Spokane vs. Vancouver for single, 23 year old male

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by WashingtonBound

Well I can definitely say I don't dig the redneck vibe, it's one of the main reasons I'm leaving the south.

I'm more of an urban type person, that would prefer rainy summers over dry, hot summers.

You will absolutely NOT find this anywhere on the West Coast. Our rainy season and humidity come in the winter. Our dry season is the summer. Summers up here are like spring in California--perfect, sunny, and dry. For like two months. Then back to the cool, grey, damp and drizzle.

That said, I have no idea why you would look into Spokane or Vancouver if you are liberal and 23 years old and wanting an urban experience. Vancouver is a moderately conservative suburb of Portland and Spokane has been known to foster crazy right-wingers and racist groups in the past (although 99% of Spokanites would probably not approve of the latter).

Downtown Portland is relatively inexpensive. You actually can find a decent studio for $550 if you look around. I had a pretty large 1 bedroom downtown for ~$650. If you go to the inner east side you can still get a fairly urban experience, but you can roomshare in a house for much cheaper (say ~$400 + utilities) with like-minded young folks. Plus if you park your car and take transit/bike then you'll be saving a lot more money.

Seattle is going to be a bit more expensive than Portland in housing mainly, but also slightly more so in food, clothes, etc. But in Seattle you can also roomshare and park the car with some ease. Wages also tend to be higher in Seattle and WA has a slightly higher minimum wage than OR.

I don't know much about Tacoma so I can't really speak about it, but I have heard good things about it lately.

But wherever you end up, despite what StealthRabbit thinks, your vote will count because even people out in the middle of nowhere Eastern WA/OR still vote for liberal causes and politicians, while people in the big cities still vote conservative. And besides, in the big cities (or the very populous suburbs thereof, to be more precise) are where the economic engines of each of these two states lie anyway...

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by backdrifter

But wherever you end up, despite what StealthRabbit thinks, your vote will count because even people out in the middle of nowhere Eastern WA/OR still vote for liberal causes and politicians, while people in the big cities still vote conservative. And besides, in the big cities (or the very populous suburbs thereof, to be more precise) are where the economic engines of each of these two states lie anyway...

I'm sure people in Eastern and SW Wa beg to differ. There's a reason why during election year there are signs all over E. and SW Wa saying: "Don't let Seattle steal the election."

Generally, small towns vote conservative, big cities vote liberal... but of course you will have some people in those towns that vote for the other.

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by Inkpoe

I'm sure people in Eastern and SW Wa beg to differ. There's a reason why during election year there are signs all over E. and SW Wa saying: "Don't let Seattle steal the election."

Generally, small towns vote conservative, big cities vote liberal... but of course you will have some people in those towns that vote for the other.

I take issue with the term "stealing" the election. I know many people feel that way, but that's completely silly since no one is stealing anything.

If others don't like fair elections they can seceede and form the State of Lincoln. And I say that as a small town State of Jefferson native...