So, what's the day in the life of someone who lives in Fairbanks, Alaska? (Anchorage: fit in, high crime)

[1stimestar]

Originally Posted by Floyd_Davidson

...but that's one of the problems because they vote as a block and ignore issues that are important to people who have different circumstance to theirs. That's pretty much always been a trait of Fairbanks and is the reason for the Square Banks name.

I'll agree with that. I tend to vote on issues that are important to me and affect me either directly or indirectly. I figure things that would affect Anchorage is best left for the people of Anchorage to decide on for example. Who am I to make choices for people I do know nothing about.

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by 1stimestar

I'll agree with that. I tend to vote on issues that are important to me and affect me either directly or indirectly. I figure things that would affect Anchorage is best left for the people of Anchorage to decide on for example. Who am I to make choices for people I do know nothing about.

The problem is when you ignore the effects of your vote on others. If you voted only in local elections that have no effect on others it doesn't matter, but that's not the case.

And nobody is concerned that Interior votes (or for that matter the entire rest of Alaska) will override Anchorage's say about Anchorage. That isn't going to happen and there is no need to be concerned with it.

But when legislators from Fairbanks refuse to fund schools in Minto, and the local paper runs an editorial that says they should all move to urban areas of they want their children to have decent schools... that is a real problem.

[gobrien]

I thought Fairbanks was conservative based on reading the News Miner letters to the editor and the comments after the articles. Is it really split? It's good to know.

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by gobrien

I thought Fairbanks was conservative based on reading the News Miner letters to the editor and the comments after the articles. Is it really split? It's good to know.

The "split" is far from even. There is one small section of town where a moderate candidate will do well. Otherwise, it's a great territory for Joe Miller.

[roadfamily6now]

Originally Posted by Floyd_Davidson

The problem is when you ignore the effects of your vote on others. If you voted only in local elections that have no effect on others it doesn't matter, but that's not the case.

And nobody is concerned that Interior votes (or for that matter the entire rest of Alaska) will override Anchorage's say about Anchorage. That isn't going to happen and there is no need to be concerned with it.

But when legislators from Fairbanks refuse to fund schools in Minto, and the local paper runs an editorial that says they should all move to urban areas of they want their children to have decent schools... that is a real problem.

Just quoting you cuz i can, not to single out what you said.

I do care about Alaska as a whole and vote with the issues I do feel benefit Alaska as a Whole. I might be liberal on some fronts but also conservative with others. And I find it hard to lump people by liberal or conservative based on the way they vote.
I'm guessing by the way I live and what I do for a living most people would assume I'm pretty liberal but I don't see things in black and white.

[1stimestar]

Originally Posted by Floyd_Davidson

The problem is when you ignore the effects of your vote on others. If you voted only in local elections that have no effect on others it doesn't matter, but that's not the case.

And nobody is concerned that Interior votes (or for that matter the entire rest of Alaska) will override Anchorage's say about Anchorage. That isn't going to happen and there is no need to be concerned with it.

But when legislators from Fairbanks refuse to fund schools in Minto, and the local paper runs an editorial that says they should all move to urban areas of they want their children to have decent schools... that is a real problem.

I certainly have not seen where anyone has said they should all move to urban areas, but I don't read the paper every day. Who said it? I don't ignore the effects my vote has on others actually. Just so you know.

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by 1stimestar

I certainly have not seen where anyone has said they should all move to urban areas, but I don't read the paper every day. Who said it? I don't ignore the effects my vote has on others actually. Just so you know.

The Fairbanks New-Miner actually printed an editorial saying that several years ago.

[1stimestar]

An editorial? Aren't those OPINION pieces? Sorry, I don't take responsibility for someone else's opinion.

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by 1stimestar

An editorial? Aren't those OPINION pieces? Sorry, I don't take responsibility for someone else's opinion.

Nobody suggested you wrote it!

The question is what's Fairbanks like, and that's one of the answers.

[heathen]

To Floyd:

Yeah I know Fairbanks goes way conservative politically; you're correct that the split is far from even. As I've said before though, I don't give a rat's ass about politics, but I do care about how a place "feels" (uh oh, siding myself with the hippies there...). So with that in mind, my point was that someone with a leftist mindset won't feel completely alienated in Fairbanks (though they will in fact likely be frustrated by the politics). In fact, because of the focal point provided by the university, it seems to me that there's more of a "progressive" demographic in Fairbanks than in Anchorage, though I'm aware that isn't literally true. Literal truth is boring anyway...