Can we talk about how predictably rural counties vote red and urban counties vote blue?

[mommas homeboy]

Unfortunately, the War Room does not allow me to upload images from my phone. But if you look at a county map of the US voting results in 2016, you'll see that virtually all the big cities vote blue and all the rural areas of the country vote red.

Though this is not news, I don't see many people talking about this divide.

People that have jobs requiring hard physical labor, farming, drilling oil, working in the countryside, etc. almost always vote republican.

People sitting in cubicles, staring at a computer screen in a corporate building consistently vote democratic.

Why do you think that is?

 

[MadSquabbles500]

Yes true even for NY State, and NJ.

In NY State, the small cities like Buffalo, Albany, Rochester, Syracuse have basically become college towns. All other industries have left. Also there are larger and poorer immigrant communities. They are usually renters too. Out in the rural counties of NY, most people own their land, and have generations of family in the USA for long time. NJ Same thing

And lots of cities dwellers have hard labor jobs like construction, warehousing, bussing tables. Bussing tables is tough on the fingers. Those plates are heavy for fingers.

 

[Deleted member 491001]

You'd almost think brain washing is easier where populations are concentrated...

 

[lecter]

People sitting in cubicles, staring at a computer screen in a corporate building consistently vote democratic.

I'm not living in a rural area + don't do hard work + I'm staring at a computer screen and I don't vote Democrats.
Other than that I have nothing to add to your thread, sorry.

 

[mommas homeboy]

Yes true even for NY State, and NJ.

In NY State, the small cities like Buffalo, Albany, Rochester, Syracuse have basically become college towns. All other industries have left. Also there are larger and poorer immigrant communities. They are usually renters too. Out in the rural counties of NY, most people own their land, and have generations of family in the USA for long time. NJ Same thing

And lots of cities dwellers have hard labor jobs like construction, warehousing, bussing tables. Bussing tables is tough on the fingers. Those plates are heavy for fingers.

So if lots of folks in cities have hard labor jobs, is it safe to say that jobs aren't what explains the very predictable voting patterns we see?

And if it's not the type of job you have, what is it?

I mean, it's very consistent. Even in states like Texas...all the counties vote republican except for Dallas and a few other big city counties.

 

[Jack V Savage]

You'd almost think brain washing is easier where populations are concentrated...

???

 

[helltoupee]

Because people who live on top of each other, as in big cities, tend to step on each other's toes, so you have more regulation and government interference, like gun control and other regulations associated with the left.

Life in a big city is more complex, therefore there are more social problems to contend with.

 

[MadSquabbles500]

So if lots of folks in cities have hard labor jobs, is it safe to say that jobs aren't what explains the very predictable voting patterns we see?

And if it's not the type of job you have, what is it?

I mean, it's very consistent. Even in states like Texas...all the counties vote republican except for Dallas and a few other big city counties.

A lot of the hard labor jobs in cities are the recent immigrants. And again the college kids. Colleges are a liberal haven. Not to say all college kids are liberals, but the liberals ones tend to be most vocal, and whiny.

 

[mommas homeboy]

I'm not living in a rural area + don't do hard work + I'm staring at a computer screen and I don't vote Democrats.
Other than that I have nothing to add to your thread, sorry.

There are obviously many, many exceptions for individuals. But go to Google and type in 2016 election results by county. It's pretty amazing. Rural is red, urban is blue, there are very few exceptions when looking at counties.

 

[Space]

Because people who live on top of each other, as in big cities, tend to step on each other's toes, so you have more regulation and government interference, like gun control and other regulations associated with the left.

Life in a big city is more complex, therefore there are more social problems to contend with.

Also, more soy males.

 

[ripskater]

The issues are different.

Rural people rely on guns for their hunting, farms, and dealing with wild animals and they're brought up with them. Cities have so much crime that they try to regulate or ban guns.

Cities have higher taxes, rural has less.

Cities have high abortion rates and abortion gets promoted in cities. Rural people tend to be brought up with Christianity, which is against abortion unless the mother's life is in danger or some say when rape happens.

Rural is more traditional in values, cities are more progressive

All the LGBTQ stuff won't fly in rural America. In cities you're put on a pedestal for going gay.

 

[Pwent]

Rural people are more self reliant

City folk are surrounded by the wealth of others and think that there's enough extra to go around

 

[ripskater]

I live in a rural area. And on my son's 9-10 year old baseball team, this kid announces that he's gonna lead the pregame prayer. The next week, he tells some other kid that he is gonna do the prayer. Anyway, our head coach just tells him to pray before the games after that. That just isn't happening in San Francisco or Portland. They'd sick the ACLU on the kid.

 

[Gregolian]

In the city people are used to having the government constantly looking over their shoulder and telling them what they can and cannot do.

Out "in the county" where people live off of dirt roads/gravel driveways and shit... they're used to taking care of themselves and don't like having the government looking over their shoulder and shit.

This is going to sound cunty too but the way the parties are portrayed in regards to welfare benefits and such you have larger concentrations of almost brutally poor in the cities in large concentrations.... of course those people will vote more for the party that states "we're looking out for you and THOSE people want to take your benefits" while those in more rural areas will vote for the party that says "THOSE people want to take your hard earned money with blood and sweat and give it to the degenerate with a POS Oldsmobile with a set of $2000 rims on it"

To paraphrase.

 

[Trotsky]

Check out the concentration of educated citizens and citizens who have interacted with demographics outside of their own.

However, the dudes I know who dropped out of high school and overcame their heroin addiction to become mechanics and live down the street from my parents.....they are pretty brilliant.

 

[Gregolian]

Check out the concentration of educated citizens and citizens who have interacted with demographics outside of their own.

If being educated is what causes one to be liberal (which feels like is what you're saying) then explain to me how of my acquaintances from high school those that leaned right of center all finished college or university and are working in the fields that they studied while those that leaned left of right all dropped out to pursue... well, I don't know what they do.

 

[ripskater]

In the city people are used to having the government constantly looking over their shoulder and telling them what they can and cannot do.

Out "in the county" where people live off of dirt roads/gravel driveways and shit... they're used to taking care of themselves and don't like having the government looking over their shoulder and shit.

This is going to sound cunty too but the way the parties are portrayed in regards to welfare benefits and such you have larger concentrations of almost brutally poor in the cities in large concentrations.... of course those people will vote more for the party that states "we're looking out for you and THOSE people want to take your benefits" while those in more rural areas will vote for the party that says "THOSE people want to take your hard earned money with blood and sweat and give it to the degenerate with a POS Oldsmobile with a set of $2000 rims on it"

To paraphrase.

Another thing about rural, if you need something, there is a neighbor that's gonna help you fix something or help you out. If you are neighborly to others. The church will take a special offering or cub scouts will do some service for somebody in the community. It just tends to be close knit. And it just strengthens the bond. And govt just does not have to get involved.

 

[Trotsky]

If being educated is what causes one to be liberal (which feels like is what you're saying) then explain to me how of my acquaintances from high school those that leaned right of center all finished college or university and are working in the fields that they studied while those that leaned left of right all dropped out to pursue... well, I don't know what they do.

I can't explain why your personal anecdote doesn't match larger data (yes, persons with higher educational attainment are progressively more likely to live in a city, and to vote against nonsensical policies). You might be approaching the subject matter with skewed expectation. But I can't say.

I honestly can't imagine what possible retort you would expect here--- me saying that I know your friends better and that you're lying?

 

[loyalyolayal]

If being educated is what causes one to be liberal (which feels like is what you're saying) then explain to me how of my acquaintances from high school those that leaned right of center all finished college or university and are working in the fields that they studied while those that leaned left of right all dropped out to pursue... well, I don't know what they do.

Most academics are left leaning. Not all, but most.

 

[Gregolian]

Another thing about rural, if you need something, there is a neighbor that's gonna help you fix something or help you out. If you are neighborly to others. The church will take a special offering or cub scouts will do some service for somebody in the community. It just tends to be close knit. And it just strengthens the bond. And govt just does not have to get involved.

I live in town about 2 hours north of Seattle so it's a smaller town that basically lives and dies on how many Canadians go to Costco or our mall to go shopping but on ONE side me and my roommates hang out with our neighbor like every weekend. Ask for tools to finish projects, go shooting together, or do the "hey, I have a bunch of leftovers take some so they don't go bad" thing.

The rest of my neighbors on the other side or across the street and shit... I don't even know their names... actually, I don't even know what my neighbors on the other side of me even LOOK like.

Contrast that to when I was still living at home with my folks we were on first name basis with everyone we shared the 1/4 long gravel driveway with and knew everyone 300-500 feet in each direction once we got to the road.