…the Dems’ “base” regions are the dynamic, growing areas:

“Virtually all of the globally competetive sectors of the American economy, film, television, music and other media, software, financial and legal services, etc. are concentrated in Blue America. The Reddish portions of the country are living off federal subsidies, tarrif barriers, and military spending. It’s not a coincidence that the most dynamic portions of Dixie (the much-rumored “New South”) are some of the Bluest parts (you also have some desperately poor, mostly black, rural counties) and growing Bluer.”

It’s an oversimplification, but with its points. It helps explain why Bush’s favorite industries are land- and resource-based (oil, mining, waste management, agribiz, etc.); while the Kerry camp’s talked about high-tech promises for the future.