Why is Vermont Progressive?

[BrentWil]

Hopefully this thread will not cause a disruption, like my thread on the South did. My basic purpose is to ask the same question, however. Why do certain message play so much better in places by region.

SO here is the question. Why is Vermont so progressive? Why does the GOP have trouble making many in roads here? Why is the progressive message favored so highly over the conservative message?

[provis99]

1. because they're the descendants of Yankee Puritans.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Actually you are very close

That and the fact that the North in general did not rely so much on large plantations and developed a yeoman population very fast that did not rely as heavily on indentured servitude, or later black slavery.

Cultural patterns developed early on.

[Sparkly]

7. There I agree with you.

:)

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. So why would things be different in

The Virginia Plantation? (Mind you both territories were originally part of the Virginia plantation but "broke up" culturally oh around then time of William Penn.

[Sparkly]

2. Not to mention Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York...

And other states on the upper right hand part of the map. (Sure hope I phrased that in a way that didn't offend anybody!)

Edit: I think your earlier question was perfectly valid. It's less a "Why Johnny Can Read" issue and more of a "Why Johnny Can't Read" one -- not why something works as it should, but why something doesn't, I mean. (Necessary disclaimer: not saying people in the south can't read.)

[Orrex]

3. Because the Libertarian plan to move in and dominate the electorate has never materialized

And because the state's name is French.

[Sparkly]

6. It did to some extent in New Hampshire

which I think was their chosen location, not Vermont.

[Orrex]

12. Hmm. Possibly.

I was primarily recalling a This American Life piece on it that I'd heard a few years ago, indicating that Vermont was one of the targeted states (though I incorrectly remembered as the chosen state).

It's listed as "Act Two: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/237/regime-change">HERE if you're interested.

[droidamus2]

5. Moved to Vermont from California

and was pleasantly surprised out how non-conservative Vermont is. I haven't really figured out why myself but one possibility is the people here really cherish their independent nature so the kind of lockstep thinking that goes with being a conservative or a Republican doesn't go over well.

[aikoaiko]

8. Best homegrown weed in the continential US.

word.

[The Northerner]

9. I think it was moderate before but then an influx of liberals moved there

and thus helped shift the political demographics over a few decades into what has become a liberal bastion.

[Marie Marie]

10. Don't know but

I actually think about moving there just so that I can say that Bernie Sanders is MY Senator. Especially now that I face the very real possibility of having ultra conservative right wing tool Pat Toomey as my Senator after the midterms. Still, I'm hoping that Joe Sestak pulls out a win.

[dsc]

11. It really does buck the rural/urban trend

I think there was an influx of liberals that made the state much more liberal. But I honestly don't know for sure. It is the only state, other than Maine, that we win regularly that has no real urban area.

[Odin2005]

13. It's the local political culture.

there are 3 political cultures in the US.

http://academic.regis.edu/jriley/421elazar.htm

Northern Tier: The Moralistic Culture



Moral Political Culture. In this culture type society is held to be more important than the individual. Individualism is not submerged in any way, but the group recognizes the need of individuals to assign value to the group. Government tends to be seen as a positive force. This emphasizes the commonwealth conception as the basis for democratic government. Politics is considered one of the great activities of man in the search for the "good society." Good government is measured by the degree to which it promotes the public good. Issues have an important place in the moralistic style of politics. Politicians are expected not to profit from political activity. Serving the community is the core of the political relationship even at the expense of individual loyalties and political friendships. In practice this often results in more amateur participation in politics than in the other political cultures. Upper New England, the Upper Middle West and portions of the west are the central areas for this culture type.

The South: The Traditional Culture



Traditional Political Culture. Social and family ties are prominent where this type of political culture is found. This often means that some families run the government and others have little to say about it. This reflects an older attitude that embraces a hierarchical society as part of the natural order of things. Government is seen as an actor with a positive role in the community, but the role is largely limited to securing the maintenance of the existing social order. Political leaders play a largely conservative and custodial role rather than being innovative. Otherwise, limited government is viewed as best because that is all that is required to meet the needs of those in power. The South is the regional focus for this type of culture. While undergoing change, traditional southern politics have been dominated by "backdoor" arrangements and strict class divisions.

Everywhere in between: The Individualist Culture



Individual Political Culture. In areas with this type of political culture, government is seen as having a very practical orientation. Government is instituted for largely utilitarian reasons. It need not have any direct concern with questions of the "good society." Emphasis on on limiting community/government intervention into private activities. Government should be largely restricted to those areas which encourage private initiative. Private concerns are more important than public concerns here. To a significant degree there is cynicism about government. Dirty politics tends be accepted as a fact. The key to understanding this type is that people accept dirty politics as the way things are and should be. The Middle-Atlantic States through Illinois, and to the West, is the area most prevalent for this type of culture.

[deaniac21]

15. Mostly white and rich.

[JI7]

19. how about Oregon which is not mostly rich, but is mostly white and liberal

[Ter]

16. It is on guns

Less gun-control than even Idaho or Montana. The least in the nation in fact.

[beam me up scottie]

17. I've been away from home so long I can't remember.

I'm so homesick for my little state I even miss the winters.

[JI7]

18. it's close to other liberal places