Election trend and Arizona (Phoenix, Parker: to live, moving, housing)

[blueleo65]

I've only lived in Arizona for 2.5 years. I have been trying to get a grip on the politics of this state, from the election of Sherif Joe to the election of Jan Brewer on and on and on. First it seems like, you can be Jeffery Dhamer, but if you have an (r) after your name, you will get elected. I am amazed that such a big state with such a sizable population, and a huge Hispanic population, is so red. I mean the map even looks funny, wedged in between 2 blue states. Does Arizonans think that they are somehow part of the Old South with red DNA? It seems like every other person I meet is from LA. Being such a large state with the 5th largest city in the nation, you'd think things would be a little more balanced.

When an entire nation is moving in one direction, a state such as Arizona should be more progressive, and not snap to the opposite. Phoenix will never be a world class city if this line of thinking doesn't change. And don't tell me that's not what Phoenix is aiming to be, because that's a load of bull. This isn't Dallas or Atlanta even.

Will Arizona ever change? Or will it remain eternally a provincial state with a provincial line of thinking. I really like Arizona. It's a beautiful state. If I seem critical it's because I would like to see it progress and move forward.

Just a few post election thoughts and reflections.

Mike

[Potential_Landlord]

Originally Posted by blueleo65

Will Arizona ever change? Or will it remain eternally a provincial state with a provincial line of thinking. I really like Arizona. It's a beautiful state. If I seem critical it's because I would like to see it progress and move forward.

Just a few post election thoughts and reflections.

Mike

Hi Mike -

I am also astonished about the right-wing extremisms displayed in Arizona in the last years, particularly after the housing boom crashed. When times are tough, the true characteristics of a person or a people come out. It seemed that overnight many people went from always using cheap labor with no regard to immigration status to lamenting illigal immigration as the top issue and major cause of the malaise. Reminded me of the treatment the Jews goot in my native Germany after the Great Depression. I have never been good with such hypocrisy.
That said by virtue of the demographic trends Arizona will become more and more typically south-western (California, New Mexico) with the growing Hispanic vote here. It is just a matter of time until it becomes open-minded. The close race with Rich Carmona says it all. Give it ten more years and we're there.

[AzScorpion12]

Originally Posted by blueleo65

I've only lived in Arizona for 2.5 years. It seems like every other person I meet is from LA. Being such a large state with the 5th largest city in the nation, you'd think things would be a little more balanced.

Will Arizona ever change?

Mike

Curious,why do you what it to change? Most realize Az is conservative,maybe a little extreme in some cases but If you like the way California is why not go there.Personally I think Brewer has a lot of stones to stand up to Obama unlike our Gov who welcomes illegals and refuses to enforce the laws.

Same can be said for Mass.,you could dress up a donkey and as long as it had a D next to it they will elect it. Matter of fact it happened last night with Elizabeth Warren. Anyways, enjoy Az as it is and if you don't like it's politics it's a short drive to LA.

[Howard Roark]

I am happy that in at least two Congressional races, the Libertarian Party candidate stole the win from the Republican candidate and the Democrat opponent won.

Congress District 1, Kim Allen, Libertarian Party, crushed the hopes of the Republican opponent and the Democrat won.

In my district, district 9, Powell Gamill stole the victory from Vernon Parker, Republican, and gave the victory to Kyrsten Sinema.

While I am certainly no Democrat, I want to see the Republican Party abandon the social conservatism and war mongering and adopt the Libertarian Party or Ron Paul's ideals. Romney's gang smashed Ron Paul so it should be payback time to punish the RNC for not taking seriously what the real Goldwater roots of the Republican party are about. Crush Neo-conservatism!

We libertarians will not go away. We will continue to agitate until there is a real difference between the Republican Party and the Democrat Party.

[blueleo65]

Gixxer1k,

I was hoping that I wouldn't read the standard "if you don't like it, leave" attitude, but you came through with flying colors! I am well aware that if I don't like a place, I can leave it. That wasn't the point of my post. What I'm saying is, Arizona must change, otherwise, it will be left behind, and I don't want that to happen, because I actually like the place. Or are you suggesting that unless I have an (R) after my name, I should leave? You can't go against the grain of a nation, and expect that state to be in a prominent position. The results of this election should raise red flags(did you read the chatter about Texas, in an election cycle or two, will turn blue?), not because Obama won, but because the electorate changed. And so must Arizona.

[Bondurant]

Originally Posted by blueleo65

I've only lived in Arizona for 2.5 years. I have been trying to get a grip on the politics of this state, from the election of Sherif Joe to the election of Jan Brewer on and on and on. First it seems like, you can be Jeffery Dhamer, but if you have an (r) after your name, you will get elected. I am amazed that such a big state with such a sizable population, and a huge Hispanic population, is so red. I mean the map even looks funny, wedged in between 2 blue states. Does Arizonans think that they are somehow part of the Old South with red DNA? It seems like every other person I meet is from LA. Being such a large state with the 5th largest city in the nation, you'd think things would be a little more balanced.

When an entire nation is moving in one direction, a state such as Arizona should be more progressive, and not snap to the opposite. Phoenix will never be a world class city if this line of thinking doesn't change. And don't tell me that's not what Phoenix is aiming to be, because that's a load of bull. This isn't Dallas or Atlanta even.

Will Arizona ever change? Or will it remain eternally a provincial state with a provincial line of thinking. I really like Arizona. It's a beautiful state. If I seem critical it's because I would like to see it progress and move forward.

Just a few post election thoughts and reflections.

Mike

I could make the same Dahmer comment about IL or MA referring to Democrats. Since Goldwater there has been a strong Republican bend to AZ politics. The Republicans rule so any shady people will stand out much as the Democrats do in Illinois. I lived in Chicagoland for 10 years and was always displeased with what Democrats could get away with. Jesse Jackson Jr was re-elected after going MIA. Remember Blago? Everyone knew he was corrupt and they elected him anyway.

It works both ways.

[Magnum Mike]

I am an Arizona native, and we've always been a conservative state, and on both the Republican, and up until recent years, the Democratic side as well. I'm sure you know by now that most Democrats in the United States have gone too far to the left, that's why liberalism is not what we want in our state mainly because of the principles modern day Liberals stand for. Without getting into a political discussion, if you want to see what liberalism can lead to, look at some of the large cities in the states that are blue, like Chicago and San Francisco. I know those are extreme examples, but we don't want to see our state turn into those kind of, pardon the expression, cesspools.

If you like those kinds of extreme left cities/states, then nothing is stopping you to go live there.

[Ponderosa]

It is mostly Maricopa county that is so red and, of that, mostly the SE valley. Take that out and we are blue as the AZ sky. AZ is moving left along with the demographics, the supermajority in the legislature evaporated this year. It is going to take longer than it would had 121 passed, but the writing is on the wall. It's inevitable unless the Republicans change their strategy. In 2016, we may vote Dem at the national and state wide elections.

[cdidaho]

I'm much more comfortable with the state of the state of Arizona than I am with the rest of the Union!

[stephen431]

The demographics are not really trending blue.... among likely voters. What you're seeing is an optical illusion based on census data.

What you have in Arizona are a lot of very young people and a lot of very old people. The very young can't or don't vote. The very old always vote. Many of the older folks moved here because the place where they used to live was getting a little too "diverse" for their tastes. The people in the middle are very turned off by the politics here and consequently their turnout numbers are incredibly low. There are around 4 million people in Maricopa county, and (so far, since the ballots are all jacked up) less than 1 million voted.

Combine that with a politically unengaged Hispanic population and one of the most corrupt political machines in the country, and you have a red Arizona.