How Did The Poorest Places in America Vote?

[humder]

This is a list of the poorest counties in America and a map- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poorest_places_in_the_United_States


 The counties come in four categories, Native American areas in the west, Hispanic areas in southern Texas, African American areas in the south and White areas in east Kentucky and south West Virginia.
 Most counties went heavily towards Obama apart from the areas in Kentucky and West Virginia which despite this went heavily towards Bill Clinton. What do you think is the reason for this?

[dunn]

This is a list of the poorest counties in America and a map- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poorest_places_in_the_United_States


 The counties come in four categories, Native American areas in the west, Hispanic areas in southern Texas, African American areas in the south and White areas in east Kentucky and south West Virginia.
 Most counties went heavily towards Obama apart from the areas in Kentucky and West Virginia which despite this went heavily towards Bill Clinton. What do you think is the reason for this?

rednecks

[memphis]

Obama came out strongly for alternative energy. This is not going to play well in coal country, where people have an interest in there not being alternatives to fossil fuels.
Also, a great many poor people live in inner cities that went almost unanimously for Obama but are not represented on the map because of nicer areas in the county.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I used to live in one of the counties on that list.

I find it amusing that I make more than the median household in any of them. Sorry Kentucky racists: You fail.

[memphis]

I'm rather surprised Tunica, MS is still on the list. It's been a major gambling destination for over a decade now. They have tons of jobs and the local gov't is flush wish cash from gambling taxes.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I used to live in one of the counties on that list.

I find it amusing that I make more than the median household in any of them. Sorry Kentucky racists: You fail.

Be careful of what you might turn into; blaming the poor for being poor (or looking down on them for, even if only in part, the same reason) is very much a trait of affluent (and suburban!) right-wingers. And starting to think that way can be an early sign of turning into one, unless checked.

[nclib]

As we all know, minorities vote overwhelmingly Democratic, but since 68 of the counties are predominantly minority, I've looked up the other 32, and McCain dominated most of these counties:

parentheses indicate winning percentage over 60, 70, or 80, otherwise winning percentage is in the 50's.

35 Hamilton County, Florida $10,562            McCain
59 Madison County, Idaho $10,956            McCain (80)
63 Clark County, Idaho $11,141            McCain (80)
18 Clay County, Kentucky $9,716            McCain (70)
21 McCreary County, Kentucky $9,896            McCain (70)
31 Wolfe County, Kentucky $10,321            Obama
33 Leslie County, Kentucky $10,429            McCain (80)
39 Martin County, Kentucky $10,650            McCain (70)
40 Knox County, Kentucky $10,660            McCain (70)
42 Magoffin County, Kentucky $10,685            McCain
43 Jackson County, Kentucky $10,711            McCain (80)
44 Owsley County, Kentucky $10,742            McCain (70)
62 Breathitt County, Kentucky $11,044            McCain
69 Knott County, Kentucky $11,297            McCain
74 Menifee County, Kentucky $11,399            Obama
82 Bell County, Kentucky $11,526            McCain (60)
83 Harlan County, Kentucky $11,585            McCain (70)
97 Letcher County, Kentucky $11,984            McCain (60)
100 Lawrence County, Kentucky $12,008            McCain (60)
75 Evangeline Parish, Louisiana $11,432            McCain (60)
87 Winn Parish, Louisiana $11,794            McCain (60)
94 Concordia Parish, Louisiana $11,966            McCain
78 Shannon County, Missouri $11,492            McCain
92 Greene County, Mississippi $11,868            McCain (70)
93 Wheatland County, Montana $11,954            McCain (60)
91 Keya Paha County, Nebraska $11,860            McCain (70)
7 Corson County, South Dakota $8,615            Obama
80 Charles Mix County, South Dakota $11,502            McCain
49 Lake County, Tennessee $10,794            McCain
99 Hancock County, Tennessee $11,986            McCain (70)
28 McDowell County, West Virginia $10,174            Obama
77 Calhoun County, West Virginia $11,491            McCain

[humder]

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 Why do you think that is? Because they are mostly rural?

[nclib]

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 Why do you think that is? Because they are mostly rural?

Yes. And poor rural areas tend to be more provincial than middle-class rural areas.