SKB,
My comment about Boulder was along the lines of "blue islands" in red states, where people on those islands tend to vote as if the sea of red around them, and the lives and needs of the people "out there," don't exist. It wasn't to say there is necessarily something wrong with what life is like in Boulder. But that the people who live there VOTE for things which are in line with THEIR desires...not that of a rancher who lives 100 miles away.
I'm not saying red state America isn't just as self-interested in how they vote. Human nature is common to all people. But because red state America is more rural and disbursed, living in MUCH smaller voting districts, their self interest really can't touch everyone else at a state level. Blue voters DO affect everyone else, because they live in highly populated districts.
This same circumstance is why coastal blue state voters, and the media and corporate elite who also live there, were so aghast and surprised at Trump's election. Because from where THEY live, and inside the closed circle of thinking and lifestyles, they barely even acknowledge the existence of red state America...even as it makes up the majority of the country by way of area. Voter-wise, it's obviously pretty much right down the middle. But red America doesn't project out nearly as well as blue America does (Hollywood, newspapers/tv, pop culture, etc.) So they were genuinely surprised on election night 2016.
And which feels more empowering to do:
1. Acknowledge you have been ignoring half the country, and decide to work with them to find a middle ground.
2. Fabricate all manner of shibboleths to "explain away" what happened...Russians, hacking, electoral college, space aliens, whatever.
Obviously, number 2 lets people not have to confront reality. And THAT is much more comfortable for human beings.
If it wasn't for Rush Limbaugh and FoxNews, you almost wouldn't have heard from red America for a long time. But the internet has changed the game...and this is why tech elites have assigned themselves the prerogative of 'reigning in' Red America. Banning language, de-platforming, etc.
There are some interesting insights about Dem and Rep voters here...currently linked on Drudge.
https://www.wsj.com/graphics/red-economy-blue-economy/NDG
