Michael Barone

A New Political Map?

March 3, 2008 RSS Feed Print

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Here is my Creators Syndicate column for the week, titled "Throw Out the Old Map." My thesis is that we may see major changes from the map of red and blue states that became so familiar after the 2000 and 2004 elections. Some friends who are fellow followers of the political scene have written in to disagree, and I suppose it's possible that every state will end up voting for the candidate of the same party it voted for in 2004. But I doubt it. For reasons, see the article.

Tags:: 2008 presidential election

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This is terrible! What gives anyone the right to call Barack Obama a communist? If you are refering to his healthcare plan, it is, might I remind you, a plan to SOCIALIZE healthcare, which is entirely different from communism. Personally, I believe that everyone is entitled to the same opportunity to live a healthy, productive life. I know this is a democracy, but the health and well-being of all Americans should not be left up to a capitalist economy. Why on earth would you allow children and the povertous to die of preventable diseases and to forever disfigured because some who are better off think that if they have an abundance of means, they belong to an entire different social class than the people below them and thus should live healthier lives. While it is true that liberty does not always mean equality, we can guarantee everyone the same opportunities.
And here's some advice: take away the lables, stop using "liberal" and "conservative" as nouns, and actually look at candidates for what they're worth.

Hannah Smith of VA 11:08AM October 20, 2008

From what I have heard out of friends, family, co-workers etc. the November election may be an eye opener-for the Democrats.
Why?
Let me give you two examples...
1. My best friends mother-She has been a life long card carrying member of the California Democratic party. She has held various offices within the county and state party. She has NEVER, EVER voted for a Republican in her life. That is until this November rolls around. She told us that she intends to vote for McCain.
Her reasons are as follows. Obama is a communist and would be an unmitigated disaster as president both domestically and internationally. She doesn't trust Hillary as far as she can throw her-she has met Hillary at various party functions and detests the woman and her lust for power. She views her as someone who will do whatever it takes to stay in power, too.
2. A former co worker-New Jersey boy, born and bred. A shop steward for his union. Life long flaming democrat-not to the point that Rosie O'Donnell, the Kos Kidz and the HuffPo/DU people are but close. When he told me he was going to vote for McCain you could've knocked me over with a feather.
I asked him why and this is what he said. Obama reminds him too much of someone who, if elected, would do all he could to become a dictator. He has also heard some of the crap coming out of both Barak and Michelle Obama about how they view the U.S. and he finds it offensive. What little he can glean about what policies Obama would enact if elected would ruin him and his family financially. He knows first hand from relatives in Canada and Europe just how "wonderful" socialized medicine is and wants no part of it. He won't vote for Hillary because all that means is "more of the same" hijinx that plagued the Clinton White House. He had friends that died at the WTC and, unlike so many flaming Democrats, knows that it could have been stopped if the Clinton's weren't so busy playing politics and worrying about the opinion polls.
These are two people that I would have never expected to hear that they would even consider voting for a Republican much less say they intend to. There are also other examples that I could cite but these are the two most "extreme".
All in all there will be a November surprise, and there isn't anything the Democrats can do about it. If they think they can smear their way through with the help of the MSM they won't be able to this time. The people I know see the MSM now for what it is-biased. I guess I am partly to blame for that because I have been "busting" all the shinola out of the MSM to these folks for the last 5 years or so.

kate of TX 11:42AM March 06, 2008

I enjoyed your essay on electoral maps (Wash Times) Mar 4, 2008. I also have been confused by the color coding aspect, I thought RED was more a communist color befitting of our new American Democrats!
A new map that depicts states with a Libert Bell or Hammer and Sickle might be more appropriate and informative.

Major Richard A. Hale of VA 10:22AM March 06, 2008

A New Political Map?

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