Red to Blue in the West, Continued

One independent Colorado voter explains why he voted for Obama and other Democrats this year -- after voting Republican in 1996, 2000 and 2004.  Unaffiliated voters are the second largest voter registration group in Colorado -- surpassing Democrats and nearly even with Republicans.  

How the GOP Lost My Vote by Paul Hsieh, Denver Post 11/13/2008.

Thin in the West

Remember those wiry and strong characters in Westerns? Tough, determined and thin. Conquering the elements under blue skies.

Fast forward to the West of today:  westerners are still conquering the elements--but it's now often through outdoor adventure rather than making a living off the land (although there's a fair amount of that as well).  And westerners are still relatively thin.  There's something in those blue skies, the fresh air and rugged landscape.  Check out the gold and blue West on this weight data map from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The map shows the percentage of obese residents in each state.  The data shown in this map was collected through the CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).

Colorado is the one state in the country for which less than 20% of the population is obese. For the rest of the Rocky Mountain West states - with the exception of Arizona -- less than 25% of their populations are obese.  Let's be clear: this data doesn't say Westerners are skinny.  In fact, Americans -- including westerners -- seem to be getting fatter by the minute.  

But the data does show that Westerners are relatively less fat than other Americans.  And I guess they should be at least a little proud of that.  Can we learn something from this regional diversity?  Is it about how Westerners eat? The altitude? The lifestyle? The access to outdoor activity?  I can buy any of those ideas.  But for now, I'm going to stick with my theory that it has at least something to do with the blue skies, fresh air and rugged landscape.  

Westerners Help Make US History

Last night, the Rocky Mountain West helped make history, giving 19 of the available 44 electoral votes in the 8 state region (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) to the first winning African American presidential candidate in US history. President-elect Obama won Nevada (5 electoral votes), New Mexico (5 electoral votes) and Colorado (9 electoral votes). While traditional western issues were not prominent in the campaign, the West itself was center stage, with the Democratic Convention in Denver, and vigorous campaigning by both Obama and Republican candidate McCain -- a westerner with an Alaskan running mate -- all the way up to election day.

With this historic pick, the West will be in for a fresh and non-traditional take on western issues. It will be exciting to watch. 

Red to Blue in the West?

Americans are used to seeing a broad, red swath in the Rocky Mountain West on election night. But this year, after some significant victories in 2004, there's likely to be some blue too -- at the top of the ticket and on down the line. Some find this surprising. But the reality is, if you dig into the history of voting in the West, there's a long, proud tradition of independent-minded voters who elect both Democrats and Republicans to office. Surprised? Read on.

In fact, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana and Nevada each have a strong history of electing one Senator of each party to the Senate. Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana and Nevada have all elected more Democrats to the Governorship in their 140-year histories than Republicans. Who would have thought that in New Mexico and Montana, the long-term statewide voting history is actually more Democratic than Republican?  Read here for more about voting trends in the West.

So what’s really at play here? Are we seeing a serious red to blue shift in the West? We won't know for years. My suspicion? The region is just swinging a bit toward blue as it re-sets to its long-term tendency: purple.

Children, Nature and Freedom

Nature. Freedom. Exploration.  Powerful words.  Powerful, western ideas.

I  grew up running free around lakes and fields in my native Midwest, and I am passionate about giving kids today that experience and joy in nature.  I am a soldier in the children and nature movement. 

So I was thrilled and fascinated to see an emerging parallel effort that hits similar freedom and exploration themes.

New York Sun columnist Lenore Skenazy created a stir when she wrote about allowing her 9-yr. old son to ride the subway home alone in New York City. Think what you want about whether 9 is the right age for this kind of freedom, but give Skenazy credit for launching a spirited dialogue on the state of childhood in America.   Her column led to Skenazy appearances on the Today Show, NPR and Dr. Phil, stories in Newsweek and Slate and creation of a new blog on the topic of giving kids a little more latitude to explore Free Range Kids.  

Food for thought:  wouldn't it be powerful if the nascent Children and Nature and Free Range Kids movements started working together to promote the need for kids to have a little freedom to explore?

Check out MJ on the topic of children and nature on this Travelocity Window Seat podcast.

Welcome to Park Street Journal

I am a westerner -- born in South Dakota, raised in the Midwest, and I call Colorado home. Politics and the way they inter-play with the persona of the region fascinate me.  So do the wide open spaces, the blue skies, the majestic mountains and the compelling characters the region produces.  It's a unique place that in many ways defines America.  This Journal serves two purposes:  to share ideas and observations about the region -- the long-term trends, the changing economics, the draw and impact of public lands, the politics and the people and prose; and to engage a dialogue about how public spaces shape and color our world.  I call it Park Street Journal because it is written, longingly, from an apartment across the street from a park in Boston.  It is literally my park street journal.  I hope you enjoy it.