue America gets its news from CNN and watches Saturday Night Live on NBC.
Conclusion
Of course, these portraits are generalisations and, in part, caricatures.
But they also contain a good deal of truth and show two starkly different Americas
living as almost parallel universes.
There are red states like Texas, South Carolina and Kansas and blue states such as
California, Massachusetts, and Oregon.
Thirty states have voted for the same party's candidate in the last five presidential
elections.
But, of course, states are not uniform. There are blue enclaves in Texas - like south
Austin, for example _ as well as red enclaves in California.
Some states also move into a different category over a number of elections.
For example, Biden won both Arizona and Georgia in 2020, both states that have
long been considered reliably Republican.
As we have seen, the 1990s brought a seismic shift in US politics.
With the breakup of the old Solid South, southern conservative Democrats began to
cross to the Republican Party, making the Republicans a far more ideologically
conservative party and leaving the Democrats as a more homogeneous, liberal party.
Commentators began to talk of 'Red America' and 'Blue America'
Red America
Characterised as white, overwhelmingly Protestant (and specifically, evangelical) but
often joined by practising Catholics (because of the abortion issue).
It was rural or suburban, and unmistakably conservative.
In Red America, the majority of voters think that the federal government does too
many things which would be better left to private businesses and individuals, and
they tend to think that federal income tax should be cut, even if that means cuts in
federally funded services.
Red America is pro-life, pro-guns and pro-traditional marriage, and is opposed to
Obamacare.
Red America gets its news from the Fox News channel and listens to conservative
talk radio featuring such hosts as Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, and Mark Levin.
Blue America
By contrast, Blue America, it is claimed, is racially a rainbow coalition of white, black,
Asian and Hispanic Americans.
Attending a place of worship on a regular basis is not all that important in Blue
America.
It tends to be wealthier, predominantly urban, and unmistakably liberal.
In Blue America, the majority of voters think that the federal government should do
more to solve problems, and they tend to think that federal income tax should be
increased on the wealthier in order to protect federally funded services.
Blue America is pro-choice, favours gun control legislation, is pro same-sex marriage
and is supportive of Obamacare.
Blue America gets its news from CNN and watches Saturday Night Live on NBC.
Conclusion
Of course, these portraits are generalisations and, in part, caricatures.
But they also contain a good deal of truth and show two starkly different Americas
living as almost parallel universes.
There are red states like Texas, South Carolina and Kansas and blue states such as
California, Massachusetts, and Oregon.
Thirty states have voted for the same party's candidate in the last five presidential
elections.
But, of course, states are not uniform. There are blue enclaves in Texas - like south
Austin, for example _ as well as red enclaves in California.
Some states also move into a different category over a number of elections.
For example, Biden won both Arizona and Georgia in 2020, both states that have
long been considered reliably Republican.
