Which is the best blue state? (pension, weather, gay, marriage)

[megonow]

Which is the best blue state for a youthful older woman who still needs to work to retire?

I want to live among open minded and kind people - am I asking for too much???

Thanks and the best in the new year

[North Beach Person]

MD is a reliably blue state. It will also reliably tax your pension/retired pay, reliably raise property taxes regardless of whether assessments go up or down, reliably not address the 2nd worst traffic congestion in the US, and soon will reliably mortgage the state education budget to slot machine gambling. Yep, MD is reliable.

[RangerDuke08]

North Carolina is one that is affordable. It was blue this year, not so sure about the next election.

California is solid blue, beautiful scenary, great weather, just quite pricey and a lot more fast paced.

I'd would probably cross out the entire northeast for generalizing the friendly people factor.

Pacific Northwest might suit you, Oregon or Washington even Nevada. Good luck!

[Windwalker2]

Originally Posted by megonow

Which is the best blue state for a youthful older woman who still needs to work to retire?

I want to live among open minded and kind people - am I asking for too much???

Thanks and the best in the new year

How about New Mexico? Or the Front Range in Colorado?

[Yeledaf]

How about realizing that you can find open-minded and kind people anywhere?

Sounds unbelievable but hey.

[brightdoglover]

Do remember that a blue state is likely to have a major urban area or two that went blue and that other counties might well be red.
I agree with the previous poster who suggests that open-mindedness isn't restricted to the Electoral College results. What do you see as open-mindedness? I lived in the People's Republic of Cambridge (Mass.) and it was oh-so-tolerant as long as you were left of center socially, politically, etc. Lots of "Free Tibet" bumperstickers on Volvos. A fascist rent control board that basically operated for the well being of well-off renters. Now, I do think a conservative Christian or such might not like that environment, or might not find much company in it, as I might not find much company in, say, a heavily born-again community. But I do think that any area that is metro enough to have work options is likely to have a good mix of people and generally be open minded.
Except maybe in the South or Oklahoma or some place.
On the other hand, the very PC places tend to be very expensive (Bay area, Boulder, Cambridge).

[knoxgarden]

Don't judge a state by its color.
Tennessee is red. Knoxville is red. But it is one of the most tolerant places I've lived in and the people are wonderful. They are very respectful of others and the opinions of others.
We have the conservative Baptist element you'd expect, but the Unitarians are also very active as is the Rationalist Society for Atheists and there's a large Wiccan and Pagan contigent. The UT men's basketball coach is Jewish and well-respected. There is a large Jewish population here along with muslims and hindus.
There is prayer before sporting events. It rotates between the Christians, Rabbis, Muslims and Hindus for who leads it.
I grew up in Los Angeles, spent most of my life in Washington, D.C. and a lot of time in San Francisco. All those "blue" places never showed the tolerance and common courtesy I see every day in Knoxville when it comes to dealing with people one on one.
For example, you'll find people opposed to gay marriage but are great buddies with the gay couple that lives next door.
If everyone is treated with respect and courtesy, it doesn't matter if you're PC or not.
That doesn't extend to all of the South but in this little corner of it, life is good. Personally, I've found so-called Liberals to be some of the most close-minded people I've ever met. And I consider myself to be politically liberal and vote very blue.

[megonow]

Thanks for your perspective. it is helpful and I appreciate it.

I am a person of oatmeal origin, that is I don't have any ethnic identity
but I am looking for good nice people to live amongst. Your point about
the friendliness of people in Knoxville appeals to me.

And, yes I know some liberals can be quite closed minded. Its that I want to live in an open minded place, no knee-jerk attitudes. I don't know if I'm explaining this well but I will visit Knoxville at some point. I have decided it's the only way to judge a place. I may take a retirement tour and choose a few cities that make the cut and evaluate from there.

Anyhow, thanks very much

[marathontony]

I, too, am looking for a place where "live and let live" is everyone's code. It's hard to find, everywhere people seem to say "We're right, and they're wrong" - I attended a Gay Pride event in FL last year, and the protesters - who have a right to protest, yes - yelled at us so loud while shoving and shouting their way through the cordoned off festival area that they were not expressing opinions but making it hard for people to just go visit the different booths. And I know folks who judge and dismiss all conservatives, yet I know, love and greatly respect many people who are have very conservative values.

Honestly not attempting to inject politics here,folks, just citing some examples of the intolerance that I don't want to retire around. I'm really wondering if there is truly a place where the old adage "Live and let live" exists. I feel like it's "clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, and here I am, stuck in the middle..." Where is "Middle" America?

[Plain Jane 3953]

I read these posts and I think to myself - do I even know America anymore? I have lived in both the USA, UK and Australia. I will, in a couple of years, return to the USA to retire.

Now, I love the UK and Australia - they are good places to live and both countries have excellent national health care system. But there is something about the American people that I love and that is their open and friendliness. OK I am generalising here, not every one is friendly and open, but I want to believe that most are.