What are people like in Iowa (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids: manufacturing, farm, friendly)

[atler8]

I now live in the south 'burbs Camille & have been there for over 3 years after 31 years of living in the city itself.
DM me if you would like to chat.

[attrapereves]

Is there any reason why a lot of Iowa is liberal? Is it Chicago transplants, or has Iowa historically had a liberal Eastern part?

[smpliving]

I'm not familiar with why a lot of Iowa is liberal (at least in the eastern part of the state), but do know it goes much further back in history than the "Chicago transplants" issue.

[attrapereves]

Originally Posted by rigizug

I'm not familiar with why a lot of Iowa is liberal (at least in the eastern part of the state), but do know it goes much further back in history than the "Chicago transplants" issue.

Interesting. It seems like Eastern Iowa, Southern MN, and Southern WI are mostly liberal, while the rest of the Midwest is conservative.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by attrapereves

Interesting. It seems like Eastern Iowa, Southern MN, and Southern WI are mostly liberal, while the rest of the Midwest is conservative.

You must have forgotten about larger areas of Ohio, Michigan, and northern Minnesota.

[fezzador]

Originally Posted by attrapereves

Interesting. It seems like Eastern Iowa, Southern MN, and Southern WI are mostly liberal, while the rest of the Midwest is conservative.

Actually, for the most part, the Lake States are liberal, whereas the Great Plains are conservative. Iowa doesn't touch a Great Lake, but culturally, the eastern part of the state is far more aligned with Illinois and Wisconsin, while the western portion is more like the Dakotas, Kansas, and Nebraska.

[atler8]

The "blue" pattern of voting, at least in terms of presidential elections, has been rather pronounced in modern history in the Iowa counties that are on the Mississippi River, whether they be large or small in population.
Moving inland & west from the river, the reliability of blue weakens slowly as you move west but generally the larger populated urban centers vote blue; as for example Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Ames & Waterloo/Cedar Falls.
It isn't until reaching the western border on the Missouri River that you find 2 population centers that are relatively balanced in presidential voting. They are the Sioux City & Council Bluffs areas. Although the cities themselves tend to vote slightly blue, their suburban & rural areas are strongly red & counter the city vote to the extent that Woodbury & Pottawatamie Counties appear balanced.

[fezzador]

Don't forget about the Reformed Dutch Church presence in northwestern Iowa - Orange City, Sioux Center, and to a lesser extent, Le Mars and Sheldon. Very, very, VERY red areas.

[my54ford]

Originally Posted by atler8

Everyone has a right to their own opinion & each person is right in their own ways due to their experiences & expectations for an area.
As I have written here at CD before, I left Iowa over 34 years ago for Atlanta & rue the day that I chose to move to Georgia. I'm hoping that in retirement I can get out of here & return to Iowa's version of relative order, moderation, good government, good schools, low crime & unhurried almost traffic-less urban & rural life.
Georgia's state motto is "Wisdom, justice & moderation" which given the state's past & present histories makes me laugh.
As for the people in Atlanta, I have met & made many wonderful friends but I also cherish the ones I left behind in Iowa.
As a further note on the comparative peoples in the 2 states, I have found that down here there is a relatively pervasive obsession with image, status & material things & the conscious displaying of them. Plastic & phony are two descriptive words that easily come to mind. Unfortunately those traits seems to be commonly shared with some other southern urban areas I have spent time in.
It's like a return to the yuppie days of the 1980's or as if people never left that mindset & moved on. By comparison, the people of Iowa, Wisconsin & Minnesota are almost the complete opposite. In other words, though there is a well-known general reserve amongst Iowans & midwestern people, there is also a refreshing basic down-to-earth nature prevalent there that I miss & look forward to experiencing again.

You can never go back! I left for 16 yrs went back to my home town and within 5 was gone again.......

[atler8]

I would never want to return to my tiny home town. There is nothing there for me now other than old memories.
That being said, there are several spots in the state that I already know very well to moderately well that I'm researching & keeping my eye on.
When I have returned to Iowa as an older adult, it has been hard to ignore the pleasurable feeling of decompression as I have unwound from the rigors & pressures of Atlanta & Georgia. Continuing to live in the midst of 5 million plus people in a metro area is not anything that I wish for my retirement years. Been there, done that ,over it!