<$BlogRSDUrl$>
A Probably Unimportant Realization
Anyway, a quick thought: I was thinking about Edwards' withdrawal and McCain's likely nomination, and it occurred to me that in 2009 there won't be a Southern President for the first time in 20 years. In fact, it will be the first time that there isn't a President from a specific part of the South. Bush I (1989-93), Clinton (1993-2001), and Bush II (2001-09) were all from the same basic geographic region - the old trans-Mississippi South.
For some reason this makes me happy. Of course I would be unhappy if McCain won, but at least we wouldn't have yet another southern-fried Republican. I for one am sick and tired of the South's disproportionate influence on our national consciousness. A non-Southern Democratic majority in Congress and a non-Southern (and hopefully Northern Democratic) President would be nice.
4 Comments:
-
I was thinking about this last night, actually, so no harm in posting. :)
By
kermitthefrog, at 10:42 AM
-
Arizona isn't south? Well, it's not the DEEP south, and I would agree that southwest is different from southeast, but still. That close to the border of Mexico is pretty darn south. :)
By BrightStar (B*), at 11:16 AM
-
Since I'm from Arizona (living in NYC now), there needs to be some clarification.
By
Arizona is NOT Southern. A "Southern" state is, or was potentially, a member of the Confederacy, and therefore is characterized by three distinctive elements: (1) anti-Washington rhetoric and state's rights (also known as the Old Cause, (2) a racial overtone for politics the links back to slavery and segregation, and (3) a heavy emphasis on religion in the public square and an aggressive foreign policy. Arizona only has the first element. The racial overtones are not white-vs-black. Instead they are white-vs-Hispanic. Finally, religion is a non-issue. Christian, Muslim and New Age mingle easily.
Finally, and perhaps most important, Arizona does not vote as a block with the rest of the Mountain states, such as New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, or Utah. In contrast, the Southern states vote as a block most of the time, unless a Democratic candidate can pick some states off, like Clinton did. Marriah, at 12:12 PM
-
I am from Arizona (also currently living in the east), too, but I never really understood why the "south" only was used in reference to the southeast. Thanks for the explanation!
By BrightStar (B*), at 7:47 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home
:: permalink
