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Wow... liberals DO exist!! I was afraid my own kind had become extincted during the Big Bush era! LOL!!
I mean.. its not uncommon in these parts to see someone STILL driving a Hummer with a Bush/ Cheney '04 bumper sticker! God.. I can wait to get out of this crazy place and have a few mojitos!
Liberals do exist, esp. around Chapel Hill/Carrboro. I'll never forget what Jesse Helms said when they were looking to fund the state zoo. :0
Anyway, in our area we have many who carry signs proclaiming stop the war and "Impeach Bush". It is alive and well here. I do also remember when there were many who voted for Helms b/c "he represented a voice that needed to be heard" Politics was really fun back then!
I do recall many referring to the Civil War as a being fought for "states' rights", but never the War of Northern Aggression, unless it was done tongue in cheek.
Question for Gucci Little Piggie -- I've been following your story on this forum on the other thread (as research for my own potential move) and I'm wondering how come you settled on Raleigh rather than Chapel Hill/Carrboro?
I do also remember when there were many who voted for Helms b/c "he represented a voice that needed to be heard" Politics was really fun back then!
I moved to Portland in the late 80s and saw a huge push back against Helms, which I loved. On many of the Stop signs people had stenciled the word "HELMS" under Stop. Of course, by the time I moved from Portland the Stop signs read "Stop Bush".
The first time my Mom came to Portland to visit she said "now why on earth would someone want to stop Jesse Helms?" I told her that statement summed up why I moved 3K miles away. (I was young and sassy back then... it'll come back to haunt me now that I have my own kids. )
My parents used to talk about moving to NC in 1965 and seeing Jesse Helms doing editorials on WRAL and thinking "thank goodness this guy isn't in a position of power."
The Independent published a book of Helms's most offensive quotes in the 80s that I still have around somewhere.
Ugh. I hate this topic. So of course, I had to dive in.
Unfortunately, in my opinion, the terms "Democrat" or "Republican" do little to describe what you see/who you see leading both parties these days. The Dems (once again, IMO) have swung so far left as to almost be socialist and the GOP has swung so far right that I think I hear those bible thumpers from here! And again, unfortunately, it doesn't matter who you put in office because they're all ineffectual anyway.
I used to be a staunch Democrat (raised in "blue" Philly). After 11 years in MA with the loony politics here, I'm a staunch Independent. I want nothing to do with the party and I refuse to vote the party line.
Now to bring this back on topic, my husband, from the great Red state of Oregon (sorry, PDXmom!), is pretty conservative. Much more so than I about a lot of things. But yet, we agree that we'd rather have gov't out of our back pockets. We both love the environment and don't want to see it destroyed. We recycle/buy recycled/complete the circle WAY more than any Massachusetts "liberal".
p.s. What's a "mojito"? Can you tell I'm not a huge drinker?
So the terms "liberal" and "conservative" are even misleading. I was afraid that, by focusing on Chapel Hill and Carrboro, I'd be sentencing my husband to another prison term (the way he feels about living in MA) in "liberal land". But liberal in MA and liberal in NC are totally different.
I have no idea if this answers the OPs question, but I hope it sheds some light from my perspective!
NChomesomeday... I thought your post was really interesting. In addition to NC, my husband and I are also considering Mass as well (specifically Amhurst/ Northampton area)... so you really peaked my curiosity when you said that MA liberals are different from NC liberals. I'm wondering exactly what you mean by that. How are they different? Is it more of an attitude/ particular political perspective/ or a combination of the two?
I'd love to know your thoughts since you are familiar with both areas.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NChomesomeday
Ugh. I hate this topic. So of course, I had to dive in.
Unfortunately, in my opinion, the terms "Democrat" or "Republican" do little to describe what you see/who you see leading both parties these days. The Dems (once again, IMO) have swung so far left as to almost be socialist and the GOP has swung so far right that I think I hear those bible thumpers from here! And again, unfortunately, it doesn't matter who you put in office because they're all ineffectual anyway.
I used to be a staunch Democrat (raised in "blue" Philly). After 11 years in MA with the loony politics here, I'm a staunch Independent. I want nothing to do with the party and I refuse to vote the party line.
Now to bring this back on topic, my husband, from the great Red state of Oregon (sorry, PDXmom!), is pretty conservative. Much more so than I about a lot of things. But yet, we agree that we'd rather have gov't out of our back pockets. We both love the environment and don't want to see it destroyed. We recycle/buy recycled/complete the circle WAY more than any Massachusetts "liberal".
p.s. What's a "mojito"? Can you tell I'm not a huge drinker?
So the terms "liberal" and "conservative" are even misleading. I was afraid that, by focusing on Chapel Hill and Carrboro, I'd be sentencing my husband to another prison term (the way he feels about living in MA) in "liberal land". But liberal in MA and liberal in NC are totally different.
I have no idea if this answers the OPs question, but I hope it sheds some light from my perspective!
I think the liberal politics in the Boston area (can't speak for Northampton as I'm not familiar with it other than hearing "it's liberal!) are closer to socialism. They don't call it Taxachusetts for nothing. There is a general feeling of gov't always being in your back pocket. Juxtaposing that is the very strident New England Yankee mentality which one would normally consider conservative.
Many of the Boston metro west 'burbs are more conservative than the closer in 'burbs and the city itself.
My husband grew up in Oregon (originator of the bottle bill) so is very liberal about things like the environment, education, etc., but staunchly conservative about taxes, excess gov't and the like. I suspect that NC liberalism is closer to Oregon liberalism than MA liberalism.
I think the liberal politics in the Boston area (can't speak for Northampton as I'm not familiar with it other than hearing "it's liberal!) are closer to socialism. They don't call it Taxachusetts for nothing. There is a general feeling of gov't always being in your back pocket. Juxtaposing that is the very strident New England Yankee mentality which one would normally consider conservative.
Many of the Boston metro west 'burbs are more conservative than the closer in 'burbs and the city itself.
My husband grew up in Oregon (originator of the bottle bill) so is very liberal about things like the environment, education, etc., but staunchly conservative about taxes, excess gov't and the like. I suspect that NC liberalism is closer to Oregon liberalism than MA liberalism.
I don't doubt you since you live there, but John Kerry (from MA), one of the most Liberal members of the Senate, did better in Orange County, NC than he did in MA in 2004.
I don't doubt you since you live there, but John Kerry (from MA), one of the most Liberal members of the Senate, did better in Orange County, NC than he did in MA in 2004.
I think that speaks volumes about John Kerry! The people of MA know him.
I think the liberal politics in the Boston area (can't speak for Northampton as I'm not familiar with it other than hearing "it's liberal!) are closer to socialism. They don't call it Taxachusetts for nothing. There is a general feeling of gov't always being in your back pocket. Juxtaposing that is the very strident New England Yankee mentality which one would normally consider conservative.
Many of the Boston metro west 'burbs are more conservative than the closer in 'burbs and the city itself.
My husband grew up in Oregon (originator of the bottle bill) so is very liberal about things like the environment, education, etc., but staunchly conservative about taxes, excess gov't and the like. I suspect that NC liberalism is closer to Oregon liberalism than MA liberalism.
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Politics was really fun back then! 
Question for Gucci Little Piggie
I told her that statement summed up why I moved 3K miles away. (I was young and sassy back then... it'll come back to haunt me now that I have my own kids. 
