The Top 10 Conservative Cities. Luckily, I wouldn’t want to live in any of these places anyway (though I hear Clarksville, Tenn. has a real wild nightlife).
I think it’s clear that when it comes to urban life, liberals just do it better.
Where Not to Move
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Nothing in Orange County made the list?
Cincinnati?… pathetic. It’s not even that conservative. Kerry won 49.27% of the vote in Steve Chabot’s gerrymandered district (Paul Hackett won 48% in the adjacent 2nd). In Hamilton county, Kerry got 47.09% of the vote overall, compared to 43.13% for Bill Clinton in 1996. In a few years this region’s going to be Democrat. If I were Chabot I’d be building those connections in the private sector right about now…
Liked the loaded descriptions of the liberal cities. I’m proud that Madison was one of the top 10-woot, woot!
But who in their right mind plans a vacation to sunny Provo, Utah? Um, I thought not.
Yes, I was quite proud that my city of birth (Seattle), my city of residence (New York), and my city of (hopefully) eventual residence sometime in the distant future (San Francisco) all made the list. Plus I do love Portland and Berkeley. Never been to Madison, but I’ve heard good things. Ditto for Boston. The most unfortunate selection is Newark, but I’m judging only based on the airport, which is miserable (and probably not a good indicator of any city).
I don’t know how good their metrics are, but I’m still inclined to believe their results. I spent two weeks in Colorado Springs one summer, and that was -quite- enough, thank you. The Rockies are lovely, but I could do without the Springs.
I wonder how much a city skewing liberal has to do with its student population? I notice most of the cities that made the liberal list are big college towns.
(And Boston is #2! Go Beantown! Though that comment about Tip O’Neill is weird.)
Ha, I’ve lived in 2 of the conservative cities. Mesa makes a nice bedroom community for people who can’t afford Tempe or Scottsdale–though it’s crawling with Mormons, I wouldn’t knock it overall.
But there is no excuse for Plano, Texas. You couldn’t pay me to go back there.
Plano is a tragic suburban wasteland and this post is just one more reason I can give to my sister I was right to call things off w/2 very nice guys who live there. Not just b/c they live in Plano mind you, but it was a big factor in terms of traffic/drive time. In the case of the 2nd guy his dislike of seafood (no sushi!), cheese (no pizza?) and basketball kinda sealed the deal there.
Give it up for Sea-town!
Dude. I’m from Boston, went to law school in DC, live in SF, work in Berkeley, and my best friend lives in Seattle. BEAUTIFUL. That list is like a blank-verse ode to my past, present, and putative domiciles.
Plus I do love Portland
We love you too.
I find it oddly fitting that I have or have had family members living in at least five of the ten conservative cities listed. But I’m sad to read that I have to add Krispy Kreme, Domino’s, and BEST BUY (damnit!) to my “only-in-an-emergency” list.
Is there no end to the shame of living in Utah?
*wails, gnashes teeth*
Really Boise isn’t that bad. I mean I don’t know anything about its politics, but I was there for a bowl game – I was in my school’s pep band – and we were playing one of the big Idaho universities – yet everyone was so incredibly kind and friendly and welcoming to us. I rather liked Boise. Except the spraining my thumb trying to ski part wasn’t quite so fun but… well.
Boston rather than Cambridge? Cambridge, if I remember correctly, was one of three cities in Massachusetts whose clerks declined to check residency before issuing licenses to gay couples (the other two were, I believe, Provincetown (duh) and my own Worcester), and I’ve never heard Boston referred to as the People’s Republic.
i don’t know if this is funny or sad, but it took me awhile to figure out that the descriptions of the liberal cities were supposed to be perjorative. i read madison’s and thought “right on!” and then wondered why tammy baldwin got 0% on something. i guess i should pay attention to whose web page it is… yaaay tammy, 0%!
Ledasmom, practically everyone who doesn’t live in the state thinks Cambridge is part of Boston, so it’s an understandable mistake. Besides, how much research do you think these people actually did?
I did not know that Worcester was one of the cities that wasn’t checking residence. Wormtown has really started improving these past few years. (Now if only they could start cleaning up the police department…)
I live in Colorado Springs. Somebody shoot me now.
Doesn’t it at least have mountains?
BTW, Magis, what *are* you doing in Utah?
Utah is a great place to vacation; it has beautiful parks. We’ve had a couple of vacations there, going from park to park. Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef …
I don’t know that Provo is the optimal town to station yourself for seeing the parks, though.
zuzu:
Some of us have to be in the resistance. It’s a dirty job but….
Yes, the backdrop are the achingly beautiful Wasatch mountains (if you can see them for the freaking smog). Edmund Hillary called them the most beautiful mountains in the world.
Mosquitos, avacado seeds and Mormons on the Wasatch all prove God has a twisted sense of humor.
True story:
Young high school woman I knew is on BYU campus which is sponsoring a debate meet. All of a sudden a campus cop is running toward her.
“On your knees!” he says
“What?” she says (thinking god knows what in her head)
“On your knees and right now!” he says
So she does. He skirt didn’t touch the pavement. She was kicked off the campus and had to go sit in the school bus until the tourney was over (with ruined nylon knees).
She was a brilliant girl and BYU later tried to recruit her with a debate scholarship (she was sorta Mormon). He sent them back a two-word message.
She
Uh, why did the kampus kop do that?
Yeah, I notice the cool cities are all liberal. Coincidence?
Though I’m saddened to see that the one city in Arizona with a substantial Jewish population made the conservative list.
Also, yes, Portland rocks. If they could just do something about their lack of any math grad programs I’d move back there in a heartbeat.
Mandos, if your skirt is immodestly short it won’t touch the ground when you kneel.
What the hell, in for a dime in for a dollar.
Ahem….
It has come to my attention that some of the women on this blog are still dressing like “whores from Babylon.”
Try the URL below to see how a modest woman should dress. Rememer “Modest is Hotest!”
http://www.jennysmith.net/yw/mormon-modesty.php
No, it is not satire.
Take heart. Half of the cities listed as Conservative still have a fairly healthy alternative newsweekly. Which means they’ve got at least an element of “progressive” there.
human, it’s interesting that they imply that Boise is in the 2nd district in Idaho when really the district line bisects Boise. I live in the 1st District where there’s an open seat this year where Butch Otter once was, and there’s a pretty formiddable candidate running on the Democrats’ side. Maybe I’m living in a dreamland, but in an off-election year, I think Idaho – and even Boise – could surprise the nation this election year.
human, it’s interesting that they imply that Boise is in the 2nd district in Idaho when really the district line bisects Boise. I live in the 1st District where there’s an open seat this year where Butch Otter once was, and there’s a pretty formiddable candidate running on the Democrats’ side. Maybe I’m living in a dreamland, but in an off-election year, I think Idaho – and even Boise – could surprise the nation this election year.
Also, I think it’s interesting that Provo, UT is listed as the number one city – just as conservatives are freaking out over the idea of a Mormon (Mitt Romney) running for president. Utah’s conservatism is pretty different than, say, that of Texas. Just goes to show that the red-blue map makes this country look a lot more homogenous than it actually is.
Doh.
Well, I think they’re freaking out over Romney less because he’s a Mormon and more because Massachusetts allowed same-sex marriage on his watch, despite his opposition.
I live a 10 minutes away from downtown Detroit – in my opinion it’s liberal, but not as liberal as Ann Arbor ( home of U. Michigan ). Metro-Detroit, on the other hand, is very racial-minded. Which is hilarious, because we have every race and ethnic group known to man taking up residence here. Various groups of Arabs, Africans, Asians, Europeans, you name it.
I do love Madison, though. Considering it as a future home. :)
I’m considering Madison as well. Being thoroughly Midwestern, I have little desire to move to either coast, but Boston & the Bay area do tempt me occassionally. I’m content with visits.
I’ve never considered Detroit, but I suppose I should. It’s got water (in the form of a large lake), which is a key consideration for me.
I had the unfortunate experience of living in Phoenix, not too far from Mesa & Tempe. It was horrible.
Ron –
Detroit is a wonderful city with many amazing features in its suburbs. I’m telling you though, Ann Arbor is a beautiful, liberal, organic college town. 45 minutes away from Detroit and just outside the metro area. Lakes and woods all around.
I’ve visited Phoenix quite often as well. Crime and smog. Ugh. I don’t know how those people breathe. Pity – all that beautiful desert is being built up.
I can’t tell you how happy I am to see someone standing up for The D, the city of my birth.
I second the sentiment on Ann Arbor. Lived there for seven years (including my time at U-M) and I have to say it’s one of my favorite places. If I weren’t where I am now, I’d go back to A^2 in a second.
I’ve only been to Ann arbor twice. Once when looking at colleges with 2 HS friends. We spent most of our time looking for parties and hoping to get naked with a college girl. The second was a couple years later during a stop-over when following the Dead from WI to ME. I spent the time ingesting legal & illegal substances and getting naked in a hot tub. If I make it three, I’ll stay sober, keep my pants on, and actually look around.
I join the hallelujah chorus on Ann Arbor. If you want to be in the midwest and don’t want to be in Chicago, it’s a damn fine choice.
Yeah, and 78% of us voted Kerry in 2004.
Zuzu – are you referring to the Glee Club?
Nah. The law school version was the Headnotes.
Ah, did you by chance dorm in the rooms across from the law library, with the magnificent courtyard in between? It’s one of my favorite places on campus.
Yes, I did. Unfortunately, I chose a room above one of the archways (on South U) and discovered too late how much they amplified voices.
Newarrrrk…! Ah, Dirty Jerz representin’…I like how they called my home state “a Democratic enclave,” as if it’s something they’ll have to burn out when the Great Struggle finally comes to a head. After college in the horrible and atavistic backwaters of south-central PA working in Newark is a kind of relief. I couldn’t be prouder to be held in contempt by people like that.
Hot Damn! Texas takes two! Take that, all you whiney “Oh dear me, I live in such a Red State” complainers.
[Yes, I'm aware that this is some strange kind of self-inflicted schadenfreude. Pity me. It comes from living in Texas, I'm sure]
I live in Mesa now, to be close to my ageing parents, who live on the other side of Mesa. But my congresscritter is not Jeff Flake. It’s actually J.D. “Blowdried Former Weatherman” Hayworth, who is arguably the dumbest man in Congress. He’s so embarrassing that I’ve half considered running for office because I know I could do better.
Mesa may come across as a small town, but has in excess of 400,000 residents (not counting the thousands that come to town every October and stay until March). I’ve lived here 5 years and the demographics of the city are definitely changing. A significant proportion of the residents speak Spanish as their first language. The white fathers of the city consistently ignore these people except to vilify them…unless they’re crusing by Broadway and Gilbert Rds. looking for day labor. Yep, that’s the hypocrisy of living here.
Agreed and then some. I’m in Flagstaff, and the only thing that makes being represented by Rick “Won’t even bother moving his family in from Vermont” Renzi is that I’m no longer represented by Hayworth. That guy has to be the dumbest guy in Congress, and that is no small feat.
Why am I not surprised I live in #3?
I wasn’t born here, I swear!
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