Why is Louisville so politically Liberal? (income, house, title)

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by louroclou

It would be a fascinating study trying to find out why Louisville seems more egalitarian, less stratified than much of the South - and parts of the Northeast. There are snobs here - let's not front - but in the everyday movement of things there is a casteless lubricant at work. Where did that come from?

One key liberal force not yet mentioned is the presence of a fair-sized Jewish community (but not big enough to be able to find real bagels or rye bread here!). When I went to Atherton, most of my friends were Jewish, and they and other local Jews have been a force for change and progressivism.

I find it a bit hard to believe that there are no other cities in the South that leans a bit left. Anyone care to name others?

[TexianPatriot]

I'm not a Kentucky native, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

I'm betting it has to do with white guilt, academia elitism (Louisville is a college town), a complete disdain of rural kentucky heritage and culture (guns, stills, corn, and church), and the "enlightenment" that seems to come over so many prosperous middle class individuals that the government take on more socially progressive tasks by functioning as a church and charity.

[censusdata]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

I find it a bit hard to believe that there are no other cities in the South that leans a bit left. Anyone care to name others?

New Orleans has a very liberal reputation, including interracial marriages in the 1800s. Often rich Frenchman would marry a freed Black woman and send the kids back to France to get a first class education

Austin TX is also very liberal, although some would say it's more of a south western city than a Southern one

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

I find it a bit hard to believe that there are no other cities in the South that leans a bit left. Anyone care to name others?

Nevermind, I found an answer to my own question on another site:


Chapel-Hill, NC.
Durham, NC.
Asheville, NC.
Athens, GA.
Miami, FL.
Columbia, SC.
Austin, TX.

Heck I would guess any college town

[missymomof3]

Ok I found this on Sperling's best places for Louisville, it seems we are just about split:
Voting

Louisville, KY United States
Democrat 50.440% 48.590%
Republican 48.782% 51.070%
Independent Other 0.000% 0.066%
Independent Liberal 0.529% 0.475%
Independent Conservative 0.250% 0.447%

[missymomof3]

I have tried to edit that but it won't work. Sorry about the hard to read format!

[Windwalker]

I've lived in Nashville, and it's very different from Louisville. More southern, where appearances are everything. I was just back this past weekend visiting my sister who still lives there. And Nashville has many schools, so it can't be education alone that makes a city more liberal.

Louisville seems less pretentious to me. Yet not as live-and-let-live as New Orleans!

Louisville's not that far from Nashville, spring, so you won't be as far away from your family.

Money and the way money leans seems to determine much of whether a city is more liberal or conservative. Slather that with God-rhetoric and the position becomes divinely sanctioned as well. (And this is said from an ardent Christian.)

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by Windwalker

I've lived in Nashville, and it's very different from Louisville. More southern, where appearances are everything. I was just back this past weekend visiting my sister who still lives there. And Nashville has many schools, so it can't be education alone that makes a city more liberal.

Louisville seems less pretentious to me. Yet not as live-and-let-live as New Orleans!

Louisville's not that far from Nashville, spring, so you won't be as far away from your family.

Money and the way money leans seems to determine much of whether a city is more liberal or conservative. Slather that with God-rhetoric and the position becomes divinely sanctioned as well. (And this is said from an ardent Christian.)

It depends quite a bit where in Louisville you are. It amazes me how different people in the same city can be!

[rnc76]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

Ok I found this on Sperling's best places for Louisville, it seems we are just about split:
Voting

Louisville, KY United States
Democrat 50.440% 48.590%
Republican 48.782% 51.070%
Independent Other 0.000% 0.066%
Independent Liberal 0.529% 0.475%
Independent Conservative 0.250% 0.447%

Yeah, from a pseudo-outsider, I don't find Louisville all that liberal. There are neighborhoods that are very liberal, but the overall metro is moderate, maybe even slightly conservative.

In 2004:
Jefferson Co, KY voted 50% for Kerry, 49% for Bush
San Francisco, CA voted 83% for Kerry, 15% for Bush

A "mini-San Fran" it is not (and I'm not saying that is a bad thing).

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by rnc76

Yeah, from a pseudo-outsider, I don't find Louisville all that liberal. There are neighborhoods that are very liberal, but the overall metro is moderate, maybe even slightly conservative.

In 2004:
Jefferson Co, KY voted 50% for Kerry, 49% for Bush
San Francisco, CA voted 83% for Kerry, 15% for Bush

A "mini-San Fran" it is not (and I'm not saying that is a bad thing).

Wow I didn't know that. Interesting!