Exactly How Right Wing is Phoenix/Arizona? (Maricopa: gated, where to live)

[Boompa]

Originally Posted by Kimballette

"White separatist?" Oh, please. Let's keep this discussion grounded in facts and reality, please. The place for purple prose is another C-D forum called Politics and Other Controversies. I suggest you take the hyperbole there. This is a relocation forum, not a political one.

Pardon me, but wasn't JT Ready, Leaer of the Arizona National Socialist Movement a GOP Committeman, and he was not the only one. I don't know of anywhere else in the country where the two are as interchangable

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by buckeyenative01

Keep in mind this is just based off what I've seen from personal observation. My parents, both Republicans (mostly RINOs now that the GOP has swung so far to the right) strongly dislike both Brewer and Arpaio.

I'm the same way ... especially on Arpaio. I used to be a huge supporter of Sheriff Joe until recently. The other day when he announced that he investigated Obama's birth certificate and found it to be fraudulent, that did it for me! Whether Obama's birth certifcate is legitimate or not, that is none of Arpaio's business! He needs to stick to fighting crime in Maricopa County ... not making an ass of himself in front of the entire nation. Hopefully, he'll be defeated in the election (or be forced into retirement soon). I'm sure not going to vote for him any longer.

Originally Posted by observer53

There's still a lot of what used to be called "Goldwater conservatives" (for those of us old enough to remember ) in this city (and state). Fiscally conservative, socially not so much. Barry Goldwater must be turning over in his grave at what some of what those who brand themselves as "conservatives" or "real conservatives" are saying. Those Goldwater conservatives would be moderates now, many of them registered as independents, I'd bet.

I'm one of them ... only I switched over to Libertarian because that's essentially what Goldwater and his followers were. And I wholeheartedly agree that Mr. Goldwater must be turning over in his grave over the current direction of the Republican party. Even in the 1980s & 1990s, he blasted the social conservatives of the party (such as Jerry Falwell). He supported Planned Parenthood and gays in the military. If he were still alive, he would definitely be a Libertarian.

[Howard Roark]

Well I'm an atheist and my permanent address is in Phoenix. Phoenix is too large to be concerned with what others think of you. I guess since I live in an apartment it's transient here. No one in Phoenix ever bothered me over what I think or who I vote for. But I once owned a house elsewhere in a small town and my next door neighbor always had suspicious glances my way - like I did not conform to some ideal of his since I was a single male mortgage payer and had few friends over. I would guess that if I was in a SFH neighborhood full of whitefamilies in Phoenix they would suspect a man living by himself is a registered offender or something. I am just comfortable living alone. At times I have a live-in girlfriend for a few years, but this is not one of those times.

As a disclaimer, I'm very social liberal and in the economic sense I'm a classical liberal (extreme capitalist) and do own guns. People label me a libertarian but I prefer being known as a liberal.

[Low Roller]

Originally Posted by Howard Roark

As a disclaimer, I'm very social liberal and in the economic sense I'm a classical liberal (extreme capitalist) and do own guns. People label me a libertarian but I prefer being known as a liberal.

Designed any buildings lately, Howard?

Arizona has gotten more Leftwing over the years (best example of that is the Republic and Steve Benson,) largely due to all the Californians who have come here to escape that madhouse (yet they bring their politics with them, so we will eventually become like Cali.) But I'd say AZ is still much closer to red than blue.

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by Boompa

Pardon me, but wasn't JT Ready, Leaer of the Arizona National Socialist Movement a GOP Committeman, and he was not the only one. I don't know of anywhere else in the country where the two are as interchangable

You're welcome to your opinion. Every group has kooks - on the right, the left, and all points in between. I stand by my statement. And, again, I suggest folks interested in a fight move the conversation over to the wilds of Politics and Other Controversies, where this type of rhetoric is welcome.

[Chelito23]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

While I agree the white separatist comment is completely off the wall and inaccurate, I also do not go along with the characterization of Arizona as a state filled with happy go lucky libertarians who believe in live and let live. This state has changed a lot in the past 20 years. It is much more socially conservative and intolerant than it once was. The legislature is positively extreme right wing and always has been. We now have a governor who goes along with the wacky bills they pass and the results are what you are seeing in the media. We have gone off the deep end in many areas. I frequently hear and do agree that the people themselves here are not that bad and are quite tolerant. But you have to wonder about even this given that the racists and right-wingers get re-elected time after time.

Whatever the cause, this is now a state where hate speech hardly raises an eyebrow - even in the halls of the legislature, discrimination against Hispanics is accepted and encouraged, and the principles of the Christian right are increasingly being shoved down everyone's throat. The extremists have been empowered to speak and behave badly. It is a place and where you will be justifiably afraid for your safety if you put an Obama sticker on your car this fall.

Totally agree as a newbie from Cali....

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

Chandler

Chandler isn't liberal at all; they are in the top 50 most conservative large cities in America. Not as conservative as Gilbert or Mesa, but still conservative overall. Tempe is the only East Valley city that can be considered liberal.

[pbenjamin]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

I had an Obama sticker on my car in 08. We had people flip us off on the freeway over it. After a few weeks it was torn off and racist drivel was written in the dust on the rear window . I won't be putting one on this year (I'm going with a Dogs Against Romney sticker. Everyone likes dogs) . I feel fortunate I did not get keyed or have my windows smashed or some gun toting red neck did not shoot at us. It IS that out of hand here.

For what it's worth, we had Obama stickers on both cars and a yard sign in front of the house and never got any hassles. But I live in midtown Phoenix. Our block had 7 Obama signs and one for McCain.

[buckeyenative01]

Originally Posted by observer53

There's still a lot of what used to be called "Goldwater conservatives" (for those of us old enough to remember ) in this city (and state). Fiscally conservative, socially not so much. Barry Goldwater must be turning over in his grave at what some of what those who brand themselves as "conservatives" or "real conservatives" are saying. Those Goldwater conservatives would be moderates now, many of them registered as independents, I'd bet.

Agreed. I sort of identify with "Rockefeller Republicans" from the Midwest/Northeast: Fiscally Conservative, Socially Moderate/Liberal. I'm registered Independent because of that, actually.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by pbenjamin

For what it's worth, we had Obama stickers on both cars and a yard sign in front of the house and never got any hassles. But I live in midtown Phoenix. Our block had 7 Obama signs and one for McCain.

Being a moderate is a "don't ask, don't tell" proposition in my neighborhood.