East vs. West

P-I reporter Mike Lewis looks at why the idea of splitting Washington into two states, or King into two counties, holds such an enduring appeal:

Ah, fundamentally different. In the world of division politics, these are the magic words, the phrase of resignation its practitioners shout simply to hear the echo. Urban vs. rural?

They feel your disenfranchisement, your threatened property rights. East vs. West? How dare condo-dwelling urbanites regulate farm water! Red vs. Blue? ...