I agree strongly that we are not the products of individual decisions. We are extremely influenced by the politics of our parents and where we grew up. As for me and my two siblings, it is no accident that we have always been left leaning Democrats because our parents and grandparents were helped by the New Deal and the GI Bill and because we grew up in working class neighborhoods in Brooklyn, New York and Jersey City, New Jersey.
While it's plausible that blue state non-college educated voters are more liberal than red state college educated voters due to regional cultural alignment, I wonder if the difference can be better explained by the influx in Republican money in primaries in red states and the lack of competitive districts due to gerrymandering that leaves a gap in voter education levels and engagement. For example, I don't think the blue state IL non-college educated voter 20 miles across the border from an Indiana non-college educated voter is that much different culturally. Perhaps any difference seen in outcomes of these comparisons of voters should also consider the millions of dollars in targeted ads and misinformation that is allowed to circulate on and off cycle, unchecked, in red states where voter engagement/information is low due to a serious lack of competitive districts and financially backed progressive infrastructure.
Thanks, Laura
I agree strongly that we are not the products of individual decisions. We are extremely influenced by the politics of our parents and where we grew up. As for me and my two siblings, it is no accident that we have always been left leaning Democrats because our parents and grandparents were helped by the New Deal and the GI Bill and because we grew up in working class neighborhoods in Brooklyn, New York and Jersey City, New Jersey.
Have you seen the decline in evangelicals? https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-rapid-pace/ I wonder how much they have in the game?
While it's plausible that blue state non-college educated voters are more liberal than red state college educated voters due to regional cultural alignment, I wonder if the difference can be better explained by the influx in Republican money in primaries in red states and the lack of competitive districts due to gerrymandering that leaves a gap in voter education levels and engagement. For example, I don't think the blue state IL non-college educated voter 20 miles across the border from an Indiana non-college educated voter is that much different culturally. Perhaps any difference seen in outcomes of these comparisons of voters should also consider the millions of dollars in targeted ads and misinformation that is allowed to circulate on and off cycle, unchecked, in red states where voter engagement/information is low due to a serious lack of competitive districts and financially backed progressive infrastructure.