[quote=ctr70] . . . I wrote in another post what I think of the whole red state/blue state color coded map issue and how it is over simplified. The fact is there are still a lot of fiscal conservatives in places like CA, Pac NW, and the Northeast U.S. Many are the wealthier higher educated people working in knowledge based industries (silicon valley, biotech, venture cap, etc). They are of course still much smaller in numbers than the Dems, but just looking at a color coded map of the U.S. red state vs. blue state generalizes this. It makes one believe everyone in a blue state is a raging liberal and everyone in a Red state listens to Rush Limbaugh daily. . . . [/quote]

ctr, I’m sure you’re aware that, contrary to popular belief, the “bible belt” is full of an eclectic mix of folks from ALL races, nationalities, religions and political persuasions. You might be surprised to learn that a LOT of people there don’t even know who Rush Limbaugh is (ESP the younger people). The only race there is less of there is Asians, which tend to reside around the universities and military bases. Yes, some “bible-belt” states look “red” on the CNN map but in reality, its population is largely moderate, like you stated. I think most of the voters there just had issues with Obama because of the bailouts. “Bible belt” culture teaches its residents to pay their own debts and live within their means. And since their residential RE never really skyrocketed in “value” (lol) to begin with, there was never a lot of HELOCing and cash-out refinancing going on anywhere there during the millenium-boom years. Most of the residents there have no sympathy for those residents of states with boom-bust RE cycles who lived off their primary residence for years (until they lost it) and/or bought more house than they could afford.