"The unteachable ignorance of the red states"

[robinsre]

Originally Posted by Delija

What is to the point is saying that "If you took out the big cities...etc."....is like saying "if the Queen had balls, she'd be the King". I mean seriously......people do live in large cities. What would you propose? Move them all to farms so they'd change their politics? Put them in concentration camps?

"High reliance on the government for everything"...what does this mean? They like paved roads and safe bridges? I read constantly about the US being a "welfare state"....why do I not know of anyone on welfare? It isn't because of where I live or who I know...it's more that it's a talking point far more than a reality. If people get food stamps, wow...that's really living "high on the hog" as we've been told here (by the expected source).

I think you're Over-extrapolating Delija. I didn't see anything in his post about being better off without large cities. What I saw was an opinion that city dwellers tend to become complacent and reliant upon uniquely city services for every-day life, and to some degree I agree.

Let's use the tired old analogy of police protection.

I live in an urban environment. In my last apartment I could throw a rock out my window and hit the local police substation. Did it make me feel safer? No. I recognize how quickly crime can occur, and how stretched our local police force is. I do know a lot of folks to whom it imparted that "warm fuzzy feeling" inside. They'd tend to say "the police will protect us"....then if it didn't happen they'd be OUTRAGED that this organization filled with fallible humans somehow failed to live up to their superhuman expectations.

Contrastingly my wife's uncle lives in rural Idaho. There's a state route that runs through his land. The county Sheriff came by when he moved there and told him : "This area gets frequented by some wierd types, if you ever feel the need to call 911 you'd better have a gun in your hand because the closest officer is generally about 30-40 minutes away."

He's never been the type of person to "expect police protection" because he's never been the type of person where police protection was ALWAYS readily available.

Is this saying that city dwellers are somehow less human, or inferior to rural folks. Absolutely not. What it's saying is that the comforts afforded by urban living can often cultivate the natural human tendency toward unpreparedness.

[setabkcin]

Originally Posted by PackerfanXD

I say we grab our guns, meet at the church and plan another a war...

Tell me when and where. I'll bring some buddies.

[FrankRizzoXD40]

Originally Posted by FLSTFI Dave

We do not want San Fransico values as in our neck of the woods

Thank god for the electoral college.

Frank

[UncleBuck]

Originally Posted by Etta Place

By the way, Jane Smiley is a Pulitzer-prize winning novelist.

By the way George Bush is the POTUS.

[mgeoffriau]

I see this type of attitude as being implicit in the vast majority of the political left, as evidenced by their paternalistic policies that insist individuals neither have the ability nor the right to take care of themselves.

[FrankRizzoXD40]

Originally Posted by mgeoffriau

I see this type of attitude as being implicit in the vast majority of the political left, as evidenced by their paternalistic policies that insist individuals neither have the ability nor the right to take care of themselves.

I agree. They feel that the government should be taking care of them and anyone who disagrees is ignorant, unteachable, and must be clinging to something out of bitterness...

Frank

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by mgeoffriau

I see this type of attitude as being implicit in the vast majority of the political left, as evidenced by their paternalistic policies that insist individuals neither have the ability nor the right to take care of themselves.

I do agree with this.

[FLSTFI Dave]

Originally Posted by Delija

First off, it sounds like you are talking about the old "DixieCrats", but that's beside the point. Not really, that is much of TN, GA, SC, MS, AL, LA.

What is to the point is saying that "If you took out the big cities...etc."....is like saying "if the Queen had balls, she'd be the King". I mean seriously......people do live in large cities. What would you propose? Move them all to farms so they'd change their politics? Put them in concentration camps? Not at all against big Cities, I have lived in Boston, MA, Philly, Charelston SC, Detroit MI, and Jacksonville FL. The point is, in big Cites you have a large entitelment crowd. People rely on the govenment for all their services, they need huge police, fire and such. All this tends to infulance how one votes. You see police every day in the City, its been two years since a police car as been with in 3 miles of my house.

"High reliance on the government for everything"...what does this mean? Go to Detroit, New Orleans, Chicago, and it is easy to see what I mean. Very large percentages of the population are on welfrare, food stamps and HUD housing. They like paved roads and safe bridges? No, every one needs that, I mean huge police forces, huge fire departments, hug hospiticals to give free medical care to the entitlement crowd. I read constantly about the US being a "welfare state"....why do I not know of anyone on welfare? Nore do I personally know any one on welfare, but I did know several on food stamps while I was active duty. It isn't because of where I live or who I know Lets see, most welfare people are not on a job, so you would not meet them there, they do not live in middle class neighboor hoods, you would not meet them there. ...it's more that it's a talking point far more than a reality. If people get food stamps, wow...that's really living "high on the hog" as we've been told here (by the expected source). Not say they are high on the hog, I knew E-5's in the military on food stamps, far from high on the hog, but it sure infulances how you vote.

"Elite colleges tend to be blue"...what does that imply? Do you feel about them like you seem to about large cities? Better off without them? Colleges are great, and needed. Just the vast majority of the Proffesors are very far to the left in their views. Even in the shcools are not noted bastions of liberalism. I went to U Conn for a year, every proffesor I had was liberal. I then went to ODU in VA for a year, again all liberals, and then I did two years to complete my Degree at Southern Illinois University, again all liber proffesors except two. I went to so many schools, because I earned my dgree while on active duty as an enlisted man.

As far as union workers not doing their share of hard work....this is based on what? I grew up in the Heart of UAW country, MI. My mothers father was UAW at Oldsmobile. You would not believe the numbers sleeping on the job, drunk at work. Dad also was UAW for four years at Pontiac. My Brother was UAW for 10 years, before he switched to a none UAW auto plant where he still is. UAW tows the Democrat line.....they get nasty with members who do not follow suit.

Tennessee is "for prayers in school" and "the Ten Commandments on the courts and so on"...

Yeah, Tennessee is very typical of the religious beliefs of the rest of America. Scopes trial and so on. Bills introduced to require "intelligent design" to be taught in science classes. Tennessee is ONE STATE and quite unique about it's ideas about religion in schools. And very far from representative of the rest of the US. From what I have seen in GA, SC, MS and AL and LA TN is not all that different from them.

Ten Commandments on the courts? (Where...over the judges head? Outside on a monument? Where? Why?). Why not? This country was found on freedom of religion, not Freedom From religion....

Which version of the Ten Commandments? (yes, there is more than one). Who gets to choose? Which ever one the state wants


Why is it that a state or the people in that state can't just leave a private matter (religion) private? They didn't for the first 180 years, and it worked good, why change it?

If I hang the Ten Commandments above my bed, does that make me any more religious than if I don't? More spiritual? More observant?
and most importantly.....Will God like me more? No

I personally could not care less if the courthouses in Tennessee had their walls engraved with the entire Bible. Wouldn't bother me or offend me in the least. But if my tax money were used to do it, I'd think it was an enormous waste of money. Wouldn't it be cheaper to just hand out bibles to everyone who walks into the courthouse? They could do it right at the metal detector stations. Give us a gun, get a bible....LOL

Sorry dude...Guess I'm still a little sour on Tenn ....I'm still pissed at getting a $200 speeding ticket in Tenn. in December for going 9 MPH over the limit with out of state plates. Cop didn't even wish me a 'merry Christmas" (after I did to him!). Try getting pulled over in LA, just out side New Orleans.....6 over, Officer told me the speed, and I started to ask a question, he said save it for the Judge......

Peace,
D.

I am not down on big citys or colleges, but pointing out why areas vote differently. I spent from the time I was 18 until 40 living in Cities. I moved very rural at 40. I grew up in MI, in a medium city.

I also remember as an E-4 in the Navy being elgible for food stamps when we had my first daughter. I refused them. I do not believe in Handouts, and still do not. I did work to raise three girls, and while doing so put myself thru college. Dumb me, got a degree in Education (teaching degree). I earn about 4 times more as an electronics tech as I did teaching in a community college

[Etta Place]

Originally Posted by Frenchy

Let's just say SF's values are unique to them. They would not work for me, or many in my part of the country.

What are San Francisco values?

[Etta Place]

Originally Posted by FLSTFI Dave

Exactly, and Obamas comment was very offensive to many Democrats in my state. Most people in my state, are very religious, almost all own guns, and we are not bitter. Why would I be bitter, I have a great job, and make 4 times the average income in my state....But it sure felt like Obama was talking down to me....

He was talking about towns in Pennsylvania where they have seen a mass exodus of their jobs to other countries.