Down for the Count
There was an interesting article today on the Forbes site about the prospects of Tuesday’s census report release. An expanding population in the sun belt, and a decline in the Rust Belt, may reform our elections in 2012 and beyond.
“The population continues to shift from Democratic-leaning Rust Belt states to Republican-leaning Sun Belt states, a trend the Census Bureau will detail in its once-a-decade report to the president. Political clout shifts, too, because the nation must reapportion the 435 House districts to make them roughly equal in population, based on the latest census figures. ….
The combination of population shifts and the recent election results could make Obama’s re-election campaign more difficult. Each House seat represents an electoral vote in the presidential election process, giving more weight to states Obama probably will lose in 2012. The states he carried in 2008 are projected to lose, on balance, six electoral votes to states that his GOP challenger, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, won. That sets a higher bar for Obama before his re-election campaign even starts.”
Good to know. I am glad to see that the Sun Belt, Texas, and the like are attracting new migrants. Their ethos, marked by lower taxes and ease of business, should set a trend in other states. Their success is the result of state government competition and we should all be so proud to live in a country where such a thing can exist.
… Especially when it makes the job of Barack Obama’s campaign managers much, much more difficult.
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