What parts of Oregon are liberal aside from Portland?

[OregonYeti]

Balanced/moderate vs progressive. It's one thing to say where you see a city politically and quite another to put a value on it. We are getting political here huh?

[Brenda-by-the-sea]

Originally Posted by OregonYeti

Balanced/moderate vs progressive. It's one thing to say where you see a city politically and quite another to put a value on it. We are getting political here huh?

You're reading something into this that isn't there. The only distinction I made is that Eugene, though still progressive on balance, is becoming increasingly heterogeneous while Corvallis is still a more homogeneously progressive enclave...not exclusively so, but by a significant margin. They are trending in opposite directions.

Originally Posted by OregonYeti

We are getting political here huh?

Getting political? Did you read the thread title? It was a political volley from the get-go.

[FVWinters]

Originally Posted by Brenda-by-the-sea

Well put. Liberalism is one thing. Bohemianism is something else entirely. Additionally it should be mentioned that going into the second decade of the 21st century, Eugene is not the place it was in the 1970's. While still mostly liberal, Eugene is trending toward a more balanced/moderate political landscape in its future; Corvallis is on an increasingly progressive trajectory.

You noticed that, too?

I've lived in the mid-Willamette Valley for more than 40 years and I have also noticed Corvallis drifting (sometimes unwillingly) toward a more progressive outlook. But much of that progressiveness, in my opinion is more in environmental consciousness and stewardship than in social outlook even though that has opened up a bit as well.

Originally Posted by Brenda-by-the-sea

Getting political? Did you read the thread title? It was a political volley from the get-go.

Yeah, but it needn't be. I have already pointed out the O.P. wasn't very forthcoming as to why this information was important and most of us (including yers truly) assumed it was because he (or perhaps she) wanted to live in a place with a higher proportion of like minded souls.

There is no intrinsic value to either "liberalism" or "conservativism"; the value of either is connected to our own personal outlook and the things we believe are important enough to put into our "value basket".

There are many threads where we can debate the merits of one political philosophy over another. My hope is that this isn't one of them.

[GoBeavs!]

Just my opinion, but Corvallis gets more and more liberal every year. I started going to OSU in 1998, and not only is the school much larger than it was back then, but the town has changed as well. These things tend to snowball once the word gets out. Ashland wasn't always the wealthy liberal enclave it is now. As recently as the 70's it was a more traditional town. Bend is radically changed as well. Eugene has a large amount of "funky" people, but I think the overall progression of the city is more moderate than it's radical reputation.

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

Compared to Texas, the whole state is bleeding heart liberal. Compared to NYC, the whole state is bleeding red conservative. Most Oregonians don't think nonsense distinctions like that make much sense.

Exactly.

And there is generally a mix of values all over the state. Even little ol' Canyonville in the middle of the West Coast's version of Appalachia has a funky natural foods store, and I have seen a skinhead or two in Portland.

There are all kinds everywhere...

[Humanandneedtobeloved]

Originally Posted by jjpop

I'm going to respectfully challenge you on this one, Yeti. I've lived in both, and I would say that between the two University campuses, UO is more liberal than OSU, but between the two cities Corvallis is more liberal than Eugene.

I think Eugene has a conservative core with a liberal outward appearance and Corvallis has a liberal core with a conservative outward appearance.

I am familiar with both cities (lived in Eugene for 4 years, and near Corvallis for another 5) and I can back that up. Corvallis has an image of "small-town, family values" but really it is VERY liberal and the most atheist city in America, while Eugene has a left-wing reputation but it's really only maybe 35% of the people, mostly in South Eugene. North Eugene is Wal-Mart/Bibleland.

[Humanandneedtobeloved]

Originally Posted by backdrifter

Exactly.

And there is generally a mix of values all over the state. Even little ol' Canyonville in the middle of the West Coast's version of Appalachia has a funky natural foods store, and I have seen a skinhead or two in Portland.

There are all kinds everywhere...

Yeah that's what the politically correct say ... and sure it's true, but if 99% of a town say is skinheads, you don't need to worry THAT much about doing injustice to the 1% who aren't and probably wanna get the hell out of that town LOL.

[OregonYeti]

Cool, we get religion here too. If Corvallis is the most atheist city in America, I find that interesting, and I would like to know where you got your statistics.

If you can prove it is, that's one more reason for me to move back. Only half kidding

[JasonF]

It's from the American Religious Identification Survey.

The big difference I see between Corvallis and Eugene is the range of views. Corvallis is just about universally secular and liberal, or at least moderate. There is essentially no conservative presence at all in the town. Eugene has a bigger mixture of opinions.

[msapdx]

Liberal: Portland, Corvallis, inner-Eugene, Ashland

Democratic: Portland suburbs, the coast (Bandon to Astoria), Salem, other Willamette Valley cities, Columbia River Gorge, City of Bend, Mt. Hood

Conservative: Eastern Oregon, Medford, Roseburg, Douglas County, Curry County, Linn County