Justice, fairness, and inclusiveness

It was a long drive with family to get to southern Kentucky and another long drive home. But it was an enjoyable two days with my brother, his wife, and grown kids. Once home I had a lot of stuff to do for my teaching job. I have lots I want to write about and doubt I'll get to some of it. So I'll get started.

My dad gave me reading material for the trip, the Nov./Dec. issue of Washington Monthly (hmm, it has Monthly in the title and is actually bimonthly?). He didn't say what article prompted him to share it with me, so I had to peruse it myself to see what caught my interest. The article that did that best featured both maps and why the Tea Party won't succeed -- A Geography Lesson for the Tea Party by Colin Woodard. The article is related to Woodard's recent book, A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America.

Yes, he says, America is made up of regions that don't follow state lines. Some of them spill over into Canada and Mexico, though I'll only mention the important American ones here.

Yankeedom was founded by the Pilgrims and spread to the areas their descendants settled (New England, northern Midwest, and northern Plains). It emphasizes education, community, empowerment, and a government -- supported by participation by all -- that can make a difference in the lives of citizens.

Tidewater and Deep South are similar. Both were settled by aristocracy who believed that democracy isn't for everyone, certainly not the peasantry. There is an emphasis on authoritarianism. The biggest difference between the two is the Tidewater would have been satisfied with servants, while the Deep South thought slavery was natural.

Nearly all of the battles (real and merely about government) have been between Yankeedom and Deep South.

Greater Appalachia stretches all the way to the hills of East Texas. The emphasis is on individual liberty. They will align with others based on who is the greater threat to their freedom. If the South hadn't fired on Fort Sumter, Appalachia would have been happy to secede as well, perhaps forming a third country out of the union.

The Midlands are a narrow strip between Appalachia and Yankeedom and the Far West -- Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois are all divided between Yankeedom, Midlands, and Appalachia. A lot of people settled here, so there is no ideological purity. Local government should help ordinary people, but top-down solutions are intrusive. Politics are moderate or even apathetic.

Left Coast people combine Yankeedom faith in good government and Appalachia commitment to self-expression. They are the staunchest allies of Yankeedom.

El Norte spans the USA-Mexico border. The strong Hispanic culture is a hotbed of democratic reform. They are self-sufficient and adaptable.

Far West was colonized only through intervention of the federal government and corporations (rail and mines). There is a combination of speaking well of the benefactors and resenting their influence.

The Tea Party is a product of the Deep South. It has made inroads in Yankeedom (see Wisconsin) only to be soundly discredited. So again, it is a battle between the two ideological foes with other regions taking sides. Yankeedom can win out over the Tea Party …

Split the Midlands and Appalachia away from the Deep South by emphasizing how the citizens are being exploited by bankers, miners, health insurers, and monopolistic food processors. Then promise to make the corporate titans pay for the mess they created as a matter of justice. Close tax loopholes as a matter of fairness. Don't push new government programs. The gains may not be great, but in states, such as Ohio which straddles three regions, it would be enough to tip the balance of power.

Stress cultural inclusiveness to pull in El Norte. The Deep South (and the GOP) want white supremacy.

Are the Dems up to the challenge? A party platform based on justice, fairness, and inclusiveness sounds great to me.

The Tea Party may do lots of damage from their base in the Deep South. But they can't take over.