Is West Virginia impacted by the politics of VA or MD? (Bluefield: homes, employment)
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I'm strongly considering WV for retirement in a few years (Idaho winters are too long and it's too expensive, much as I love a lot about it). I don't want to turn this post into a political battle or which side is right or wrong. I'm simply looking for information-is WV impacted by the political positions of Maryland or Virginia, especially near border areas. The recent anti-gun moves of VA are well publicized nationally, and MD has a long history as a liberal stronghold. I'm wondering if those positions are being embraced to any extent in WV.
I'm strongly considering WV for retirement in a few years (Idaho winters are too long and it's too expensive, much as I love a lot about it). I don't want to turn this post into a political battle or which side is right or wrong. I'm simply looking for information-is WV impacted by the political positions of Maryland or Virginia, especially near border areas. The recent anti-gun moves of VA are well publicized nationally, and MD has a long history as a liberal stronghold. I'm wondering if those positions are being embraced to any extent in WV.
Thanks in advance.
Every county in WV went for Trump in 2016. The counties closest to D.C. should transition to purple in the next decade or two thanks to increasingly suburbanization, but overall it is a gun, god, and country place and I don't see that changing any time soon at the state level.
I’d say WV is pretty far removed from liberal Maryland politics and the recent turn in Virginia. A good example is WV recently passing permitless concealed carry. You have people here in MD, DC and NoVa who would become apoplectic at the mere mention of the idea.
I’d say WV is pretty far removed from liberal Maryland politics and the recent turn in Virginia. A good example is WV recently passing permitless concealed carry. You have people here in MD, DC and NoVa who would become apoplectic at the mere mention of the idea.
That idea may be fine but there’s other places that WV is far from ideal. We have some of the worst laws in the country in suppressing unions. Right to work and what they pulled on the teachers show that the current government in WV is terrible.
That idea may be fine but there’s other places that WV is far from ideal. We have some of the worst laws in the country in suppressing unions. Right to work and what they pulled on the teachers show that the current government in WV is terrible.
What are the laws that "suppress" unions? Not forcing those that are not members of unions to fund them is not "suppressing" unions (aka Right to Work).
Thanks for the info everyone. I'm relieved to hear the overall political landscape is what it is. Sounds similar to Idaho in that regard.
I do have another question for you (though this isn't the thread for it). Does WV feel crowded? You have about the same population we do in Idaho, but IIRC about 1/3 the area. Can you find some good sized areas of national forest land to get away from the crowds, do some backcountry motorcycle riding or ATVing? We're fortunate to have thousands of miles of dirt roads throughout my state, hope it's similar.
What are the laws that "suppress" unions? Not forcing those that are not members of unions to fund them is not "suppressing" unions (aka Right to Work).
Thanks for the info everyone. I'm relieved to hear the overall political landscape is what it is. Sounds similar to Idaho in that regard.
I do have another question for you (though this isn't the thread for it). Does WV feel crowded? You have about the same population we do in Idaho, but IIRC about 1/3 the area. Can you find some good sized areas of national forest land to get away from the crowds, do some backcountry motorcycle riding or ATVing? We're fortunate to have thousands of miles of dirt roads throughout my state, hope it's similar.
You do know it’s more than that, right? You conveniently left out what they did to the teachers.
In short, no. Real Virginia doesn’t embrace Virginia’s recent turn which is driven entirely by running up numbers in Northern Virginia, especially the DC suburbs in Fairfax County and just enough support in Richmond, Charlottesville, and other metro areas. The 2A sanctuary map of approved and pending resolutions is actually quite impressive as there will be the vast geographic majority of Virginia that will not have county or town/city police enforcing whatever passes in Richmond and it remains to be seen how aggressive state troopers will respond in these areas.
What you may find in WV, as War-Lord is a good example of, is more of a pro-union mentality representative of a 90’s, pro-gun Democrat. As Va has traditionally been a GOP state that has turned, WV has been the mirror opposite. There is a long legacy of miners being taken advantage of only to be discarded and have pensions go bankrupt as their bodies fail. I’d never seen “Proud Union Household” yard signs until moving to WV. As a humble transplant that has lived in VA and TN, my impression is people seem to take pride in supporting unions and teachers, but the schools are generally poor and overcrowded despite higher taxes. The homeschool numbers are exploding while the voting majority view charter schools and other options as anti-teacher because it’s opposed by union bosses, despite the fact it would give teachers more employment options and public schools more competition. Again, not trying to get into a political debate, but things I’ve seen work very well in other states and stimulate jobs and the economy have been oddly framed as anti-union here and that still seems to be the prevailing mentality.
To a large extent, Virginia is still more pro-business being a traditional right-to-work state and lower minimum wage. Even Governor Northam has commented he does not want Virginia to be less business friendly. It’s an unusual political climate that will take years to understand but is part of the reason why companies will skip over WV when relocating further south or will expand to the border but never actually enter the state. The deterioration of Bluefield, WV and rise of Bluefield, VA is an interesting case study.
And yes, there is a lot of room and people move here for that from MD, VA, PA, etc. but it might not be as impressive if you’ve spent time in a more empty Western state like Idaho or Montana. It will depend on the county as to how crowded, but with the mountainous terrain you will find many residential subdivisions clustered together in the cities, leaving lots of open land and national forests.
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