Pittsburgh is a city full of Democrats, yet increasing numbers in this and similar areas are casting values for Republicans. These are the "blue dog.... Pittsburgh is a city full of Democrats, yet increasing numbers in this and similar areas are casting values for Republicans. These are the "blue dog" Democrats who are enticed by the right's focus on moral issues. Of course there is more than one moral code, but I'm referring to the traditional Evangelical Christian values and not a moral code based on reason and individual liberty. The mass of the heartland relates much better to the former. This places the Democrats in a position of division between their worker-base and their tradition of civil libertarianism, or if you prefer, social liberalism. Sixty percent of those who go to church at least once a week voted for Bush, placing the Republicans squarely in line with, well, God--or at least "god."

For Republicans it seems the fiscally conservative Barry Goldwater or even in some ways Ronald Reagan types are gone. The religious right is now carrying its version of moral authority around the world, while bankrupting the government at home and even using fiscal conservatives as a source of power--since all they seem to want is their tax breaks, they're willing to let the religious right have their crusade in order to get them.

The Democrats cannot give up one either the position of fighting for the average worker, or the civil libertarianism. The only hope is for the right to fall under its own weight or develop some sort of similar internal conflict (it's only a conflict because it appeals to different subsets of voters). The supporters and politicians in the Republican party who are not so religiously right unfortunately don't see much motivation to present a challenge because, well then they won't win. The status quo presents an opportunity to convince the average worker to vote for the pocketbooks of the ultra-rich and against their own interest. (To credit, this thought process began while listening to the Lynn Cullen Show on WPTT in Pittsburgh)

The problem here is also in the process. The established parties are afraid of renegade candidates like John McCain or Howard Dean. Early in each election cycle massive resources are spent into getting a milquetoast candidate on the ballot. Third-parties are shut out. In the end the power of the major parties makes it necessary to vote for the lesser of two evils. The key is to register outside a major political party.

In the end, I wish the religious right would begin to focus on helping people instead of legislating their activities. I wish this were just a matter of seeing things in terms of a choice between socialism and freedom. If you do see things in those terms, your only real option is to leave or step out of the system entirely (not vote).

p.s. I'll throw in that Massachusetts has the lowest divorce rate and the states with the highest divorce rates are all red. New Mexico, Idaho, Alabama, Indiana , Wyoming, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Nevada.