Government – Page 5 – Cosmic Reflections

Where Voters Rejected Trump

The United States has never had a president like Donald Trump. And hopefully we will never have a president like him again. Regardless of your political persuasion, this man has neither the experience nor the temperament to be a public servant, and he should never have been elected.

In the map below, you will find the 143 counties (or county equivalents) where Hillary Clinton received at least twice as many votes as Trump in the 2016 Presidential election. Counties in red have a lower population density than Iowa County, Wisconsin, and counties in blue a higher population density. Even though Iowa County, WI did not make the list, I am happy to say there were 1.39 Clinton voters for every Trump voter in this rural county in a state where Trump won (just barely) a majority of the votes.

Let us first look at the rural counties that voted heavily against Trump—by a 2 to 1 margin or better. All but 5 of the 40 rural counties have African-American, Hispanic, or Native American majorities.

The seventeen rural counties with African-American majorities (67.5% to 85.8%) are

Alabama
Bullock County
Greene County
Lowndes County
Perry County
Sumter County
Wilcox County

Georgia
Hancock County

Mississippi
Claiborne County
Holmes County
Humphreys County
Jefferson County
Noxubee County
Quitman County
Sharkey County
Tunica County
Wilkinson County

South Carolina
Allendale County

The per capita income in these counties with African-American majorities range from a low of $11,972 in Holmes County, Mississippi to $18,429 in Lowndes County, Alabama. The average for all seventeen counties is $14,344.

The twelve rural counties with Hispanic majorities (56.7% to 94.6%) are

New Mexico
Mora County
Rio Arriba County
San Miguel County
Taos County

Texas
Brooks County
Dimmit County
Duval County
Jim Hogg County
Presidio County
Willacy County
Zapata County
Zavala County

The per capita income in these counties with Hispanic majorities range from a low of $11,413 in Willacy County, Texas to $22,358 in Taos County, New Mexico. The average for all twelve counties is $17,171.

And the six rural counties with Native American majorities (75.4% to 92.8%) are

Arizona
Apache County

New Mexico
McKinley County

North Dakota
Sioux County

South Dakota
Oglala Lakota County
Todd County

Wisconsin
Menominee County

The per capita income in these counties with Native American majorities range from a low of $9,150 in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota to $15,557 in Sioux County, North Dakota. The average for all six counties is $12,738.

Now let’s look at the five remaining rural counties that voted heavily against Trump in the 2016 general election.

California
Mendocino County

Colorado
Pitkin County
San Miguel County

Washington
Jefferson County
San Juan County

The per capita income in these counties range from a low of $24,059 in Mendocino County, California to $55,519 in Pitkin County, Colorado. The average for all five counties is $37,517.

Finally, here is a list of counties (and county equivalents) than have a higher population density than Iowa County, Wisconsin, where Hillary Clinton received at least twice as many votes as Donald Trump. These are listed by state, with the largest city in each county in parentheses.

Alabama
Dallas County (Selma)
Macon County (Tuskegee)

Arizona
Santa Cruz County (Nogales)

California
Alameda County (Oakland)
Contra Costa County (Concord)
Imperial County (El Centro)
Los Angeles County (Los Angeles)
Marin County (San Rafael)
Monterey County (Salinas)
Napa County (Napa)
San Francisco County (San Francisco)
San Mateo County (Daly City)
Santa Clara County (San Jose)
Santa Cruz County (Santa Cruz)
Sonoma County (Santa Rosa)
Yolo County (Davis)

Colorado
Boulder County (Boulder)
Denver County (Denver)

District of Columbia

Florida
Broward County (Fort Lauderdale)
Gadsden County (Quincy)

Georgia
Clarke County (Athens)
Clayton County (Forest Park)
DeKalb County (Brookhaven)
Dougherty County (Albany)
Fulton County (Atlanta)

Hawaii
Hawaii County (Hilo)
Kauai County (Kapaʻa)
Maui County (Kahului)

Illinois
Cook County (Chicago)

Iowa
Johnson County (Iowa City)

Kansas
Douglas County (Lawrence)

Louisiana
Orleans Parish (New Orleans)

Maryland
Howard County (Columbia)
Montgomery County (Germantown)
Prince George’s County (Bowie)
Baltimore City (Baltimore)

Massachusetts
Berkshire County (Pittsfield)
Dukes County (Edgartown)
Franklin County (Greenfield)
Hampshire County (Amherst)
Middlesex County (Lowell)
Nantucket County (Nantucket)
Suffolk County (Boston)

Michigan
Washtenaw County (Ann Arbor)
Wayne County (Detroit)

Minnesota
Hennepin County (Minneapolis)
Ramsey County (Saint Paul)

Mississippi
Coahoma County (Clarksdale)
Hinds County (Jackson)
Leflore County (Greenwood)
Sunflower County (Indianola)
Washington County (Greenville)

Missouri
St. Louis City (St. Louis)

New Jersey
Camden County (Camden)
Essex County (Newark)
Hudson County (Jersey City)
Mercer County (Hamilton Township)
Union County (Elizabeth)

New Mexico
Santa Fe County (Santa Fe)

New York
Bronx County (New York City: The Bronx)
Kings County (New York City: Brooklyn)
New York County (New York City: Manhattan)
Queens County (New York City: Queens)
Tompkins County (Ithaca)
Westchester County (Yonkers)

North Carolina
Durham County (Durham)
Hertford County (Ahoskie)
Orange County (Chapel Hill)

Ohio
Cuyahoga County (Cleveland)

Oregon
Benton County (Corvallis)
Multnomah County (Portland)

Pennsylvania
Philadelphia County (Philadelphia)

South Carolina
Orangeburg County (Orangeburg)
Richland County (Columbia)
Williamsburg County (Kingstree)

Texas
Cameron County (Brownsville)
El Paso County (El Paso)
Hidalgo County (McAllen)
Maverick County (Eagle Pass)
Starr County (Rio Grande City)
Travis County (Austin)
Webb County (Laredo)

Vermont
Addison County (Middlebury)
Chittenden County (Burlington)
Lamoille County (Morristown)
Washington County (Barre)
Windham County (Brattleboro)
Windsor County (Hartford)

Virginia
Arlington County (Arlington)
Fairfax County (Herndon)
Alexandria City (Alexandria)
Charlottesville City (Charlottesville)
Falls Church City (Falls Church)
Hampton City (Hampton)
Norfolk City (Norfolk)
Petersburg City (Petersburg)
Portsmouth City (Portsmouth)
Richmond City (Richmond)
Williamsburg City (Williamsburg)

Washington
King County (Seattle)

Wisconsin
Dane County (Madison)
Milwaukee County (Milwaukee)

References

Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections, 2016 President County v1.0, 6-26-2017
United States Census Bureau, 2016 Population Estimates
United States Census Bureau, GCT-PH1 Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 – United States — County by State; and for Puerto Rico
2010 Census Summary File 1
United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts V2016

Holes in Our Democracy

The Electoral College

There have been 58 presidential elections in the United States. The first was in 1788, and the most recent in 2016. Five times (8.6% of the time) the winner of the U.S. presidential election did not receive the most votes, thanks to the Electoral College.

1824

Andrew Jackson	151,271	41.4%	Democratic-Republican
John Quincy Adams	113,122	30.9%	Democratic-Republican

1876

Samuel J. Tilden	4,286,808	50.9%	Democratic
Rutherford B. Hayes	4,034,142	47.9%	Republican

1888

Grover Cleveland	5,534,488	48.6%	Democratic
Benjamin Harrison	5,443,892	47.8%	Republican

2000

Al Gore	51,009,810	48.4%	Democratic
George W. Bush	50,462,412	47.9%	Republican

2016

Hillary Clinton	65,853,516	48.2%	Democratic
Donald Trump	62,984,825	46.1%	Republican

The Electoral College needs to change or be abolished, and the national popular vote should determine who is elected president. Why should “winner takes all” in each state continue to prevail? This isn’t a ball game. As it is now, a candidate gets 100% of the electoral votes for a state whether they got 80% of the popular vote or 50.5%. Each state’s electoral votes should be apportioned based on the number of popular votes each candidate got. Every vote should count equally, no matter what state you live in.

Proportional Representation

In the U.S. Congress and the state legislatures, if the Green Party, for example, is supported by 10% of the electorate, then they should have 10% of the representation in the legislative body. Proportional representation ensures that all popular viewpoints in the electorate have representation in our government, and prevents any one political party from ever having too much power.

Ballot Measures

Rather than always voting for people who are supposed to represent you and your interests, but often do not, wouldn’t you rather vote on the issues themselves? We should all have a chance to vote more often on ballot measures, even if they are only directional in nature. I have no doubt, for example, that we would have stricter weapons laws in this country if we the people were ever given the opportunity to directly vote on the matter.

Divided America

We have quite the dilemma. In the broadest sense, we have two very different views of the role of government, science, economics, education, and world view. There seems little hope of reconciliation until, I fear, some catastrophe of epic proportions befalls us. Closed minds do not change easily.

There is more than enough blame for how we got to this point to spread around, but the media certainly deserves to be singled out as fueling divisiveness rather than letting the facts speak for themselves and building bridges of understanding. Our TV nation hasn’t helped, either.

A recent example of this schism: President Barack Obama. To many, he was one of the best presidents we have had in decades: intelligent, articulate, dignified, thoughtful, and hopeful. To others, he was one of the worst presidents in history. I happen to be in the former camp. I predict that history will be kind to Barack Obama. Very kind.

Presently, there is an uneasiness and anxiety across this country that during my 60 years in the U.S. is unprecedented. Where do we go from here? Increased civic engagement at all levels is crucial. As is a media that educates rather than agitates. Perhaps living separately, but in harmony, is the best way to demonstrate a better way to live, interact, and govern.

Many a time I have found myself wishing we could peacefully divide into two countries: one for the conservatives, and one for the liberals. That way the conservatives could finally have the kind of laws and governance that they desire, and the liberals theirs. But this is impractical because too many people would have to move. What about at the state level? Some states would be “liberal” states, and others “conservative”. Well, we already have this to a small degree, but there are big differences in political persuasion even within a state. Once again, too many people would have to relocate.

What about an expansion of the “sanctuary city” idea? Though currently defined as safe havens for undocumented immigrants, sanctuary cities could become places where liberals and progressives could live and work largely free of conservative doctrine and laws. One challenge to this approach, however, is that cities are largely subject to state and federal laws.

Finally, at the smallest level, one always has the opportunity to form or join an intentional community. Though, once again, that community would be subject to state and federal laws, as well as local ones. There is also the challenge of economies of scale.

I would like to live in a country where science and reason inform public decisions and laws rather than religion, dogma, superstition, and “fake news”. A meritocracy where education and critical thinking is valued and encouraged for all citizens, regardless of their ability. Where taxes are higher because they provide free education and universal health care, and less is spent on the instruments of war. Where guns are a privilege requiring extensive training and vetting, not a right. A post-capitalist society where government strongly regulates and at the same time supports businesses, and always strives to equalize economic opportunity for all citizens. Utopian? Perhaps. I have no doubt that many of us could live and flourish in such a society. The question is, will it work for everyone?