Three Blueprints for American Divorce

Abstract This chapter provides three blueprints for how America might be divided between Redland and Blueland. They represent natural starting points for the discussion. The first blueprint is based on a division between red and blue states. The second blueprint is drawn at the level of the congressional district, depending on whether the representative is Republican or Democrat. The third blueprint focuses on counties and is determined by which party dominates. In each case, a map is provided. The point of the chapter is to show that no map will work perfectly because there is a trade-off between practicality and accuracy. A state-based map is relatively practical but is inaccurate because it would strand millions of Americans in the wrong country. Conversely, a more granular county-based map would more accurately assign people to the right country but create an impractical division between Redland and Blueland.