Why is suburban Maryland so leftist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Education - the more educated you are, the more likely you are to be a liberal. MoCo suburbs have a lot of educated people.

This.

https://www.degreequery.com/most-educated-places-us/

Look at the top 10 most educated cities/counties in the country. Half of them are in this area.

For MoCo local politics, the other issue is most of the people who actaully get involved are in Takoma Park and they are ultra-left. Most of the county councils members are from the TP/Silver SPring area, including the County exec. I wish Elrich would visit upcounty like Clarksburg and Germantown more often, and talk to real families at the park or out shopping. He'd learn a lot -- these people don't think public transit is the solution to all problems, and probably aren't as fond of his attempt to make MoCo into a pseudo-sanctuary county (they do honor ICE detainers, but loosely, like calling an ICE agent's personal cellphone on a holiday and if no response in 6 hours, they release instead of calling the ICE 24-hour hotline).

And I bet if you looked at the 2016-2018 elections, most of those highly educated cities voted blue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is but it also isn't. Don't forget the megachurch people and the people who live in the suburbs or exurbs and who are afraid to come into the city.

Huh? Why are you equating fear of going into the city with being conservative? That makes no sense.

Also, where are there actual megachurches in MoCo? WaPo did a list of the largest churches in the DC area in 2014 and no MoCo churches made the list.

Agree. That’s ridiculous. What, so no conservative-leaning fed employees in DC?

And I can’t think of a single megachurch in a 10 mile radius of my neighborhood.

There are a fair number of conservative federal employees, I don't know why, but they exist and my dh works with them in suburban Maryland. And I find it strange that someone thinks that all DOD and Pentagon and military staff are "liberal" because they are feds too.

Covenant Life Church, Gaithersburg
https://www.covlife.org/
Montgomery County megachurch that just had a huge child sexual abuse scandal. Was all over the news, not sure how you all missed it.
So, list of megachurches in MD: http://hirr.hartsem.edu/cgi-bin/mega/db.pl?db=default&uid=default&view_records=1&ID=*&sb=4&State=MD

I hate mega churches, and much more traditional (and liberal) and would imagine many people in the DC area, would prefer to go to a non megachurch.

The are more Democrats and liberals in MoCo than VA but MoCo is not super leftist, if all the people I see driving around with "pray the rosary" and "prolife" stickers are any indication.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is but it also isn't. Don't forget the megachurch people and the people who live in the suburbs or exurbs and who are afraid to come into the city.

Huh? Why are you equating fear of going into the city with being conservative? That makes no sense.

Also, where are there actual megachurches in MoCo? WaPo did a list of the largest churches in the DC area in 2014 and no MoCo churches made the list.

Church of the Redeemer is a megachurch. So is Covenant Life Church. Both are in Gaithersburg.

[Anonymous]

"Educated" has all kinds of nuances. You left wingers might have more degrees, but I think the disparities are really going to show up when you compare, for example, liberal arts degrees to say, engineering or finance. All the JD's in this area have to have something to do with the left-leaning as well. And don't confuse "educated" with intelligence. All feds aren't necessarily left-leaning either. You will find a big difference between DOJ and NASA for example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
What's leftist to you is centrist to me, OP. I'm from Europe, where most countries have decent parental leave, subsidized daycares and health care systems that don't fleece patients and the nation. The US Democratic Party is centrist compared to the multiple Left-wing parties in Europe.

Another European here, and couldn't disagree more.

US Dems have become a far left party, with a radical quasi-communist platform focused on identity politics and hate for "western" values.

Back to OP's question -- many of your neighbors work in DC yet they choose to live up in MD...they feel guilty about it so they have to show how cool and progressive they are via some cheap rethoric.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What's leftist to you is centrist to me, OP. I'm from Europe, where most countries have decent parental leave, subsidized daycares and health care systems that don't fleece patients and the nation. The US Democratic Party is centrist compared to the multiple Left-wing parties in Europe.

Another European here, and couldn't disagree more.

US Dems have become a far left party, with a radical quasi-communist platform focused on identity politics and hate for "western" values.

Back to OP's question -- many of your neighbors work in DC yet they choose to live up in MD...they feel guilty about it so they have to show how cool and progressive they are via some cheap rethoric.

Where are you from, Hungary?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What's leftist to you is centrist to me, OP. I'm from Europe, where most countries have decent parental leave, subsidized daycares and health care systems that don't fleece patients and the nation. The US Democratic Party is centrist compared to the multiple Left-wing parties in Europe.

Another European here, and couldn't disagree more.

US Dems have become a far left party, with a radical quasi-communist platform focused on identity politics and hate for "western" values.

Back to OP's question -- many of your neighbors work in DC yet they choose to live up in MD...they feel guilty about it so they have to show how cool and progressive they are via some cheap rethoric.

Where are you from, Hungary?

Nope, not even close.

Where are you from, the USSR?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Educated" has all kinds of nuances. You left wingers might have more degrees, but I think the disparities are really going to show up when you compare, for example, liberal arts degrees to say, engineering or finance. All the JD's in this area have to have something to do with the left-leaning as well. And don't confuse "educated" with intelligence. All feds aren't necessarily left-leaning either. You will find a big difference between DOJ and NASA for example.

Two words: Bay Area

You think the Bay Area is full of liberal arts majors? LOL

I will say though that most Wall St and Lawyers are probably conservative due to taxes. Same for DoD type workers due to military budget.

But most scientists lean liberal, especially these days, because most scientists aren't climate change deniers.

Did you miss the March for Science march in DC? Do you think it's coincidence that they marched during Trump's administration but no other?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What's leftist to you is centrist to me, OP. I'm from Europe, where most countries have decent parental leave, subsidized daycares and health care systems that don't fleece patients and the nation. The US Democratic Party is centrist compared to the multiple Left-wing parties in Europe.

Another European here, and couldn't disagree more.

US Dems have become a far left party, with a radical quasi-communist platform focused on identity politics and hate for "western" values.

Back to OP's question -- many of your neighbors work in DC yet they choose to live up in MD...they feel guilty about it so they have to show how cool and progressive they are via some cheap rethoric.

My DH from the UK says that Dems here are more center than liberals in Europe. Though, I think that is starting to change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Education - the more educated you are, the more likely you are to be a liberal. MoCo suburbs have a lot of educated people.

This.

https://www.degreequery.com/most-educated-places-us/

Look at the top 10 most educated cities/counties in the country. Half of them are in this area.

For MoCo local politics, the other issue is most of the people who actaully get involved are in Takoma Park and they are ultra-left. Most of the county councils members are from the TP/Silver SPring area, including the County exec.I wish Elrich would visit upcounty like Clarksburg and Germantown more often, and talk to real families at the park or out shopping. He'd learn a lot -- these people don't think public transit is the solution to all problems, and probably aren't as fond of his attempt to make MoCo into a pseudo-sanctuary county (they do honor ICE detainers, but loosely, like calling an ICE agent's personal cellphone on a holiday and if no response in 6 hours, they release instead of calling the ICE 24-hour hotline).

There are certainly people in the upcounty (generally though not exclusively white and older) who like to characterize everybody in county government as Takoma Park/Silver Spring out-of-touch ultraliberals. But since these people's candidates usually don't get a majority in elections in the upcounty, I don't think their characterization is particularly valid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What's leftist to you is centrist to me, OP. I'm from Europe, where most countries have decent parental leave, subsidized daycares and health care systems that don't fleece patients and the nation. The US Democratic Party is centrist compared to the multiple Left-wing parties in Europe.

Another European here, and couldn't disagree more.

US Dems have become a far left party, with a radical quasi-communist platform focused on identity politics and hate for "western" values.

Back to OP's question -- many of your neighbors work in DC yet they choose to live up in MD...they feel guilty about it so they have to show how cool and progressive they are via some cheap rethoric.

Where are you from, Hungary?

Nope, not even close.

Where are you from, the USSR?

OK, then please tell us where, because I don't know of any country in Europe where the US Democratic Party would qualify as "far left."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What's leftist to you is centrist to me, OP. I'm from Europe, where most countries have decent parental leave, subsidized daycares and health care systems that don't fleece patients and the nation. The US Democratic Party is centrist compared to the multiple Left-wing parties in Europe.

Another European here, and couldn't disagree more.

US Dems have become a far left party, with a radical quasi-communist platform focused on identity politics and hate for "western" values.

Back to OP's question -- many of your neighbors work in DC yet they choose to live up in MD...they feel guilty about it so they have to show how cool and progressive they are via some cheap rethoric.

My DH from the UK says that Dems here are more center than liberals in Europe. Though, I think that is starting to change.

He probably means they are more to the center than Corbyn, which may well be as he is a leftie revolutionary like Bernie.

But Dems today are certainly to the left of Tony Blair (or Bill Clinton).

They care about ideology and the few vs. results for the many.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What's leftist to you is centrist to me, OP. I'm from Europe, where most countries have decent parental leave, subsidized daycares and health care systems that don't fleece patients and the nation. The US Democratic Party is centrist compared to the multiple Left-wing parties in Europe.

Another European here, and couldn't disagree more.

US Dems have become a far left party, with a radical quasi-communist platform focused on identity politics and hate for "western" values.

Back to OP's question -- many of your neighbors work in DC yet they choose to live up in MD...they feel guilty about it so they have to show how cool and progressive they are via some cheap rethoric.

Where are you from, Hungary?

Nope, not even close.

Where are you from, the USSR?

OK, then please tell us where, because I don't know of any country in Europe where the US Democratic Party would qualify as "far left."

You are not European.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What's leftist to you is centrist to me, OP. I'm from Europe, where most countries have decent parental leave, subsidized daycares and health care systems that don't fleece patients and the nation. The US Democratic Party is centrist compared to the multiple Left-wing parties in Europe.

Another European here, and couldn't disagree more.

US Dems have become a far left party, with a radical quasi-communist platform focused on identity politics and hate for "western" values.

Back to OP's question -- many of your neighbors work in DC yet they choose to live up in MD...they feel guilty about it so they have to show how cool and progressive they are via some cheap rethoric.

Where are you from, Hungary?

Nope, not even close.

Where are you from, the USSR?

OK, then please tell us where, because I don't know of any country in Europe where the US Democratic Party would qualify as "far left."

Again, I think the US Democratic Party is more centrist on economic issues than European parties, although that is starting to change (thankfully). Universal healthcare is a given in Europe, even though it takes various forms, and there is generally more appreciation of a welfare state and worker protections (family leave, vacations, etc).
But I do think Americans are more socially liberal. Yes, there is the actual racist/sexist/homophobic constituency on the Right, and of course the evangelicals, but the move toward LGBT equality over the last 20 years or so has been commendable. You see a LOT more normalized homophobia in Europe, even Western Europe. And you really don't see the kind of uber political correctness like you see among the "woke" wing of the US Democrats. The US is far from perfect, of course, but being completely honest you'd be hard-pressed to find a more culturally tolerant society elsewhere, besides maybe Canada.

[Anonymous]

It’s education. Better educated population. Many very educated women.