Misconceptions About San Francisco (top hotels, violent crime, credit card)

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by user376

Of course one will find Republicans (and Democrats) anywhere in the US, but McCain got less than 20% of the vote in Alameda County in '08.

Good for Alameda County

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by BayDude

I would go so far as to say the Bay Area has no political diversity of opinion at all.

That would be going too far.

Alameda County has the highest percentage of registered Democrats in the state at 58%. San Francisco County is second with 57%. Yes, the Bay Area is mostly Democratic and Republicans are relatively few, but if you look at the stats, you'll see that the Bay Area is not as uniformly Democratic as you think:

http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/...-09/county.pdf

[BayDude]

Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale

That would be going too far.

Alameda County has the highest percentage of registered Democrats in the state at 58%. San Francisco County is second with 57%. Yes, the Bay Area is mostly Democratic and Republicans are relatively few, but if you look at the stats, you'll see that the Bay Area is not as uniformly Democratic as you think:

http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/...-09/county.pdf

San Francisco 604,356 465,181 263,632 43,538 7,794 9,159
Percent 76.97% 56.67% 9.36% 1.68% 1.97%

San francisco county is 9.36% republican! Alameda is 15% some of the lowest percentages in the state (even for California). That is basically one-party rule. How am I going too far by stating the obvious? Republicans are statisically insignificant in the area. Thats not new, its typical coastal California.

As I a said there is no diversity of political opinion at all in the Bay Area.

[formercalifornian]

Originally Posted by BayDude

I would go so far as to say the Bay Area has no political diversity of opinion at all.

Then you weren't looking very hard.

[BayDude]

Originally Posted by formercalifornian

Then you weren't looking very hard.

How about being more specific rather than posting drive-by comments that make only vague references?

By north bay what city are you talking about?

[formercalifornian]

Originally Posted by BayDude

How about being more specific rather than posting drive-by comments that make only vague references?

By north bay what city are you talking about?

I lived in Sonoma County from the mid '90s until the mid 2000s. My block was overwhelmingly conservative, and my neighbors were absolutely thrilled out of their minds when Gray Davis was ousted. I really don't understand why this conversation has become so contentious, nor do I understand why you feel so compelled to discount my input. I can't force you to believe me, but I assure you that I am telling the truth about the political make up of my small corner of the Bay Area during the time I lived there. At that, I'll leave the rest of the conversation up to those of you who are current residents. Cheers!

BTW, Baydude, this poster is a dudette.

[rah]

Originally Posted by BayDude

How about being more specific rather than posting drive-by comments that make only vague references?

By north bay what city are you talking about?

BayDude accusing someone else of drive-by comments? Right.

[batransplant]

What I find really fascinating about those party affiliation stats is that just about every county in the state has 15-30% of their registered voters as "declined to state" and not even affiliated with any party. I wonder how long its been this way in California? Or if this is a new trend on an upward swing? My guess is that many of these people are actually moderates.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by BayDude

How am I going too far by stating the obvious?
As I a said there is no diversity of political opinion at all in the Bay Area.

It's going too far because it's not true. Yes, Democrats are dominant in the area, but to say there's politically "no diversity at all" in the Bay Area is false.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by batransplant

What I find really fascinating about those party affiliation stats is that just about every county in the state has 15-30% of their registered voters as "declined to state" and not even affiliated with any party. I wonder how long its been this way in California? Or if this is a new trend on an upward swing?

The "decline to state" or "independent" category has been growing across the country. Moderates identify less with political parties than they used to, while the die-hard Republicans and Democrats have become more political. It's a recipe for a lot of divisiveness, unfortunately.