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Parts of NC are in fact quite different from the conservative bible belt South and parts of NC are filled with liberal Democrats.
To be honest a bible belt conservative from Alabama would probably be a whole lot less comfortable in somewhere like Chapel Hill, Durham, or Asheville then a liberal New Yorker.
NC is a very politically diverse state and you can probably find whatever you are looking for politically down here depending on where you go.
Are you noticing a democratic spread rising in the southern regions (south of Charlotte) as well, or mainly in the north parts (Chapel Hill, Durham, and Asheville areas only?
A friend of ours from the Waxhaw area has also mentioned an influx of Democrats recently.
Southern Charlotte including Union County tend to vote Republican, these are strong Republican districts and have been since the great northern migration into these areas.
Just because a person in NC is a registered Democrat does NOT mean they are liberal, progressive, or approving of the national Democratic party especially if they are local, native, or southern. They may be or not be. Just depends.
Now if this influx of Democrats is transplants it MAY mean they are. Or maybe they wanted to move to away from the liberal progressive aspects of their home states and moved to NC. You just don't know by party affiliation.
I have relatives who would vote straight democratic but have not one belief or value that is progressive or liberal. They call that yellow dog democrat. Then you have people who may be registered democrats but tend to be more conservative and call themselves blue dog democrats. Then you may have truly liberal progressive havens such as some cities or university areas and even there the registered republican might be liberal and progressive.
You just can't tell by party affiliation and it would require serious on site and not tourist type visits to get a feel as to whether you would be comfortable in a particular place.
Just because a person in NC is a registered Democrat does NOT mean they are liberal, progressive, or approving of the national Democratic party especially if they are local, native, or southern. They may be or not be. Just depends.
Now if this influx of Democrats is transplants it MAY mean they are. Or maybe they wanted to move to away from the liberal progressive aspects of their home states and moved to NC. You just don't know by party affiliation.
I have relatives who would vote straight democratic but have not one belief or value that is progressive or liberal. They call that yellow dog democrat. Then you have people who may be registered democrats but tend to be more conservative and call themselves blue dog democrats. Then you may have truly liberal progressive havens such as some cities or university areas and even there the registered republican might be liberal and progressive.
You just can't tell by party affiliation and it would require serious on site and not tourist type visits to get a feel as to whether you would be comfortable in a particular place.
Good luck
Excellent post! I happen to live in an area of the Upper Midwest where there are a lot of people who migrated from the Deep South years ago for work, and I have known and do know many of them well. Some of the most deeply conservative, religious, Bible-believing, pro-life people that I have ever known and gone to church with are big time yellow dog Democrats and will only vote a straight Democratic ticket, even though they stand for nothing that the national Democratic Party stands for, and they are all transplants from the Deep South.
Wasn't there a tradition in the South that dates back many years wherein the Republican Party was still considered the "Party of Lincoln" and as such, is still not considered a viable option by some of the older population who inherited this tradition from their parents and their parents, even though many of the people who feel that way have strongly conservative world views?
It seems that the modern social issues are just now beginning to change a lot of voting patterns across the South and the hard line Democrats are starting more and more to vote Republican, hence why the entire Southeast (except for Florida, which isn't truly a culturally Southern state due to being populated by so many northern transplants and foreign-born residents) generally goes pure red in every election?
My short answer would be that Roosevelt (FDR) was felt to be the savior of the poor people and they rewarded the Democratic party with their loyalty for years and years
Not so sure about the anti Lincoln thing as far as NC. May be true. But that may be true of other southern states, especially the deep south.
The fact that you spent only a matter of months each in two other southern cities and then returned home to NY indicates that it would probably be a really good idea for you to rent first before buying in NC.
You seem to have this idea that NC is somehow different from the rest of the South, as if northern transplants have held sway there more than elsewhere. The posts where locals have pointed out to you with sources that your assumptions on political leanings in NC are wrong seem to have fallen on deaf ears, and honestly, it seems like you are very likely to become just another "I had to move back home because I can't stand the conservative, Bible Belt mentality here!" New Yorker. NC will not change for you, so you have to really consider if you are willing to accept that and be tolerant of the locals and their political and religious beliefs. Remember, they were there first.
One of the things that conservative Southerners resent about hard line Democrats from places like NY is that they are fleeing their home state largely because of exhorbitant taxes that make it difficult to afford to live there on a daily basis, yet the reason that those places have become such overtaxed nanny states is precisely because they are run by liberal, tax and spend Democrats. It doesn't make sense to flee an area like that for a place with lower taxes and more fiscally conservative politicians only to try to bring with you the same mentality that ruined those places for the working class. If you are willing to open your mind a little and adapt to your new surroundings instead of expecting them to adapt to you, you will do better and not rub people the wrong way as much.
"Indicates"? What a profound sense of judgement you possess, and how your political perception differs so much regarding New York. Yes, it's a Democratic state, yet 1/3 happens to be VERY Republican and their visibility is extremely obvious here. Yet, I've grown to live with it in many forms and consequences over the years, albeit, which is why so many political initiatives here take so long to pass. New Jersey is another egg waiting to break in favor of the democratic position, hence the embarrassing Chris Christie scandal! (do I smell another Subpoena?)
Your Liberal lashing is obviously flawed, in which our taxes have been predominately higher in NY recently due to tremendous population growth (reaching 19.5 mill), infrastructure rebuilding, and school enrichment programs. Just think about the competition as well, not in just small and large business but academically, where so many want to live and thrive here from all over the world, and want a piece of the great New York Pie! In that, New York remains the gate to America an always will be. In all the regions I lived in, nothing is so called "ruined" here in New York, according to your conservative outlook.
Also, please don't pass judgment on those non-religious parties who live outside the Bible belt. If you practice Christianity that's your motive and way of living, but don't get insecure, and therefore offensive, if you feel threatened by varying non-religious groups, which I am sure will not diversify your conservative lifestyle in any form.
My expectation is simple; find a nice place to live, including; good schools, safe neighborhood, democratically visible environment, and mingle with liberally minded people. I forget to mention clean drinking water, as there seems to be a "few issues" hanging at the moment. (82,000 Tons Of Coal Ash Spill From Plant Into North Carolina River - NBC News)
"Indicates"? What a profound sense of judgement you possess, and how your political perception differs so much regarding New York. Yes, it's a Democratic state, yet 1/3 happens to be VERY Republican and their visibility is extremely obvious here. Yet, I've grown to live with it in many forms and consequences over the years, albeit, which is why so many political initiatives here take so long to pass. New Jersey is another egg waiting to break in favor of the democratic position, hence the embarrassing Chris Christie scandal! (do I smell another Subpoena?)
Your Liberal lashing is obviously flawed, in which our taxes have been predominately higher in NY recently due to tremendous population growth (reaching 19.5 mill), infrastructure rebuilding, and school enrichment programs. Just think about the competition as well, not in just small and large business but academically, where so many want to live and thrive here from all over the world, and want a piece of the great New York Pie! In that, New York remains the gate to America an always will be. In all the regions I lived in, nothing is so called "ruined" here in New York, according to your conservative outlook.
Also, please don't pass judgment on those non-religious parties who live outside the Bible belt. If you practice Christianity that's your motive and way of living, but don't get insecure, and therefore offensive, if you feel threatened by varying non-religious groups, which I am sure will not diversify your conservative lifestyle in any form.
My expectation is simple; find a nice place to live, including; good schools, safe neighborhood, democratically visible environment, and mingle with liberally minded people. I forget to mention clean drinking water, as there seems to be a "few issues" hanging at the moment. (82,000 Tons Of Coal Ash Spill From Plant Into North Carolina River - NBC News)
Please, please...relax! The number of reputation points that I earned for the post that you quoted above tells me that I am definitely not alone in my observations. I don't care where you settle down, and I wish you every happiness in NC or wherever you end up. I just felt that you were being pretty harsh and abrasive with the people on this forum who were only trying to help you and didn't happen to share your opinions.
I am not remotely insecure about my faith or defensive about it. You are entitled to believe as you believe, but so am I. Honestly, though, it is a tall order to expect to live somewhere where everyone agrees with your politics and world view, and to try to do so will only set you up for disappointment. I have neighbors who are the polar opposite of me in those respects and I really don't care, I still treat them with kindness and help them out if need be. Live and let live seems to be a good policy if we want to live in a country as diverse as ours.
Peace, good luck, and I hope you find a wonderful life for you and your wife and kids! I really mean that, and I'm sorry if I came across in a rude or offensive manner.
Please, please...relax! The number of reputation points that I earned for the post that you quoted above tells me that I am definitely not alone in my observations. I don't care where you settle down, and I wish you every happiness in NC or wherever you end up. I just felt that you were being pretty harsh and abrasive with the people on this forum who were only trying to help you and didn't happen to share your opinions.
Your suggestion that I rent is not helping me, where according to my OP, I am planning to buy a home. Congrats on the number of your reputation points, yet there are also many on this thread who would dispute your posts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by canudigit
I am not remotely insecure about my faith or defensive about it. You are entitled to believe as you believe, but so am I. Honestly, though, it is a tall order to expect to live somewhere where everyone agrees with your politics and world view, and to try to do so will only set you up for disappointment. I have neighbors who are the polar opposite of me in those respects and I really don't care, I still treat them with kindness and help them out if need be. Live and let live seems to be a good policy if we want to live in a country as diverse as ours.
Yes, agreed. BTW.. do your neighbors rent? How long have they lived in your neighborhood? You see, renting is not really a feasible option with a family of 5, inclusive of all our assets of 10 years we'd need to put in storage. All because I may not like NC? Sorry to be so brash, but I've lived in the south before and know what to expect culturally and ethically.
Yes, agreed. BTW.. do your neighbors rent? How long have they lived in your neighborhood? You see, renting is not really a feasible option with a family of 5, inclusive of all our assets of 10 years we'd need to put in storage.
We've been renting in Cary for the past 3 years. We have a family with young children and multiple pets. The single family home rental market is strong here, and I do recommend this if you are new to the area. While not many people continue to rent for as long as we have, I do personally know at least two other families with young children who also have been long term renters in single family homes. Renting does not have to mean "apartment" and it absolutely has its advantages!
Your suggestion that I rent is not helping me, where according to my OP, I am planning to buy a home. Congrats on the number of your reputation points, yet there are also many on this thread who would dispute your posts.
Yes, agreed. BTW.. do your neighbors rent? How long have they lived in your neighborhood? You see, renting is not really a feasible option with a family of 5, inclusive of all our assets of 10 years we'd need to put in storage. All because I may not like NC? Sorry to be so brash, but I've lived in the south before and know what to expect culturally and ethically.
When we were considering a job related move to Phoenix a few years ago (but ultimately didn't end up going), I got many recommendations here on C-D to rent first before investing in a new place where we had never lived before because it would be easier to leave if it didn't work out. It didn't offend me in the least, people were just trying to be helpful, and it was sensible advice. A lot of people recommend renting first to people on these forums, no big deal. I have never rented anywhere in my life, but if I was considering a move to an area where I had never lived before, I might consider it. Oh, and yes, our neighbors across the street rent their house from their daughter.
Again, best wishes to you as you continue your search, and have a great day.
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I really mean that, and I'm sorry if I came across in a rude or offensive manner.
