Do you think Myrtle, MN is socially liberal?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Myrtle is a very small town of roughly 63 in southern Minnesota a few miles from the Iowa border. It voted over 74% for Kerry and gave the DFL candidate for Attorney General last year 96.15%. The one vote cast against her was not for her Republican opponent, but the IP candidate. The town only has two businesses which are right next to each other: a bar and a strip club.

Socially liberal? If so, it's an odd example of a socially liberal very rural area.

[Gabu]

How on Earth would we know if it was socially liberal based on that information alone?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

How on Earth would we know if it was socially liberal based on that information alone?

We know that it's super-Democratic, and the town's entire economy is a bar and a strip club. That points toward social liberalism.

[Eraserhead]

How on Earth would we know if it was socially liberal based on that information alone?

We know that it's super-Democratic, and the town's entire economy is a bar and a strip club. That points toward social liberalism.

So what is the argument for it not being socially liberal? Just that its a rural area?

[Alcon]

Is East Saint Louis socially liberal?

[MODU]

Well, since I've never been there, I don't know.  And by the looks of it, I'll never have a need to go there in my life time either.

[minionofmidas]

How far is the next real town? You know, the place where the strip club's customers come from and where Myrtleites shop? Also, is there any sort of an actual place there or is it just farmland with isolated houses plus an intersection of majorish roads where the bar and the stripclub stand? And what's the median household income?

Obviously, with places this tiny all sorts of weird results can happen.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

How far is the next real town? You know, the place where the strip club's customers come from and where Myrtleites shop?

It sits roughly equal distance between two, Albert Lea and Austin, about 15 miles from each.

Also, is there any sort of an actual place there or is it just farmland with isolated houses plus an intersection of majorish roads where the bar and the stripclub stand?

It doesn't sit near any major roads. Just some county roads. But there is a bit of a place there, there are street lights and signs and upon looking it up more apparently there is a third business, a grain elevator.

And what's the median household income?

$24,900

Obviously, with places this tiny all sorts of weird results can happen.

It does sit in a heavily Democratic with plenty of Democratic rural areas, but is also hands down the most Democratic municipality in the county.

BTW, something also kind of odd is that apparentely 96.8% of the population over 25 has a high school diploma, but 0 have a college degree. The part of Minnesota isn't very educated and Albert Lea actually has 78% with a diploma (of course Albert Lea has lots of Hispanic immigrants), but almost 14% have a college degree. And in the town of Glenville of about 700 which is the closest town and probably where the kids go to school and lots of them go to church only about 80% have a diploma, but 10% have a college degree. To have almost universal high school education and no college education is very strange.

[memphis]

Sounds like it's just a poor, small town in Minnesota. I have no idea how the culture is up there.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Sounds like it's just a poor, small town in Minnesota. I have no idea how the culture is up there.

Yeah, but it also largely relies on a STRIP CLUB for its economy. The people are also obviously quite tolerant of it and don't want it to leave. If the strip club closed the bar would lose about half its business too since the strip club doesn't serve alcohol, so people will run over there to have a drink and then come back to the club.

[memphis]

Sounds like it's just a poor, small town in Minnesota. I have no idea how the culture is up there.

Yeah, but it also largely relies on a STRIP CLUB for its economy. The people are also obviously quite tolerant of it and don't want it to leave. If the strip club closed the bar would lose about half its business too since the strip club doesn't serve alcohol, so people will run over there to have a drink and then come back to the club.

Ok, it has a strip club. Big deal! I don't think many people (conservative or liberal) think this is nearly as big a deal as you do.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Sounds like it's just a poor, small town in Minnesota. I have no idea how the culture is up there.

Yeah, but it also largely relies on a STRIP CLUB for its economy. The people are also obviously quite tolerant of it and don't want it to leave. If the strip club closed the bar would lose about half its business too since the strip club doesn't serve alcohol, so people will run over there to have a drink and then come back to the club.

Ok, it has a strip club. Big deal! I don't think many people (conservative or liberal) think this is nearly as big a deal as you do.

There's plenty of cases I know of where conservative prudes in rural areas have protested and tried to shut down strip clubs in their area. This isn't happening here.

[MODU]

Sounds like it's just a poor, small town in Minnesota. I have no idea how the culture is up there.

Yeah, but it also largely relies on a STRIP CLUB for its economy. The people are also obviously quite tolerant of it and don't want it to leave. If the strip club closed the bar would lose about half its business too since the strip club doesn't serve alcohol, so people will run over there to have a drink and then come back to the club.

Ok, it has a strip club. Big deal! I don't think many people (conservative or liberal) think this is nearly as big a deal as you do.

Does he have any stats showing the town actually relies on the strip club to maintain it's little economy, or is he ignoring the farms and everything else that draw in more money than a little building of spinning pale cowhands?

[RRB]

Well, now we know that it is not conservative.  If it were, it would have a bathhouse.

Seriously, a small town is a place where everyone knows each other and everyone has simular values due to its close knit community.   Simple as that. How it starts is probably an interesting thought.  Somewhere along the line, one of the parties made the community happy.  In MI small towns between Flint and Saginaw vote heavily Dem.  The reason?  Simple.  Many people either are, or are decendants of members of the UAW, Steelworker, Teamsters, etc.  The Dems usually have better relations with the unions.

[Alcon]

Settling this, Census employment in Myrtle, Minnesota:

Construction 2
Manufacturing 4
Wholesale trade 4
Retail trade 6
Professional, scientific, management, administration, and waste management 3
Educational, health and social services 6

No one works in "Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services."

The economy isn't reliant on the strip club at all.  I already checked; the retail trade is not related to the strip club.  It appears to be a radio company, which is hardly affected.

Done, now, BRTD? 

[minionofmidas]

Settling this, Census employment in Myrtle, Minnesota:

Construction 2
Manufacturing 4
Wholesale trade 4
Retail trade 6
Professional, scientific, management, administration, and waste management 3
Educational, health and social services 6

No farming?

Btw, Alcon, while they aren't themselves working there, I suppose the strip club pays some local taxes.

[Alcon]

Settling this, Census employment in Myrtle, Minnesota:

Construction 2
Manufacturing 4
Wholesale trade 4
Retail trade 6
Professional, scientific, management, administration, and waste management 3
Educational, health and social services 6

No farming?

Nay.

Btw, Alcon, while they aren't themselves working there, I suppose the strip club pays some local taxes.

Good point (that I didn't think of), but are we really calling northern Nevada socially liberal?  (I know you're not defending him.)

[minionofmidas]

Settling this, Census employment in Myrtle, Minnesota:

Construction 2
Manufacturing 4
Wholesale trade 4
Retail trade 6
Professional, scientific, management, administration, and waste management 3
Educational, health and social services 6

No farming?

Nay.

Btw, Alcon, while they aren't themselves working there, I suppose the strip club pays some local taxes.

Good point (that I didn't think of), but are we really calling northern Nevada socially liberal?  (I know you're not defending him.)

No. (Btw, were there any recent referenda in Nevada touching on gambling, prostitution, etc issues? If so, I'd like to see the results. )
I'm neither attacking nor defending anybody. I'm just intrigued by as strange a place as this one.

[nclib]

It probably is, though keep in mind that there are rural areas that have strange voting patterns. For example: Elliot County, Kentucky--70% for Kerry; 89% against gay marriage.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Settling this, Census employment in Myrtle, Minnesota:

Construction 2
Manufacturing 4
Wholesale trade 4
Retail trade 6
Professional, scientific, management, administration, and waste management 3
Educational, health and social services 6

No one works in "Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services."

The economy isn't reliant on the strip club at all.  I already checked; the retail trade is not related to the strip club.  It appears to be a radio company, which is hardly affected.

Done, now, BRTD? 

Well of course the strippers, bartending staff and owner most likely don't live in Myrtle, they probably mostly live in Albert Lea and Austin. But just because no one in town works at the strip club doesn't mean it doesn't bring in lots of money as Lewis pointed out. It also give a huge boost to the bar, which is basically the only other business in town besides a grain elevator.

No farming?

The town literally has an area 0.1 square miles. It's smaller than a city block. so while there's plenty of farms in the area, they're all outside the city limits.

Good point (that I didn't think of), but are we really calling northern Nevada socially liberal?  (I know you're not defending him.)

Look at how northern Nevada votes compared to Myrtle. We have an uber-Democratic place here that clearly tolerates its strip club. Wouldn't that point toward social liberalism?

I'm just intrigued by as strange a place as this one.

There's an even stranger place in the area: http://www.city-data.com/city/Mapleview-Minnesota.html

This is a "suburb" of Austin but it's even more Democratic, it voted close to 80% for Kerry and over 80% for most Democratic candidates. Why it does I can't figure out. I was even there Saturday and took a look and didn't see anything notable. The median housing value is way lower than Austin's though which seems kind odd, but doesn't explain it itself its voting patterns.

[Eraserhead]

It probably is, though keep in mind that there are rural areas that have strange voting patterns. For example: Elliot County, Kentucky--70% for Kerry; 89% against gay marriage.

Blacks

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

It probably is, though keep in mind that there are rural areas that have strange voting patterns. For example: Elliot County, Kentucky--70% for Kerry; 89% against gay marriage.

Blacks

Elliot County demographics:

The racial makeup of the county was 99.04% White, 0.03% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.01% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. 0.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

[Eraserhead]

It probably is, though keep in mind that there are rural areas that have strange voting patterns. For example: Elliot County, Kentucky--70% for Kerry; 89% against gay marriage.

Blacks

Elliot County demographics:

The racial makeup of the county was 99.04% White, 0.03% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.01% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. 0.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Really? That was just an educated guess knowing how blacks tend to vote.

[memphis]

It probably is, though keep in mind that there are rural areas that have strange voting patterns. For example: Elliot County, Kentucky--70% for Kerry; 89% against gay marriage.

Blacks

Elliot County demographics:

The racial makeup of the county was 99.04% White, 0.03% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.01% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. 0.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Really? That was just an educated guess knowing how blacks tend to vote.

Elliott is just a nasty, very poor Appalachian County. It is  very Democratic for the same reasons that Southern West Virginia is.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It probably is, though keep in mind that there are rural areas that have strange voting patterns. For example: Elliot County, Kentucky--70% for Kerry; 89% against gay marriage.

Nothing strange about that; Elliot is on the eastern Kentucky coalfield and is rather remote. Unlike much of the rest of eastern Kentucky it was strongly Democratic before the great organising drives of the early '30's as it was originally settled by Virginians.