Why Do You Think Our Cities are so Blue and Our Towns are so Red? (voters, interviews)

[TomDot]

Originally Posted by eevee

again, diversity=/= more minorities. and anyways, how does that explain the fact that the South has more blacks than New England, yet the South is almost always red, and NE is almost always blue?

It was an example eevee.
Cities also have many other ethnic minorities.

I live in boston. Boston is a little over 25% black. In this recent election blacks voted democrat at a 95% rate so that is an automatic 25 point lead that Obama had.
Throw in the white population that thinks JFK is going to walk through the door at any minute and you have a substantial majority democrat vote.

BTW: Massachusetts went for Reagan in 1980 and 1984 and 3 of our last four governors have been republicans.

[eastcoastlady]

Yes, where I grew up in south central PA was definitely a white rural town. However, my parents are both PhDs and I got my values from them. They were not "from town" and there was a definite division between those who grew up there and those who moved in later in life.
There was a definite division between liberals and conservatives too. I was in all the AP/ gifted classes as were most of the students from more "liberal" families. We were the minority by a lot.
So when I hear things like Palin talking about the "real" America, I think about my conflicting experiences in a small town vs. a big city. Neither is any more "real" than the other. That whole "Real America" thing just plays on people's fears.
I think its fine not to live in a big city- it isn't for everyone. The suburbs would be a much better place for kids I'd think. But that's what this thread is about- why do the cities lean so heavily to Democrats an the towns lean so heavily to Republicans?

[brattpowered]

Cities require interaction and interdependence on other people, and they also expose you to different types of people and make you less afraid of them. Living in the country isolates you from everyone else-- making you fearful and less caring of others who aren't just like you.

[Rhenzanite]

I've lived in both (burbank/Palmdale growing up and now, a small central coast town) and I'd have to say that living in a city gives people more opportunity to simply be themselves. In most cases, they can dress oddly, hold hands with their same-sex partner, play weird music etc etc without much fear of hatred. In suburban/rural areas people simply aren't as accepting of 'weird' people that go against their traditional judeo-christian values. My friends sister is a 'goth chick' if you will, and constantly gets made fun of publically in our little town, but when she moved to LA all of a sudden she was accepted and found others like her. In bigger cities, more diversity doesn't have to mean different skin colors or sexual orientation, it can mean different ways of dressing, different thought processes and maybe a more open mind regarding those who are different than the status quo.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Old Gringo

Having lived in both large cities and small towns, I think I've seen the workings.

Rural areas have limited choices in radio and TV. As a result, many rural areas listen all day every day to buttheads like Limbaugh and O'Reilly. Years of overexposure to hate radio starts to rot the brain to the point that the listener eventually thinks these broadcasts are informative news programs rather than propoganda.

In large cities, listeners have a variety of choices. They're exposed to various viewpoints and can then better decide which sounds more reasonable.

That may have been true 40 years ago, but it's not true today. Most places have satellite TV (very popular in rural areas, as you can see from driving across Nebraska on I-80), internet, etc. The only really lacking information service is probably library, and with inter-library loan you can get pretty much anything you want, even from a very small library.

Originally Posted by rayg4

Cities-Education, Arts, and Media

Rural- Religion, Tradition, news comes from neighbors.

See above.

Originally Posted by Awesomo.2000

How the hell do suburbinites pay taxes for things in the city?

They work in the city, and take it home to where they pay their taxes.

You are so ignorant. You go to the neighborhoods I lived in Philly, Denver, and Pittsburgh and call them trashy.

In Denver, there are a number of regional taxes: Scientific and Cultural Facilities tax, which pays for arts in the city and suburbs, plus the Museums in the city; Football stadium tax; baseball stadium tax; Regional Transportation District tax for public transit throughout the metro area; plus, as someone else said, if you work in the city you are paying sales tax and such when you are there.

I have lived in the city/burbs most of my life, but I can't say I think rural people are as narrow-minded as some on this thread are saying. Sometimes, I think the small-town/rural folks don't see the need, though there is plenty of rural poverty as well.

[drjones96]

Having lived in both I can tell you:
1) that there are arrogant a-holes everywhere.

2) Just because you live in one or the other doesn't make you
a) smarter
b) more open minded
c) less resistant to change
d) more accepting of the ideas of others
e) more cultured
...than the other guy who lives where you do not.
3) If you haven't lived in both places you don't know what you think you do (and if you resist this notion you aren't as open minded as you think you are).

We can all learn a thing or two from the other side.

[skyegirl]

There is more diversity and higher education is not frowned upon.

[Gottasay]

Originally Posted by zman0

Oh ffs. Because I propose something that isn't based on the idea that "Republicans are stupid rednecks and hate black people" I'm "full of ignorance"?

What I said is that the whole population in the country is more integrated than in the city. Yeah, you've got a neighborhood of 1000 people who you know very well in the city. But when there's 3 million people in the city, it is easy to dehumanize the other 2.999 million people.

You're exactly the type of city dweller I'm talking about. "I can't drive throughout PA without seeing more and more sprawling junk going up on once untouched land." You're missing the millions of acres of untouched lands which are not adjacent highways. You have no concept of the amount of pristine wilderness we have in this country. That's because you live in the city, and land is much more precious in the city than in the country.

I've lived in both and driven quite a bit through the countryside and you are v. right, there is still tons and tons of wilderness out there. When I lived in the city, I used to think everything was getting gobbled up by development. I've found high density development in rural areas tends to occur around major interstate intersections (brought to you by big-city developers). If you drive behind those intersections, you will encounter acres and acres of countryside.

I will add that in the rural areas people are used to fending for themselves....albeit there are some who are on welfare. I've met far more business owners in the rural areas whereas in the city, I've met few.

[NSHL10]

Originally Posted by eevee

again, diversity=/= more minorities. and anyways, how does that explain the fact that the South has more blacks than New England, yet the South is almost always red, and NE is almost always blue?

Part of it is the south has had more conservative type churches, ie Southern Baptist, and southern cities were smaller than their NE counterparts.

Also the history of Unions being for Democrats which started with the Irish immigrants in early 1900s. NE states are pro union, southern states are mainly right to work states.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by skyegirl

There is more diversity and higher education is not frowned upon.

Perhaps you could give some examples of how higher education is frowned upon in rural areas. Who teaches school there, practices medicine, law, etc if higher ed is frowned upon?