Whatever happened to Paleo-Conservatism?

I found this map on Patrick Ruffini. I find it an insanely interesting map. I think it demonstrates the break down of the Republican Party very well. The Neo-Conservatives have risen to power by aligning themselves with the Theocrats, who value social issues and are willing to have big government fix it. They are also then willing in return to let the Neo-Cons have some other big government programs.

Not surprisingly the Theocrats live in the Bible belt and are the most dedicated to riding the party machinery that got them this far. Thus, Ron Paul and his traditional paleoconservative / libertarian values are rejected out of hand. These states prefer instead people like Gov. Mike Huckabee. It produces a constant supply of Republican Senators who are not going to change government, but use it. Example, Trent Lott. The Neocons also reside in the South, but also reside in the Ohio River Valley and in some Mid Atlantic states. Thus, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia give little to paleoconservatives like Ron Paul. The best example of this is Rudy Gulliani, but one could also use some of the ousted Pennsylvania Congressman and the current Minority Leader in the House. Now we also see light pink in states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and North Dakota. The reason here is that these states are Democratic to the core. It is one of the great shames of the Democratic Party that they fail to win Iowa and North Dakota in Presidential election years.

Thus, Paleoconservatives live in Plains and in the West. Here are the people who would rather not have government messing things up. These people are also not so free trade oriented. This is where real conservative values still live on. Senator Tom Coburn serves as one example. Perhaps a more poignant example is the Constitution Party actually got a man elected to the Montana State Legislature, a legislature that has an equal number of Republican and Democrats with one Constitutional Party man to break the ties. A harbinger of the futuer?

The only surprise is that so much of New England is dark red or red at all. However, it could be because that region is anti-war and give money to the anti-war candidate. It also could be that Libertarianism is stronger than I thought in New England.

Regardless, this map shows that Ron Paul is not a lone wolf. His thorn in the candidacy of the Republicans will continue. He has won most of the debates despite being attacked by every moderator in every debate. If something does not change, I am not sure the Republican Party will survive. Look for more losses for the Republican in Congress in ’08, and then remember this map. I bet it will keep bearing true that the darker red the state the more the Neocons in office lose. In ’06 the Republicans lost seats in Montana, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Maine, and narrowly won in Tennessee.