Do you live in a red city and/or red state, and if so, why?

[ecstatic]

Poll question: Do you live in a red city and/or red state, and if so, why?

I'm in a blue city/ red state. Yes, I'm disgusted by the fact that I'm living in a red state--but it helps that I'm in and surrounded by some blue cities.

First off, the cost of living is great down here in Atlanta, GA. My friends up north pay more to rent a studio apartment than my mortgage for a 3bdrm townhome. Gas prices are somewhat cheaper down here, but not much. Also, the weather is great! I don't have to worry about earthquakes or major hurricanes. The slightly higher salaries up north do not compensate for the much higher prices in every aspect of life in northern/blue states.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. because that is where I'm supposed to be

there are incredible pockets of progressives here, along with many mystics, holistic and alternative healers, organic farmers, folks using solar and other alternative energy. There just aren't as many of us voting as the other kind of folks.

[eileen_d]

2. I don't believe in the divisions

so I voted "other"...

[AX10]

3. Red area, very blue state.

[Maestro]

4. Red city, red state

Because this is my home! We were once very blue until that carpet bagging piece of shit came to town. I'm stayin' and fightin'!

[maggiegault]

5. I Live In Phoenix, Arizona

Which is where our lives and jobs are. Traditionally, Arizona is a very red state. Then again, the voters can be independent cusses, too, as witnessed by the recent election, where voters shot down Prop 107, the "marriage amendment" barring nuptials for gays. We also re-elected our wildly popular governor, Janet Napolitano, who is both a Democrat and "lives an alternative lifestyle." And perhaps best, we unseated GOP smarmy puke J.D. Hayworth for Democrat upstart Harry Mitchell.

[tularetom]

6. I'm in a red county in a blue state

I'm here because I've lived here for over 50 years (since age 10) except for a few years in the service and at college. There are a lot of dumbasses here (I'm related to a few of them) but there are some good people here also. Actually some of the dumbasses are good people too and a few of them have awakened and seen the light about bush.

[tanyev]

7. Red city, red state because that's where hubby's job is.

I'd love to move to Austin.

[ananda]

8. Texas

Texas -is- special, though. It's crazy red, not just red...
so many stupidities and strange contradictions and
weirdness. Rightwingers here just do not have the
capacity to think in heartbased nuances, but they
are going to become the minority at some point.

I live in Houston now, but I'm moving to Austin soon.
Can't take the size, the frenetic materialistic energy,
nor the traffic.

Sue

[seabeyond]

9. i was being really bad in reno and having way too much fun

my father had been transferred to texas. i generally behave and live more responsibly if i live near my parents. good girl syndrome. i moved to texas to get out of my bad girl phase. i was ready to move back out of state after 5 years here and boom. got married to a texan. i will never be allowed to leave. i will be forced to be buried on texas soil. when i married hubby he promised me i would get out of this state quarterly. our compromise.

[Nikia]

10. Red county (fairly rural), Blue state (WI)

I have a job here. We live in a nice big house for a relatively low price. My husband, an only child, has wanted to live within driving distance of his parents.
Even though I was shocked at how red this county is seeing the state election results for the county, people voting Democrat are still not a small minority. I don't feel bad being part of 30% minority around here. I am actually more of a minority being college educated than being Democrat in this county. Consider that a number of DUers are part of a much smaller minority (religious, ethnic/racial, sexual orientation, etc.) where they live.

[Mend]

11. it was blue here in Florida 30 years ago...

our house is for sale but the market is slow.

[Not Me]

12. Florida should be indigo blue,

IF people voted their best interests. This place amazes me.

[HockeyMom]

20. Moving to Florida next summer

Tops on my list of to do things: register as an Independent (taking no chances, leaving them guessing), and write my Living Will (one Teri Schiavo is enough).

We are just staying long enough UNTIL retirement (5 years or so). Then, Westward Ho!

[Mend]

27. welcome, we need more DUer's here. eom

[Dastard Stepchild]

13. Blue city, blue state because of this city alone....

well, maybe a few others. But were it not for Chicago, I think this would be a red state.

[rsr1771]

14. Red city, Florida

I live in an area of northwest Florida which could not be more conservative. Even nutty Katherine Harris got more votes here than Nelson. However, I grew up here and love the area and the people.

I do not judge people based on who they voted for or whether they still support the war in Iraq. If I did, I would be pretty isolated. People are much deeper than their politics- I look at what they do, who they are, how they treat other people, etc. Besides, it makes for good conversation. Who wants to live in an echo chamber?

[cwydro]

15. Blue city

Key West. Red state I guess. I don't want to be anywhere else anytime soon.

[Rosemary2205]

16. My part of Atlanta is stark raving purple.

and I like it that way.

[tammywammy]

17. Red City, Red State

Because it's home and I like it here.

I have a great job with great co-workers. Just because the city/state's labeled "red" doesn't mean there aren't any progressives out there. I've found in political discussions at work, that the majority here are "moderate" but leaning left.

[cosmik debris]

18. Cost and climate

It cost 25% more to live in Portland Oregon than in Waco, Tx. And we are expecting a high of 78 degrees today. Last night's low was 63.

We have our problems, but climate and cost of living aren't among them.

[Lex]

19. Because my whole extended family lives nearby and it is home to me.

Love this place. :thumbsup:

[treestar]

21. Blue city and blue state, but it's just luck

If blue people stay in red states, that's a good thing. Why leave the freepers to their own little corners where they will never be challenged at all? They would just get worse, having a social validation to their hatred; and now they tolerate us as at least being American, but if the geographical separation were even more pronounced, they could get themselves whipped up into feeling they are "under attack" from the blue and have to "defend themselves," and we know what that means.

[Breeze54]

22. Many from the north are heading south...

WEEKLY NEWS 1: Americans Moving South and West

http://www.kidsnewsroom.org/newsissues/070105/index.asp?page=Weekly

Many people in the United States are migrating from big cities, such as
Boston, Massachusetts, and San Francisco, California, to warmer climate
areas in the western and southern parts of the country.

The U.S. Census Bureau released figures on June 30, 2005, that showed a
continuing trend in people choosing to live in mid-size cities in states
like Florida and Nevada. The South and the West are home to all of the top
10 fastest growing cities with a population of at least 10,000 people.

Gilbert, Arizona, was at the top of the Census Bureau’s list, followed by
North Las Vegas, Nevada; Port St. Lucie, Florida; and Roseville, California.

Both San Francisco and Boston were among the cities losing the largest amount
of citizens between April 2000 and July 2004. Boston saw more than 19,000 people
leave while San Francisco lost 32,000.

More at link....

===============

Red state, Blue state by Christa MacDonald

http://www.infuzemag.com/staff/lucas/archives/2006/05/red_state_blue.html

May 28, 2006 | Sunday, 08:00 AM

Red state, Blue state by Christa MacDonald

I live in the bluest of blue states. Massachusetts. In fact, I think if you asked
the average person on the street to name the most liberal state in the union they
would probably pick Massachusetts first or second just about every time.
Gay marriage has put us over the top.

This May I traveled with my husband, kids and my dad to Arkansas for a family reunion
of sorts. We rented a minivan and drove the 1500 miles to Hot Springs. I was a little
worried about driving so far south with Massachusetts license plates. Would we get
pulled over every other state? Would our car get egged?

We made our journey there and back unmolested. No one egged us, or rode our bumper
or even gave us a dirty look. If we were honked at, it was probably bad driving
(not mine of course).

More at link....

=============================================

If that exodus has continued (and it has) then those
southern "red" states will be "blue" before we know it! :)



I lived in the SW 12 yrs ago and moved back to, the now,
bluest state in the nation! What a relief!! lmao!

But all the people I met across the country (mostly) were very nice!
It was the bureaucracy that was different. That rethug attitude.
I wasn't used to that....

[B Calm]

23. I live in a Red State for SPITE!

[Broken_Hero]

24. red city/new blue state(I believe.)

SW Missouri here...and since Claire McGaskill won, against Jim No Talent...I say our state has turned a bit more blue, than red...although, its still very damn red in the county I live in.

I live in a red city, because its cheap, its close to where my wife works...its not like I wanted to live in this city...the house/land we got was just what we were looking for.

[catmandu57]

25. So do I just a couple of hundred miles north of you

The corners in this state suck, I'm not sure of the NE corner though, Hannibal is a pretty nice blue town. My corner and your corner suck big green ones.
I'm here because my wife's family is here and her feet are set in concrete, if I could I would have lit out for New Mexico years ago, as it is I'm here and I'll have to be like sand in oil, keep these red bastards feet to the fire.

[Broken_Hero]

26. Thats the truth...

when people find out my wife and I are dems, they take a double take...they usually give us a weird look and say "But you are so, nice..." Its hysterical...:D This county is pretty red...but this past election, it was a bit more bluer than usually...the voting numbers werent' as skewed to the right as I thought they were...in 04, this county went big to W...

My wife and I are pretty much cemented here for now...down the road though, we plan on moving back to my home state of Alaska...I can only take so much, you know...:D

[BlackVelvet04]

28. I live here for a couple of reasons.....

first and foremost it is where my elderly parents live and I moved back to this area 5 years ago to spend time with them.

But, on top of that it's a geographically beautiful area. I live in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains just minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway. The two states I love most are beautiful because of terrain, not politics.

I don't feel the need to live somewhere because of politics. There are pockets of progressives where I live and I join with them when I need sanity from some of the more vociferous fundamentalists.

At least here I can still find restaurants where we can have a cigarette with our glass of wine and I find that in many ways the red-staters are less inclined to want a nanny government. They are even starting to question the heavy handed use of law enforcement and Homeland Security.

My husband and I have made a little haven of privacy in the country and surround ourselves with our family and friends and although we sometimes disagree on politics the love and support we give each other makes up for it.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

29. Why? Cause I'd Find It Ridiculously Petty If I Used That As Criteria For What Town To Buy A House In

My wife would also probably think I was an irrational nutcase if I brought up such a thing.

You move to a town cause you need to (commute, costs, etc) or because you like the area, house or town in general. I don't know a single person who has at the top of the list of criteria how the town voted in a previous election.

[caraher]

30. "Red/red" because I teach at a small liberal arts college...

It's often depressing, but these are also the people that need to wake up and think. So I try to see it as an opportunity. The existence of a college helps a lot, as faculty are generally more "blue" even at the most conservative colleges (at least those who maintain any reasonable degree of academic integrity).

[dkofos]

31. I'm stuck here

[Moloch]

32. Red state, blue city.

Newport News, Virginia

[lynne]

33. My family has been here since the mid 1700's -

- it is my home, I love it here and have no plans to move no matter what color it is or what color it becomes.

[Blue_In_AK]

34. I'm in Anchorage, Alaska,

which I called a blue city (since we have a progressive Democratic mayor, Mark Begich, in his second term) in a red state (with Republican governor Sarah Palin and Republican majority in the state legislature). I stay here because it's beautiful and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else, and because of the general "live and let live" attitude around here. I'm not crazy about crowds, so living in a state 1/5 the size of the rest of the US with only about 600,000 people suits me just fine.

[Clark2008]

35. Blue city, red county, red state.

My family's all here, so I wouldn't want to move.