Look at Illinois! Next time, the GOP may have a good shot of unseating Mr. Barack Obama. And no wonder Daschle lost, and Gephardt "retired" from politics. Even NY and CA are looking more competitive.
RE: Western Canada; maybe they will give serious thought to your proposal. The Leftist expirement in America is over, and the Center has moved Right.
I'm sure you've heard the "No Republican has ever won the presidency without Ohio" mantra.
Prior to 2000, No Republican had ever won without Illinois, Michigan, Vermont, and Maine. And a Republican had won without Pennsylvania only once - 1968, and without New Jersey only once in the past 125 years - 1884.
We need to stop writing off these chunks of our base in national elections.
Vermont just got a Republican Governor. Maine and Pennsylvania both have two Republican Senators. Etc., etc.