Posted on 05/29/2004 4:48:59 PM PDT by Graybeard58
The ultimate arbiter of designating Metropolitan Statistical Areas is the U.S. Census Bureau - just about every other institution that matters uses their designation. I went and looked up their criteria, and here's the key excerpt:
OMB accepted the Review Committee’s recommendation to qualify a county as an outlying county if (a) at least 25 percent of the employed residents of the county work in the CBSA’s central county or counties, or (b) at least 25 percent of the jobs in the potential outlying county are accounted for by workers who reside in the CBSA’s central county or counties.
What it seems to come down to is that Statesville is economically self-sufficient enough that it doesn't fall under any of the adjoining MSAs - which are: Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill; Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point; Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir. Now, I dunno what Statesville supports its local economy on - my guess is speed traps on I-40 and I-77 - but whatever it is seems to be enough to keep it separate (no great loss!)
I personally don't have any objection at all to perceiving Iredell County as part of the Greater Charlotte Area, it's just that I've never thought of Statesville that way and I mainly just didn't want to include it into my analysis. If anything, I've always thought of Statesville as being along the east/west I-40 Corridor; heck, the I-77 Corridor is so relatively new I've never even seen it perceptually distinguished that way.
I'm content letting Statesville be Statesville, which is evidently how it's still assigned, but I agree that eventually it'll likely end up in one of the MSAs some day, and Charlotte is the most probable.
I don't think WV is much in jeopardy. People were surprised when W won it, and most people attributed it to Gore's stance on guns. However, while this certainly didn't help Gore, I've read in several places that there's a bigger trend. In West Virginia's "arm" that sticks out, more educated professionals are moving in who tend to work in the DC suburbs. This is helping make the state much more Republican.
Around the country, many people commute from distant suburbs to closer suburbs, it's not just people in suburbs commuting into the cities. That's also why public transportation is not as effective today as liberals want, since almost all rail systems are designed for people living in the burbs working "downtown".
@
Oh sure, he is so namby-pamby that our enemies hate and fear him beyond anyone.
Thanks. :^D
OK-I'll let it stand at that. Thanks for all the research on this thread.
Zog indulging in wishful thinking again.
Did you catch the pics of Kerry on his bike yesterday? The Secret Service man nearby made him look like a total loser he is. Where's the huge 'bike' vote, anyway? The man has to be delusional. Words fail.
A VERY interesting point to consider in coming years.
If terrorists attack before Nov., for a few hours Bush will be whisked off to safety, as will Cheney, et. al. And we'll be deluged, as we were after 9/11, with media reports implying that they're dirty cowards. We already know the media playbook by heart and hope and pray that when the time comes, the nation's rage targets our enemies...not the man who's only reason for getting up in the morning is the defense of this country.
One other thing is Kerry's sudden discovery that he needs black voters. He did or said something yesterday that pandered to the black vote...can't recall what. Before long, he'll show up in black churches, bible in hand, drumming up support. Oh, I forgot. Politicians aren't supposed to mix church and state. Silly me. That only applies to republicans.
Kerry is such a prickly white boy that I can't imagine many Blacks working up any enthusiasm for him. That won't stop them from slavishly and dutifully voting for him by a 9 - 1 margin, but it may keep absolute numbers down. My guess is that Black turnout is Kerry's panic button.
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