Blue and Red. Two of the three primary colors in the spectrum of art. Alone, both are symbols of strength. Together they are the top two colors used in advertising. When red and blue are mixed, they create a variety of purples, such as violet and lilac. According to Google, blue is the people’s choice as the world’s favorite color, red runs a close second. Not even close, these two colors are the ones most prominently displayed on book jackets, and retail merchandise. In today’s American politics everything is about blue and red. Do you live in a red state, or a blue state? Did you vote for Biden, or Trump? Red and blue dominate the landscape of American politics. Although many Americans claim to be independent, lavender and mauve are rare shades in current times. Political discourse has become so volatile that you’re not being honest with yourself if you can’t admit that America is, either in the midst of, or certainly headed towards our country’s second Civil War. The color divide in the United States is at its widest gap in my lifetime. And I don’t mean black and white.
Last Thursday night, on national television, the American public had an opportunity to watch two Governors, one who is the poster child for blue State policy, and the other preaching red state mantra. On one side of the stage stood the state of California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom. The lean handsome politician is a glowing commercial for a progressive left winged agenda. According to his critics he is morphing the state of California into a model of the Chinese system of socialism. In the other corner was Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida. DeSantis had a maverick type of approach when it came to leading his state’s fight against federal mandates during Covid 19. DeSantis fought against federal shutdowns and grew heavy criticism for Florida’s early return to schools during the pandemic. He resisted federal government directions regarding covid and was one of the first to buck vaccine mandates. His critics have labeled DeSantis a racist, who wants to ban books from schools and destroy Mickey Mouse.
Gavin Newsom is the blue state’s “machine like” candidate. He promotes the left’s progressive platform with his slicked back hair, and smooth words gliding across his lips. Newsom was bred on the political philosophy that “big government” is the answer to all that ails America’s constituents. He believes the government’s job is to make sure the playing field is equitable for all. Newsom is a “Robin Hood’, who wants the wealthy to bare more of the tax burden. Gavin Newsom believes the federal government should throw a big comfy blanket around the downtrodden of the world. He was the pied piper of whatever President Biden said regarding shutdowns. In bending his knee to the teacher’s union Newsom kept California’s public schools closed for nearly two years. During Covid Newsom forced workers who refused to get vaccinated (for personal and religious reasons), to lose their jobs. California is a sanctuary state (major cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles) and is a haven for illegal immigrants to make their way into the United State with little resistance. The facts during the debate indicated that Newsom’s blue state of California is near the bottom of three critical categories that are of urgent concern to the public: education, crime, and inflation. Despite this fact there are many pols from both blue and red states who believe Newsom will replace Biden on the Democratic ticket sometime before November.
In the other corner wearing bright red trunks stood Newsom’s foe, the controversial Governor of the sunshine state, Ron DeSantis. He has been the leader of Florida the last six years and quickly developed into the blue staters biggest enemy. He is the Republican party’s front running candidate for President after Donald Trump. The blue staters see DeSantis as the same devil they see Trump as. Newsom is a polished politician coming from big money (he’s one of the Getty Oil family), DeSantis is of a much humbler background (but he did go to Yale). DeSantis is of Hispanic descent and served this country in the Marines Corps. DeSantis touts his state as being one of the most efficient during Covid. The stats say deaths per thousand in Florida were lower than in California, a fact that Newsom never did address. Ron DeSantis operated Florida in complete contrast to the two biggest blues states of California and New York. The disdain from the progressive blue staters was directed at DeSantis for spitting in the eye of federal lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He is also a fierce opponent of critical race theory being taught in Florida public schools. He is pro-life and adamantly opposes open borders. He was lambasted for loading up a group of illegal immigrants who had arrived on his doorstep and sent them to Martha’s Vinyard. DeSantis is a staunch supporter of state’s rights and would like to see government have less of a role in propping up individual plights. He is a strong constitutionalist who wants to leave rights such as abortion, education, and taxes up to each state. DeSantis believes in taking power out of the hands of the federal government. Last Thursday these two stood on a stage together, attempting to debate the issues that are the most urgent of the day. The American public got a clean look at the glaring extremes between the most recognized leader of a blue state pitted against the most recognizable representative of a red state.
There they were on stage, standing toe to toe. The contrast was as stunning as expected. For 90 minutes Newsom plead for a more “managed democracy” directed by an engulfing federal government. DeSantis is viewed by his opponents from the left as a right winged dictator who symbolizes all the characteristics as the evil leader of red state philosophy. Newsom fawns over “as big as you can get federal gov’t”, DeSantis was propped up by Trump and finding it difficult to remove himself from his thumb. His critics say “DeSantis is ‘Trump squared’ in terms of his politics. Newsom, who continues to insist he 100% stands behind President Biden’s re-election bid, is an eloquent orator able to slip and slide away from any question. DeSantis, his critics say is an evangelistic right winged insider. No matter what you think of Newsom’s ideology he deserves kudos for going on a perceived hostile channel (FOX). The detractors of Newsom see him as a “Manchurian Candidate” built to be a well-oiled computer of smiling facts spouting out a far-left agenda. They see him as an old time “con man who sells potions in a traveling show.” The takeaway for myself was: “I think it was great that the two came together to face each other. Yet, they were both so adamantly pitching their message that there was very little, to no, common ground struck.
To come to any sort of resolutions to the extreme tension that exists amongst our fellow countrymen we must first recognize what our differences are. Last Thursday, two titans of two major states in America stood on the stage and gave their representation of who stands where on the issues of the day. It is way past time to remove the traditional methods of labeling individuals. We must stop thinking in terms of Republican and Democrat, Liberal and Conservative. The Ideological war that is raging in America can be understood by how red states and blue states operate from opposite perspectives and priorities. It has become apparent that the two-party system of politics in America is a failed antiquated formula. As the two parties exist today there is little chance, they can govern this republic effectively again. If you tuned in to watch Ron DeSantis and Gavin Newsom have at it on a stage in Georgia, the people of America had a fair look at the future leaders of the red and blue of these two failed political parties. Both men, no matter what you think of their politics, are the political leaders of America’s future. One reverently believes that America’s only way forward is with a big federal government holding your hand all the way along. The other believes in “rugged individualism”, which for the people lacking in the standard needs sounds a lot like “let them eat cake.” Red vs blue did not suddenly create purple last Thursday night. It should have given the American electorate a clear picture of the major gaps in ideology that appear to be accelerating. In 2024 the people of the United States, especially the ones who now label themselves purple, will be forced to pick blue or red. It will be the biggest decision of all our lives.
