The O.C. and the G.O.P.
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The O.C. and the G.O.P.
There's an interesting article from the New York Times tonight about the changing demographics of Orange County, long-known as the right-wing mecca that gave us Richard Nixon and John Wayne and was a hotbed of the John Birch Society. Here's the money paragraphs:
At the end of 2009, nearly 45 percent of the county’s residents spoke a language other than English at home, according to county officials. Whites now make up only 45 percent of the population; this county is teeming with Hispanics, as well as Vietnamese, Korean and Chinese families. Its percentage of foreign-born residents jumped to 30 percent in 2008 from 6 percent in 1970, and visits to some of its corners can feel like a trip to a foreign land.
The demographic changes that have swept the county reflect what is happening across the state and much of the nation. It has happened slowly but surely over the course of a generation, becoming increasingly apparent not only in a drive through the 34 cities that fill this sprawling 789-square-mile county south of Los Angeles, but also, most recently, in the results of a presidential election. In 2008, Barack Obama drew 48 percent of the vote here against Senator John McCain of Arizona. (By comparison, in 1980, Jimmy Carter received just 23 percent against Ronald Reagan, the conservative hero whose election as California governor in 1966 and 1970 was boosted in no small part by the affection for him here.)
Two things here really dovetail with the things we've been discussing. One is that this is a clear-cut indicator of one of the major sources of social anxiety for the white, middle-class, 50-and-over folks who are moving into the Tea Party movement. But the numbers also suggest that -- whatever hay the political right may be able to make in the 2010 elections -- in the long run that Tea Party movement may be doomed, unless the GOP shifts gears quickly and comes up with some kind of appeal to younger people and at least some non-whites.
Programming note: I'm going to be appearing as a guest in the 10 o' clock hour on WHHY's "Radio Times" (90.9 FM in Philadelphia) to talk about both the book and this weekend's Beck rally. So among other things, you'll have a chance to call up and harass me verbally for a change.
This is wishful thinking on your part, Will. I lived in OC CA for many years and still live near there today. Many of the Koreans and Vietnamese you mention are small business or small shop owners and, as you might imagine, are not happy with the policies that are being pushed or the way government is being run. This is not a racial issue as you simplistically imply (once again) but rather an ideological one. If you believe that CA (and especially OC) is/are somehow becoming more liberal then take a look at voting results for 2009 ballot initiatives Props 1A - 1E. These liberal initiatives, all designed to take more taxpayer money for the state and avoid dealing with CA's eternal budget problems, were soundly defeated in every county in CA including liberal Meccas LA and SF.— PhillyTru
I love Glenn Beck. I hope you're angry now.
will, since you really don't understand the Tea Party movement, you really aren't qualified to comment about it. GIGO.— rudytbone- Hey Will, I am of Asian descent. My parents came to the US the legal way. I believe others should do the same. I have a huge problem with illegal aliens, i.e. those who sneak into here. So, how does all this make me racist lol?— texas.troubadour
- Watch out for those hardballs being tossed at you on Radio Times today. Maybe Dick Polman will show up to provide a little balance from the NPR right. I've tried calling to present a conservative point-of-view on controlling government spending and Ms Moss-Coahne just starts talking right over you, like a good little fascist who knows where her bread is buttered.— tr88
- So, Phillytru, how does any of what you said dispute what Will wrote about? I didnt see anything racial in what Will posted, and did see him comment only on the ideological issues. The tru(th) is, the longer this trend continues, the harder is will be for hard line (re - tea partiers) republicans for find votes with a more diverse population.— Master Dreamz
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- Poor Bunch, just doesn't understand anything. Hispanics, Koreans, Vietmanese, etc., are ALL culturally conservative.
- Master Dreamz, you don't see anything racial is what bunch wrote? Wha wha what? Aside form the whole post being about race, Bunch likes to continue the mantra that people against his liberal ideas are racists. Apparently that's what drives all conservatism in his eyes.— spags
- Comment removed.
- billy can only play the easy games.— SteveMG
- batboy hereby gets a new nickname. bile.atkins— Talking point sleuth
So according to Will all immigrants are liberal ? thats a bit of a stretch even by his standards. The fact is Will many imigrants come from 'liberal' countries, and dont want the experiment repeated here, because unlike people like Will we have experianced the full ideology of liberalism and we know the problems it creates. Whats needed is both sides need to move to the center, but what I have been noticing is the move to the far left by the democrat party could spark a civil war withing that group as the blue dogs begin to vote with the conservatives, its something that happened in the British Labour party thirty years ago that resulted in twenty years of conservative rule. Sadly we found out even after being out of power so long the libs were unable to run a tram let alone a country, and you guys are finding out the same thing. Tax and spend is a slippery slope that has ruined countries across Europe, so why go that route?.— PAEnglish- "I've tried calling to present a conservative point-of-view on controlling government spending and Ms Moss-Coahne just starts talking right over you, like a good little fascist who knows where her bread is buttered." --How awful. I've never heard great Americans like Sean Hannity and Bill O' do this.— furiousj
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