Chicago's population grew by only 82 residents last year,

[jonnynonos]

Originally Posted by compactspace

Coastal has nothing to do with it. Politics and demographics have everything to do with it. For a smaller, non coastal example, look at Minneapolis. Growing and retaining the right people.

That is patently absurd. Detroit and Chicago have long been controlled by Denocrats and both have hemmiraghed population. Houston and Nashville are red state and the economies of both are expanding rapidly.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by compactspace

Words like 'all' and 'none' are not much use in sociology. But I draw your attention to NYC, Boston, SF, LA, Seattle and DC. What place in supply-side America has anything like the creative or productive output of these? These places attract and retain the best because of, not despite, their liberal values.

They've been bleeding off disgruntled, tax-hating conservatives for decades. This has neither benefited supply-side America, nor hurt the liberal cities. SF's tax money, moreover, goes to help the poor in Kansas along with its own poor.

And Texas, despite its billionaires, huge cities and immense oil wealth, barely breaks even with contributions to the Union versus draining the federal coffers.

Red states lose their best and brightest to liberal powerhouses. If it wants to attract and keep talent Chicago needs to look to those cities, not conservative America.

Losing people who hate moochers and unions hasn't hurt NY and if the city acts strategically, it won't hurt Chicago.

Texas is growing, but that means its cities are growing and are getting bluer. I think Texas will turn purple in ten years.

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

That is patently absurd. Detroit and Chicago have long been controlled by Denocrats and both have hemmiraghed population. Houston and Nashville are red state and the economies of both are expanding rapidly.

I don't know about Nashville politics... Houston's city council races are officially non-partisan but most of Houston's municipal politicians (Mayor, city council members, etc) are democrat leaning. They are Democrat but clearly favor businesses.

Major cities throughout the country lean blue while rural areas throughout the country usually lean red.

[williepotatoes]

Originally Posted by Vicman

Texas is growing, but that means its cities are growing and are getting bluer. I think Texas will turn purple in ten years.



I don't know about Nashville politics... Houston's city council races are officially non-partisan but most of Houston's municipal politicians (Mayor, city council members, etc) are democrat leaning. They are Democrat but clearly favor businesses.

That's very true. If memory serves me, Obama won ever major city in Texas.

[jonnynonos]

Do you really think there is an accurate way to parse a city's politics versus a state's in the context of whether a Democratic or Conservative government is more likely to attract productive people?

To me it only underscores the absurdity and simplicity of the original contention.

[coldwine]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

That is patently absurd. Detroit and Chicago have long been controlled by Denocrats and both have hemmiraghed population. Houston and Nashville are red state and the economies of both are expanding rapidly.

Houston is a funny case. I'm not certain how that city exists. Between the oil spills, the massive infrastructure Texas has yet to realize must be maintained, and the severe subduction, I think they might manage to kill themselves before another Katrina does.

[Arne Bjornson]

Only 2 major cities in the country have republican mayors, San Diego and Indianapolis. Houston and Nashville both have democratic mayors. The mayor of Houston is a lesbian. A majority of Houston's elected officials are democrats and all of the city officials in Nashville are democrats.