Changes

== Election Results ==

== Election Results ==

Every [[November]], America changes a bit because there are [[election]]s.  It is always worth pausing to [[observe]] what happened.

Every [[November]], [[U.S.A.|America]] changes a bit because there are [[election]]s.  It is always worth pausing to observe what happened.

The South has become more [[Republican]] and the North has become more [[Democratic]].  [[Republican]]s won [[governorship]]s in [[Kentucky]] and [[Mississippi]]; Democrats took control of the [[New Jersey]] Senate.

The South has become more [[Republican]] and the North has become more [[Democratic]].  [[Republican]]s won [[governor]]ships in [[Kentucky]] and [[Mississippi]]; [[Democrat]]s took control of the [[New Jersey]] [[Senate]].

This is part of a 30-year trend for political realignment in this [[country]].  People tend to vote regionally.  At the time of the [[Civil War]], the North was solidly [[Republican]] and the South was solidly [[Democratic]].  Now it has shifted to become the opposite.

This is part of a 30-[[year]] trend for [[politics|political]] realignment in this [[country]].  [[People]] tend to [[vote]] regionally.  At the time of the [[Civil War]], the North was solidly [[Republican]] and the South was solidly [[Democratic]].  Now it has shifted to become the opposite.

In 2004, the Democrats did not win a single southern state, and Bush did not win a single state in the northeast.  But Bush did win [[West Virginia]] and [[Ohio]], which were enough to give him the overall election.

In 2004, the [[Democrat]]s did not win a single southern [[state]], and [[George W. Bush|Bush]] did not win a single [[state]] in the northeast.  But [[George W. Bush|Bush]] did win [[West Virginia]] and [[Ohio]], which were enough to give him the overall [[election]].

In becoming mayor of [[New York]], [[Mayor]] [[Bloomberg]] (a [[moderate]]) failed in his attempt to change New York primaries from “closed” to “open”.  The parties opposed his [[referendum]] to allow [[independent]]s to vote in party primaries, and the parties beat the mayor.  Never underestimate the power of political parties.  But Bloomberg was able to overcome the power with his enormous personal [[wealth]] and obtaining the [[Republican]] nomination rather than the [[Democratic]] one, and won that way.

In becoming [[mayor]] of [[New York]], [[Mayor]] [[Michael Bloomberg|Bloomberg]] (a [[moderate]]) failed in his attempt to change [[New York]] primaries from “closed” to “open”.  The [[political parties|parties]] opposed his [[referendum]] to allow [[independent]]s to vote in [[political parties|party]] primaries, and the [[political parties|parties]] beat the [[mayor]].  Never underestimate the power of [[political parties]].  But [[Michael Bloomberg|Bloomberg]] was able to overcome the [[power]] with his enormous personal [[wealth]] and obtaining the [[Republican]] nomination rather than the [[Democratic]] one, and won that way.

In [[Mississippi]], famous [[Republican]] [[lobbyist]] [[Haley Barbour]] won the [[governorship]] and was just reelected.  So sometimes lobbyists become top government officials themselves.  The [[door]] between government and lobbyists [[revolve]]s round-and-round.

In [[Mississippi]], famous [[Republican]] [[lobbyist]] [[Haley Barbour]] won the [[governor]]ship and was just re[[election|elected]].  So sometimes [[lobbyist]]s become top [[government]] officials themselves.  The door between [[government]] and [[lobbyist]]s revolves round-and-round.

== Issues ==

== Issues ==