Why is the South so conservative?

[Reaganfan]

I've noticed that the West and the South, politically speaking, are extremely different.

The westerners are much more environmentally conscience, seem to lack significant interest in social issues, and tend to be much more anti-war/anti-conflict than their predecessors. When I think of a western voter, I tend to have the images in my head of:


Governor Schweitzer of Montana and family


Skiing, trendy, new-age yuppies in Aspen, Colorado who helped flip the state


Seattle's public scene, looking like something out of a Batman comic book of a night in Gotham City.

In other words, you get a feeling of very progressive trends.

On the flip side, 1980 Rural Texas isn't that far from 2011 Rural Texas. Watch "Planet Terror" or "Death Proof" from Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez and they show modern day Tennessee/Texas....and it looks like it has never changed.


Note this movie took place in 2007 rural Tennessee.


This film took place in 2007 rural Texas. Note the small-town diner, dog near the counter, smoking allowed, very laid back and not trendy at all.

I think trends are what keep the south so conservative, and if anything, Barack Obama was the most trendy of all Presidents the last 20 years.