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I've noticed that at least in Maryland, the Democrats have consists of 3 major groups - the liberal yuppie elite (the Starbucks, Prius, Whole Foods, coffeeshop hipster crowd), ghetto people, and illegal immigrants. A lot of the Democrat votes come from rich urban areas and a few wealthy suburbs with a of of New York transplants. If you go into the ghetto you also see wild support for Obama, the kind of people who wear shirts saying "keep the White House black" and talking about how great is it to have a black man in the White House. But its the rich white liberals who are okay with things like rain taxes, wind farm taxes, giving in-state tuition to illegals, etc who are also pushing for abortion and gay marriage very passionately. It seems even though they might not agree with all the taxes, they are willing to pay them as a trade off to support abortion and gay marriage. Because I don't know how anyone in their right mind can actually support a gas tax increase that goes exclusively to fund mass transit in the city, or how anyone in their right mind can support a rain tax and wind farm tax, or be okay with increasing the alcohol tax, cigarette tax, and income tax. With nanny state laws like gun control, plastic bags, and soda bans you get support from the liberal elite AND the ghetto Democrats.
However most of the blue collar and middle class whites are conservative and Republican, not just on the federal but on the state and local level as well. However when it comes to blacks I've noticed when I see a black conservative its usually a middle class or upper class black person. Usually someone who has become financially successful and no longer buys into the victimhood mentality, but who also was raised right in church and has conservative social values. With Hispanics I don't know but I assume the better off Hispanics are the ones that are more assimilated, who came legally and have fewer connections to illegal aliens though I'm sure SOME still vote Democrat out of racial solidarity with illegal aliens. I personally and of Asian descent and am Republican for financial and religious reasons both.
I think the breakdown is nowhere near as simple as you suggest.
For example, many working-class whites may be conservatives on some social issues (e.g. gay marriage, abortion, anything to do with race), but many are far more liberal than the so-called "liberal yuppie elite" on economic issues. They are far more likely to be pro-union and less likely to be libertarians.
Frankly, I think the way you phrased this shows you've bought into a conservative narrative about reality that just doesn't square very well with the facts. How the heck could illegal immigrants be part of the Democrat's voter base? They can't vote! Plus, working-class whites still mostly vote Democrat almost everywhere but in the South.
I think the breakdown is nowhere near as simple as you suggest.
For example, many working-class whites may be conservatives on some social issues (e.g. gay marriage, abortion, anything to do with race), but many are far more liberal than the so-called "liberal yuppie elite" on economic issues. They are far more likely to be pro-union and less likely to be libertarians.
Frankly, I think the way you phrased this shows you've bought into a conservative narrative about reality that just doesn't square very well with the facts. How the heck could illegal immigrants be part of the Democrat's voter base? They can't vote! Plus, working-class whites still mostly vote Democrat almost everywhere but in the South.
I've noticed this too. It is more complex than many people believe. Places like Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois. They have large numbers of working class Whites. And these states all voted for President Obama. Same goes for Rhode Island and Connecticut.
With the Deep South, and the upper South, it's a different story. Alot of working class Whites, and yet, mostly Republican region. And this is where you see a very large Black/White divide with voting patterns. Working class Whites in the South often vote Republican, but working class, and even middle to middle upper class Blacks vote Democrat.
And this is not exclusively "rural vs urban". Alot of rural counties in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine all had rural counties that voted for President Obama. Rural counties with mostly White populations.
I think when it comes to race and poverty, the rich, white, elitists hold the mindset of, "let government take care of it," so they can feel good about ignoring the plight of minorities and the poor. Remember, liberalism is like hitting the EASY button.
It's like that with the poor and Food Stamps. The elitist white libs are able to live with themselves, with poverty at a 50 year high, as long as their are programs like Welfare and Food Stamps. "Let them eat (food stamps) cake."
Keyword here is elitist. This is not limited to liberal elitist. I see quite a few conservative elitists with a similar "let them eat cake"" mentality, but instead of saying "let the government take care of it",I tend to hear things that suggest "let the free market take care of it", or some other thing take care of it.
Take into account the poverty, pollution, and drug problems in central Appalachia(eastern KY, southern WVA, western VA). The region has been "raped" basically. Out of state interests can come in, remove coal, get rich, and there is still poverty and pollution around. It's a catch 22. On one hand, the coal-mining is the main job provider in many communities. On the other hand, those who are getting wealthy from coal often don't live in the region, and alot of pollution is left in the region(polluted water in some places, coal waste, mountain tops blasted off,etc). And the decision makers at the top aren't always aware of both cases. They don't have to be. They are removed from pollution/unemployment.
Really, it's two sides of the same coin, but a different way of doing it.
Last edited by green_mariner; 01-13-2014 at 03:10 PM..
For better off whites, politics is largely about demontrating their elite status by separating themselves from the hordes of middle class whites they compete against. Since they don't have the numbers to win at the ballot box by themselves, they form coalitions with poor minorities who don't live in their areas and are no competition for them in schools or in the workplace. It's the top and the bottom united against the middle.
A few things not being considered.
Rich White conservatives. One thing I've seen in the South is a kind of alliance between White elite conservatives, and working class/poor Whites. There are alot of Whites who are working class or working poor in the South, and what is the voting pattern seen? Republican. I don't see any rich Republicans making any kind of coalitions with poor minorities, just working class Whites/working poor Whites. And rich White conservatives, just like rich White liberals, don't live around poor Whites or working class Whites either. And yet, many poor Whites will vote for Republicans. This is to be considered.
if you are minority your views are less questioned or accused of discrimination. not so for majority which is very much subject to sensor. i think this will change with time but not right away.
if you are minority your views are less questioned or accused of discrimination. not so for majority which is very much subject to sensor. i think this will change with time but not right away.
There are many people asking why Blacks are voting Democrat in large numbers.
if you are minority your views are less questioned or accused of discrimination. not so for majority which is very much subject to sensor. i think this will change with time but not right away.
I think that's just unfounded. People in color, in general, have to work harder to establish their credibility (the operating phrase is "twice as good") in many areas where as white men tend to get the benefit of the doubt.
I think that's just unfounded. People in color, in general, have to work harder to establish their credibility (the operating phrase is "twice as good") in many areas where as white men tend to get the benefit of the doubt.
I've heard that same thing. Certain views do get questions. Proof of that is all the questions being asked about "why do Blacks vote Democrat"?
I've noticed that at least in Maryland, the Democrats have consists of 3 major groups - the liberal yuppie elite (the Starbucks, Prius, Whole Foods, coffeeshop hipster crowd), ghetto people, and illegal immigrants. A lot of the Democrat votes come from rich urban areas and a few wealthy suburbs with a of of New York transplants. If you go into the ghetto you also see wild support for Obama, the kind of people who wear shirts saying "keep the White House black" and talking about how great is it to have a black man in the White House. But its the rich white liberals who are okay with things like rain taxes, wind farm taxes, giving in-state tuition to illegals, etc who are also pushing for abortion and gay marriage very passionately. It seems even though they might not agree with all the taxes, they are willing to pay them as a trade off to support abortion and gay marriage. Because I don't know how anyone in their right mind can actually support a gas tax increase that goes exclusively to fund mass transit in the city, or how anyone in their right mind can support a rain tax and wind farm tax, or be okay with increasing the alcohol tax, cigarette tax, and income tax. With nanny state laws like gun control, plastic bags, and soda bans you get support from the liberal elite AND the ghetto Democrats.
However most of the blue collar and middle class whites are conservative and Republican, not just on the federal but on the state and local level as well. However when it comes to blacks I've noticed when I see a black conservative its usually a middle class or upper class black person. Usually someone who has become financially successful and no longer buys into the victimhood mentality, but who also was raised right in church and has conservative social values. With Hispanics I don't know but I assume the better off Hispanics are the ones that are more assimilated, who came legally and have fewer connections to illegal aliens though I'm sure SOME still vote Democrat out of racial solidarity with illegal aliens. I personally and of Asian descent and am Republican for financial and religious reasons both.
I think you just answered the question.
You live in Maryland. The dynamics in Maryland are going to be far different that say Georgia or Texas. Better yet, this is more likely an East Coast metropolitan phenomenon. I live in Georgia and the majority of liberals I see are minorities of all income levels, northerners, and the young college crowds. Most wealthy Whites I see in Georgia are Republicans the whole way. Same goes for middle class Whites, and even Whites of low income levels. There are very few "limousine liberals" in Georgia or Texas. Most wealthy residents vote Republican.
And as for Blacks, even middle class/middle upper class Blacks have shown their support for Democrats. And I've known a few middle-upper class Blacks. I've met maybe one or two Blacks who voted for Republicans. I've even seen Hispanic persons who were assimilated into the American culture vote for President Obama.
I would look at the wider picture. I've looked at some election maps, at the county level. Alot of blue-collar Whites living in states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. One thing I found was this. President Obama managed to win some rural, predominantly White counties in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. President Obama appealed to working class Whites in Michigan. The President managed to win votes in some rural, White areas of the Midwest. However, he wasn't that fortunate with the South. The rural areas in the South where Obama won were often predominantly Black areas.
A better thing to do is compare voting patterns throughout the USA.
You have to look at the Black vote, not the overall state vote.
Exactly. I wasn't very clear in trying to make my point.
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