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?

[uncitizen]

i think it has to do with the concentration of universites in the cities.

[hiredhand]

Ping to 105. If I'm not mistaken, you (like many of my closest friends) farm for a living. Your insight would be valuable...

We don't farm for a living, per-se. :-). We would like to! I work for a GINORMOUS telecom provider largely as a network security engineer (courtesy of skills acquired via 13 years of USAF). My wife is a Neuroscience BSN/RN, but dropped the hospital scene about four years ago to homeschool the kids.

HOWEVER.... we do live in a very rural area, and raise goats. We'd LIKE to raise enough to support us comfortable. The meat goat market is largely unexploited right now...and we're heading in that direction, but it's a logistics issue and a lot of things have to happen first.

I can only AGREE with your post #105. Were we live, everybody "sits" on from 3 acres, to 30 acres. Homes are pretty spread out. People shoot regularly, and hunt. The only people who EVER complain are the lesbians who live through the woods behind us. They were also the ONLY ones in the entire little community who posted a Kerry/Edwards sign at the end of their driveway. Somebody kept removing it though. I'm sure they suspected me, but I had nothing to do with it.

Since my wife has a medical backround, she's become VERY good, VERY quickly with caprine veterinary science. HOWEVER, (to agree with you again!), knowlege is NO substitute for trusting the Lord. Animals get sick....changes in weather affect them....changes in diet....birthing can be difficult. We OFTEN ask the Lord to please bless, and protect our herd!

It's the "variables" of rural life that SHOULD cause people to fully rely on the Lord. We are actually amazed that people in more built up areas aren't more this way. Even though we only suppliment our income selling dairy and meat goats, there are so many variables that I do believe the experience has brought us closer to God.

[OB1kNOb]

Intellect -- the capacity for knowledge; the capacity for rational and intelligent thought. Can one be intellectual without a reasonable level of intelligence? Perhaps, although I don't know how. However, I know of intelligent idiots too....George Soros for example.

[DoughtyOne]

You and I will have to part ways on the adoration of city vs rural life.

[Constantine XIII]

I theorize that it has something to do with herd mentality, but I'm just a stupid hick, so what do I know. :P

[VOA]

tell you sons to crack open a few basic psychology texts and look for classic experiments
on what happens when population density is increased in rat colonies...

Then you will understand high-population density centers and the crazy things
done there by the largely DemocRATic populace...

[NetSurfer]

One word.

Main Entry: en·ti·tle·ment

Pronunciation: -'tI-t&l-m&nt

Function: noun

1 a : the state or condition of being entitled : RIGHT b : a right to benefits specified especially by law or contract

2 : a government program providing benefits to members of a specified group; also : funds supporting or distributed by such a program

[Hurricane Bruiser]

Rural areas tend to be people who are more independant and do not want to see the federal government taking their taxes and using it for entitlement programs. Rural people tend to have a higher regard for private property rights and are insulted by much of the environmentalism blather which comes from much in the media and city living folks who have no clue. Rural people tend to be more religious and thus place an emphasis on honest politicians who they can trust.

Inner City people I believe vote bases on their pocketbook since many of them are on welfare and want a larger government providing programs and money for them. Inner city people do not understand economics in my opinion and the arguments of the Dems make sense to them even though the Dem policies are actually worse economically for everyone. I think it comes down to people who are independant minded vs. dependant people.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Areas with denser populations tend to need more direct governmental support in terms of service---and employment. Areas with denser populations also tend to attract the most needy people, and needy people vote for those who support them---liberals. Areas with denser populations are often home to institutes of higher education and those who work in higher education, and academia skews liberal. Areas with denser populations attract those who fancy themselves cosmopolitan and erudite---often elements of a liberal mindset.

[MontanaBeth]

They believe that situation comedies are reality based and want to fit in like the "cool" people on TV. It's the collective mind meld of people with too much time on their hands and they don't have the will to investigate for themselves. They mistakenly believe that democrats are the "in crowd". They let the media supply the thoughts they are too lazy to supply for themselves.

[sasafras]

Its very simple for me

Urban areas include those that have gotten used to and expect handouts from the govt. Democrats are the party of handouts and what can the govt. do for me crowd.

Rural areas are more or less people who are more self -reliant and do not depend on or do not expect the govt. to provide them freebies.

This is where the republicans need to make in-roads with minorities. The govt is not the nipple and that they are empowered to achieve their potential w/o blaming others for their failure.

[PeteePie]

Let's see, the big city; swimming pools, movie stars, gays, the arts, big universities and their associated staff as well as voting age student bodies, sex shops, degenerates, homeless shelters and the people who enable them through misguided sympathy, government services centers (welfare offices), public transportation, free clinics, big media,...Not sure if I hit them all but that's some of the mitigating factors that strengthen the cancer upon which this nation bleeds its wealth and shapes the opinions and motivations of the liberal.

[ctdonath2]

Why do urban centers vote Democrat, and rural Republican? Because urban folk think meat comes out of a plastic wrapper.

Brilliantly summarized.

Urbanites have a great deal of legitimate concern about the gov't regulation of behavior. With high population density comes high probability of running into immoral/criminal/deviant/problematic people - so much so that there naturally arises a great many nit-picking laws defining punishable behavior. Jaywalking in Manhattan during rush hour can indeed cause great havoc interfering with many people and costing $$$ ... but from where I type this the concept of jaywalking is preposterous.

To advance the cause of freedom, we need to better understand the needs of sardine-packed urbanites, address their needs - and convince them that the rest of us indeed need to be left the he11 alone.

[iconoclast]

This isn't brain surgery.

Urban = black and/or union.

Suburban/rural = white non-union.

That's step 1.

The WHY may be more difficult.

Far be it from me to suggest IQ.

[iconoclast]

If you come up with an answer, let me know.

I've been puzzled by IOWA for years.

[iconoclast]

Houston is a HUGE municipality.

At least it was many years ago when I was there. In other words it 'includes" it's own suburbs, so to speak?

Correct me Houstonians.