Is RI REALLY that liberal? (Providence: layoffs, schools, income)

[ontheroad]

Thanks for this info, Rnrboy. I must admit I am out of the loop as far as RI politics are concerned, and I sure put in my share of phone calling on behalf of some of the local Providence folks to get out the Democratic vote.

I do think politically RI is liberal, and 14% Bush approval sure isn't something to ignore, but socially I think Rhode Islanders are still traditional, family minded, and even to some extent church-goers.

Has that all changed?

Originally Posted by Rnrboy

That's true. But if you look at the 2004 election, only three towns went for Bush! East Greenwich, West Greenwich and Scituate. (And some of the East Greenwich Bush voters actually apologized and aired their remorse in the Providence Journal!

Bush also currently has the lowest approval rating in the country here in RI. 14%!

[ricitykid]

RI in my opinion, is made up mostly of European Immigrants. Most Rhode Islanders are catholic from my experience. There are also a high percentage of Jews too?

I'm not sure if Rhode Island is mostly democratic or republican.

Most people I know are pretty conservative, depends on what town you want to live in. EG, Barrington, and NK are pretty conservative in my opinion. Alot of abortion haters.

But the housing isn't cheap. Don't know where you got that from. But Houses in EG, Barrington, NK, Newport, Narragansett, Lincoln, Jamestown, and etc. are pretty expensive.

Depends, I guess. Some areas in RI, housing is cheap. The taxes are still pretty high. 7%

[ontheroad]

The link below provides some very useful demographic information about the State of Rhode Island:

Rhode Island Demographics - Wedding.Net

And, for the record, the Jewish population of the State of RI is <2.0% and hardly what I would call a majority, ricitykid

[JoeP]

How does living in state influence your personal life. If you are conservative, then go on being conservative in RI, or Idaho, FL, or wherever.

What does it matter?

[Rnrboy]

You beat me to it ontheroad. I wouldn't call RI 'socially conservative' unless you are comparing it to other New England states.

We are one of only a handful of states that has no death penalty and has legalized medical marijuana. Two fundamentals that don't exactly brim with conservative credentials.

[ontheroad]

Thanks again. I haven't lived in State for about 10+ years, but I'd say in a quiet way RI has shown itself to be what I would define as "independent" in their political stands and tolerant rather than conservative or liberal.

New England in general has this way of making a point without necessarily being "in your face" about it, and some issues like gay marriage, or unions; the death penalty; and social reforms are talked about and resolved quietly...or at least that is how I remember it from when I worked in the public and private sector along side government service participants.

Originally Posted by Rnrboy

You beat me to it ontheroad. I wouldn't call RI 'socially conservative' unless you are comparing it to other New England states.

We are one of only a handful of states that has no death penalty and has legalized medical marijuana. Two fundamentals that don't exactly brim with conservative credentials.

[dutch10]

New England in general has this way of making a point without necessarily being "in your face" about it, and some issues like gay marriage, or unions; the death penalty; and social reforms are talked about and resolved quietly.

This is particularly true in Rhode Island where the General Assembly wields all the power and prefers to make the important decisions under cover of darkness on the last day of the legislative calendar while most taxpayers are fast asleep.

[Rnrboy]

Much of the Democratic Party on Smith Hill would have joined the Republican one if the State Party weren;t in complete tatters. They vote like Republicans. They cut capital gains, they cut school funding, they pretty much do many things Repubs would do.

[sugarbeet]

Wow, I lived in RI for a little over a year and never thought of it as all that liberal. Of course "blue state" in terms of voting, but the average person on the street did not strike me as liberal. I guess it's because it's a fairly insular state the general populous gives the impression of being provincial, which in many ways is the opposite of progressive, which is how I identify people and places as liberal. So I guess I would call RI "provincial liberal."

[ontheroad]

sugarbeet, interesting new label, "provincial liberal."

May I borrow it sometime in the future?