--- kjkhoo at softhome.net wrote:
> Texas -- can someone explain why:
First off, you're looking for rational explanations to Texan's behaviors. Toss that.
> 1. suburban Texas voted almost diametrically against the grain of
> Texas
Because they are overwhelmingly fundie Christians dressed up as "new age" feel-good fundie Christians, and those that aren't either don't vote or feel the GOP has their economic interests at heart, no matter what you tell them. They still get the right wing diatribe, but they are also led to believe it will help them pay for their SUVs and Hummmers. Trust me. I live in suburban Texas.
Also, they have a different perspective on what is good for Texas: they don't know. The reality behind the SUVs and the wwjd stickers is that most of these people are living paycheck to paycheck, behind a month on their mortgage and too scared numb to think about anything besides the fantasy that they have to go with the status quo. A recent news article in the local paper here said that Texans have the lowest credit scores, overall, of any other people in the country. But there is a disconnect between how their own personal lives are affected and what the legislature is doing. This is a long standing glitch in Texas politics. Molly Ivins has some of the best analysis on Texas politics in her non-national columns.
> 2. female Texas went with Bush in a bigger way than male
I could say most men in Texas have tiny penises and the women are looking for a mythic hero but that would be silly. However, it isn't much sillier than the real reason: Bush "plays" as the bad boy frat child that women loathe/love. Plus, his family has power, name, money... and he's not married to Theresa Heinz.
> 3. Latinos went with Bush 3:2
In Texas, the further north a Latino goes, the more Republican he/she becomes. This is the phenomenon of wanting to be like the "successful" people. Their employers are GOP; they want to be GOP. You have to act like the rich to get rich.
Also, the vast majority of public offices are held by Republicans now. The demographic goes more democratic in South Texas, but that is changing.
> 4. young Texas went with Bush more than old Texas
The Left and the Democrats did not get out the youth vote. Period. Dead. Nada. Embarrassing. The DNC did not spend any more money on Texas than it had to, because it considers it a lost state. The GOP, however, had a huge get out the vote movement to the college crowd, and the suburban churches - many of which are rather large and carnival like - mandated their young adults to do what the lord would have them do: vote Republican.
- Deborah