Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Calling all liberals


Here's the Ohio Red-Blue map by county.

I'm still waiting on a lib to check in to tell me exactly what makes life in Youngstown (a hard core democratic area) so much more wonderful than say life in Piqua (Redville).

How about what makes life in Cleveland so much more wonderful than life in my home town of Lancaster.

Or what about Toledo v. Dublin?

Columbus v. Newark?

Many years ago, I dated a tremendously liberal woman and we talked about where our kids would go to school. At the time, we were both living in Cincinnati Public Schools. My proposal, Catholic schools. Her proposal? Move to the suburbs because she "supports public schools". Huh?

As I stated at the time, "that's so wonderfully liberal". Liberals create and run the crappy school systems they'd never send their kids to so they haul ass out to the suburbs where the sensible republicans take care of business.

In many respects, democrats are like teenagers, they are always quick to point out the responsible parents shortfalls all while they live rent free under said parent's roof. What a great deal.

Now I know that Eric from Plunderbong checks into this site because he comments on snarky little crap. Well tell me Eric, what is it that makes living in these blue areas so damn wonderful?

Is it the crime? the unemployment? the schools?

But hey, don't take my word for it, just look at the flight of people out of these blue areas into the red areas. Moses could only have dreamed to be as efficient. If the pharaohs had been democrats even the non slaves would have hauled ass out of Egypt much like they have Cleveland, Akron, Toledo, Dayton, Cincinnati, Youngstown, etc.

So Eric, do you have the balls to take me up on this one?

4 comments:

Eric said...

ah, nothing like being called by the anonymous and bloviating. i can't give opinion on what it's like to live an any of these areas because I don't. i do know that i'd much rather visit cleveland than lancaster. call me crazy. i live in delaware, which is pretty solidly red. i love it. great little town and if you can get past the crazy christofascists who like to pray to jesus during council meetings and the kids that tell yours they are going to hell then it's not all bad.

we have a great new bookstore with free wifi owned by a progressive - right "downtown". i've been meeting many more like minded people who are moving to the area so it's not as bad as 8 years ago when we first moved here. schools have been decent, but middle schools are a bit worrisome. crazy stories of blowjob parties and drug use (IN THE EXURBS!!!). I'm sure you'd have everyone believe this only happens in the cities.

if the housing market weren't fubar (i've had two notices from our republican auditor telling me how much less my house is now worth - IN THE EXURBS!) we'd probably move closer to Cbus to be closer to even more like minded people. Hell, if we could sell our house we'd probably be in Taos by now. ;-)

Look, this red versus blue, urban versus suburban versus exurban versus rural stuff is really played out. You could just as well post a national map showing Democrat gains (it's mostly blue).

What's the point? I don't think you can argue quality of life based on blue/red areas. It's too subjective. What I dig as diversity you and Naugle might find scary (I know he does). What you might view as wholesome I might view as boring. It's really just too subjective to frame in this way.

I think - and have thought - that your whole blue urban versus red rural arguments are meaningless and overly simplistic.

Pretty sure you don't want to play who has the biggest blogosphere balls. I blog with my real name and don't hide behind a Wall Street character moniker.

PS - You should hat tip Harding for your use of his graphic. ;-)

Anonymous said...

"What I dig as diversity you and Naugle might find scary (I know he does). What you might view as wholesome I might view as boring."

Yes, you've established that you don't like the boring red town you have chosen to live in of your own free will.

This is the real puzzling fact playing out millions of times across this country. People who bitch about having to live in a lame republican district where they are 100 times less likely to be mugged walking to the grocery. Then blame conservatives for victimizing blue disctricts. That when their only crime is making their own world livable enough to make even liberals want to live there.

gordon gekko said...

So of your criteria for a great area to live you named
1)diversity
2)book stores
3)schools
4)housing

You picked Delaware to live in?

The diversity thing is hilarious coming from someone who refers to Christian as "Christofacists".

Your whole comment is a lesson in hypocrisy 101.

Eric said...

um, anonymous. reading comprehension is a GOOD thing. yew musta gone to one of them thar publick skuls. LOL. I do believe I said I loved it. No area is perfect, but there is plenty enough for me to enjoy here even if i don't agree with everyone or everything. part of the diversity argument is being out of your comfort zone enough to rub up against contrasting ideas and those who don't agree with you on everything.

here's a REAL puzzling fact for you. I've never once had my car broken into and ransacked in any city i've ever visited. happened to me in my own driveway in the exurbs though. life is not as black and white as you and gordo would like to have people believe.

i chose to live where i'm at based on a job i don't have anymore and i'm no longer location dependent - unless you count not being able to sell a house. lots of us in that boat. free market ho!

i don't "refer to Christian as 'Christofacists'". i refer to those who want to force their christianist beliefs on me and others via legislation christofascists. i believe in freedom of and from religion. you have yours. i have mine. we both live by them both and have a nice day. when you go sticking your chocolate in my peanut butter though, then we got problems.

again, you don't make a convincing argument to support your red versus blue theory. you also continue to hide in anonymity. but you ask ME if i have the balls...

what was that you said about hypocrisy?

please make a better effort to make this more sporting. it's getting way too easy.