Is Massachusetts not that liberal/progressive?

[Username MechaRFK]

Where Massachusetts is one of the top 5 most liberal states in the country I also found it to be that lot of reactionary are thrown by Reagan Democrats who think Puerto Ricans are the scum of the Earth. My family is like this when I chat politics with them when I come down for a vist compare to my Vermont cousins who are very liberal. Basically the Scott Brown voters who think we should never question the scum-bag cops and that we should protect god in public events.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Every state has extremes on both sides. For instance, my insane fundamentalist aunt lives in...Essex County, New Jersey.

[memphis]

No state has a clear liberal majority. The perception of MA as some liberal graduate school utopia is a deliberate misconstruction by the right as part of their efforts to demonize certain parts of the country and tell working class white that they don't "belong" with the Dems. Metro Boston has a large, heavily-accented working class white, port city, old fashioned Dem base. Maybe not quite as important as 50 years ago, but still a major constituency for the Democrats. These folks are usually loyal Dems voters can cross over if the stars align for folks like Reagan or Scott Brown. This is true of New York, Philly, and Baltimore as well.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Religion is Evil!

[Free Palestine]

Massachusetts seems more like a center-left or latte liberal state.  They're still pretty culturally conservative.

The Pacific states -- California, Oregon, Washington -- are home to a lot of really hard-left progressives, socialists, and their ilk.  I don't know too much about MA, though.

[Username MechaRFK]

Massachusetts seems more like a center-left or latte liberal state.  They're still pretty culturally conservative.

The Pacific states -- California, Oregon, Washington -- are home to a lot of really hard-left progressives, socialists, and their ilk.  I don't know too much about MA, though.

California, Oregon, and Washington is also home to spots where they oppose the socialists/leftists ( Eastern Oregon, rural/Orange County California).

[CatoMinor]

even though my generation has I have no empathy tolerance for bulls**t something different from what I believe in such as religion

fixed, try not to speak as if you speak on behalf of everyone.

[Sbane]

Of course Massachusetts isn't that liberal. People didn't know this already?

[Username MechaRFK]

Of course Massachusetts isn't that liberal. People didn't know this already?

Right wing pundits obvious don't.

[Sbane]

Facts don't matter to propagandists.

[Torie]

If you look at just the Anglo population, after Vermont (and DC but I'm not counting that), would not Massachusetts be in the hunt for the number two slot as to its liberalness/progressiveness?  Sure a few other states would be competitors (Hawaii and WA come to mind), but MA might have an edge.

[Sbane]

If you look at just the Anglo population, after Vermont (and DC but I'm not counting that), would not Massachusetts be in the hunt for the number two slot as to its liberalness/progressiveness?  Sure a few other states would be competitors (Hawaii and WA come to mind), but MA might have an edge.

Forgetting about the white working class, and just focusing on your class, eh?

I think the west coast is more liberal than MA, but I'm talking about social liberalism. Socal is about the same though. The bay area, Portland, Seattle and a bunch of areas of the coastal west are more liberal.

[Torie]

If you look at just the Anglo population, after Vermont (and DC but I'm not counting that), would not Massachusetts be in the hunt for the number two slot as to its liberalness/progressiveness?  Sure a few other states would be competitors (Hawaii and WA come to mind), but MA might have an edge.

Forgetting about the white working class, and just focusing on your class, eh?

I think the west coast is more liberal than MA, but I'm talking about social liberalism. Socal is about the same though. The bay area, Portland, Seattle and a bunch of areas of the coastal west are more liberal.

I guess I was focusing more on voting patterns. And sure some portions of some states are more liberal among Anglos obviously. But statewide overall?

[Sbane]

If you look at just the Anglo population, after Vermont (and DC but I'm not counting that), would not Massachusetts be in the hunt for the number two slot as to its liberalness/progressiveness?  Sure a few other states would be competitors (Hawaii and WA come to mind), but MA might have an edge.

Forgetting about the white working class, and just focusing on your class, eh?

I think the west coast is more liberal than MA, but I'm talking about social liberalism. Socal is about the same though. The bay area, Portland, Seattle and a bunch of areas of the coastal west are more liberal.

I guess I was focusing more on voting patterns. And sure some portions of some states are more liberal among Anglos obviously. But statewide overall?

Washington, Oregon and Hawaii (if we aren't counting DC) would be more socially liberal. Socal and the central valley screws it all up for California, but it would still be nearly even with MA.

Overall voting pattern, MA and WA would be about the same. Could probably throw in MN into that mix as well.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Well, the Boston-area universities and small college towns (Amherst comes to mind) are really liberal/left-wing, and the WASPy towns in MA tend to be really socially liberal (more so than in the past, when they were bastions of Rockefeller Republicanism. ) The working-class Catholics throughout the state are loyal Democrats, except when someone like Reagan or Scott Brown is the candidate. Soi you have many aspects to the Democratic electorate in MA, some more liberal than others-there's a definite class difference in degrees of liberalism.

[RI]

Massachusetts is really Democratic, but not necessarily really socially liberal. The only areas that really are are the college areas, some of the (mostly) Middlesex County Boston-suburbs, the high income islands, and the gay-friendly areas on the cape and Northampton. The rest tends to be more working class (Berkshires, Worcester, south Boston suburbs) and thereby less socially liberal. At least that's what I've found.

[Link]

Where Massachusetts is one of the top 5 most liberal states in the country I also found it to be that lot of reactionary are thrown by Reagan Democrats who think Puerto Ricans are the scum of the Earth. My family is like this when I chat politics with them when I come down for a vist compare to my Vermont cousins who are very liberal. Basically the Scott Brown voters who think we should never question the scum-bag cops and that we should protect god in public events.

The current two term mayor of the largest city in Texas is an open lesbian.

As far as I can tell Houston is the largest city in the world with a lesbian mayor.

[memphis]

Where Massachusetts is one of the top 5 most liberal states in the country I also found it to be that lot of reactionary are thrown by Reagan Democrats who think Puerto Ricans are the scum of the Earth. My family is like this when I chat politics with them when I come down for a vist compare to my Vermont cousins who are very liberal. Basically the Scott Brown voters who think we should never question the scum-bag cops and that we should protect god in public events.

The current two term mayor of the largest city in Texas is an open lesbian.

As far as I can tell Houston is the largest city in the world with a lesbian mayor.

Municipalities are such a different ball of wax because people can really, really self-select. It happens with states to a much lesser degree, but if your job is in Atlanta, you're gonna be a resident of the State of Georgia. But you can pick from an endless number of towns. Given who routinely chooses to live in big cities all over America, there are few anchor cities in America where being a lesbian candidate for mayor would be that much of a hurdle.

[greenforest32]

Massachusetts is a pretty liberal state on the social issues:

1. They have the highest support for gay marriage right now: 60% in PPP's latest MA poll
2. Voters decriminalized marijuana with 65% of the vote in 2008: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Sensible_Marijuana_Policy_Initiative#Results
3. They'll probably legalize physician-assisted suicide in 2012 if it makes the ballot: http://www.dignity2012.org/

I'll be interested to see the margin of victory/defeat for that last one.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Massachusetts is a pretty liberal state on the social issues:

1. They have the highest support for gay marriage right now: 60% in PPP's latest MA poll
2. Voters decriminalized marijuana with 65% of the vote in 2008: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Sensible_Marijuana_Policy_Initiative#Results
3. They'll probably legalize physician-assisted suicide in 2012 if it makes the ballot: http://www.dignity2012.org/

I'll be interested to see the margin of victory/defeat for that last one.

B-b-but teh Catholics!

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

It's a liberal-leaning state.  But it's not like it's a bunch of communists.  It's liberal for America as a whole.

[greenforest32]

Massachusetts is a pretty liberal state on the social issues:

1. They have the highest support for gay marriage right now: 60% in PPP's latest MA poll
2. Voters decriminalized marijuana with 65% of the vote in 2008: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Sensible_Marijuana_Policy_Initiative#Results
3. They'll probably legalize physician-assisted suicide in 2012 if it makes the ballot: http://www.dignity2012.org/

I'll be interested to see the margin of victory/defeat for that last one.

B-b-but teh Catholics!

There are many "Cultural Christians" in the US and religion is dying in New England: http://articles.latimes.com/2009/mar/16/local/me-beliefs16

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Link]

Where Massachusetts is one of the top 5 most liberal states in the country I also found it to be that lot of reactionary are thrown by Reagan Democrats who think Puerto Ricans are the scum of the Earth. My family is like this when I chat politics with them when I come down for a vist compare to my Vermont cousins who are very liberal. Basically the Scott Brown voters who think we should never question the scum-bag cops and that we should protect god in public events.

The current two term mayor of the largest city in Texas is an open lesbian.

As far as I can tell Houston is the largest city in the world with a lesbian mayor.

Municipalities are such a different ball of wax because people can really, really self-select. It happens with states to a much lesser degree, but if your job is in Atlanta, you're gonna be a resident of the State of Georgia. But you can pick from an endless number of towns. Given who routinely chooses to live in big cities all over America, there are few anchor cities in America where being a lesbian candidate for mayor would be that much of a hurdle.

That's my point.  You can find any kind of person in any state.  You just have to know where to look.  Plus I think the media, politicians, and others like to over simplify things for various reasons.

[Hash]

It's a liberal-leaning state.  But it's not like it's a bunch of communists.  It's liberal for America as a whole.

Since when does communism have anything to do with social liberalism? People should really learn the definitions correctly for once.

[Username MechaRFK]

Question for those living in Mass: Could Romney win Reagan/Scott Brown Democrats or will his wile image hurt him among this group of voters?