Wise County, Va.

[Anonymous]

OP - you had me until your comment about "keep voting Republican, you dipsticks.". I feel for these people, but I am not going to blame them for their problems because of the way they vote. To me, that sounds like, "she asked to be raped because of what she was wearing.". Some of the PPs were totally on the money with the comments about how to reach out. It is not through preaching or handouts, but instead through education and exposure to new ideas (in a subtle way). We have tried to expose my cousins and nieces/nephews to life beyond their small world by inviting them on trips with us and inviting them for summer stays in DC. Gives them opportunity without forcing our views down their throats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

As for being "elitist," these discussions always turn out this way. If you call like you see it -- that voters aren't voting in their own interest -- you're an "elitist" who doesn't understand. I grew up in PG county -- my family are shitkickers in Southern Maryland. Somehow pointing out that these people -- my fellow rednecks and yes, dipsticks -- are being hoodwinked makes me an "elitist." Excuse while I go get my soy, half-caf free-range, free trade shade latte.

Op, respectfully, you don't understand. Their cultural or religious values are every bit as much their interest as healthcare. Their priorities are just that - theirs. Disagree with them, fine. That is your right. Try to convince them otherwise, that's fine too. "Elitist" comes into play only when you dismiss them and their deeply held beliefs as 'stupid', too stupid to make the decisions you have made. Maybe Democrats can do more to open their eyes to Democrat values by putting some of the presidential election surplus towards a gift to the Remote Area Medical Health Expedition that helps these folks out?

[Anonymous]

By the way, the link to donate to RAM is found here:

http://www.ramusa.org/contact/donate.htm

We are generally blessed in the greater DC area, maybe we can all share a bit with those less fortunate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Op, respectfully, you don't understand. Their cultural or religious values are every bit as much their interest as healthcare. Their priorities are just that - theirs. Disagree with them, fine. That is your right. Try to convince them otherwise, that's fine too. "Elitist" comes into play only when you dismiss them and their deeply held beliefs as 'stupid', too stupid to make the decisions you have made. Maybe Democrats can do more to open their eyes to Democrat values by putting some of the presidential election surplus towards a gift to the Remote Area Medical Health Expedition that helps these folks out?

I hope the Democrats can and should do better than a one-time charitable gift to a small organization that can no way replace what this country needs -- a single payer health care system comparable to what the civilized nations of the world offer their citizens. We should have listened in the 90s before the crisis of the uninsured has spiraled out of control the way it has.

To call someone an elitist presupposes that person is or is perceived to be superior. If some uneducated buffoon called me "stupid,"(and they have, I started out answering phones in a liberal congressman's office. Heard it all) would that Bubba be an "elitist"?Why am I an elitist and Bubba isn't?

But what it comes to is this and I agree with other posters...If you have education and opportunity, you are more than likely to be a liberal. If you're educated, you are more likely to be liberal. If you look at the NYT electoral maps and you see dots of blue in a sea of red in flyover states, you know why? There's a university there where people read books and stuff and know some things or there are people who have money. Look at Idaho -- you see Moscow where the University of Idaho is -- a small blue dot. Or Farmville VA. Or Jackson Hole Wyo (Teton County).

Really, I feel badly for the people of rural America and those folks waiting for days to get their kid seen by a pediatric dentist. It's tragic. And even though they didn't vote to better their situation, the good "elitists" in the cities are hoping their lives get better, even if they don't.