Stephan:   If you read me regularly you know I have been talking about what I call the Great Schism Trend for over a decade, (see SR archives). This idea is beginning to gain greater currency amongst political commentators because it has become so obvious. Here is an example of what I mean. My prediction is that we will remain one country, but that power will devolve down to the states. That's what the Republican governed Red states want, but I don't think they realize where that leads because the Red states always have inferior governance and a lower level of social wellbeing, and could not function without the funding they get from the Blue states. As this schism goes on Blue states are going to get tired of underwriting the failure of the Red states which, I think, is going to lead to a restructuring of the senate, and the elimination of the electoral college, leaving the Red states to increasingly fend for themselves. That, in turn, is going to lead to people, particularly well-educated people and women, moving out of Red states. So I take this article as a tell that the Great Schism Trend is gathering momentum.