Republican Vs Democrat, Urban living Vs Suburban/Rural living any connection?
Image by robot_zombie_monkey
A bunch of us went out to St. Johns to visit Eric’s (and Ben’s) chicks. This was their second time outside and they were having a grand old time.
Question by Paul G: Republican Vs Democrat, Urban living Vs Suburban/Rural living any connection?
Most cities seem to lean to the left, while most suburban/rural area lean to the right. Might be a chicken or the egg type question, but I wonder does city living make you more tolerant of situations outside your life due to the variety of things you see living in close proximity to others. Where as the gated/open spaces provide only the situations of others you chose to interact with in your life. Or do people congregate to these areas because of their already established ideas?
I’m asking why do you think this is, not if it is happening. I appreciate the answer received yet none of the 4 address why.
Give your answer to this question below!
8 Responses to Republican Vs Democrat, Urban living Vs Suburban/Rural living any connection?
Leave a Reply
Yes, that is correct. However, I live in a suburban town, and most people I know are Independents or Republican. I have met several Democrats, but they are not very left leaning, so I guess they are more close to Independent. Most cities lean to the left as the left supports less taxes on the poor and more special rights for minorities, who live in cities.
American Independent
August 15, 2012 at 11:37 am
city living drove us out of it
ssracing
August 15, 2012 at 11:38 am
I think most reps/whites left the city due to crime and poor schools (brought about due to all the minorities moving to the cities to be closer to the govt hand out programs)…that matches what I have experienced anyway.
Steelhead
August 15, 2012 at 11:51 am
Interesting question.
Maybe better suited for a religious discussion, I don’t know.
I can only say for myself that I have a natural dislike for city-life, and head to the country every chance I get. It feels cleaner and freer somehow.
Shrink
August 15, 2012 at 12:24 pm
That’s a solid question. And I hadn’t thought about that before, but it makes a lot of sense.
I’d think for sure that living in a big city around so many people would end up making you more tolerant of others.
It seems like with something like homosexuality, the people against it have had few, if any, dealings with gays. Where as people in the city are exposed to all walks of life and realize that we’re all equal despite our race or sexual preference (just an example)
My dog attacks the vac cleaner every time I use it because he doesn’t understand what it is and it makes a lot of noise. So in his mind, it must be a threat.
I think that analogy applies to humans as well.
Josh
August 15, 2012 at 12:53 pm
I’ve lived in both cities and in “suburbs”. Although I do think that urbanites are Democrats in general, and others trend toward Republicans, I don’t think it’s because cities make you more tolerant. I think it’s because most city-dwellers are poor and they vote Democrat because they believe Democrats will enlarge entitlements.
Republicans, contrary to the uneducated viewpoint, are very concerned about the disadvantaged. They just believe that the best way to help them is to create more jobs for them. They don’t believe that handing out money is a long-term solution. You may disagree with that philosophy, but I don’t think it’s a bad one, and it’s definitely not spawned from intolerance.
Farly the Seer
August 15, 2012 at 1:31 pm
I can think of a few examples of seemingly direct effects:
Gun laws might make some sense in big cities. They don’t make sense on a farm, or quiet suburbs where there is not much violence to begin with (not to mention, police response times are much longer when the population is spread out).
Pollution is a major concern for people who live in cities, if you live in a less dense area and the air you breathe is clean, it doesn’t seem like an issue.
Cities are where immigrants typically go to be near extended immigrant families, find job opportunities, and blend in as much as possible. If you live in a smaller town, its hard to blend in.
I don’t think one is better than the other, I do think we need to let each state decide whats important for itself.
john_mcd_77
August 15, 2012 at 1:56 pm
It has nothing to do with tolerance. Urban areas are populated by poor people and young people, while the surburbs are populated by rich, older people. That’s what drives it.
ebmid2
August 15, 2012 at 2:14 pm