Two Americas. Living in the political twilight zone.

[aristotle]

Here in Kentucky, Obama carried just 4 of 120 counties. In the entire Commonwealth, Obama won only one county( Jefferson) by a margin greater than 1%. Can any other state claim such widespread repudiation of Obama's reign of economic terror?

If we remember that Obama won 8 of 120 Kentucky counties in 2008, one can see the polarization has increased. Thankfully, Central Kentucky voters threw Democrat Ben Chandler out of Congress and replaced him with a conservative Republican. Kentucky now has just one Democrat Congressman remaining, Yarmuth of Louisville.

Our red state becomes a deeper shade of red. The radicalization of American politics continues unabated. It's difficult to understand what voters in other states are expecting from another four years of Obama. There's no education to be gained from the second kick of a mule.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Great... now Kentucky needs to grow some balls, along with some other red states, and start a Constitutional convention.

 

[Pilgrim]

Also in Arkansas, the GOP gained control of both houses of their legislature for the first time since 1874. This polarization will probably continue for the next four years, especially if Obama continues to shower his goodies upon states like MI and OH while ignoring right to work states in the Southeast.

 

[aristotle]

Great... now Kentucky needs to grow some balls, along with some other red states, and start a Constitutional convention.

I cannot find any fault with the Constitution given to us by the Founders. The admendment process is there to address change. I would never trust either party to behave responsibly at a Constitutional convention.

 

[cubansammich]

Here in Kentucky, Obama carried just 4 of 120 counties. In the entire Commonwealth, Obama won only one county( Jefferson) by a margin greater than 1%. Can any other state claim such widespread repudiation of Obama's reign of economic terror?

If we remember that Obama won 8 of 120 Kentucky counties in 2008, one can see the polarization has increased. Thankfully, Central Kentucky voters threw Democrat Ben Chandler out of Congress and replaced him with a conservative Republican. Kentucky now has just one Democrat Congressman remaining, Yarmuth of Louisville.

Our red state becomes a deeper shade of red. The radicalization of American politics continues unabated. It's difficult to understand what voters in other states are expecting from another four years of Obama. There's no education to be gained from the second kick of a mule.

Kentucky? Really? I wouldn't take the voting habits of a bunch of Nascar fanatic, tobacco growing, snuff chewing fundamental baptists as a cross section of America. Name one Kentuckian besides Colonel Sanders who has ever been relevant to anything outside of Kentucky. Nashville doesn't count. Oh wait...Well, maybe Wally Wilkinson. I liked that guy.

 

[pandora2112]

Kentucky? Really? I wouldn't take the voting habits of a bunch of Nascar fanatic, tobacco growing, snuff chewing fundamental baptists as a cross section of America. Name one Kentuckian besides Colonel Sanders who has ever been relevant to anything outside of Kentucky. Nashville doesn't count. Oh wait...Well, maybe Wally Wilkinson. I liked that guy.

Jim Beam?

)O( ~ Namaste ~ )O(

 

[aristotle]

Kentucky has little to nothing in common politically or culturally with most states north of the Ohio River. The Ohio River could serve as the demarcation line between the Two Americas. Suits me.

 

[Turtle]

Kentucky? Really? I wouldn't take the voting habits of a bunch of Nascar fanatic, tobacco growing, snuff chewing fundamental baptists as a cross section of America.

That's some tough talk coming from a chunk of pig between two halves of a bun.

Name one Kentuckian besides Colonel Sanders who has ever been relevant to anything outside of Kentucky. Nashville doesn't count. Oh wait...Well, maybe Wally Wilkinson. I liked that guy.

Abe Lincoln (US President who freed the slaves),
Mary Todd Lincoln (crazy wife of Abe),
Muhammed Ali (draft dodger, and butterfly and bee impressionist),
Cassius Marcellus Clay (US Ambassador to Russia, and one of the principal founders of the Republican Party),
Jim Bowie (designer of the Bowie knife, killed with one in his hand at the Alamo),
Judge Roy Bean (hanged people for fun and recreation),
Thomas Hunt Morgan (Nobel Prize winning geneticist and embryologist),
Garrett Morgan (inventor of the automatic tri-color traffic signal),
John Thompson (US Army officer, inventor of the Tommy Gun),
John James Audubon (bird guy),
Duncan Hines (restaurant guide publisher and box cake inventor),
Diane Sawyer (one of the 30 most powerful women in America),
Helen Thomas (a royal PITA to 10 presidents),
John Scopes (defendant in the "Scopes Monkey Trial" in Dayton, TN for teaching Evolution),
John Sherman Cooper (US Senator, member of the Warren Commission),
Jefferson Davis (only President of the Confederate States of America),
Ned Beatty (can squeal like a pig),
Johnny Depp (Pirate, Wonka, weird),
Billy Ray Cyrus (singer, songwriter, and actor... who can't sing, write or act),
Johnny Unitas (greatest football quarterback in, like, ever)
Pee Wee Reese (baseball player, member of Baseball Hall of Fame)
Jim Bunning (member of the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. senator, member of Baseball Hall of Fame),
Happy Chandler (KY governor, US Senator, Commissioner of Major League Baseball),
Pat Riley (NBA basketball coach)
Naomi Judd (mother of Ashley and Wynonna),
Lionel Hampton (ranks as one of the greatest names in Jazz history),
Casey Jones (failed railroad enthusiast),
Charles Manson (motivational speaker, sort of).

 

[aristotle]

At some point, there is a national divorce coming to split the United States. Let's hope it is an amicable and mutually agreed upon separation. Much as the War of Northern Aggression evolved from social and economic differences, the coming troubles will likewise find their roots nurtured in a garden of intractable cultural spite.

An argument can be made that the forces dividing us are greater than those tenuously holding things together. An argument could be made that the United States has too much diversity at the expense of too little unity. Really, what unites us? We are becoming a fundamentally fragmented nation. It would be interesting to hold a national referendum on the prospect of a peaceful dissolution.

 

[cubansammich]

That's some tough talk coming from a chunk of pig between two halves of a bun.
Abe Lincoln (US President who freed the slaves),
Mary Todd Lincoln (crazy wife of Abe),
Muhammed Ali (draft dodger, and butterfly and bee impressionist),
Cassius Marcellus Clay (US Ambassador to Russia, and one of the principal founders of the Republican Party),
Jim Bowie (designer of the Bowie knife, killed with one in his hand at the Alamo),
Judge Roy Bean (hanged people for fun and recreation),
Thomas Hunt Morgan (Nobel Prize winning geneticist and embryologist),
Garrett Morgan (inventor of the automatic tri-color traffic signal),
John Thompson (US Army officer, inventor of the Tommy Gun),
John James Audubon (bird guy),
Duncan Hines (restaurant guide publisher and box cake inventor),
Diane Sawyer (one of the 30 most powerful women in America),
Helen Thomas (a royal PITA to 10 presidents),
John Scopes (defendant in the "Scopes Monkey Trial" in Dayton, TN for teaching Evolution),
John Sherman Cooper (US Senator, member of the Warren Commission),
Jefferson Davis (only President of the Confederate States of America),
Ned Beatty (can squeal like a pig),
Johnny Depp (Pirate, Wonka, weird),
Billy Ray Cyrus (singer, songwriter, and actor... who can't sing, write or act),
Johnny Unitas (greatest football quarterback in, like, ever)
Pee Wee Reese (baseball player, member of Baseball Hall of Fame)
Jim Bunning (member of the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. senator, member of Baseball Hall of Fame),
Happy Chandler (KY governor, US Senator, Commissioner of Major League Baseball),
Pat Riley (NBA basketball coach)
Naomi Judd (mother of Ashley and Wynonna),
Lionel Hampton (ranks as one of the greatest names in Jazz history),
Casey Jones (failed railroad enthusiast),
Charles Manson (motivational speaker, sort of).

Abe Lincoln was actually a native of Indiana but I'll go along with it. Two guys who began life with the name Cascius Clay? What are the odds? (I forgot about Muhammad Ali). You get that one. Billy Ray doesn't count as he falls into the Nashville category. Same with Naomi. Lionel Hampton, Johnny Depp, Charlie Manson and Ned Beatty? Wow, Didn't know that. Impressive but I don't think their contributions had much influence on any real social or economic level. Roman Polanski might beg to differ. You could make a case for Jim Bunning though I'm not sure what contributions he actually made in the Senate or Congress. The rest are footnotes at best. Not that they made a big splash in the world but Lee Majors and Daniel Boone were transplanted to Kentucky early in life. They do qualify as folk heros I suppose.

 

[mjmsprt40]

Kentucky? Really? I wouldn't take the voting habits of a bunch of Nascar fanatic, tobacco growing, snuff chewing fundamental baptists as a cross section of America. Name one Kentuckian besides Colonel Sanders who has ever been relevant to anything outside of Kentucky. Nashville doesn't count. Oh wait...Well, maybe Wally Wilkinson. I liked that guy.

In other news, Nashville has moved to Kentucky, which came as a shock to many in Nashville. News of this move at 11:00.

 

[cubansammich]

The Ohio River could serve as the demarcation line between the Two Americas.

In my mind it already does.

Suits me.

Me too.

 

[cubansammich]

At some point, there is a national divorce coming to split the United States. Let's hope it is an amicable and mutually agreed upon separation. Much as the War of Northern Aggression evolved from social and economic differences, the coming troubles will likewise find their roots nurtured in a garden of intractable cultural spite.

There was a time when this was probably true. Those days are likely in the past. What you describe is an incredibly radical and ambitious endeavor. The concept of declaring independence from, in this case, the United States is something which might be romanticized but is logistically improbably. Try to find even 100 people who would go along with such a proposition, let alone have the ability to get along with each other. While I would like to believe there are still those with such an ambition, I don't believe there are enough of them. We would rather fumble with our electronic devices, fain outrage over the actions of our leaders, and ramble on, probably too much, on forums such as this one about things we don't like but will never do anything about.

 

[RLENT]

Here in Kentucky, Obama carried just 4 of 120 counties. In the entire Commonwealth, Obama won only one county( Jefferson) by a margin greater than 1%. Can any other state claim such widespread repudiation of Obama's reign of economic terror?

I prefer the alternative explanation, which I deem to be a far more accurate characterization of reality, rather than the "spin" you offer:

 

[Tennesseahawk]

I prefer the alternative explanation, which I deem to be a far more accurate characterization of reality, rather than the "spin" you offer:

So that counters the Democrats' 98% of blacks, and the prevailing 'white guilt', that continues from 2008.

As far as Sununu suggesting Powell voted for Obama because he's half-black, well, I see it as calling a spade a spade.

 

[mjmsprt40]

At some point, there is a national divorce coming to split the United States. Let's hope it is an amicable and mutually agreed upon separation. Much as the War of Northern Aggression evolved from social and economic differences, the coming troubles will likewise find their roots nurtured in a garden of intractable cultural spite.

An argument can be made that the forces dividing us are greater than those tenuously holding things together. An argument could be made that the United States has too much diversity at the expense of too little unity. Really, what unites us? We are becoming a fundamentally fragmented nation. It would be interesting to hold a national referendum on the prospect of a peaceful dissolution.

That was already tried, with somewhat disastrous results. It took the nation forever to recover from that attempt.

There has been a successful secession from the Union though. Well, sort of anyway. See the link below for further details.

Welcome To The Conch Republic - Key West

 

[RLENT]

So that counters the Democrats' 98% of blacks, and the prevailing 'white guilt', that continues from 2008.

It's not intended to "counter" anything - merely to point out the present reality extant within the GOP ...

As far as Sununu suggesting Powell voted for Obama because he's half-black, well, I see it as calling a spade a spade.

Well, perception is reality ... suffice it to say, that you and I perceive it somewhat differently

My take on Powell's endorsement is he was seeing, in foresight, a road he had previously travelled - a vacuous and manipulatable candidate, who if elected President, would be largely surrounded by the same contingent of conniving whack-a-doodle neocons - the very same ones that had already led this country into one unnecessary war, and who currently appeared to be just itching to do it again ...

He picked the lesser of two likely evils ...

 

[Tennesseahawk]

It's not intended to "counter" anything - merely to point out the present reality extant within the GOP ...


Well, perception is reality ... suffice it to say, that you and I perceive it somewhat differently

My take on Powell's endorsement is he was seeing, in foresight, a road he had previously travelled - a vacuous and manipulatable candidate, who if elected President, would be largely surrounded by the same contingent of conniving whack-a-doodle neocons - the very same ones that had already led this country into one unnecessary war, and who currently appeared to be just itching to do it again ...

He picked the lesser of two likely evils ...

We have racists abound, in this country. I think many, many would be called racist, if not for them keeping their inner feelings inner. Also, many get away with racism, because they were 'wronged' centuries ago. But that ball is in a different court. Yes, the Republican party has racists in it. And the sky is blue. But to say Powell would've voted for Hillary, if she had gotten the nomination... well, I can't buy it.

 

[RLENT]

We have racists abound, in this country. I think many, many would be called racist, if not for them keeping their inner feelings inner.

Guaranteed ... I would count myself among them.

There is, however, a huge difference between recognizing and acknowledging it in oneself, and denying it ... particularly when that denial is to oneself.

With the former, a person at least has a fighting chance to rise above it ... with the latter, they are completely doomed to it.

Also, many get away with racism, because they were 'wronged' centuries ago. But that ball is in a different court.

That's precisely true and is a very valid point.

The ball is in the correct court, exactly where it belongs - the specific community where it exists. Eventually sufficient voices will rise there, to make it politically unacceptable.

Yes, the Republican party has racists in it. And the sky is blue.

The color of the sky is unlikely to be much of factor in terms of the continued survival of the Republican Party.

The other thing guarantees it's death (which, depending on what comes out of it, might not be an altogether bad thing)

But to say Powell would've voted for Hillary, if she had gotten the nomination ... well, I can't buy it.

I certainly didn't say that - I only dealt with the actual situation he faced, not a hypothetical.

 

[aristotle]

I make the observation that a national split is coming. The political right and left are growing substantially farther apart. What particular issue will force the split is unknown. This nation was born out of a tax revolt and contempt for a ruling power which placed heavy burdens on the common folks. It may take 20 or 30 or 40 years, but the coming split is inevitable.

What kind of nation holds itself together at the point of a gun? There must be an escape mechanism for those who refuse subjugation. The forces which divide this nation are becoming greater than those which unite us. In fact, not much unites the American people anymore. We share a common currency and little else. Don't be surprised if a separatist movement begins to take hold in the national psyche.