Why is Vermont so liberal nowadays?

[tpfkaw]

It is an interesting question - Vermont is a very rural state, and usually rural = conservative Republican. I guess there's no really great answer that I can give, I just don't know enough about it.

[tpfkaw]

Western mass too.

Western Mass has been hit hard by free trade, so it's understandable. Vermont, however, has never had any manufacturing and has in fact become increasingly affluent. So it's kind of bizarre.

[tpfkaw]

I'm surprised that Vermont has the highest percentage of out-of-staters - I would have guessed New Mexico, with Nevada and Arizona as my second and third guesses.

[tpfkaw]

I was thinking more of the wave of caucasian immigrants to those states.