a possibly stupid question

[cole]

when did they decide to change the color-coding on maps from Dem-Red/Rep-Blue to Dem-Blue/Rep-Red? and why the heck did they do that? it's confusing.

[Gustaf]

Nobody knows... I don't think anybody knows for sure. They just did.

[CARLHAYDEN]

when did they decide to change the color-coding on maps from Dem-Red/Rep-Blue to Dem-Blue/Rep-Red? and why the heck did they do that? it's confusing.

This was done in the nineties.

Red is the traditional color of communists/socialists.

The liberal media wanted to deemphasize this connection, hence the change.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Most people have used blue for Democrats and red for Republicans for as long as I remember. It was already like that back in 1980.

[CARLHAYDEN]

wrong,

I distinctly remember the 1980 election.

I was sitting in a bar in a hotel by a major airport and remember when NBC announced the Reagan victory, there was a major cheer from the whole bar.  The Reagan states were blue and the few Carter states were red.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Uh, nope.

When we watched it on TV they used blue for Carter and red for Reagan. When Reagan won, a massive boo emerged from homes from coast to coast.

[CARLHAYDEN]

Bandit,

Reagan overwhelmingly defeated Carter, and subsequently overwhelmingly won reelection.

You are hearing things that weren't there, is makes sense that you were seeing things wrong too.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Nope.

My parents got mad when Reagan won. They spent the next 8 years complaining about him.

[CARLHAYDEN]

I'm sorry to hear about your parents.

I hope they got help.

[angus]

when did they decide to change the color-coding on maps from Dem-Red/Rep-Blue to Dem-Blue/Rep-Red? and why the heck did they do that? it's confusing.

there's quite a bit written about this.  there really never was a standard.  Back in 76, CBS did a turquoise and chartreuse for democrat and republican.  or something like that.  Liep is consistent, and the opposite of Fox News channel's red and blue symbolizing GOP and dem.  ah, what the hell, as long as you can read a legend you're all set.  I'll try to dig up a story for you.  ah, what the , you can get it yourself, but here's something off-topic though much more interesting.

http://www.massinc.org/commonwealth/new_map_exclusive/beyond_red_blue.html

[angus]

when did they decide to change the color-coding on maps from Dem-Red/Rep-Blue to Dem-Blue/Rep-Red? and why the heck did they do that? it's confusing.

This was done in the nineties.

Red is the traditional color of communists/socialists.

The liberal media wanted to deemphasize this connection, hence the change.

conspiracy theorist  

[bullmoose88]

I think the Red for Republican and Blue for Democrat traces all the way back to a Texas County in the 1880s. (Can't remember the county of course). Following reconstruction, the democrats formed what were called, "blue clubs". In response the republicans (what little there were, presumably, formed "red clubs" in response.


Then again, the GOP and the dems didn't really solidify themselves as the party of right and left until the 1960s.

(Well the GOP didn't establish itself as a firmly "right" party until 1964 when the goldwaterites defeated the rockefeller liberals...and its all been downhill since).

[Horus]

I think Black and White might be an easier system.

[Storebought]

Red/blue has nothing to do with political party.

Red = Party of Challenger

Blue = Party of Incumbent

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Red/blue has nothing to do with political party.

Red = Party of Challenger

Blue = Party of Incumbent

When has this ever been true?  

I don't think there was ever a standard color scheme in the US, but in Europe, the left-wing parties are always Red and the right-wing always blue and that has been true for decades.

[??????????]

Leip has something on this site about this.


Red, Blue, Red, Blue???