If It Were Not For The South, America Would Be Another Canada Or (Horror!) France.

ComtedeMaistre

[ComtedeMaistre]

I had yet another look at the 2000 electoral map, and I was struck by the fact that Bush carried every single state in the South, all by substantial margins. It made me wonder of how American conservatism would be, if the South had succeeded in its tragic War of Independence in the 1860s.

Sure, there are many bastions of solid traditional American conservatism outside the South. The people of the American West, in states like Utah, Montana, Alaska, Colorado, Nebraska and Idaho, are probably the most freedom loving people in the entire country. They are the strongest defenders of the second ammendment right to bear arms, largely because of their outdoors culture of hunting, ranching, and fishing. They are also the strongest defenders of free speech, self-reliance, property rights and are fierce individualists. They hate taxes with such an intensity, it is scary.

Many midwestern regions, are also solidly conservative. The small towns in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and Michigan, represent the true heart of middle America. And there a few islands of conservatism in the East, in areas such as New Hampshire and Upstate New York, surrounded by a sea of liberalism.

But if you remove the South from the map, do you think that Northern Bastions of conservatism can hold out against the liberal tidal wave? Gore would have carried the 2000 election in a massive landslide, if it were not for the South.

[ComtedeMaistre]

It would be interesting to see how American conservatives could hold back leftist causes such as gun control, abolishing the death penalty, gay marriage, abortion rights, anti-SUV campaigners, sex-ed in schools, restricting free speech, welfare, socialized medicine, the unconstitutional doctrine of separation of church/state, etc., without Southern support.

If the Yankee conservatives are lucky, they would end up with another Canada. If not, they would end up like France. Either way, they would not be strong enough to hold back the tidal wave of liberalism promoted by the Eastern Establishment.

[Restorer]

I had yet another look at the 2000 electoral map, and I was struck by the fact that Bush carried every single state in the South, all by substantial margins.

Last time I looked, Florida was in the South, at least geographically.

[ComtedeMaistre]

By the way, if I may elaborate on the situation in France, a country that I know very well. It is not that there are no conservatives in France. But the socialist bloc in France is so powerful, both demographically and politically, that freedom loving Frenchmen are completely shut out from mainstream political debate in France.

I have met Frenchmen who sneer at the French Revolution of 1789 and the tricolor, and prefer to fly the ancient white flag of the Bourbons. There are a few hardened monarchists who lament the socialist misfortunes into which their once great nation landed.

[wimpycat]

I think you're right...but don't expect anybody to thank you for it. But being unappreciated is part and parcel of being a Southerner. To loudly demand recognition for worthy deeds is...well...not very Southern. I'd rather be Southern and vital to the conservative movement in the US than be seen as such. Shhhhhhhh...don't let the cat out of the bag. We do our best work when we're underestimated and dismissed as slackjawed, inbred, mouthbreathing MOE-rons. That's what we want them to think.

[ComtedeMaistre]

An oversight. But Bush did carry Florida, despite the fact that the margin wasn't "substantial".

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[wimpycat]

Yeah, Florida is in the South...geographically, as you said. The northern part of Florida is pretty much Southern, but the southern part is not.

[Huck]

I don't know about conservatism, but American music wouldn't be worth a damn.

[Dog Gone]

2000 was pivotal. We'd be part of the World Court, the Kyoto Treaty, whimpering about terrorist attacks and how to better sympathize with the root causes.

Yes, the South saved our butts.

[#3Fan]

Blacks vote 95% liberal. If the south wasn't part of the United States then there would not have been the mass migrations into northern cities before, during, and after the Civil War. Our willingness to rid ourselves of slavery early up here would've helped in keeping us more conservative. Reagardless, if we were two seperate countries the last 200 and some years, we might be speaking German or Japanese by now anyway, or perhhaps Balkanized.

[The Iguana]

If you want an idea where the remnant of the U.S. would be, you might not go far wrong to read Harry Turtledove's American Front series.

Both nations and Canada would likely be armed to the teeth and in constant agitation with each other.

They'd likely also be a good deal poorer.

Just the same I'm glad we have the South. To my mind it's the nicest - and most worthwhile - part of the country.

[ComtedeMaistre]

>>>If the south wasn't part of the United States then there would not have been the mass migrations into northern cities before, during, and after the Civil War.<<<

Then can you explain to me why Canada and France are socialist, despite having an insignificant black population?

Your theory does not hold much water.

[SAMWolf]

"Harry Turtledove's American Front" Excellent series for an Alternate history

[#3Fan]

Just the same I'm glad we have the South. To my mind it's the nicest - and most worthwhile - part of the country.

To each his own. I like seasons myself. Ain't nothing like crisp, colorful fall days, white Christmases, warm fires in January and February, watching the earth turn green in April and May.

[gitmo]

Yeah, Florida is in the South...geographically, as you said. The northern part of Florida is pretty much Southern, but the southern part is not.

And vice versa.

[#3Fan]

Then can you explain to me why Canada and France are socialist, despite having an insignificant black population?

lol If I told you you wouldn't believe me. Are you a Christian. If so are you an open-minded Christian?

Your theory does not hold much water.

Neither does yours that we'd be Canada if we didn't have the South. Americans are not Canadians, never have been.

[Moose4]

Just remember, Lynyrd Skynyrd was from Jacksonville. North Florida is more like south Georgia than it is the rest of the state.

Oh...by the way, the rest of the country? Y'all are welcome. Now come down here and spend some money, but please, don't move here, we got enough of y'all Yankees clutterin' thangs up already. :)

}:-)4

[TedsGarage]

If it were not for the North, America would be another Argentina. Saying one region is better than another is like saying one half of your brain is better than another.

[billbears]

Our willingness to rid ourselves of slavery early up here would've helped in keeping us more conservative. Reagardless, if we were two seperate countries the last 200 and some years, we might be speaking German or Japanese by now anyway, or perhhaps Balkanized.

Really? Perhaps we could have been as 'enlightened' as the north and just outlawed blacks altogether then as several of the separate and sovereign states in the north did.

[Restorer]

Orlando, Tampa and south is culturally southern CA. North of there is still Baja Georgia.