Interesting Sticky: "Lots of Liberals In The Red States." Oh really?

[cboy4]

When did this happen? :shrug:

I'd love to think there are "lots of liberals" in the red states, but come on LOTS????

I know there are liberal cities in red states, such as Austin, TX.

But which traditional red states will be turning blue anytime soon?

Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Mississippi...........? Uhhhh. No.

[Clark2008]

1. Yes really

(And, no, it's not my sticky) - but, check out the purple map - the reddist areas are in the mid-West, but there are quite a few blue patches and TONS of purple.

[cboy4]

8. Where are my scissors so I can fix that map for good?

;)

[AndyTiedye]

15. A Lot of That Red Has More Cows Than People

[meow2u3]

50. I wonder if the cows vote Republican?

Would that explain the trend of more repuke votes than registered voters? :shrug:

[pnwmom]

43. Even a 40% Democratic minority translates into millions

of liberals -- which is lots, in my opinion.

[dmr4567]

2. Nashville Tenn Davidson county

was blue in the last 2 Presidential elections we voted for Gore and Kerry however Knoxville is a diffrent story

[cboy4]

6. I worked in E. TN before I got transferred to Calif. Then, Gore and Sasser

were the senators and Ned McWherter was the democratic governor.

What have you all let happen to Tennessee?!? LOL

It was always good to retreat to the "big city" of Nashville!

Lots of good people there, That's for sure!

[Midlodemocrat]

3. Yes, really.

And if not liberals, at least going to vote democratic in November.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

28. Liberal here in VA.

[Blue_Tires]

40. and another

my mother is also liberal, and she's an Alabama native

[Gormy Cuss]

4. Lots of conservatives in blue states too.

"Lots" is a quantity defined as more than a few but that's all it means. Part of the problem with color coding whole states is that at 51% a state is red or blue, yet there are lots of people on the other side of the political spectrum.

[BillZBubb]

5. Depends on the meaning of "lots" doesn't it?

Texas has over 16 million people. I'll bet their are at least a million liberals here. That's a lot. It's a long, long way from a majority.

[cboy4]

7. Exactly. I guess that's my point.

[Sinti]

9. Hey, I'm in Idaho, and evangelizing people to the reality-based world

every day. They're coming around. Most of them listen to common sense really well, and agree, if you keep it non-confrontational. :)

The problem is so few Dems even run here, most Pugs run uncontested :(

[blondeatlast]

16. As one who has libertarian-minded relatives that I know were raised

to be Democrats there, you have my respect and admiration.

These are gun-totin' libertarians, but they vote Democratic (even if my unc belongs to the VFW and resigned from the NRA over cop-killer bullets).

[Inland]

10. You're mixing "lots" with "soon to be majorities."

Even the reddest states have thirty percent dem voters, just as the bluest have thirty percent red.

But a fifty five, forty five split in a winner take all electoral system is huge.

So, "lots" is correct, and so is "not going to go blue any time soon".

[cboy4]

11. No, I understand "lots" is unscientific.

It just struck me as odd hearing there are "lots" of liberals in the states I mentioned.

Doesn't seem possible, but then again, I don't live in any of those places.

[Jacobin]

12. Um, like 44% of Louisiana voted for Kerry

I would say that's 'lots'.

What's your point?

[cboy4]

13. Ummm, I don't really consider Louisiana a solid red state

Maybe a more accurate sticky would be, "Lots of Liberals in a couple of red states."

[msblueinredstate]

20. We are 45%

here in Mississippi-they just need to keep screwing up. I really don't look for Ms. to vote for a Pug president anytime soon. They still vote Democrat in local.

[Jacobin]

24. Gee, the election maps for the last two years show it as red

umm, but I see 'you don't consider it as red', so now I understand that the thread is meaningless

[Blue_In_AK]

14. Is there a reason why you're demeaning the red state liberals?

My guess is we have just as much, although probably more, heart than blue state liberals. A person gets stronger the more resistance there is. I would think blue-state liberals would tend to become somewhat complacent.

[blondeatlast]

17. Word--and thanks from an AZ Blue.

We work harder with fewer volunteers, less money, and less interest from the folks in DC.

Looking forward to celbrating our mutual victories this November!

:toast:

[cboy4]

19. Oh Jesus, I completely forgot about the Red of all Reds. Alaska!!!!

JUST KIDDING!

But Please. Why would you say I'm demeaning red state liberals?

Of course, I love red state liberals.

My argument isn't with you or any other democrat or progressive in a red state.

I'm just saying there certainly cannot be lots of liberals in a state where there is an (R) in front of everyone's name and it's been that way for 50 years.

That's just the truth.

For the record, I'm sure you and all of the liberals who live in Alaska are wonderful.

***And is there a reason you're demeaning the blue state liberals by thinking we've become "somewhat" complacent? ;)

[Blue_In_AK]

26. Why, yes ... yes, we ARE wonderful. ;-)

Actually, it hasn't been 50 (!) years here with all Rs. We had a Democratic senator as late as 1981, and neither Don Young nor Ted Stevens would be in power today if it hadn't been for the deaths of two Democrats. There's still a question as to whether Lisa Murkowski beat Tony Knowles fair and square -- the state Division of Elections still hasn't cut loose with the voting records from 2004. We had Democratic governors from 1959-1966, 1970-1974, 1982-1986, 1986-1990, and 1994-2002 -- which is 28 out of the last 46 years -- and Jay Hammond who was governor from 1974-1982, although nominally a Republican, was more of a Democrat than 90 percent of the Democrats I can think of.

And I should mention that democrat Mark Begich (son of deceased U.S. rep Nick Begich) has just resoundingly won his second term as Anchorage's mayor. Plus we have several excellent state congresspeople who are Democrats.

So there!

[cboy4]

34. You go Alaska!! It's way too beautiful to be that crappy red color LOL

I laugh every time I see Stevens on the floor. He looks like his head is going to explode -- he's always pissed off about something.

Maybe he takes care of you guys, I dunno. LOL

[Blue_In_AK]

36. I'll give old Ted his due...

He has done a lot of good things for the state in the past and even helped me out personally several years ago with a HUD issue I had, but I think he's just lost it here in his old age. It seems to me he just needs to step down and come home. I mean, he's almost 83 years old. By 2008 when he's up for election again he'll be 85. I just don't see how he can run again at that age. But we shall see. He's such an institution up here, he'll probably get re-elected even if he's dead.

Don Young's the one I REALLY want to see gone. He's just insufferable.

[brentspeak]

18. All I know is that there is "little" support for red state Democrats

from the national Democratic organizations. I know that Howard Dean is trying hard to change that, and I think that it's paramount that blue state Dems do what we can to help out our beleaguered and isolated red state Democratic colleagues.

[leftstreet]

21. True

Just look at any of the "red" mid-to-western states and the lack of Democratic party activity over the years has been shocking. And each year the voters see less reason to vote when there appears to be no opposition to politics as usual.

Take Idaho
In 1960 voter turnout by voting age eligibility: 80.1 %
By 2000 that same number had dropped to 44.1 %

In the 2000 state legislative races 22 Republicans ran unopposed in the Senate, and 31 Republicans ran unopposed in the House.

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:h27HsLE-yGoJ:www.classhome.uidaho.edu/default.aspx%3Fpid%3D80843+idaho+state+elections+unopposed&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=4&ie=UTF-8

Al Gore was correct when he said, "And we shouldn’t, by the way, just focus on presidential elections, because while my party was doing that, the Republicans took over the country at the grassroots level."

[Blue_In_AK]

27. Howard Dean is going to be here May 31

but he's only appearing at a $100 per plate dinner that none of us peasants can afford. I understanding he's trying to raise money for the party, but it doesn't do much to get the message out when only the wealthy can afford to attend his functions.

[blondeatlast]

31. That right there is a HUGE problem the Dems ought to work out.

I'd like to see the state and local party orgs have picnics and banquets with a token donation of maybe $5-10 or a volunteer pledge of say 2 hours or so.

Let the unions and other progressive groups in, have some entertainment, speakers, and FUN.

the "dinner donation" thing just burns me up big time and it doesn't hep us reach out at all.

[blondeatlast]

29. Great example is Utah. SLC mayor is a Democrat and the Mormons

are NOT fans of the Radical Religious Right who would take their right to worship as they please if they could.

Same issues? Yes.
Same agenda? Not likely.

[cboy4]

33. Utah is very interesting. I think SLC is more progressive than people

think.

I have friends who live there.

The Mormons may not be fans of the "RRR" but they sure like their presidunce.

One of only four states, according to CNN, that STILL has him at more than 50% approval (the others are WY, ID, & NE)

[brazil]

44. They don't question authority...

...that's the way they're trained. Their religion tells them to honor kings, presidents, and other leaders, regardless of whether they're crooks or not. The Mormons are America's "Good Germans".

I'm a Californian living in Utah, and I feel a bit like Ford Prefect writing about Utah, reporting that it's "mostly harmless". The Mormons are unusual, but not as much as people assume... and on the whole, they're a lot more tolerant and worldly than most Southern evangelicals. And there are some Mormon Democrats out there who will genuinely surprise you. Still, there's a huge gap in mindsets to be overcome.

But still... the state of Utah is practically purple (51-46), and Salt Lake itself is deep, deep blue.

[Jai4WKC08]

22. The thing about "Lots"

What's the typical turn-out for a mid-term election? Doesn't usually average 25% or so? I remember it's pretty low. Point is, "lots" can turn into "enough" if we can just get 'em all to vote.

Repubs know that. That's why they're trying to put things like gay adoption on state ballots.

[Bridget Burke]

23. Texas is a pretty big state.

We've got "lots" of everything.

Our governor may be an idiot, but he isn't Arnold. And the great state of California did give us Nixon & Reagan!

[cboy4]

25. Oh how dare you Bridget. That was a low blow!

All of it true, but never the less......;)

[blondeatlast]

32. Indeed! And Arizona gave us the Udalls.

And dark blue CONNECTICUT gave us you-know-who.

That's for you, BB--W may claim to be a Texan, but we all know better.

[Nicole]

30. We have lots of liberals in this red state

of Oklahoma. I'm sure it wasn't the repukes that voted for Brad Henry, our dem gov.

[cboy4]

35. Lots???? I had no idea!! But, I won't argue since I don't live there

(Thank God)

Juuuusssst Kidding Nicole!!!! :bounce:

You guys have a democratic governor, we have (Calif) a repuke governor. Go figure.

[Nicole]

38. Amazing isn't it?

About the gov. thing.

Oklahoma has voted for a dem gov. 21 times vs. 3 repuke gov. But they haven't voted for a dem president since the 60's. Something is wrong with that picture.


I have lived in your state & you definitely have more liberals than we do. Hell just your liberals alone out number our entire state population I'm sure. :rofl:

[Pryderi]

37. DFALink.com has active liberals in unusual places...does that count?

[Alcibiades]

39. Millions upon millions

Let's not forget that all it takes is 50.00000000000000000000000001% of the voting public to turn a state red. Many of the other 49.999999999999999999999% are probably liberals, even if the label is less popular today.

And quite a few "red" states have a strong Democratic party. For example, my home state of North Carolina votes for the Republicans for President and Congress, yet we have a Democratic Governor and state legislature.

Somebody needs to post that big 'ol purple map here again.

[Maddy McCall]

41. I'm a red state liberal, and I have lots of liberal friends.

[Ediacara]

42. Well all you need to be a red state is 50.01%

I mean Iowa and New Mexico are barely red, but full of liberals. As to your question, which red states are turning blue most dramatically? Try Montana.

[Hosnon]

48. Or more accurately: 50% + 1:) nt

[marions ghost]

45. in the last election anyway

I think that Virginia, Florida, possibly North Carolina would have been blue

if we had Diebold-free, transparent elections, where "irregularies" are not tolerated.

[mmonk]

46. Depends on if you mean red or purple.

Though some states went red, the divide is very close. The problem is now that we are under primarily a dictatorship, the closeness doesn't matter because the blue people effectively have no real representation.

[Hosnon]

47. Yes, most definitely. Georgia has Atlanta - very blue. nt

[Nimrod2005]

49. CO, NM, AZ, I would lvoe to see them in BLUE!

Why not Florida too?

[Bridget Burke]

51. Well, we KNOW that Florida went for Gore in 2000.

I doubt the state's election "system" has improved.

[mcar]

52. I'm in a 51-49 R-D county

in a so-called red state. That's lots of liberals.

[cboy4]

54. Nice Try. LOL

I think we know there are lots of liberals in Florida.

There was something called the 2000 election that makes me pretty sure about this. ;)

[izzybeans]

53. We live in the catacombs.

lots and lots of us.