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As I became more educated, I suppose I realized the two parties aren't so different anymore. I used to be a big believer in Reagan's nine scariest words in the English language. But now Republicans are basically Socially Conservative Democrats. And as I became less socially conservative, the more I realized that they weren't the party for me.
My grandfather, a life long Democrat, used to say "Republicans today are nothing more than Kennedy Democrats." He died in 2002, I wonder what he would say now.
Quote:North Carolina is a weird state. It's currently controlled by the Republicans, but in 2008 it went for Obama, and is trending more and more moderate/liberal and less and less conservative. In the western part of the state, where I spend a lot of time, there are a lot of houses with confederate flags out front and people seem to be pretty republican/conservative. It's in the bigger cities like Charlotte and the university triangle (Duke, UNC, etc) that there are a lot more liberals. The better educated people tend to be democrats. But the Democrats don't seem to turn out for local or statewide races, hence the Republican control of the legislature and governership. I have read some experts who say North Carolina will become a blue state in the future because of the types of people who are moving there.
Yep. My husband had to explain all of this to me when I moved up here a few years ago. He's lived here his whole life (43 years) so he's familiar with all of this. He thinks it's weird too. Lol.
The thing that really surprised me is the number of northern retirees (New York, Philly, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Mass., etc.) who live in my area (Moore County). And they're the wealthier ones and are mostly democrats. They have tried many times to rearrange the area to fit the 'northern way' and the locals (mostly republicans) are all like- If you want the northern way, go back and take your democrat ideas with you. It's an interesting place to live when it comes to stuff like this.
Supposedly almost 300K (291k+) republicans didn't vote in the last election. I don't know if that's just local and state, the info didn't go into detail. NC does have a lot of folks in the military that are stationed elsewhere and probably didn't vote by absentee ballot, but that's still a lot of folks in just one party who didn't vote. Who knows how many democrats didn't vote.
Quote:Yep. My husband had to explain all of this to me when I moved up here a few years ago. He's lived here his whole life (43 years) so he's familiar with all of this. He thinks it's weird too. Lol.
The thing that really surprised me is the number of northern retirees (New York, Philly, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Mass., etc.) who live in my area (Moore County). And they're the wealthier ones and are mostly democrats. They have tried many times to rearrange the area to fit the 'northern way' and the locals (mostly republicans) are all like- If you want the northern way, go back and take your democrat ideas with you. It's an interesting place to live when it comes to stuff like this.
Supposedly almost 300K (291k+) republicans didn't vote in the last election. I don't know if that's just local and state, the info didn't go into detail. NC does have a lot of folks in the military that are stationed elsewhere and probably didn't vote by absentee ballot, but that's still a lot of folks in just one party who didn't vote. Who knows how many democrats didn't vote.
Please explain the underlined part.
Quote:Please explain the underlined part.
When Yankees move in they tend to bring their Yankee ideas with them and try to implement them in their new homes. Some call this "The purple-ing of the South."
Nevermind that they're moving South to get away from the culture that those Yankee ideas created.
Quote:When Yankees move in they tend to bring their Yankee ideas with them and try to implement them in their new homes. Some call this "The purple-ing of the South."
Nevermind that they're moving South to get away from the culture that those Yankee ideas created.
Please explain the underlined part. What is an example of a "Yankee idea?"
Quote:Please explain the underlined part. What is an example of a "Yankee idea?"
higher taxes
increased business regulation including oppressive environmental regulations
increased power for organized labor
fewer personal and private property rights
Basically the Democratic Party platform full of ideas that made the places they left less desirable than the places they are moving to.
Heavy code enforcement is another Yankee trend
They also tend to complain about our water yet they say it wrong!
Quote:Please explain the underlined part.
Pretty much what has already been stated. They don't like anything about the area so they get involved in local politics or schmooze with those who are and things start changing. One of the biggest things that made a fuss here, and this was before I moved here, was traffic circles which apparently are popular up north. The yankees decided they needed some around town and they got their way and no less than 3 traffic circles are here.
This area is small. Very small. And with many older folks who aren't getting any younger. The accidents these circles have caused is ridiculous. There are many who want them gone now, but unfortunately the center of one has somehow become the sanctuary for some endangered bird and the trees there cannot be disturbed. So now the town is stuck with at least one traffic circle no one wants that causes all sorts of problems because some yankees thought it would be a great idea.
And I've heard some talking about how they would change this and that and yada yada to be more like 'back home'. I'm like- go back home if it was so great. It's not like they're war refugees. They retired here knowing what the area is like.
Quote:Pretty much what has already been stated. They don't like anything about the area so they get involved in local politics or schmooze with those who are and things start changing. One of the biggest things that made a fuss here, and this was before I moved here, was traffic circles which apparently are popular up north. The yankees decided they needed some around town and they got their way and no less than 3 traffic circles are here.
This area is small. Very small. And with many older folks who aren't getting any younger. The accidents these circles have caused is ridiculous. There are many who want them gone now, but unfortunately the center of one has somehow become the sanctuary for some endangered bird and the trees there cannot be disturbed. So now the town is stuck with at least one traffic circle no one wants that causes all sorts of problems because some yankees thought it would be a great idea.
And I've heard some talking about how they would change this and that and yada yada to be more like 'back home'. I'm like- go back home if it was so great. It's not like they're war refugees. They retired here knowing what the area is like.
Well, I don't know whom you have met, but I have met quite a few people who have moved to North Carolina from all over, and the reason they moved is simply the beauty of the state. It has nothing to do with their politics or escaping the hell they created elsewhere.
And because they love the beauty of North Carolina, a lot of them and a lot of the long term locals do not want to de-regulate things like building codes and growth restrictions and pollution laws. In fact, in a lot of areas, we need more restrictions on growth. In the area I frequent, which is the extreme western end of the state, buildings are going up all over the place with no regard for anything. They just clear a space, even take off the top of a mountain, and put up a building. This needs to be controlled or North Carolina will lose its natural beauty. I'm rolling down a beautiful highway and bang! there's a tire store. What the heck is a tire store doing out in the middle of nowhere?
So, put me down in the camp of more regulation, not less. At least when it comes to western North Carolina.
Quote:Well, I don't know whom you have met, but I have met quite a few people who have moved to North Carolina from all over, and the reason they moved is simply the beauty of the state. It has nothing to do with their politics or escaping the hell they created elsewhere.
And because they love the beauty of North Carolina, a lot of them and a lot of the long term locals do not want to de-regulate things like building codes and growth restrictions and pollution laws. In fact, in a lot of areas, we need more restrictions on growth. In the area I frequent, which is the extreme western end of the state, buildings are going up all over the place with no regard for anything. They just clear a space, even take off the top of a mountain, and put up a building. This needs to be controlled or North Carolina will lose its natural beauty. I'm rolling down a beautiful highway and bang! there's a tire store. What the heck is a tire store doing out in the middle of nowhere?
So, put me down in the camp of more regulation, not less. At least when it comes to western North Carolina.
I know a lot of them move here because it's cheaper to live on their retirement and it's a golf mecca for central NC. Many who retire here from up north also have money. My husband and I do business with about 10 retirees who live in high end golf communities and all moved here for the scenery and lower cost of living. And they all talk about how the area is lacking this and that from 'back home'. These are the same folks who voted for people in local government who had the same ideas to turn the area into 'back home'.
I don't care one way or another. I have plenty of other stuff to be concerned about. I just find it interesting that they prefer 'back home' but choose to live down here and complain that it's not the same, then they get what they want then complain that things are looking too much like why they left and retired here. People are fickle.
I can't say what's going on in western NC as I don't live there, but I believe you when you say there are buildings popping up everywhere. Anywhere that is as nice as it is over there will eventually be consumed by concrete and the very people who allowed it to happen will complain that it's lost it's beauty. They're lucky it hasn't happened before now. Had the recession not happened when it did it's possible the area would be more advanced.
Tillis wins.
Total cost for the NC election- somewhere between $108 and $112 million
Quote:My grandfather, a life long Democrat, used to say "Republicans today are nothing more than Kennedy Democrats." He died in 2002, I wonder what he would say now.
"Brains!!! Brains!!! I need brains!!! Aragdhadgfasf"
Quote:Tillis wins.
Total cost for the NC election- somewhere between $108 and $112 million
He did. And she spent more than double what he did. I think hers was $22M or so and his was $8M or so. The rest came from outside interest groups. At least that's how I think it was broken down.
The Dems wanted this win in a BIG way, both locally and in DC. Obviously they are quite disappointed.
This is an interesting article on the who, what, when, why and how much for this particular race in NC. It's pretty telling of how politicians
really get elected. I knew of some of it but a lot of it was news to me. I'm not so familiar on back door politics. This opened my eyes.