A country divided, red and blue

November 16, 2020

The red-blue divide today in America has less to do with race, poverty, education or intelligence and can be better explained by social and cultural values (which also better explain voting habits). With apologies to Charles Murray, consider the following general observations about relative differences that characterize the red-blue gap.

Before running down this road, it is important to clarify and remember one key, causal mistake that the blues make in assessing the state of affairs in the United States. The blues believe that Donald Trump is the cause of political and social divisions in the country when, in truth, he is the result and symptom of a national division that grew markedly during the Obama administration. An earlier blog highlighted these findings from the non-partisan Pew Research Center.

RED

· Rural, less densely populated, regular church goers, white, conservative social, cultural, religious, political, governmental and economic issues

· Cities experienced more recent organic growth.

· Older Millionaire next door

· Wealth focused more on tangibles, including modest homes for wealthy, e.g., land, manufactured goods, crops, mining, buildings, 3-bedroom homes of the millionaire next door

· Debt averse

· Lower average income, higher median income, lower income inequality

· Minor class and household gaps between higher and lower incomes, e.g., social interaction bridges class differences

· Prefers outdoor activities and sports

· Prefers “low culture,” movies, sporting events

· Plays golf

· Low levels of homelessness

· Lower murder rates

· Smaller populations of recent immigrants

· Economic focus is local, state and regional

· “Deplorables, gun and religion clingers”

· Public celebration of traditional American historical events, e.g., Fourth of July.

· Children attend public and parochial elementary, middle and high secondary education, and public universities.

· Fewer single-parent households and lower rates of child poverty.

· “Country mouse”

BLUE

· Urban, densely populated, multicultural, rarely attend services; progressive re social, cultural, religious, political, governmental and economic issues

· Cities have experienced long-term growth from outside, e.g., immigration.

· Younger Billionaire next door

· Wealth focus is on financial instruments and expensive homes for the wealthy, e.g., stocks, bonds, trading, conspicuous consumption, debt, mega-mansions of the wealthy

· Debt prone

· Higher average income, lower median income, higher income inequality

· Stark class and household gaps between higher and lower incomes, e.g., little formal interaction between rich and poor

· Prefers indoor activities and sports

· Prefers “high culture,” symphony, art museums

· Plays tennis

· High levels of homelessness

· Higher murder rates

· Larger population of recent immigrants

· Economic focus is regional, national and global

· Politically correct secular humanists

· Public celebration of identity politics-based events.

· Children attend private schools and universities, from pre-K through undergraduate education.

· More single-parent households and higher rates of childhood poverty.

· “City mouse”