Why do urban centers vote Democrat, and rural Republican?

11-03 | M. Peach

[M. Peach]

I thought I had all the answers regarding politics until my one of my teen aged sons asked me (and yes, I'm proud to say both of them are conservative) why large cities tend to vote Democrat, and rural areas - or mostly the rest of the country, Republican?

Can I get some opinions out there?

[ottothedog]

It is not "urban centers". It is high crime areas. :)

[hemi dawg]

My daughter asked me the same question this morning!

I also would appreciate reading the replies.

[peekaboo]

Values

[Miztiki]

I wonder the same thing. I'm interested in what others have to say. I hope this gets alot of replies.

[VastRWCon]

most people living and voting in cities live off the gobment?

before you attack... I said living and voting, not living and working.

[digger48]

Massah, take care o' me

[ventana]

There's something in the Star Bucks. V's Wife.

[BenLurkin]

H-A-N-D-O-U-T-S

[-=[_Super_Secret_Agent_]=-]

rural - indepandant, gun owners, private property is a big issue

[anoldafvet]

Most unions are located in urban areas.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Animals can be driven crazy by placing too many in too small a pen. Homo sapiens is the only animal that voluntarily does this to himself.

Robert Heinlein

[Billthedrill]

I think it's more urban collectivism versus rural individualism, to oversimplify it a bit. And it's been around as long as the country. It's one reason they had to invent an electoral college.

And it isn't just the U.S. - a number of other countries with representative governments show this pattern.

[PigRigger]

We got a winner!!!!!

[familyop]

See about Sodom and Gommorrah, "In the Beginning."

[SunnySide]

cities have more youth/singles, alternative (ahem) lifestyles(PC for bohemian wannabe slackers) with high school and even college educations who expect, feel entitled to walk right out of school into a CEO leather back chair. Most ruralites start working the minute their pitter pattering feet hit the ground.

[Tensgrrl]

mass hysteria-insanity.

[shaggy eel]

,,, I'm glad you posted this - I may find out why Iowa wasn't defined as Democrat or Republican in the run up to voting. I thought of it as midwest, a lot more rural than urban and wondered why it wasn't either Party's territory. Earlier today I saw the votes for Republican easily outweighed Democrat... but I'm still not sure why it couldn't be predicted sooner.

[formercalifornian]

Exactly. They can't feel safe there and think the government can keep them safe if only it enacts tons of new laws limiting their neighbors' actions.

[Ptarmigan]

Houston mainly voted Republican. There were a couple of Democratic pockets.