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I don't really think Americans are. A lot of Republican-leaning states these days seem just fine with being one-party states. Witness Kansas re-electing Sam Brownback (by an admittedly small margin) in 2014 even though he was a miserable failure as governor (he now has an 18% approval rating). It's just Democratic-leaning states that occasionally want to "throw the bums out" or "teach the machine a lesson."
I wouldn't be surprised if Democrats start performing better at the state level when there is a Republican in the White House. Some voters may consider having their state fully controlled by one party as a counter-balance to the (admittedly mixed) federal control.
I wouldn't be surprised if Democrats start performing better at the state level when there is a Republican in the White House. Some voters may consider having their state fully controlled by one party as a counter-balance to the (admittedly mixed) federal control.
Good point, I would prefer they cancel each other out, because if they are passing laws and Bills we are the ones that are paying for it.
Good point, I would prefer they cancel each other out, because if they are passing laws and Bills we are the ones that are paying for it.
I'd argue it's better to have a government functioning - actually implementing policy - even if I disagree with it. Either the policies will work, and they will be re-elected, or voters will quickly learn they are disastrous. Either is better than perpetual sniping about issues that are never resolved one way or the other.
New England...just because it doesn't vote Republican doesn't mean it isn't conservative. You have to look at it from the broad perspective of what each party represents. It votes for Democrats because they align with the whole notion of community and more comfort with government regulation.
The PNW is definitely more conservative than New England. Conservatism is not limited to issues such as unions, taxes, wages, labor, etc. Almost ALL of the New England states were quick to legalize gay marriage much earlier than the PNW states. And almost ALL counties in New England are blue, even in rural areas. Can't say the same for the PNW.
New England is the most liberal region in the U.S., tied with California, I'd say.
The PNW is definitely more conservative than New England. Conservatism is not limited to issues such as unions, taxes, wages, labor, etc. Almost ALL of the New England states were quick to legalize gay marriage much earlier than the PNW states. And almost ALL counties in New England are blue, even in rural areas. Can't say the same for the PNW.
New England is the most liberal region in the U.S., tied with California, I'd say.
And from what I understand, isn't the Pacific Northwest more fiscally conservative than New England? Mass has a universal health system, and Washington state has the most regressive taxation scheme in America. Oregon lacks a sales tax, but has a very high income tax. Overall Oregon's tax burden on the poor is quite low, but the social services, schools, etc are also not very good.
I'd say the Pacific Northwest is more conservative all around, though as a state New Hampshire is probably more conservative than either Oregon or Washington. However, it's far more liberal than Idaho.
And from what I understand, isn't the Pacific Northwest more fiscally conservative than New England? Mass has a universal health system, and Washington state has the most regressive taxation scheme in America. Oregon lacks a sales tax, but has a very high income tax. Overall Oregon's tax burden on the poor is quite low, but the social services, schools, etc are also not very good.
Massachusetts has a flat income tax, though its social benefits are higher than most states. The Pacific Northwest also has the death penalty, New England mostly doesn't. Part of the difference is historical; the Pacific Northwest was historically more conservative and those policies were set decades ago and are hard to change.
Massachusetts has a flat income tax, though its social benefits are higher than most states. The Pacific Northwest also has the death penalty, New England mostly doesn't. Part of the difference is historical; the Pacific Northwest was historically more conservative and those policies were set decades ago and are hard to change.
I don't know if the Pacific Northwest transplants are necessarily making the region more liberal. Generally the Californian diaspora is more conservative than the people who have stayed put in California. Not sure about people from other parts of the country moving to Portland and Seattle though. Lots of "lifestyle" transplants attracted to the Portlandia image, but I'm not sure their numbers are large enough to significantly change political trends.
I could be wrong, but I don't see a conservative surge in New England the way Wisconsin is becoming redder.
I don't know if the Pacific Northwest transplants are necessarily making the region more liberal. Generally the Californian diaspora is more conservative than the people who have stayed put in California. Not sure about people from other parts of the country moving to Portland and Seattle though. Lots of "lifestyle" transplants attracted to the Portlandia image, but I'm not sure their numbers are large enough to significantly change political trends.
I could be wrong, but I don't see a conservative surge in New England the way Wisconsin is becoming redder.
New England is the only region in the nation that has states in which EVERY county is blue. This applies to Vermont, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
New England has 67 counties in total. 62 of them are blue. 5 are red.
I believe CT, RI and VT are 100% Democratically controlled at both the governor level and legislature level.
New England is the only region in the nation that has states in which EVERY county is blue. This applies to Vermont, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
New England has 67 counties in total. 62 of them are blue. 5 are red.
Yet for some reason, people stubbornly want to believe that every single person on the West Coast is a pie in the sky bleeding heart hippie, even though the baaaaad ignorant East Coast is outdoing them on that.
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