[plschwartz]

Retro vs Metro is a book that can be downloaded chapter at a time from
http://www.retrovsmetro.org/book/ It is subtitled with good reason the great divide.

I think that behind various arguements on this forum while under different title does come down to the different value systems. In reading It which is pretty quick so far (not finished) I found the first chapter gives background and Ch 2 provides a whole host of maps and tables showing how the nation is two halves under one umbrella. In fact this dichotomy resembles that of the North and South before the war between the states; which was actually fought alone many of the same issues. And as there the red states are at a disadvantage economically and demographically.
I think as a minority the Red states are more radicallized then the Blue They have already moved more to an extreme (as evalgelicals have replaced mainstream protestants ) and hardened position.
I do think that it is fair to say that Bush more represents the views and values of this his constinuency then he does the nation as a whole.
Kerry on the other hand is still trying to be a 50 state president.
But what about next time. If Bush wins what will things be like in 2006 or 2008. What if the next Blue candidate runs on a radicalization of those states.