Do Torie types moving into rural counties cause the locals to move to the right?

[Torie]

What got me thinking about this, is the long article in Politico that appeared today.  The story of the new comers versus the long time locals (in Pepin County, WI), and how they interact, and react against, each other, I think is writ large across rural counties across much of the Fruited Plain. It certainly is in Columbia County, NY (heck for much of the article, just cross out Pepin County, and insert Columbia County), and indeed in Hudson itself (although as reflected in the local Prop 1 campaign, the locals have now probably lost power forever in Hudson - the tipping point has come and gone, and the migration of locals out of Hudson will probably accelerate).

Do the locals move "rightward" in reaction to newcomers moving in, with different values, often more education, who don't have kids (the reason for some is that they are gay or Lesbian, the horror, the horror of it all), or whose kids are grown (they would never dream of putting their kids in the "inferior" local rural schools), don't go to the High School football games, don't coach a little league team, don't volunteer for the local fire department, don't march in veterans or flag day events, and don't do manual labor (and seem perfectly happy to marginalize such jobs if only to save the planet from depredation from such activities - jobs should not leave any carbon footprint, thank you very much), and tend to have more money, often a lot more money. The locals look at these social liberals, with progressive ideals, who embrace diversity, and sometimes project an aura of moral superiority, and the locals say,, particularly if the newcomers (called "citidiots" in Hudson) take over the local Democratic Party, hey, these guys suck, and I don't have anything in common with them. So they become Trumpsters, en route to becoming working class Pubs, if they have not already.

What do you think?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

What incomers of your type need to understand, and then maybe you'd get friendlier service in bars, shops and cafes, is that not everything is about you, that most longterm residents do not even think about you most of the time.

[Torie]

What incomers of your type need to understand, and then maybe you'd get friendlier service in bars, shops and cafes, is that not everything is about you, that most longterm residents do not even think about you most of the time.

I agree with you, and I get friendly service (I have never had an unpleasant encounter in Columbia County, ever), because I go out of my way to not project such an attitude, actually. But some locals do think about "us," and vent about "us" on a local blog, and it isn't pretty.

[muon2]

In the 70's I was in parades in Pepin, so I know what it was once like. I also saw the start of the movement out of the Cities to quaint rural communities like the article describes. What I think is that the media is finally catching up to the fact that the New Deal divide between labor and management is long gone - replaced by a partisan split based on population density with educational attainment factored in. It's worth reposting this piece from right after the election.

I think this map from the Chicago Tribune (non-Atlas colors) illustrates the change within IL over the last 20 years. In 2000 it was the city vs the suburbs with downstate appearing as a wash. The 2016 map starkly puts the suburbs more in line with the city compared to the bulk of downstate. The Trump message worked well with old-economy workers downstate, but not so much with information economy workers in suburban Chicago.

[DC Al Fine]

Very interesting article Torie, thanks for the recommendation.

This is a good example of "out group" vs. "far group". Tl;dr: People are more likely to hate a group nearby, while treating far away groups as 'exotic', despite the logic of whatever system they subscribe to. This in part explains why Nazi Germany and Apartheid South Africa treated Japan really well, even though they were 'inferior' according to their respective ideologies.

Applying this to you and Hudson, I'd suggest that people like you moving to places like Hudson makes Republican messaging about 'liberal elites' much more real in their minds. You*aren't some vague notion living in Manhattan or Westchester, you are the jerk complaining about the lack of ____, or being antisocial by avoiding civic events. Hence the rightward swing.


*Not you specifically, but your demographic of well off urbanites in rural areas. I'm sure you're perfectly nice to service staff Torie!

[King of Kensington]

Can't really think of any example of this possibly occurring in Canada.  But the rural "urban gentry" phenomenon hasn't really taken off here. 

[DC Al Fine]

Can't really think of any example of this possibly occurring in Canada.  But the rural "urban gentry" phenomenon hasn't really taken off here. 

There's a bit of this in Cape Breton, but not enough to become a cultural phenomenon.

[Torie]

What incomers of your type need to understand, and then maybe you'd get friendlier service in bars, shops and cafes, is that not everything is about you, that most longterm residents do not even think about you most of the time.

Oh, one other thing. The locals in Hudson generally don't work in such establishments (hip young people from NYC typically do), except in the cheaper establishments in next door Greenport. That is part of where the tension arises.

[King of Kensington]

The locals look at these social liberals, with progressive ideals, who embrace diversity, and sometimes project an aura of moral superiority, and the locals say,, particularly if the newcomers (called "citidiots" in Hudson) take over the local Democratic Party, hey, these guys suck, and I don't have anything in common with them.

I've heard the term "citiots" in the "cottage country" area Ontario as well, referring to Torontonians. 

[King of Kensington]

As for the question, it's an interesting proposition to test.  Of course people who rarely encounter "urban elites" in areas further afield also have shifted right.

[justfollowingtheelections]

I am reading the article, and it's really interesting, but it seems that it all comes down to economics to me.  The Democrats didn't distinguish themselves from Republicans when it came to economic policy, but instead focused on issues that (while important) don't affect a lot of people's lives.
This is why Bernie Sanders had to be the Democratic nominee.  He kept saying that the Democrats need to have an economic message, but the Clinton who have become multimillionaires through politics, their rich donors and the b-list celebrities that supported them, didn't get that, and frankly didn't care about anyone outside their circles.
Bernie got it and that's why people liked him. Hillary, George Clooney, Lena Dunham, America Ferrara, Elizabeth Banks, Madonna and all those other idiots who live in their NYC/LA mansions didn't get it and they have no interest in getting it either.  This is why Trump won.

[King of Kensington]

Yeah, Bernie doesn't get 70% of the vote in Vermont simply from culturally liberal transplants. 

[Ban my account ffs!]

"It's the economy, stupid."

And when rent-seekers move in, they are despised.  And what's more.. those rent-seekers are a couple of gay-wads from the big city and now they're trying to litigate themselves into power.  WHat's not to hate?

All I can say, is you better be able to bake a damned good pie.

[justfollowingtheelections]

This paragraph was also very telling:

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There is a lot of resentment in this country towards those who determine or try to determine what is considered success.  I think part of it is the internet, which exposes us on a constant basis to the lives of the rich and powerful and social media where everyone looks perfect even if their lives suck.  If you live in a small town you will never "make it" because the place where you live is uncool according to the media.  There was a time when people were proud of the place where they lived.  Now they go online and read terrible things about their town or their state, in many cases from people who have never even been there.

[King of Kensington]

Western Massachusetts is another area where a lot of "urban gentry" have moved in.  But it doesn't seem like - though I don't know because I don't live there - have shifted rightward in response.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

What incomers of your type need to understand, and then maybe you'd get friendlier service in bars, shops and cafes, is that not everything is about you, that most longterm residents do not even think about you most of the time.

Amen.  The me me me stuff would be maddening.

[Ban my account ffs!]

What incomers of your type need to understand, and then maybe you'd get friendlier service in bars, shops and cafes, is that not everything is about you, that most longterm residents do not even think about you most of the time.

Amen.  The me me me stuff would be maddening.

I grew up in a rural area and nobody gives a damn about people moving in until they get the 'me me me' attitude...like they've done you a charitable act by moving in.  Or a nationalistic populist movement begins and its leaders start saying "the enemy are among you!  They're terkin muh jerbs!"