Why are big metros typically Liberal? (1 Viewer)

[Leroy Hoard]

Ask it the other way. Why are rural areas conservative?

more family oriented, religious, self-reliant, traditional.

Excellent job of summing things up. My question is then this. What's wrong with being any of those things you just listed? I say this because when a GOP candidate is mentioned we hear racist/bigot.

Is being family oriented, self-reliant and traditional, is that now a mask for racism and bigotry in this country? Because that is what the other side seems to be pushing right now.

This is one of the more ridiculous things I've ever read.

Yeah, it has nothing to do with the insane amount of racism directed towards Obama, African-American, Latinos and Muslims. Has nothing to do with opposing gay marriage or telling a woman what they can or can't do with their body.

MOP 1 - Skoo 0

Skoo has only been here since Aug. 2014 and hasn't come to know the complete of idiocy of MOP yet. MOP doesn't beat anyone here outside of Eminence 1-0. Ever.

Maybe he was counting straitjackets.

 

[urbanhack]

Why the hell would you want to live in a metro area anyway?

to get away from rural and suburb people.

 

[huthut]

Why the hell would you want to live in a metro area anyway?

Have you ever had thai food outside of one? It is pretty sub-par.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

You're ####### crazy lol

That might be true JZ but it doesn't change any of the facts I mentioned. Roe v. Wade, GOP has had full control multiple times and they haven't overturned it. It's been around for 40+ years? I don't think the likelihood of it ever being overturned is going to happen.

I'm with you on this - liberals won, it's a non-issue at this point, their attitude towards pro-life people should be to ignore them.

You're ####### crazy lol

That might be true JZ but it doesn't change any of the facts I mentioned. Roe v. Wade, GOP has had full control multiple times and they haven't overturned it. It's been around for 40+ years? I don't think the likelihood of it ever being overturned is going to happen.

I tend to agree with you on that point but that doesn't mean it's the Left who keeps bringing it up. It's like the single biggest platform in the GOP. Do they actually ever do anything about it? Well, no, they are notorious liars. It sure hauls in the religious vote though.

I tend to feel the GOP stance is just ensuring that a real choice is not only being presented but that a viable option other than abort is a possibility if she desires.

I feel the Left doesn't want to hear anything about it and if you even discuss you are auto Pro Life and immediately shut down.

I'm Pro Choice obviously but I want a real choice where women can feel good about whichever their choice is. And both should be presented. If $$$ is the real burden or weighing factor, women should be shown that its not the end of their world. We as a society need to do a better job as well in the work place. Women see others get pregnant and fall behind or get glossed over for a promotion, we can't allow for that to happen in 2016.

It gets complicated but I am happy Roe v. Wade is on the books and women should never be persecuted for their choice, just want their to be a full choice for them.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Why the hell would you want to live in a metro area anyway?

to get away from rural and suburb people.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Why the hell would you want to live in a metro area anyway?

Have you ever had thai food outside of one? It is pretty sub-par.

Take me to Thai Town please.

 

[Fennis]

Haven't been able to read through all the posts. Easy topic to get side tracked on as it touches on so many things and requires generalization. Lots of interesting things discussed.

When you look at those maps from the space at night it reflects pretty closely the voting maps - blue in the areas more lit up, densely populated, red in darker areas. Even in conservative states it does this.

I think that the denser the population the more you have to accommodate, more governance is required, etc. This just lends itself to voting for more liberal candidates.

that's part of it, but race is a larger issue IMHO.

I may have missed earlier discussion but just throwing race out there is way to vague.

Seattle where I live is the whitest city. Super Liberal, almost comically sometimes. I grew up in rural Indiana, all white people. My town was very liberal - college town - but if you went 30 miles away it was one of the most conservative places in the US.

Richmond?

Bloomington

what up Knight?

My wife went to Earlham. Now that's liberal.

 

[The General]

Richmond?

Bloomington

what up Knight?

My wife went to Earlham. Now that's liberal.

That's for sure.

 

[urbanhack]

did BGP ever check in?

 

[fantasycurse42]

Why the hell would you want to live in a metro area anyway?

Where else are you going to find awesome Asian Massage Parlors on every block?

No shtick answer:

Awesome job, if I tire of it, dozens more comparable where I'm located, door to door I'm 25 minutes. I have everything I want within a few blocks of my house. I don't have to deal with any headaches homeowners have, although this is obviously a trade off for space.

 

[chauncey]

All the Conservatives flee to the boonies out of shame for their racist/homophobic/xenophobic beliefs.

Ask it the other way. Why are rural areas conservative?

I didn't grow up in a rural area but I knew plenty who did and attribute most of it to one thing - powerful social control. In small towns you can't afford to stick out or you'll be ostracized so most people don't go out of their way to buck the norm. The funny thing is that once people are out of their small town and feel free to question things and express their opinions their beliefs can change rapidly.

Ironically today's liberals/SJWs are the bigots who can't think for themselves. If you disagree with a liberal you are called names and shamed, liberals are the new radical Christians from the 80s/90s.

timschochet, on 28 Jan 2016 - 8:03 PM, said:

The guy is a bigot, a demagogue, and a racist. There is literally NOTHING that he could do or say to make me change my mind about him. Anybody who supports him automatically has no credibility. None. Shame on anyone here if you are considering supporting this guy. It's disgraceful.

Right on cue.

 

[Smack Tripper]

For most people, its generally harder to be a jerk to someone you know. So be it someone that needs a helping hand or someone that lives differently or is different, proximity changes perspectives.

In rural areas, with more separation of space and distance from big groups of disparate people, its easier to get disconnected from empathy.

Its as simple as the old George Carlin bit about tragedies needing proximity to be driven home. You hear.... 5000 killed..... in ... malaysia, it probably doesn't have the same impact as a single murder in YOUR small town.

You think it's easier to feel empathy for the 3 million neighbors you have than the rural church (for example) you'd attend?I'm betting that people who live in rural areas know more people on a first (AND last) name basis than those in a metro area.

You seem to think that people who don't live in cities are all shut-ins

I agree with Andy here. It's New Yorkers who are your typical jerks that lack southern hospitality. People in small towns all know each other and are helpful to one another. People in big cities are pretty much anonymous most of the time, not likely to encounter the same person twice on the subway or wherever.

I think you guys are talking about two different things. You're talking about people you are friendly with, ST is talking about people you interact with, like it or not. A rural resident may be more friendly towards strangers and casual acquaintances, but you're also less likely to come across situations that trigger empathy simply because you don't come across as many people on a day to day basis.

For example- a guy was murdered around the corner from my home two weeks ago. I don't know the guy and nor do most of my neighbors (he was supposedly dropped off to visit his girlfriend). But our neighborhood felt so awful about it that we started a fundraiser to cover the cost of his funeral and make a large donation in his honor after reading an article about his family struggling with the burial costs. I have no doubt that a rural community would likely respond the same way in the same situation. But those situations don't happen very often. There are fewer people, fewer homes, fewer businesses, so fewer events that trigger empathy.

Sort of related example- the recent blizzard triggered a huge outpouring of community support. Everyone went to help their neighbors shovel, to dig out cars, to clear the porch/stairs/sidewalks of the elderly residents on our block, etc. Again, I'm 100% sure that a rural community would do the same ... but those people don't all live near each other, so the opportunity doesn't present itself as often. When you walk out to shovel after a snowstorm you don't see 5 other people within 100 feet of your front door doing the same thing.

Tobias is pretty close the crux of what I spoke about but to expand...

Almost everyone, everywhere, supports Social Security and medicare. Even if people want to adjust, I haven't heard anyone campaign for the outright abolition. In my opinion, this is because we all:

1. know old people

2. aspire to be old people

Its easy to connect and relate with it as a program. Also its well entrenched. But I don't think thats exclusively a liberal or conservative conceit these days.

Proximity has lent perspective.

There are rural communities and there are rural communities. In New Jersey, we have Hunterdon County and 100 miles away in PA we have Forrest County. Hunterdon has a median household income of 105,000 per year, Forest has a per capita income of 23,000 per year. They are separated by 300 miles or so but both voted predominantly Republican.

Both, are Republican, fair to say conservative based on my limited time in both counties, but both couldn't be more different FROM EACH OTHER. But inside of each county, based on the income level, there is commonality. It might be a separation of driving trucks from the 90's versus Range Rovers and Cayene's. But inside of the county, there is a relatability to your neighbors but conservatism is not created equal. In Hunterdon, at those income levels, conservatism, logic might dictate, is rooted in protecting and preserving wealth, life is good in Hunterdon, what is my interest in helping those who won't help themselves? In Forest County, the conservatism is perhaps rooted in a mix of faith, which seems more strident when you have less in the manner of material goods, and in an attempt to preserve opportunity occupationally and financially.

There is a commonality of lifestyle based on income, there is a protected interest in a small group in not rocking the boat and there is the concept of people being held at arms length. When you don't see the people that need or would benefit from your help, its easier to

Separation is not just space but it encourages a wall to be built. The relatability of the senior citizens and social security is less ever present.

But ask the same people about unemployment or disability insurance in Forest, or if Corporate tax breaks make sense in Hunterdon county, because of the respective relability, and maybe just our own boundless ability to rationalize, these are seen more viable.

I know that this divide isn't strictly dollars and sense, there are lifestyle elements as well, but that falls under an umbrella of diversity. I can see the same trend toward conservatism in every close knit, and frankly isolated culture, be it arabs in Detroit, Orthdox Jews in New York, Menonites in Ohio or Cuban enclaves in Hudson County, NJ.

I want to stress, I don't hate conservatives and I don't identify strictly liberal and there are virtues and vice in being too much of any one perspective IMO. Too much of this is a structure of me vs. you.

I don't see anything wrong with being conservative or inherently right about being liberal. I, like most, feel like I sit in the middle I think. My experiences have taken me many places however. Fundamentally we all want to live our life and provide for our family in the manner which we best understand how so I don't like to see an adversarial construct to this.

But if I do lean liberal, its because I see examples as outlined above when those in conservative environments are exposed to or given true insight to liberal things they might support, their first instinct is not to retreat to an idealogy but adjust to encompass new information in a manner that coincides with their world view.

 

[Smack Tripper]

Why the hell would you want to live in a metro area anyway?

Women.

Concerts.

Decent movies.

Great restaurants.

 

[urbanhack]

Why the hell would you want to live in a metro area anyway?

Women.Concerts.

Decent movies.

Great restaurants.

5 minute round trip walk for booze, coffee, food, etc

 

[jabarony]

All the Conservatives flee to the boonies out of shame for their racist/homophobic/xenophobic beliefs.

So if you don't live in the city, you are racist?

 

[Pumpnick]

i would not live in manhattan because of taxes

 

[modogg]

Why the hell would you want to live in a metro area anyway?

Women.Concerts.

Decent movies.

Great restaurants.

5 minute round trip walk for booze, coffee, food, etc

this is a biggie. Weird thread for sure, but maybe farmersonly.com is right and "city people don't get it".

I saw the theme that rural families are more family-oriented, religious, self-reliant and traditional. I am just going to assume that people who feel this are viewing "metro" areas like maybe DC or NYC. But in other cities that are not as transient you have literal generations of families living a block from each other. There are literally families that have migrated to this country together who have lived in the same community for close to 100 years. The self-reliant one cracks me up as well. I loved when gas prices were high and people were flipping out. In most cities there are 4-5 was to get to anywhere you need to without a car. People in the city (not all for sure) would seem much more resilient and capable of not being dependent on various things.

oh and to add why live in a city, one of the best i love is some of the utility companies. I have lived in a city for over 20 years, longest i have ever been without power is about an hour. People i know who live in "rural" areas are without power for 3 days straight. No complaints here

 

[TripItUp]

Reasons why I like living in a big city

1) sophisticated culture - theatre, art, fine dining etc.

2) entertainment options - always something going on, concerts, mega events like superbowls, allstar games etc., casinos

3) Restaurants

4) Economic opportunity

5) Proximity to the ocean

6) selection of smart, hot women

 

[Todd Andrews]

Less KooKs in the city

 

[Ignoramus]

Why the hell would you want to live in a metro area anyway?

Not everyone loves suburbia. I like being able to walk to bars, restaurants, shops, barber, etc. and generally avoid getting into my car as much as possible on the weekend.

 

[Ignoramus]

Why the hell would you want to live in a metro area anyway?

Women.Concerts.

Decent movies.

Great restaurants.

5 minute round trip walk for booze, coffee, food, etc

Hell yes.

 

[The General]

City Living >>> Rural Living (need to be near good outdoors space - mountains, kickass lakes, ocean, etc) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Suburbia

 

[FreeBaGeL]

Ask it the other way. Why are rural areas conservative?

more family oriented, religious, self-reliant, traditional.

Excellent job of summing things up. My question is then this. What's wrong with being any of those things you just listed?

I say this because when a GOP candidate is mentioned we hear racist/bigot.

Is being family oriented, self-reliant and traditional, is that now a mask for racism and bigotry in this country? Because that is what the other side seems to be pushing right now.

I won't attempt to speak for all of them, but as someone with an educated liberal city wife who grew up in a rural conservative family, "traditional" tends to mean "I just like the good ole days when a white person could own a black person" and "religious" tends to mean "I think I can pick and choose a bible verse to impede on other people's rights to satisfy the bigotry I already had".

 

[tommyboy]

Primarily education

 

[tommyboy]

Ask it the other way. Why are rural areas conservative?

more family oriented, religious, self-reliant, traditional.

Excellent job of summing things up. My question is then this. What's wrong with being any of those things you just listed? I say this because when a GOP candidate is mentioned we hear racist/bigot.

Is being family oriented, self-reliant and traditional, is that now a mask for racism and bigotry in this country? Because that is what the other side seems to be pushing right now.

I won't attempt to speak for all of them, but as someone with an educated liberal city wife who grew up in a rural conservative family, "traditional" tends to mean "I just like the good ole days when a white person could own a black person" and "religious" tends to mean "I think I can pick and choose a bible verse to impede on other people's rights to satisfy the bigotry I already had".

What a crock.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Ask it the other way. Why are rural areas conservative?

more family oriented, religious, self-reliant, traditional.

Excellent job of summing things up. My question is then this. What's wrong with being any of those things you just listed? I say this because when a GOP candidate is mentioned we hear racist/bigot.

Is being family oriented, self-reliant and traditional, is that now a mask for racism and bigotry in this country? Because that is what the other side seems to be pushing right now.

I won't attempt to speak for all of them, but as someone with an educated liberal city wife who grew up in a rural conservative family, "traditional" tends to mean "I just like the good ole days when a white person could own a black person" and "religious" tends to mean "I think I can pick and choose a bible verse to impede on other people's rights to satisfy the bigotry I already had".

What a crock.

. he's not too far off.

 

[tommyboy]

I grew up on farms/ranch's. I've lived in the city since age 15, so I've done both.

In the country your basically alone, rarely interact with govt or law enforcement and are primarily self reliant. Most people don't go past HS. Most people are God fearing, love the USA and conservative. They have to be conservative, or they'll go broke in short order. Ranching is expensive and risky so your typical small town rancher is tight with money. You have virtually unlimited freedom, about the only reason you'd follow laws is moral compass, since you rarely see cops. Most people do follow laws.

City folks are much more educated from a much broader group of people. They tend to care less about neighbors as cities are overcrowded and you have so many neighbors you can't possibly know them all. People are disconnected from the land and just expect things to be available at stores. People spend hours in traffic, and run into law enforcement and govt routinely. Many people do not follow laws. Most people are liberal primarily due to their higher education.

I like the convenience of the city and the freedom of the country

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

I grew up on farms/ranch's. I've lived in the city since age 15, so I've done both.

In the country your basically alone, rarely interact with govt or law enforcement and are primarily self reliant. Most people don't go past HS. Most people are God fearing, love the USA and conservative. They have to be conservative, or they'll go broke in short order. Ranching is expensive and risky so your typical small town rancher is tight with money. You have virtually unlimited freedom, about the only reason you'd follow laws is moral compass, since you rarely see cops. Most people do follow laws.

City folks are much more educated from a much broader group of people. They tend to care less about neighbors as cities are overcrowded and you have so many neighbors you can't possibly know them all. People are disconnected from the land and just expect things to be available at stores. People spend hours in traffic, and run into law enforcement and govt routinely. Many people do not follow laws. Most people are liberal primarily due to their higher education.

I like the convenience of the city and the freedom of the country

Ranchers will go broke if gay people marry or black folk move into certain neighborhoods or lesbians adopt?

 

[tommyboy]

Ranchers aren't typically racist. They would be probably inclined towards traditional marriage however.

Racism is more of a city thing

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Racism is more of a city thing

What a crock.

 

[Daywalker]

Divide and conquer politics.

All these conservative states are the ones on more welfare. Poor white people. Why do they think they are poor? Well it's their broke neighbor of course getting all the benefits.

Who do they want to cut taxes for? The rich of course. Because they will be rich when they win the lotto.

They'd rather have no healthcare then universal because then their "taker" neighbor would get a "free" ride.

Tired of hearing about family values and neighborly love. These people would let you die in the street. Good Christians? Yeah right.

 

[avoiding injuries]

Ask it the other way. Why are rural areas conservative?

more family oriented, religious, self-reliant, traditional.

Excellent job of summing things up. My question is then this. What's wrong with being any of those things you just listed? I say this because when a GOP candidate is mentioned we hear racist/bigot.

Is being family oriented, self-reliant and traditional, is that now a mask for racism and bigotry in this country? Because that is what the other side seems to be pushing right now.

I won't attempt to speak for all of them, but as someone with an educated liberal city wife who grew up in a rural conservative family, "traditional" tends to mean "I just like the good ole days when a white person could own a black person" and "religious" tends to mean "I think I can pick and choose a bible verse to impede on other people's rights to satisfy the bigotry I already had".

Just because your wife grew up a racist doesn't tend to mean traditional people are racist.

 

[PIK95]

Liberals are very afraid of the woods, especially being alone in the woods, you very rarely find a liberal more than 100 feet from asphalt. Why I dunno, I guess they fear freedom and independence which comes with being in the woods. You can even offer city liberals free land in the woods and few would take it (Homestead Act). Anyways, as liberals continually flee from woodsy areas they tend to accumulate in the least woodsy areas which are the large metropolitan areas.

I grew up in the woods playing on a small river. We would build rafts, have rock and BB gun fights with the folks in the other side. We would sleep in tents and even built a fire pit with pvc and cement. One of the kids I know even hooked up with his cousin. Doesn't sound too different from you rural guys if you ask me.

 

[Ilov80s]

Liberals are very afraid of the woods, especially being alone in the woods, you very rarely find a liberal more than 100 feet from asphalt. Why I dunno, I guess they fear freedom and independence which comes with being in the woods. You can even offer city liberals free land in the woods and few would take it (Homestead Act). Anyways, as liberals continually flee from woodsy areas they tend to accumulate in the least woodsy areas which are the large metropolitan areas.

I don't know if I agree with this. At least in Michigan, it is very common to meet liberal to extremely liberal people who are really into hunting, camping, hiking, etc. Many of them own cottages in remote northern parts of Michigan.

 

[flapgreen]

Is Liberalism really a good thing for Americans? When Ted Cruz was attacking NYC, was he really attacking something larger? I think Cruz was an idiot for attacking NYC specifically...notice how I framed that please.

Yes, he is attacking something larger. He is attacking those of us that live in the Northeast and in big cities, as the GOP has framed us as not having the same "family values" as those in the flyover states.

It's completely ridiculous and insulting, but obviously it works.

What people say about there being "Two Americas" is kind of true, unfortunately.

To me, the fact that people are still railing against Gay Marriage and Climate Change is just baffling, because I live in a progressive area and am surrounded by progressive people.

I'm sure folks from small towns thing the same thing about us. Everyone they know is against gay marriage and climate change, so it seems insane to them that so many of us from metro areas support them.

*Yes, I am making generalizations about "everyone" being for or against an issue. Just trying to make a point.

You're right

 

[MaxThreshold]

Ask it the other way. Why are rural areas conservative?

more family oriented, religious, self-reliant, traditional.

Excellent job of summing things up. My question is then this. What's wrong with being any of those things you just listed? I say this because when a GOP candidate is mentioned we hear racist/bigot.

Is being family oriented, self-reliant and traditional, is that now a mask for racism and bigotry in this country? Because that is what the other side seems to be pushing right now.

I won't attempt to speak for all of them, but as someone with an educated liberal city wife who grew up in a rural conservative family, "traditional" tends to mean "I just like the good ole days when a white person could own a black person" and "religious" tends to mean "I think I can pick and choose a bible verse to impede on other people's rights to satisfy the bigotry I already had".

What a crock.

. he's not too far off.

Yes, he is.

 

[Underachievers]

Metro areas have bright shiny things.

 

[Poncho]

All the Conservatives flee to the boonies out of shame for their racist/homophobic/xenophobic beliefs.

I like the post although it is not true. I think a lot of folks just simply feel like they are not the majority and feel like they won't be accepted for their views even though they are maligned as not being open minded so they find peace and tranquility away from the noise and crazy.

I was roasted in Los Angeles and labeled as a "Staunch Republican" in my wife's circles at Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl when we lived out there. We were not invited along with other GOP labeled folks to certain events where most other staff were sent invites. I'm not kidding, I never experienced hatred and racism stronger than being on the receiving end of a California Liberal rant.

And of course the minute I moved back to Florida I am labeled a Progressive Democrat. I've seen it all and if not I've experienced both sides. I think very few in life try to experience what both sides are doing. Once people have an opinion or their mind made up, that's it.

You wont find anyone less tolerant then a liberal......

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Liberals are very afraid of the woods, especially being alone in the woods, you very rarely find a liberal more than 100 feet from asphalt. Why I dunno, I guess they fear freedom and independence which comes with being in the woods. You can even offer city liberals free land in the woods and few would take it (Homestead Act). Anyways, as liberals continually flee from woodsy areas they tend to accumulate in the least woodsy areas which are the large metropolitan areas.

I don't know if I agree with this. At least in Michigan, it is very common to meet liberal to extremely liberal people who are really into hunting, camping, hiking, etc. Many of them own cottages in remote northern parts of Michigan.

That's complete nonsense.

 

[The General]

All the Conservatives flee to the boonies out of shame for their racist/homophobic/xenophobic beliefs.

I like the post although it is not true. I think a lot of folks just simply feel like they are not the majority and feel like they won't be accepted for their views even though they are maligned as not being open minded so they find peace and tranquility away from the noise and crazy.

I was roasted in Los Angeles and labeled as a "Staunch Republican" in my wife's circles at Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl when we lived out there. We were not invited along with other GOP labeled folks to certain events where most other staff were sent invites. I'm not kidding, I never experienced hatred and racism stronger than being on the receiving end of a California Liberal rant.

And of course the minute I moved back to Florida I am labeled a Progressive Democrat. I've seen it all and if not I've experienced both sides. I think very few in life try to experience what both sides are doing. Once people have an opinion or their mind made up, that's it.

You wont find anyone less tolerant then a liberal......

Stereotypical liberal blowhard: I can't believe you are not aware your choice in plastic shopping bag is harmful to the ocean. Shame on you. Stereotypical redneck conservative blowhard: Keep those ####### muslims out of my country.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Divide and conquer politics.

All these conservative states are the ones on more welfare. Poor white people. Why do they think they are poor? Well it's their broke neighbor of course getting all the benefits.

Who do they want to cut taxes for? The rich of course. Because they will be rich when they win the lotto.

They'd rather have no healthcare then universal because then their "taker" neighbor would get a "free" ride.

Tired of hearing about family values and neighborly love. These people would let you die in the street. Good Christians? Yeah right.