The Blue/Red states divide, or as it should be called: Adapatable vs. Rigid
Last edited Wed Nov 16, 2016, 01:09 PM - Edit history (2)
So, as usual, whenever the Dems lose big on election night, the inevitable gets blamed. Liberals are out of touch with working class Americans (or more precisely White working class Americans). Liberals live in elite bubble blue states like NY, CA, Washington, Mass., etc. The rust belt states and Southern states feel left behind economically, politically, and socially. Liberals care more about social issues like marriage equality, trans-gender bathrooms, feminism, and Black Lives Matter than they do about the factory worker that lost his job.
What this kind of analysis leaves out is the current state of the world, not just America. We live in a globally, competitive capitalistic world, and we cannot turn back the clock. We no longer live in world where high school level, or less, skills can get you a middle class living. Heck, the concept of a middle class is foreign to capitalism. No where in the definition of capitalism does it mention creation of a middle class. The middle class is largely a government concept. Created by the government forcing owners of capital to negotiate with labor unions for better wages and benefits.
To be competitive in this global system, you have to adapt. You have to be willing to learn new complex concepts every 2 or 3 years. In addition, you need to live among or near the better talent in order to learn and master your skills. Because Liberal blue states don't impose a rigid social structure and welcome diversity, people in those states get to learn and live among the best talent.
For example, if the county clerk in your state is cheered when she defies the law and won't grant a marriage license to a Gay couple, you send the message that the LGBTQ community is not welcomed in your state. So, those members re-locate to NY, SF, LA, etc. where they can live and love openly. In addition, they take their skills and talents with them. There's a reason why NYC has Broadway, but Alabama does not.
Hell, even conservatives know this. That's why Fox News is headquartered in New York city (literally right around the corner from Broadway) not in Brownback's Kansas. And, speaking of Brownback, what highly educated couple are going to want to raise children in a state where the governor slashes education spending at all levels? That couple is going to move to Northern Virginia where there's a vast collection of some of the best state colleges in America.
So, instead of shaming Liberals, the folks in the red, rural counties should learn from them. NYC once had factories as well. The Oreo cookie was invented in a bakery in Chelsea which later closed down. The Liberals here developed that building for other uses. We didn't sit around and wait for the factory to re-open.
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Alabama Shakespeare Festival! And Montgomery City and County votes Democrat!
NYC has more people in it than the state of Alabama. That's why they have a Broadway.
http://www.asf.net/
I'd argue rap and punk were revolution against rigid cultural status quo - apparently found in NYC.
NYC did give us Trump. 
