The south is a lost cause

[geekboy09]

That's why i'm moving to California once I get my BA because there are too many crazies in the south. Florida is not so bad as other south states but honestly I think Romney will win florida

[MADem]

1. The south is changing. Every time I visit the south, I am happily surprised.

It was much less welcoming in the late fifties/early sixties.

[awoke_in_2003]

9. Yeah, they don't lynch people anymore. nt

[XemaSab]

24. I'd guess that rural California

gives the South a run for its money with race hatred, homophobia, and other forms of evil.

[awoke_in_2003]

33. I don't know...

but I live in Texas and lived in Alabama from 76 to 80. Moving to AL from Ohio was quite a culture shock.

[Tumbulu]

44. Yes it does (nt)

[snappyturtle]

2. ......

[Mutt22]

4. LMAO!!

So you're moving to California?? A friend of mine from Cali is never going back because of all the crazies.

[CreekDog]

12. I've lived in 3 states and California is the most sane one of the 3

maybe it's because this is the Bay Area.

[Webster Green]

16. CA rules.

Especially coastal Northern CA. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. It's the sanest, most civilized place in the country.

[Mutt22]

34. I was mainly just laughing

because the OP considers the South a lost cause politically. Some of my family still lives in the south and are staunch Democrats. Out of the four people I know from Cali, three are very rabid republicans.

[Webster Green]

38. Oh yeah, we've got some of 'em.

They are really out-numbered though, especially on the left side of the state.

[RLP1862]

5. Crazies are everywhere.

[ddavis195600]

10. well said, man.

[liberallibral]

18. Seriously... There are crazies EVERYWHERE!!!

[RLP1862]

6. Charleston SC

is very nice.

[Cannikin]

7. Nah, its not lost yet.

I live in Arkansas and I've never seen so many people that hate the Republican candidate in my entire life. And the political season has brought a lot of Arkansas Democrats out of hiding and into the fight. I don't expect us to go blue any time real soon, but Romney has been far more divisive and polarizing here than I would have imagined.

[Butterbean]

8. Buh bye. n/t

[CBHagman]

11. Demographics, demographics, demographics.

Things are shifting in many places due to immigration, and the South is no exception. It would be a mistake to think the status quo is permanent.

[TroyD]

13. Florida is still very right-wing

It's disappointing.

It's been years since there's been a Democratic Governor.

They stole the election for Bush in 2000.

They elected Jeb as Governor.

There is a lot of racism in the police departments.

They have the 'Stand Your Ground Gun Law'.

It's the site of the Trayvon Martin killing.

There have been a couple of violent deaths by hazing, with possible motivations based on race and sexual orientation.

[HooptieWagon]

51. And voted for Obama in 2008.

Which throws your RW meme out the window. Florida actually has over 400,000 more Dems than reps. Unfortunately, Dem Party of Florida is corrupt and dysfunctional, progressives struggle to get any Party support. That will change, eventually.

[Nedsdag]

14. In other news.....

Water is wet, the sky is blue.

[Zen Democrat]

15. The Republicans have one more presidential, at best, before demographics overtake them in Texas.

I think the winner in Texas this year will be by single digits. Rick Perry embarrassed the entire state when he threw his dunce cap into the race, and the Baptists here don't care for Mormons one little bit.

[CBHagman]

40. "...threw his dunce cap into the race."

I don't think I've heard it put better.

[geekboy09]

17. What I do not understand is

Dems populate this state from 41 to 36 percent, and its still right wing.

[Taverner]

19. Sometimes I think that...

Then I meet progressives from the South

[Lex]

20. North Carolina and Virginia went blue for Obama in 2008, but give up if you want.

[Lex]

21. It's a city/techonology verus rural/post-agrarian split.

The blue versus red thing, I mean.

[Cali_Democrat]

22. What part of California?

There are crazies here also...and a lot of them. Big state...a lot of people...a lot of crazies.

[Confusious]

36. 8 percent of Californians

Believe they've been abducted by aliens.

[Jennicut]

23. Eh, there are crazy right wingers even where I live in Connecticut.

Granted, the majority of people are pretty socially moderate and religion is less of a factor. But you will find assholes in every state.

I don't think Romney is guaranteed to win in Florida. All the polling has shown that it is a close race there but not impossible. I really dislike self defeatism. Democrats and liberals were stuck in that cycle for a long time. But we can win in more then just New England and California and a few mid west states. Howard Dean was right.

[HooptieWagon]

25. Bye.

We southern progressives don't have much use for quitters and defeatists.

[Dawgs]

42. +1. South bashing starts every four years around this time.

It's really quite pathetic.

[alcibiades_mystery]

26. You're still here?

Yeesh.

[mnhtnbb]

27. We left California in 1988 and have never looked back. Reagan 'broke' California

when he was Governor as a warm-up for extending greedy Republican policies to the rest
of the country.

When we left CA, we moved to Missouri, then Nebraska, finally
settled in Chapel Hill, NC. I LOVE IT here. Yes, it's the south--
but Chapel Hill is considered the Berkeley of the south. Our county
went for Obama by 66% in 2008.

You couldn't pay me to return to California.

There are plenty of crazies everywhere. There are lots of towns
all over the country that are 'blue'.

[On the Road]

28. Hey -- Virginia and North Carolina are in the South,

and from what demographers are saying, Texas will be purple in twenty years.

In any case, Howard Dean made a compelling case that it's a mistake to write off any part of the country.

[Robbins]

29. South

The rise of Hispanic demo being added to Black and the small remaining white Democrats(Yes there still Is a minority of white
Democrats that exsist In South) changes things In south.Who would have thought Virginia and NC would have been battlegrounds
just 8 years ago.Clinton lost both In his electoral Landslide.

Obama lost Goergia by 5.A recent poll has Romney leading by just 3.

Texas Is on verge of becoming a battleground.It won't happen this year It could happen In 2016.A lot of people voted for Obama In
Texas.3 million of Obama's popular votes In 2008 came from Texas.The counties Dallas,Austin,el Passio,and San Antonio are In are voting Democratic.It the rural areas+county fort worth Is In that keeps It Republican.

Julias Castro the keynote speaker at our convention could be a strong candiate against Rick Perry for Governor In 2014 If he runs.
He's someone who may make a strong statewide candiate when texas becomes swing state again.

Why do you think Republicans wanted to change voter laws In Texas? It's not about 2012 but the future.

We could see Romney beat Obama by 9 points Instead of the 11 Mccain did.

[Proud liberal 80]

30. The Bulk of this country is filled with Right Wing Crazies

land mass wise. Even the liberal hotbeds of New York state and California. If you look at the presidential map of 08 it is a sea of red everywhere except for New England. Again I am talking about actual land.

http://philhardwickblog.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/2008-presidential-election-results-county-by-county-map/

[mainer]

31. This author argues for secession in his book.

You should read the angry 1star reviews he gets from southerners. I heard him speak and he's hilarious and unsparing about the south and why the north would be better off without the south to drag it down.

http://www.amazon.com/Better-Off-Without-Manifesto-Secession/dp/1451616651/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346702335&sr=1-1&keywords=better+off+without+%27em+a+northern+manifesto+for+southern+secession

[WI_DEM]

32. Actually you don't seem to pay much attention...

but Obama is ahead in most Florida polls, is ahead in almost all Virginia polls and is tied in North Carolina. And you know what? other southern states in the years ahead are trending democratic including big bad Texas because the old southern male is dying off. You seem to complain a lot on DU. I think most see thru you. But good luck in California.

[Iggo]

35. Wedge Politics 101.

[JoePhilly]

48. We have a winner.

[JNelson6563]

37. This Michigander couldn't disagree more strongly.

There's a lot of population shifting going on and, besides, I would never think to abandon our progressive brothers and sisters in the south.

Julie--still a fan of the 50 state strategy

[Dawgs]

41. 40% Dems in a state like Georgia isn't that much different than a 50% state like Ohio.

That's 4 out of 10, instead of 5 out of 10. Hardly a big a difference.

[Tom Ripley]

43. Your moving? And give up that nice bridge?

[GallopingGhost]

45. I could be wrong, but

I think President Obama will carry Florida. It may be close, but he will win.

Ohio also.

And Virginia.

GOTV.

Bye bye Romney.

[davidpdx]

46. I think there's no doubt Obama will lose a majority of the southern states

But there is some hope in Virginia, NC, and Florida. I think NC will be harder to pull off this year. Other states could flip in the future it will take time and work. It certainly won't happen overnight.

[sofa king]

47. Sic semper tyrannis!

[Paladin]

49. Avoiding Creepy Region-Bashing At DU Is A Lost Cause. (nt)

[ncgrits]

50. +1000! nt

[Setsuna1972]

52. Say what?!

No my friend, the South is NOT lost--the President did win VA, nC and FL in 2008--I did my share on Election Day for the campaign and will keep doing so this time around.

Yes there are crazy people here, but they're all over the place--even in California! Besides, the cost of living in Cali is way up there, I dare say much more expensive than living in say NY or the Dc area.

It's going to be alright, just keep working for the main goal and don't let the crazies get you down

[HopeHoops]

53. The Obama camp really needs to focus on rMoney's plan to dismantle Medicare - in FL specifically.

[NYC Liberal]

54. Okay, buddy.