[dufekin]

Unlikely. The separation between the conservative red states and the liberal blue cities is a profound chasm; the two sides increasingly operate off different perceptions of reality and different reasoning processes. The difference is as stark as night and day: capitalism versus socialism, Judeo-Christian morals versus atheistic moral relativism, American exceptionalism versus United Nations membership, victory as annihilation of terrorists versus victory as denial of terrorists.

I don’t know that it’s even theoretically possible now to unify the two sides of this chasm. Heck, The New York Times today published an editorial declaring that high taxes yield economic competitiveness. I don’t know any Oklahomans, now enjoying the lowest tax rate in the country, who could take such a contention seriously. But New Yorkers believe it. So we need to raise taxes to resuscitate the flailing economy, or we need to maintain or lower taxes (and drill for oil) to continue the prosperous economy.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

There are many sides with multiple chasms.

[Publius]

When you strip away the astrological buzzwords from the 7/4/2007-to-7/4/2008 entry in Gar Osten's The Astrological Chart of the United States, a cogent narrative of the late Mr. Osten's entry would read:

"The Iranian question will be revisited. Due to a national emergency the presidency will be temporarily eliminated in favor of some kind of collective leadership via Congress or the states, with the possible participation of the military. There will be a second civil war with tremendous loss of life."

Not a cause for confidence.

[exit82]

“The separation between the conservative red states and the liberal blue cities is a profound chasm; the two sides increasingly operate off different perceptions of reality and different reasoning processes. The difference is as stark as night and day: capitalism versus socialism, Judeo-Christian morals versus atheistic moral relativism, American exceptionalism versus United Nations membership, victory as annihilation of terrorists versus victory as denial of terrorists.”

That is one of the most profundly perceptive statements I have read in some time. Kudos to you for articulating it so well.

May I borrow it?

[Last Dakotan]

The separation between the conservative red states and the liberal blue cities is a profound chasm; the two sides increasingly operate off different perceptions of reality and different reasoning processes. The difference is as stark as night and day: capitalism versus socialism, Judeo-Christian morals versus atheistic moral relativism, American exceptionalism versus United Nations membership, victory as annihilation of terrorists versus victory as denial of terrorists.

You ever consider Steyn's line of work?

[Carbonado]

“The separation between the conservative red states and the liberal blue cities is a profound chasm; the two sides increasingly operate off different perceptions of reality and different reasoning processes”

I believe that this is absolutely true, but I also believe that the divide, while it is real, isn’t anywhere near 50-50 as I think many would assume.

I believe that about 35% of the population is of the “red state of mind” and will express themselves as such publicly and vote accordingly.

There is another 35 or so percent that is of that red state of mind but chooses to remain silent because of the Liberal hegemony in the MSM, which frames the public debate on most issues in such a way that to oppose the Lib positions is presented as an affront to decency and fairness. They don’t want others to say bad things about them, so they go along. They can easily be persuaded by a coherent conservative argument if someone will make it.

Then there are the True Blue Libs of the NYT and WAPO variety (almost all in large urban areas) that make up less than 30% of the population or less.

It is the power of the Liberal controlled media from Hollywood to music to “journalists” that have power way beyond their numbers due to their control of the public debate.

And that is the real war.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for posting one of Mark’s best yet.

Many of us have been noting that we are in the Cold War Phase of Civil War II as Travis McGee noted.

Your comments below define as you note the chasm between us and the liberals:

“Unlikely. The separation between the conservative red states and the liberal blue cities is a profound chasm; the two sides increasingly operate off different perceptions of reality and different reasoning processes. The difference is as stark as night and day: capitalism versus socialism, Judeo-Christian morals versus atheistic moral relativism, American exceptionalism versus United Nations membership, victory as annihilation of terrorists versus victory as denial of terrorists.”

“I don’t know that it’s even theoretically possible now to unify the two sides of this chasm. Heck, The New York Times today published an editorial declaring that high taxes yield economic competitiveness. I don’t know any Oklahomans, now enjoying the lowest tax rate in the country, who could take such a contention seriously. But New Yorkers believe it. So we need to raise taxes to resuscitate the flailing economy, or we need to maintain or lower taxes (and drill for oil) to continue the prosperous economy.”

[MrB]

The only thing that will bring the left over to sanity will be some sort of massive attack by an outside entity on things they hold dear.

9/11 united the country, or at least shut up the left, for about 2 days.

It will take a rash of muslims beheading the “hedonists”, especially the homos, in order for the left to see a problem.

Then they’ll demand that real men do something.