I've seen that "big something" up close and personal in my travels. I've seen it here in NYC -- the professional classes of all these small to medium-sized towns sending their kids to out of state college and then buying "starter condos" for them on the Upper East Side.
And for the record, I don't believe in "red state"/"blue state" America. I just believe in plain ole America. Ya know, that "one nation under god" America.
I believe in just a single AMERICA too, but we're just old fashioned fuddy duddies.