Texas can actually split up into 5 states, not 4. However, we'd rather opt out, and take all the territory we brought in with us. [but that's another election altogether]

And Arnold was elected beause the vast majority of voters ARE NOT hard core party members. The American political parties are run by extremists of one variety or another, and most Americans are just good ol' fashioned working folks who'd rather elect someone with a work ethic and a desire to do the job well, than a career political hack. [regardless of the political parties involved]

If the crowd I was running with was as single minded and herd driven as some seem to be, I'd start looking for ways to meet new people. America is a pretty diverse country, and if everyone you associate with thinks the same way I'd view that as a problem.

And I won't even get into the lazy southerner generalization, other than to say your bigotry is showing and I'd bet you vote straight party Democrat. [And the only group less tolerant of dissenting opinions than Democrats seem to be the Muslims running the middle east]