> And looking back to earlier in the 1900s, it was states like Ohio, Michigan, Illinois (all red states back then) that were major economic powerhouses. But at

> And looking back to earlier in the 1900s, it was states like Ohio, Michigan, Illinois (all red states back then) that were major economic powerhouses. But at that point in time the Republicans would have been the blue guys and the Democrats the red guys. (Though the contemporary US colour scheme doesn't make much sense since historically/elsewhere the left is associated with red and the right with blue. But my point is that the Democrats were the more conservative party at that point in time and the Republicans the more progressive party.)