A return to Obamaland

[Deleted]

The dust from last November has just about settled, so it is time to take a serene look at the new political map of the United States before next year's legislative elections.

I think that most Americans know how the country is divided up, but many non-Americans are perpetually mystified by the contradictions of American politics.

Here is the map by state, with blue for Obama and red for McCain.


Here is the map showing the vote by county in the U.S.


One thing that a lot of non-Americans do not know is that the majority of (white) European-Americans vote for the Republican party. The last presidential election in which the majority of this group voted for a Democratic presidential candidate was the election of Lyndon Johnson in 1964 -- that was 46 years ago!

Will Obama be able to turn the tide if his presidency is successful? Or will it become more important than ever to have the black and Latino population on his side?

A study was done of the Cotton Belt in the Deep South, comparing the cotton production areas from just before the Civil War with the Obama vote in 2008.



Here is the superimposed version.



It looks like certain populations have not moved very much in the last 150 years, and that the country has a long way to go.

[bixaorellana]

Those kind of map graphics are confusing because they're not showing population density. Thus a large red state takes up a great deal of space on the map, but contains fewer voters than a smaller blue state.

The fact that President Obama won 52% of the popular vote shows how misleading the maps can be. Not only have you not un-confused people, you've helped perpetuate stereotypes about people in various parts of the country.

[Deleted]

Stereotypes are based on real life observations. If the United States has a true interest in erasing the ethnic boundaries, they should think about making racial and ethnic statistics illegal, like in France. After all, most Americans think they elected a black president when it is not even true.

[Kimby]

In the US, it is true, unfortunately.

A person with one great grandparent who was black is black (and used to be called "octoroon").

If it looks black (even if it doesn't talk black), it's black in this country.

Although there is hope, as kids don't seem to make the same distinctions.

[bixaorellana]

As Kimby says, it is true. However, I am not sure that the phrase should be followed by the word "unfortunately". People in a country built on immigration (enforced or otherwise) should be able to celebrate their ethnic diversity and expect no more emotional reaction from other people than "did your grandmother make food from the old country?"

In Obama's case, even though he was largely raised by his white grandparents he is considered black by most people, including me and, as far as I can tell, by himself.

I'm ambivalent about the suggestion that racial and ethnic statistics be removed entirely in the US. On one hand, humans shouldn't be pigeon-holed. On the other, racial diversity is one thing that greatly characterizes the US and should not be ignored.

[Deleted]

In countries like France and Germany, where ethnic statistics are banished for historical reasons, nobody is prevented from celebrating their personal heritage. But it is not shoved down their throat by census takers or housing boards.

[bixaorellana]

Okay ~ that's a good point.

You say "historical reasons", by which I assume you mean various forms of pogroms, correct? If that's the case, has it only been since the @1950 that the ethnic statistics were dropped? And from your observation, has it lessened prejudice in general?

(mmmm - lots of questions! -- since this is the N.America board, please feel free to carry your answer off to another board if you see fit)

[Deleted]

After WW2, it was decided that never again would people be asked their race or religion.