Where's everybody from?

[WildEyedLiberal]

Poll question: Where's everybody from?

I'm from the Midwest... rural central Illinois, to be exact. I'm curious from what parts of the great USA our merry band of Kerrycrats hail.

[TayTay]

1. Bay Stater

Lived here all my life. My Dad's heritage here goes back to 1630's. (The family tree has a lot of grafts on it from later folk who came here to New England and settled in as well.)

I have only managed to travel a bit, but I am going to visit my sister in CO in May and travel back by car with her to MA. I should very much like to take my time and visit a bit along the way.

[WildEyedLiberal]

2. Come to Illinois

Actually, nah, don't. There isn't much here. We did go blue (no thanks to the freeperiffic county I come from), but that's only because of Chicago.

[whometense]

8. Me too.

Well, actually I was born in NY, but we moved to Massachusetts when I was three and I've lived here all my life with the exception of 8 years in Vermont.

[angrydemocrat]

3. I Live In Shitty Ass Tennessee

But will be moving to Boston Massachusetts soon and I can't wait!!
I hate this shitty ass, sorry ass, kkk, bunch of fuckin rednecks, and ignorant ass full of repukes state I live in now! Always have since I've had to live here. I was born and raised in Orlando, Fla. we moved here when I was 14 almost 15 years old. And it SUCKS!!!!

[vinessa4freedom]

5. no wonder you're angry

I'd be pissed if I had to share a state with that demon, too. I love Senator Clinton, but I have to admit, I'm jealous you're going to Boston.

[whometense]

9. Welcome.

I hope you'll love living in MA. I sure do. :-)

[angrydemocrat]

18. I Know I Will Love It

I can't wait to get there. It's like my daughter said we definatly don't fit in with the crowd around here. We have to wait till she finish high school and we are out of here!

[seito]

15. Hey angrydemocrat

I think you'll be a whole lot happier in Massachusetts. Congrats.

[vinessa4freedom]

4. voted New England

but technically, I don't think New York state is really included. I'm not seaside either, {sigh}. I'm in Rochester--all the way over to the Western side of NY. Oh, hey, that's left isn't it? Well, ok then. :hi:

I've lived here all my life (check the "how old" thread, I've been here awhile). My county was blue, I'm proud to say, but not sure how. Must be all the people getting in my face aren't the ones who voted. We have old fashioned machines, with the levers you pull down, and I'm sure that had something to do with it.

[seito]

16. My family on my father's side is from Rochester

I spent many vacations there. Happy memories :)

[vinessa4freedom]

22. that's good to hear

Next time you're in the area seito, let me know you're buzzing through. (I'm also visible by my old rust bucket car with the liberal bumper stickers) :)

[seito]

28. Thanks, I'll do that

[JI7]

6. West Coast

southern california. pretty liberal area.

since you are from a rural area, can you tell us a bit about the area and yourself. not personal, but political. why are people in rural areas so conservative, and how did you become a liberal coming from a conservative area ? are they more influenced by religious social type issues such as abortion rights, gay rights, and ther "morals and values" things or by economic issues such as taxes ?

[WildEyedLiberal]

26. Yeah, it's kinda like that book "What's the matter with Kansas?"

I come from a small town in the heart of rural Illinois - population 4500. Graduated at the top of a class of 79. I actually live out of the city limits, out in the country - my house is surrounded by corn and soybean fields. My county voted 62% for Bush, although I do believe it carried Clinton, back in the day, so despite appearances, it isn't complete freeperville. However, there's something about Bush that brings out the intolerance and conservatism in these people.

People around here are very "salt of the earth", so to speak. Obviously, there are lots of farmers, small business owners, and blue collar workers. I wouldn't characterize this area as a fundamentalist paradise, but people here are pretty "Christian," and said Christianity usually comes in the form of a "nondenominational" pseudo-Protestant evangelical church. I am one of the precious few Catholics in my town.

I'd definitely say "moral values" is probably the main reason people consider themselves conservative - that, gun rights, and taxes. People around here are so ignorant, politically speaking. I don't even mean that in a malicious way, it's just that they simply do not know the things that we here on DU take for granted. There's very much the perception that liberals are "tax and spend" and want to take your hard-earned money and spend it on deadbeat welfare queens or give it to some fancy "cultural" center in the Big City. (There's a MASSIVE resentment of Chicago around here, because people think that Chicago gets all the government pork. Personally, I love Chicago because it keeps Illinois from being Northern Kentucky, even though they have the sucky Cubs and Bears. :P )

The religion thing gets people, too. GWB, with the assistence of the State Media, has ingrained in people this idea that he's a "faith based" president, which the Christian folk around here eat up. Like I said, these people are NOT political. They don't think about politics, by and large, because it's so far removed from them. What they do know comes from their church, TV, and their families ("well, my parents have always voted Republican, so...")

So how did I end up liberal? My mom and her family are the biggest die-hard yellow dog Dems you'll ever meet. My grandmother still doesn't believe that Bill had "sexual relations" with Monica, and that it was all a Republican lie - that's how yellow dog they are. And they, unlike most people I know, do follow politics and are avid readers of newspapers, magazines, and history books. My dad's parents were farmers and big Republicans, but my dad's been a union man for 40 years, and has gone on strike three times - and there's nothing like getting screwed by corporate greed to make you see the light. So he's a moderately conservative Dem, but still definitely a Dem.

And I've been political ever since I saw a picture of Dan Quayle on TV Guide back in 1992 and heard my mom say that she couldn't stand him. Now, my mom is about the sweetest, most gentle person you'll ever meet, so if she can't stand someone, they must be pretty awful - so my 7 year old mind reasoned. I've been an official Democrat ever since.

I hope this helped. Honestly, I wonder why these people vote against their own interests, and I've decided it's because of the Republican media monopoly in this country. They only know what they hear on TV, and what they hear on TV is offal such as "Bush is a man of convictions and faith.... Kerry is a waffler, a flip flopper, has nothing in common with the Heartland..." and they swallow it hook, line, and sinker. It's so sad and pathetic.

[CBHagman]

50. The resentment thing is interesting...

At one point I lived in South Carolina, and one thing I found very hard to take was the open resentment of the North, particularly the Northeast. I remember hearing South Carolinians claim that New York City "got everything," meaning support from the government, which no one ever defined to me. Nowadays people point out that it's those who pay higher taxes (read: the North, the urban areas, the West coast) who are paying for the bulk of federal government spending, much of which goes to the South in the form of contracts, the military, and entitlements.

I also observed a lot of knee-jerk suspicion of unions and a self-destructive tendency to "vote for the devil you know." I was glad I didn't have to be in South Carolina for the 2004 election and get an earful on politics. I did talk to some nuns in the Myrtle Beach area (they were Kerry Travelers, like me, and bound for a swing state) who lamented the attitudes they were running into.

[CBHagman]

7. Born in Connecticut, grew up in various states, live in Maryland

My parents were New Yorkers AND Republicans. Oy!

However, I did my swing state volunteering in Pennsylvania because that was where my grandmother was from.

To my everlasting disgust, George W. Bush was born at the same hospital where I was. Yes, Mr. Big Fat Texan was born in the Nutmeg State!

[Pirate Smile]

13. I bet your parents weren't the current style of Republicans. They

seem like a different party from what I used to consider Republicans.

[CBHagman]

24. Good point.

Yeah, I think you're right about my parents, especially since neither of them lived to see (and be repulsed by) George W. Bush. My father also did not adhere to the 11th Commandment (He DID speak ill of other Republicans). My mother, in the last election of her lifetime, split her ticket, voting Republican for president/vice president and Democratic for all local offices.

[ginnyinWI]

10. like my ID indicates

I'm from Wisconsin--have always lived here or in Minnesota. I do like the West Coast, and want to live there someday. Also love those Rocky Mtns.

(nobody from the South? hm wonder why...)

[sandnsea]

11. Oregon coast

Blue skies today. NO it does not rain all the time!

[Pirate Smile]

12. Where do you start cutting off the Midwest from the Plains?

I'm in Iowa and consider it the Midwest.

I used to live in Kansas - suburb of Kansas City, MO. I know people would consider that the Plains although people living there consider it the Midwest.

Is Missouri the Midwest or the Plains?

[WildEyedLiberal]

27. To me, the Midwest is

Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri. However, I think Kansas City and probably western Missouri in general would probably be more Plains. To me, the Plains states are Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and North and South Dakota. West of that is the Rocky Mountain region. I have no idea if that's a generally accepted geographical delineation, but it's what I think of when I split the US according to region. If you live in Iowa, you're Midwest.

[seito]

14. Maryland

But my family and home will always be in California

[New Earth]

I'm in South Jersey

Born & raised :hi:

[New Earth]

17. dupe

[Withywindle]

19. Various...

Grew up in rural Virginia--a very blue family in a very red place. Someone asked upthread why the rural areas go so red? Different factors. Religion is a big one: in lots of places, church is the hub of all social life. Isolation and sparse, homogenous population is another: I guess if you tend to be fearful it's easier to believe all sorts of crap about gay people, Black people, Muslims, Jews, whatever, if you've never MET any. And yes, in my old "town" it's entirely possible to live a long life without ever doing so. I know plenty of people who've never been outside their county. And take into consideration what kind of media and information sources are available (remember, lots of people are too poor and too old-fashioned to really embrace the Internet).

I don't want to make excuses for them, but there are reasons, unfortunately, deeply entrenched ones.


But in the poll I picked the Midwest because I've lived in Chicago for 12 years. I'm pleased that my Mayor, Governor, House Rep, and Senators are now all Dems, so there is not a single Repub who can claim to represent me on any level all the way up to the squatter in the WH.

Note to MA residents: You're an unlikely state to pick for a friendly rivalry, but we Cubs fans cheered you HARD this year. We envy, admire, and want to borrow your cursebreaking mojo. We also wish very fervently you had completed the trifecta and hoped that we would have to endure "Dirty Water" again at the Inaugural Ball. We admire and envy your deep blueness (even though you have that asshole governor, nyah nyah) and the artful recklessness of Boston drivers. But we take some smug comfort in having elected a junior Senator who inspires even more naughty thoughts than yours. Long may the female viewership of C-SPAN increase.
:toast:

[TayTay]

29. Well we did give you Nomah, er, Nomar

I believe the Red Sox had two ex-Cubs, the Cards had 3 ex-Cubs. Some people believe this explains the Red Sox win. It appears that the Curse of ex_Cubbiness is more powerful than the Ex-Curse of the Bambimo. Were I a Cubs fans (I am only partially, which doesn't count in the Great Hall of Belief.)I would find an exorcist and begin a ritual of some sort. Couldn't hurt, might help.

In all seriousness, you have got to try this winning thing. It, like, is so much better than losing. I actually thought of the long-suffering Cubs fans when Boston won it all (and I was, albeit temporarily, raptured. Went bodily right the hell up into Hardball Heaven. Incredibly nice place, great beer, reasonably priced food, no obstructed view seats. Would like to be 'raptured' again this year, but we'll see.) I *know* I will see the Cubbies win it all in my lifetime, altough I might be in Depends when it happens. Keep The Faith! That's the damn cursebreaker, Keep The Faith and We Believe. It also helps if you have very rich ownership who are willing to spend mega-bucks on players and a great talent scout like (cue the Hallelujah chorus) Theo! (Brainy damn guy who is really hot! Okay, what the hell is it with Democratic women and getting hot geeky love! Oh yeah baby, quotes some stats to me, oh yeah! Can I hold your briefing book. We need therapy.)

Oh and Boston drivers are brutal. I just had to teach my son how to drive. I tried to pawn this off on the local school system, but the State of MA went and passed a law that parents have to drive with their children for 12 hours or they cannot get a license. And yet I live and my hair did not turn white. A bloody damn miracle!

[angrydemocrat]

36. Hell Tay Tay

You were asking about what the hell is it with Democratic women and getting geeky hot love? Well my mom use to tell me all the time, she would say "Do you know what the difference between a Democrat and a Republican? Democrats make love and dumbass Republicans make war!

[TayTay]

40. Amen Sister Amen

I agree. I was just shocked at my own lustful response to thinking about Theo Epstein, GM of the Boston Red Sox. Dear Gawd in Heaven, he's a bigtime wonk and I, ahm, find him to be rather desirable. It is very obvious to me that I am not a media driven person, I don't seem to like the pre-chosen guys that the media gives air play to, I like wonky guys who bury their heads in stat books, guys who give great speeches and guys I could have a great argument with. (Civil arguments are one of the most underrated pleasures in life.) Liberal Lasses aparently like people who take them seriously, accord them status and want to further their growth. 'tis a good thing, in my book.

[angrydemocrat]

45. It's hard to explain

But I have always been attracted to older men. And especially those who who are the wonky book smart type, or the to smart for you britches type. And I love politics and enjoy being around others that are like me. But in this shitty state people are boring as hell!! :boring: Most around here are a bunch of dumbasses :dunce: They wouldn't know a real politician if they slapped their sorry redneck asses around. And I'm telling the truth there. Most of these dumbasses around here never speak of politics until a presidential race and then I think most only do so to try to start fights with what few sane people do live here.

Because if you heard the idiots you would see for yourself these dipshits are all mouth no brain. I have to admit I did come close to going to jail once after this election for knocking one of the dumbasses on her ugly ass because she screamed out at me in a store and called me a dumbass because I had my Kerry-Edwards shirt on, saying Kerry was baby killer and a bunch of other shit. But when it happen it just flew all over me and I didn't stop to think what I was doing I just floored the bitch. So around here if you want to talk to people that know what the hell they are talking about and actually enjoy a conversation you have to get on the INTERNET. Thank God for the Internet!

Needless to say I don't fit in with the crowd here and never have. Because I am a proud Democrat and I let it be known and don't give a damn who it pisses off. And I like men like Kerry and northerners and around here well I think you know the answer. Around here you have to be attracted to dumbasses to fit in and that's not me. I'm attracted to my wonky, liberal to smart for their britches kind of men. To me that a real man not a illiterate dumbass redneck.

[WildEyedLiberal]

46. OMG, I know

I don't think it's quite as bad here in rural Illinois, but there's definitely a very provincial attitude about relationships around here. Everyone ends up marrying someone from our same small town, or else someone from another neighboring town, and very few people end up moving more than 40 miles away from the town where they were born. It's so maddening. I have to get out of here - small town USA is just NOT for me, I'm too worldy and too curious and too restless to ever spend my days in a tiny nowhere town like this. I do envy your immediate plans to move to Massachusetts - I've thought about moving out east myself when I finish up with college, because I've always felt like I'd fit in more with the people out there.

Hey TayTay, I've a question for you. My aunt lived in Rhode Island for a while, and while she said it beats the shit out of Texas (where she currently lives), she said there was a bit of snobbery directed subtly her way because she was a "foreigner" (so to speak). So I must confess a bit of trepidation, should my life's journey ever take me to a permanent residence in New England (and I certainly wouldn't mind) - would I ever be subjected to exclusion, fun-poking, or any other such regional discrimination because of my accent and my humble country origins? I get a bit of it here at college from the Chicago folk, and it's quite frustrating because I'm actually more intelligent than most of the people who insist on calling me a bumpkin. I suppose I'm just a bit sensitive to the the stereotype, is all. That said, I'd still much prefer living out East to living in rural USA for the rest of my life (shudder). The country life just ain't for me.

[TayTay]

47. Not so much anymore

New England (thank gawd) is changing. It is a long story and involves economics and stuff, but we were a less than desirable place to live for many years. We were somewhat inbred, very provincial and some quarters were pretty snotty about other quarters. (Did you read the posts about Kerry? Poor guy straddles the worlds in MA and took a lot of shit for it. Long story.)

Anyway, times they are a-changing. Half the people in Boston didn't live there ten years ago. We have a more vibrant culture, better food, more interesting neighbors and so forth. Our politics haven't yet caught up with these changes, but they will. (We are a democratic state and there are always forces in MA that want to become more small d democratic. It will be a fight well worth having.)

Come on over. We are still provincial, insecure, have an inferiority complex vis-a-vis New York. We talk funny and fast, argue with each other incessantly and drive like demented, caged rats. We love politics, love to both admire and tease our pols and are fiercely loyal in a fight. Get your thinking cap on, get a point of view and join the damn community swim. (Oh, and winters are long here. Start in Nov, Spring in April, maybe.) And it is extremely expensive to live here. (No 1 or 2 on the national scale of places that cost too much to live in.) It costs a friggin' fortune to buy a house here and we don't have enough affordable housing. These are things to correct, no doubt about it. But come on over, we'll let you in. Oh, and we are reserved, aloof, warm, silly, poetic, historical and probably brain-damaged. That's why I stay.

[WildEyedLiberal]

62. I thought you hated the word aloof

:P

[TayTay]

64. I do hate it

But I am attempting to be humble and inclusive. Therefore, in an effort to not offend the segment of the Democratic population that likes aloofs, I will use it sparingly. (I will rant about it from time to time, but my native drive for seeking common ground will not allow me to ban it.)

[TayTay]

30. my computer hiccuuped a duplicate against my wishes n/t

[bunny planet]

20. I live in North Jersey about ten miles from Manhattan. Lived in NYC for

many years, grew up in NY. I also have a little pink house near the Gulf of Mexico in Fla-la-la (Florida) where I also grew up in the summers. Hurricane Charlie just missed me this August. That was no day at the beach!

[JohnKleeb]

21. Virginia so I guess South you could say.

[Withywindle]

25. Where?

Expatriate Carroll County (SoWeVa) girl here!

[JohnKleeb]

31. Fairfax County

[JI7]

37. Fairfax went for Kerry didn't it ?

it was pretty close in 2000 with Bush winning by a small amount.

but Kerry carried Fairfax by over 50 percent . that's huge success.

[JohnKleeb]

38. Yep, for the first time in 40 years

and I felt good because I had worked for that. Fairfax County is so big, its like a state within one. Yeah people can bitch about Kerry, but he did bring home a big ass county.

[IndyPriest]

23. Blue, blue Michigan!

Center of the "mitt." LOTS of Kerry folks around. :toast:

[Hans Delbrook]

32. PA!

We went BLUE thanks to hard working volunteers like me and my husband! And many others who worked even longer and harder.

[GRLMGC]

33. California knows how to party!

:)

[Forever Free]

34. Especially in Santa Barbara

:bounce: :toast: :party:

[GRLMGC]

35. haha

that's for sure :)

[Der Blaue Engel]

39. San Francisco

It's like a state all its own. ;)

[GRLMGC]

41. I LOVE San Francisco

It's my second favorite city after L.A. Hey, I've got hometown pride, what can I say?

[Der Blaue Engel]

42. Wow, someone from LA who doesn't hate San Francisco!

:) You win the prize!

:toast:

I love SF, too, even though my "hometown" is actually Tucson, for which I still have a fondness. I've been in SF for nearly 16 years, which in San Francisco years, makes me a native. ;)

[GRLMGC]

43. How can anyone hate SF?

It's beautiful and it has the metropolitan feel while still being CA not to mention the beautiful amount of liberalism.

[Der Blaue Engel]

44. Ah, but there's a fair amount of SoCal/NoCal rivalry

I've even seem some on DU.

Blaue, enjoying my 15th floor view of the City and the bay right now. :)

[livvy]

48. Michigan here.

Suburb of Detroit right by Lake St. Clair. I teach in a pretty conservative area...lots of money...so they tend Rep. It really surprised me though, during the campaign, the number of Kerry signs on the lawns of some of these big homes on the lakeshore. It was very telling, because I've never seen so many Dem supporters among these wealthy ones in past elections. Where I live, St. Clair Shores, is a mix, but more Dem.

[Zero Division]

49. Iowa

Eastern Iowa to be more precise. And I am sick and tired of seeing a certain faction of DUers denigrate Iowa Democrats as "simple-minded" or "DLC-controlled" or whatever because we chose John Kerry.

Some have even gone so far as to assert that the Iowa caucuses were "fixed", which, if you know anything about how the Iowa caucuses operate, is a laughably ridiculous claim.

I hope the current craziness out there in the GD and Elections forums subsides eventually. This forum is a great refuge for those of us who are weary of the never-ending Kerry bash-a-thon.

[angrydemocrat]

51. One Thing Is For Sure In Here

Nothing but pure down to earth Kerrycrats. You won't have to worry about the Kerry bashing in here at all. We all love him and he is our hero. We call him our leader and we are his troops. And we are ready to fight all the way. We will fight and bring down the evil empire and we will prevail. "Never Retreat Never Surrender."

John Kerry and the Kerrycrats are "REPORTING FOR DUTY!"

[Zero Division]

65. It's a sanity saver, for sure

And it's not like I don't think there's room for constructive criticism, it's just that almost all of those who claim to be giving it out there in the other forums obviously never wanted to give Kerry a chance in the first place or take an honest look at the great things he's done in the past and the positive things that he continues to do. Often they expect the impossible from him (assuming he can just conjure up media appearances with the wave of his hand, for instance) or they simply want immediate gratification.

[GRLMGC]

52. That sucks

There are a lot of assholes on GD. They have this poll now asking of the primaries were fixed? Sigh.

[angrydemocrat]

53. Damn

I'm telling you people have lost their damn minds if they believe the damn primaries were fixed. Sheesh. Damn do these people ever get over losing the primaries I mean hell far the primaries was over years ago. Amazing how ignorant some really are. Still pissing and moaning over a loss that happen years ago. LMAO it is truly comical if you think about.

[GRLMGC]

54. Well, they are pretty idiotic

I mean, they're pretty ignorant of facts. They're just as ignorant as freepers but, in this case, it's not amusing at all.

[JohnKleeb]

55. Thats pretty petty of them

I was here for the primaries, and lemme tell you, there were some people who supported Dean who wanted to do away with the primaries and just nominate him, and they wanted to force other people to drop out of the race like Kerry, Edwards.

[GRLMGC]

56. Okay

They need to get over that. Seriously.

[angrydemocrat]

57. Well I Didn't Join DU Until After The Election When ...

The campaign blog shut down. I was to busy with the campaign and was lucky to have time to enjoy the campaign blog. But anyway since I have joined I must admit you meet people that are totally gone to say the least. And I have to say I have never in my life met a bigger bunch of whiney asses as what I have met here. Honestly. It truly amazes me at some of the ignorant ass people that are around DU. But I must admit I have also met alot of smart people and not all are Kerry supporters. So you have both.

But I have so many times wondered how in the hell some of you guys that have been here all along could stand it as long as you have. Because If Faye hadn't started this forum I will admit my ass would have been history along time ago. There is no way in hell I could stand to be around here and listen to the dumbass whiners and screamers everyday. There are to many other places to go than to hang around and listen to people ignorant bullshit day in and day out. So again THANK YOU FAYE for the this forum.

[GRLMGC]

58. I agree

I hang out in the Lounge still because it's pretty fun but I'd probably have posted one of those meltdown goodbye messages if it wasn't for this forum. It's the reason I haven't left.

[WildEyedLiberal]

63. Me too

In the couple of weeks after the election, I was seriously debating leaving DU. I took a break from it for about a week and a half after reading a post insinuating that the Swift Boat Vets were right all along, that Kerry is a craven coward. It was all I could do not to cry, because the wounds of November 2nd were still fresh, and because these were the people who were supposed to have "supported" him. Gah.

[Zero Division]

66. And lo' and behold, "it was fixed" is winning.

A significant and loud minority on DU is becoming frighteningly delusional.

Apparently the very normal, but well-prepared Kerry supporters I saw and talked with at my local caucus were "shadowy DLC operatives". Oh brother....:eyes:

[Pirate Smile]

59. I'm in Cedar Rapids - the blue, eastern part of the state although

the Gazette is a Right Wing rag and our channel 2 is a POS Sinclair station.

It hasn't changed the voting though, thank God!

[angrydemocrat]

60. Thats Good!

Is that the only local TV station for there? If not the other station should run the film going upriver or band of brothers. Did they ever show that dumbass film Stolen Honor where you live? Because they said after the election was over they was going to show it. I have lost track on that issue. Not good. But I have.

[Pirate Smile]

61. They showed the crap before the election although it was watered

down because of the controversy and included some footage from Going Upriver.

I swear though, it was unbelievable the commentary they had on every friggin night for months before the election. It was a five minutes smear of Kerry by the Swift Boat Liars.

I would watch The Daily Show at 10:00 and then flip over to CBS to watch Dave. I learned to NOT do that. At 10:30, before the local news was over, David Hymen, that piece of human scum, would come on and recite unbelievable smears and lies straight from the SB Liars. Then it would go back to the local news people with their little chit chat, maybe a final tidbit about the weather for tomorrow and then the LOCAL FRIGGIN NEWs ends.

I watched with my jaw on the ground because it was so incredibly unbelievable - and they did it EVERY NIGHT FOR MONTHS ON END. Frankly, it surprises me that you can lie about someone so continuously and he still almost won the state (I'd love to know how many absentee ballots got thrown out because they were not sealed, signed or done properly - I wouldn't be surprised if it was at least 10,000 and they are how the Dem's had won the last two elections).

It really made me realize the framework the RW has created that we have to fight against. RW Hate radio on multiple stations everywhere in the country (and on Armed Service Radio too), Faux news, Sinclair owning all these local stations spewing lies every night along with all your standard Conservative pundits with their TV shows, Newspapers, Websites - Drudge gets out any RW rumor to the entire media and internet community immediately which then gets recited on all the RW radio even if it has no foundation or evidence, and all the RW think tanks. Sometimes it surprises me that we are in the game at all.

[Zero Division]

67. I went to U of Iowa, so I've been through CR a few times

Somehow I never knew about channel 2's affiliation with Sinclair until the whole Smearboat Liars' "documentary" controversy came to light. I certainly don't see Sinclair making much of an impact in an area where the University's liberal influence is not to be underestimated.

I've actually never been farther west than Des Moines (I've lived in Iowa for about 7 years now), but from what I've heard and just looking at how red the western counties are, I'm quite thankful that I live in Eastern Iowa, even though my suburban town of Bettendorf is dominated by Republicans (probably has something to do with the occupational differences between those who live here and those who live in neighboring Davenport and the rest of the Quad City area).

[Pirate Smile]

68. I love Iowa City. I went to the U of I for undergrad school. That is how

a college town should be. I went to law school in Lawrence, KS at KU and it is liberal for Kansas but not nearly as much as Iowa City.

I drive through western Iowa a lot on my way to Kansas City where my parents are(St. Joseph, MO is where I was born and the extended family is mostly at). Western Iowa is much more rural with smaller towns so the red there is just like the rest of the country in that way.

edit to add - Did you vote absentee?

[Zero Division]

70. Going to college in Iowa City was the best time of my life

I miss the classes, the interesting people, the downtown campus area, doing things like going to the Bijou to see independent films, the activist community, the liberal activist community, and so many other aspects of life in Iowa City.

I've actually lived in a few different states throughout my life: Pennsylvania (where I was born), Louisiana, and Tennessee (Nashville to be exact), and I've been through places like western Iowa, which are lovely to visit sometimes, but living there would be a whole 'nother deal.

I did early voting in Scott County.

[ginnyinWI]

73. I read about your area

I think it was in The Nation...or somewhere. They were showing how the areas on either side of the Mississippi went blue, because of some farm legislation, combined with a lot of college campuses along that strip (U of W- LaCrosse, U.of W- Eau Claire, U.of Minnesota, etc. Interesting. Also, in SE Wisconsin there is an area of rural artist-types, ex-pats from Madison, who would also vote blue. I agree, people shouldn't typecast any state as red or blue, because there are both kinds in every state. Lots of Wisconsin counties went red, but overall we edged out a Kerry victory by about 14,000 votes. With Gore it was less, about 6,000.

[keepthemhonest]

69. Born in New york

lived in Kentucky ,Utah,colorado,North carolina, california amd Georgia several times. New York will always be home.
It makes it kind of tough to answer the question where are you from.

Hee hee

[vinessa4freedom]

74. where in NY?

just curious, I'm a western New Yorker.

[Karenca]

84. also born in NY....Raised here, raised my family here.......

i don't think i'de ever leave.

(NYC)

[Siyahamba]

71. Currently Michigan

However, since I lived in Manitoba for all 25 years of my life until last August, I voted for the bottom option.

[TayTay]

72. Who else is a Masshole?

Besides me (TayTay) and Whometense. I saw 5 folks in the poll. Please reply and tell people your view of MA. Mine is probably warped. (Or one-sided or something.) I have been answering some questions about MA, but I could (and surely might) be wrong. Another perspective is needed.

[Acryliccalico]

75. Northern Illinois here

[Withywindle]

78. Howdy neighbor!

Chicago. :hi:

[txindy]

76. Texas

In the Hill Country. And I'm surrounded, so.... Pity me.

[TheDonkey]

77. New England/East Coast: Pennsylvania to be exact

[paulk]

79. I was born and raised in upstate New York

and I'm still a Yankees fan, dammit!

I've lived in Colorado for more than half of my life now, so I guess I'm from Colorado. I've spent a lot of time living and working in Wyoming - also some in Nebraska and Utah.

[Vektor]

80. I'm a Massachusetts girl living in California.

And except for the brutal MA winters, I MISS IT!

[paulk]

81. kick

for the new folks

[elshiva]

82. Marylander, but we vacation in Maine

I love New England when we drive through it every summer. Lovely memories of VT, NH, MA, and dear, dear Maine

[TayTay]

83. I love Maine too!

We got to Ogunquit and Wells beach a lot. My son is going to be looking at colleges in The Pine Tree state this summer.

[karynnj]

85. I'm form Northern New Jersey

I grew up in one of the few reliably Democratic counties in Indiana - we were in the Chicago metropolitan area. My first vote was in Bloomington, Indiana right after 18 year olds got the vote. (A recent IU law school grad kicked out a very conservative Republican - there was a major effort to get students to register at school.) McGovern won the primary in Bloomington easily.

After graduation, reality hit when I canvassed in the NJ for McGovern. My county is very Republican (having something to do with being on the list of top 20 wealthiest counties in the US - Not due to me). Let's just say that we were not welcomed with open arms.

This year, my county actually gave a much lower % of votes to Bush (still over 50%) than it usually gives to Republicans. The Bush voting seemed to be based on taxes and other economic issues.
Contrary to all I read on why Bush won, one Bush voter voted in spite of her view that Kerry seemed to be an unusually nice person (she loved his daughters and was impressed with the values they expressed) and she thought Bush was a jerk, but her vote was on economic issues where she felt that Kerry was too liberal.