We are a blue and purple country.
The standard map of the election results, that is
shown everywhere, has this broad swath of red through the heartland. This is
overly simple and hides the truth that the Bush administration and the far right
really didn't win the country over.
These images come from an analysis by Gastner et al, "Maps and cartograms of the 2004 US presidential election results" . In their study, Gastner et al plotted the election results on cartograms - maps that vary the area based on population rather than geography.
 Standard Red Blue Map
|
These images come from an analysis by Gastner et al, "Maps and cartograms of the 2004 US presidential election results" . In their study, Gastner et al plotted the election results on cartograms - maps that vary the area based on population rather than geography.
The results of the analysis show that the US is a
much more blue and purple country than it is a red country. "W" was elected by
the narrowest of margins. When the US is broken down by county and colors
representing the margin of victory (levels of purple depending on the margin by
which either candidate won), the map looks like
this:
When these results are plotted as a cartogram (size of the color blocks are proportional to the population), the results look like this:
There is little pure red. Pure blue outweighs pure red and purple dominates the country. Take heart fellow liberals. Bush didn't win by a landslide. "W" hardly has a margin of victory and no mandate from the people to speak of. Maybe in two years, we can take back the House and leave "W" as a lame duck for the last half of his administration. We just have to hope that the Supreme Court Justices can hold out for four more years... but that's another story.
-JJP
When these results are plotted as a cartogram (size of the color blocks are proportional to the population), the results look like this:
There is little pure red. Pure blue outweighs pure red and purple dominates the country. Take heart fellow liberals. Bush didn't win by a landslide. "W" hardly has a margin of victory and no mandate from the people to speak of. Maybe in two years, we can take back the House and leave "W" as a lame duck for the last half of his administration. We just have to hope that the Supreme Court Justices can hold out for four more years... but that's another story.
-JJP
Posted: Thu - November 18, 2004 at 08:44 PM
