The Party of Yesterday: "Fake" America -- brainiest cities, best-educated states -- going Democratic

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: The Party of Yesterday
By TIMOTHY EGAN
Published: October 26, 2008

SEATTLE

Two years ago, a list of the nation’s brainiest cities was put together from Census Bureau reports — that is, cities with the highest percentage of college graduates, which is not the same as smart, of course. These are vibrant, prosperous places where a knowledge economy and cool things to do after hours attract people from all over the country. Among the top 10, only two of those metro areas — Raleigh, N.C., and Lexington, Ky. — voted Republican in the 2004 presidential election.

This year, all 10 are likely to go Democratic. What’s more, with Colorado, New Hampshire and Virginia now trending blue, Republicans stand to lose the nation’s 10 best-educated states as well.

It would be easy to say these places are not the real America, in the peculiar us-and-them parlance of Sarah Palin. It’s easy to say because Republicans have been insinuating for years now that some of the brightest, most productive communities in the United States are fake American — a tactic that dates to Newt Gingrich’s reign in the capitol.

Brainy cities have low divorce rates, low crime, high job creation, ethnic diversity and creative capitalism. They’re places like Pittsburgh, with its top-notch universities; Albuquerque, with its surging Latino middle class; and Denver, with its outdoor-loving young people. They grow good people in the smart cities.

But in the politically suicidal greenhouse that Republicans have constructed for themselves, these cities are not welcome. They are disparaged as nests of latte-sipping weenies, alt-lifestyle types and “other” Americans, somehow inauthentic.

If that’s what Republicans want, they are doomed to be the party of yesterday....

***

Here in Seattle, it’s become a one-party city, with a congressman for life and nodding-head liberals who seldom challenge a tax-loving city government. It would be nice, just to keep the philosophical debate sharp, if there were a few thoughtful Republicans around....

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/opinion/26egan.html?_r=1&em&oref=login

[Warpy]

1. Uh, hey STOOPID,

all those thoughtful Republicans have become Democrats.

Your party's ideas have bankrupted this country and have us staring down the barrel of another Great Depression if they aren't abandoned.

There is no room for debate from your side. Your ideas were tried and they failed miserably. Again.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Speaking of "stoopid," I like this part --

But in the kind of pattern that has held true since McCain went over to the stupid side, his brother recently referred to suburban northern Virginia as “communist country” and a top adviser, Nancy Pfotenhauer, said it was not “real Virginia.”

[Crunchy Frog]

3. A party that dismisses education and intellect as "elitist" and "unAmerican",

and we wonder why our country is in decline.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Very good point! nt

[yurbud]

5. instead a few thoughtful Republicans, how about a MORE PROGRESSIVE challenger from the left?

to keep the business wing of the Democratic Party from taking us down the drain too?

[clear eye]

6. Their current member of Congress votes progressive when it counts

That was starkly demonstrated, when after voting for the bailout on the first rollcall, he bent to overwhelming pressure from his district, and, with voice shaking, spoke on why changed his vote to "nay" on the second count. An informed electorate keeps him honest when he wavers. I think he knows that his district is one of the very few in the country that would vote Green if he crossed the majority progressives too badly. It includes Vashon Island, a place synonymous on the West Coast w/ flaming liberal.