[Christian Science Monitor] A deepening divide between red and blue

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/04/nyregion/04york.html

A Blue City (Disconsolate, Even) Bewildered by a Red America
By JOSEPH BERGER

Published: November 4, 2004


Striking a characteristic New York pose near Lincoln Center yesterday, Beverly Camhe clutched three morning newspapers to her chest while balancing a large latte and talked about how disconsolate she was to realize that not only had her candidate, John Kerry, lost but that she and her city were so out of step with the rest of the country.

"Do you know how I described New York to my European friends?" she said. "New York is an island off the coast of Europe."...

 

what I find curious is the fact that the red states, who for the most part, have a much lower threat of terrorism, are the ones that decided for the blue states , where the threat of terrorism is much higher due to geographical location, population, and industry, who should be the one to protect our country from terrorism and what policy is best

so if you live in a blue state, where terrorism hits much closer to home, you just had millions of farmers, ranchers and other rural folk decide which President would protect you better

something is messed up about that

 

I'm blue because everybody is seeing red, and now I'm because I'm .

 

The other irony is that, at least it seems, more of the rich are in the blue states than the "rural" red states.

 

"Only 10 percent of those age 18-24 voted, roughly the same as in other recent elections, though they backed Kerry by roughly 10 points."

High turnout and these fools were sitting at home. This is freaking pathetic. Next time I hear a college age kid b**** I'm gonna ask if they voted and then when they say no, which by all account should 90% of the time if they are truthful, I'm gonna tell them to STFU.

 

I don't recall the recent, pre-election thread, but the idea that young voters were a "wildcard" that would help tip the election to Kerry was something I found ludicrous. They talk a big game, but they never show up in decent numbers. Most of them probably had a party on election night, lied about how they had voted, and then *****ed about how "their guy" lost.

I wouldn't be surprised if some of them post here. And I won't take this "youth vote" seriously until they show that they are serious where in counts... by voting.

I was a "young voter" in 1972, when I voted against Nixon, and I've voted in every Presidential election since. It isn't hard. They have no excuses for not showing up except for one... immmaturity, a word they despise.



Keep D&D Civil!!

 

I'd venture to say that more of the rich and educated are in the blue states. California, Illinois and New York, have the three biggest cities in the country and are more likely to be hit by terrorists but are blue states.
The Red states are all about God, Guns, Abortion and Gays. I think those four things overide economy, healthcare, terrorism etc.

 

i couldn't believe the numbers when i saw them. the exact same percent of 18-24 y.o's voted this election as the last?!?!? f*cking pathetic! it honestly angers me that my generation can be so apathetic towards such an important event.

but the thing that really surprised about the 18-24 turnout was that here at SWT, student turnout was up by more than 80% from 2000. i figured if we could get a turnout like that here, surely the majority of college campuses would see similar results. that's what really got me.

i wonder how MTV and p.diddy are feeling. lots of wasted time and money..... oh well, if you need mtv or diddy to motivate you to vote, it's probably best that you just stayed at home.

 

These were posted on CNN yesterday

No high school diploma 50% Kerry 49% Bush
High School 52% Bush 47% Kerry
Some College 54% Bush 46% Kerry
College Graduate 52% Bush 46% Kerry
Post Graduate 55% Kerry 44% Bush

 

So maybe Bush voters weren't voting on 'fear and loathing' like so many accused them of doing.

 

Bingo.

I can't tell you how many times in interviews of voters I saw people who said they were very worried about Iraq, the economy, terrorism, etc, but that they voted for Bush because he shares their religious beliefs. Single issues like stem cells carried more weight with lots of voters than terrorism and the economy. I'll tell you, I think some of them may have swung our way if Kerry hadn't voted against banning partial birth abortions.

I don'tknow where to go from here. We can't give up on stem cell research and we've already said gay marriage is a state issue, what do we do?

As for my generation, I'm absolutely ashamed. I can't believe more young people didn't vote. We had this commercial here, I don't know if others have seen it, it's like a young people's news thing or whatever that I think Cox cable put on. Anyways, this young frat boy looking douche repeats this quote from James Carville about how unreliable and unimportant the youth vote still is and the guy says "well maybe Mr. Carville hasn't heard of 20 million Strong" or whatever. No you ass, he did hear about and he knew well in advanced how it wasn't going to mean sh*t in this election.

 

I live in Texas. There is no way that George Bush is going to lose in Texas. I could go vote, but why? My vote only counts so far as appointing who from my state is actually going to get to vote for president. Nothing you can say is going to convince me that if I went and voted two days ago anything would have been different. If I lived in a swing state I would have voted, but I don't.

They colored Texas red as soon as Bush announced he was running for reelection.

 

Tit for tat. Tat for tit. Ad nauseum.

All of youse guys have it all wrong. The issues and concerns of the "blue" states were the same as "red" states when agricultural versus manufacturing economic differences are factored into the equation.

The only real difference was that more "red" states achieved a plurality of several thousand votes (1% to 3% of the vote), but those same narrow margins existed in "blue" states. The only difference was those tiny percentages tipped the other way.

You guys get real. Life is neither lived in black or white nor red or blue for that matter.

 

If there was only ONE RACE on the ballot you might have a point. But even then, you don't think that if a vast majority of 18-24 year olds voted in Texas that it would make a difference?

I hope you plan on voting for state races, because the Texas legislature decided that Texas Universities can set their own tuition, the Texas governor line item vetoed money from one state institution (UH) and sent that money to another (UTDallas), the states set Tuition Equalization grant rates. At the national level, Congress sets the budgets ofr Pell grants and federal funding for Financial aid. these are the issues that affect young people. If they don't vote, why would politicians care about their issues.

Bottom line is if you didn't vote and could have it's because YOU ARE LAZY. You FAILED to perform your civil duty and you have no excuse. You should be ashamed.

Ya, that's harsh. It's also the truth.

 

Well, with that kind of attitude, Texas will always be a 'red' state. You do know that you vote on many other issue besides the President when you vote, right?

I voted for Bush. If I lived in California or any other 'blue' state, I would still vote. Too many brave men have fought and died to give me that right for me to blow it off.

 

15.9 million people in texas of voting age

7.4 million people voted

bush's margin of victory: only 1.7 million votes

 

umm...that's a lot.

 

Last year my wife's good friend, child of a hippie, was ranting and raving about Bush. I asked her if she voted for Gore in the last election and she said no, she didn't vote at all. I told her then she had no right to complain because obviously she really didn't care who was president because she didn't vote.

If you don't vote then, you really don't care.

 

That is definately a lot, but it's nothing compared to 8.5 million. I don't thin Kerry could win Texas, but I think other elections in the state would have different outcomes if half of those 8.5 voted.