What explains the liberalism of DC residents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The District was founded as an empty space that would be filled by people representing populations elsewhere. There was no industry here other than that necessary to support the growing government. There is no culture or history of business except those that prosper through federal contracts.

^^^ says someone who obviously knows NOTHING about the history of DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because people flock to this city to work for the government. They are, by and large, process people who love rules and telling other people what to do. The very definition of a liberal.

Haha. Try again. It’s because DC is one of the most EDUCATED areas in the country. Folks with college education and above vote for Democrats.

So education means that you vote for policies that harm you?

NP. Lifting up others lifts us all up.

We, this community, are only as “successful” as our most vulnerable people.

+1. Higher taxes do not harm me. I believe in paying my fair share to create a prosperous society. I benefit from that (stability, peace, etc.) but it is also simply the right thing to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What explains the conservatism of WVa? That was a good question. If ever a group could be helped by education, health care, and job training, it would be the West Virginians. But yet, they are among the most conservative voters these days. What's up with that?

When the population is mostly unemployed people living on disability and sitting around all day watching Fox News, that is what you get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC literally wouldn’t exist without government. And the more the government spends, the richer DC residents get. So it makes sense that they’re pro big government and pro big government spending. Self preservation.

Actually, very little of DC residents actually work for the federal government or the contractors. That is mostly suburban folk.

+1. This narrative is infuriating and incorrect. I have lived in DC for 25 and literally have one friend who is a fed, and one friend who is a federal contractor. That’s it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because people flock to this city to work for the government. They are, by and large, process people who love rules and telling other people what to do. The very definition of a liberal.

Haha. Try again. It’s because DC is one of the most EDUCATED areas in the country. Folks with college education and above vote for Democrats.

So education means that you vote for policies that harm you?

We like things like mask mandates because it helps keep everyone safe and allows businesses to operate to the greater care of their employees and customers.

That isn't "against our interests"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because people flock to this city to work for the government. They are, by and large, process people who love rules and telling other people what to do. The very definition of a liberal.

Haha. Try again. It’s because DC is one of the most EDUCATED areas in the country. Folks with college education and above vote for Democrats.

So education means that you vote for policies that harm you?

We like things like mask mandates because it helps keep everyone safe and allows businesses to operate to the greater care of their employees and customers.

That isn't "against our interests"

That poor primitive soul believes that an educated person is harmed by any social safety net.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC literally wouldn’t exist without government. And the more the government spends, the richer DC residents get. So it makes sense that they’re pro big government and pro big government spending. Self preservation.

Actually, very little of DC residents actually work for the federal government or the contractors. That is mostly suburban folk.

+1. This narrative is infuriating and incorrect. I have lived in DC for 25 and literally have one friend who is a fed, and one friend who is a federal contractor. That’s it.

Ok, but the base of the economy if linked to the federal government, and as a result, your friends are indirect beneficiaries, even if they don’t work directly for the government or a government contractor. How many law firms do you think would be here if it weren’t the capital? Even the tech corridor is in many ways a function of government funded research from the cold war era.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because people flock to this city to work for the government. They are, by and large, process people who love rules and telling other people what to do. The very definition of a liberal.

Haha. Try again. It’s because DC is one of the most EDUCATED areas in the country. Folks with college education and above vote for Democrats.

So education means that you vote for policies that harm you?

NP, also high HHI. If by "harm me" you mean cost me a few extra dollars in taxes, that's fine. I believe a better educated, healthier, safer, more secure, population, that has health insurance, protection from discrimination, opportunity for advancement, and myriad other social improvements is a benefit to everyone, and far outweighs any incremental "harm" of higher taxes.

What other harm did you have in mind?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC literally wouldn’t exist without government. And the more the government spends, the richer DC residents get. So it makes sense that they’re pro big government and pro big government spending. Self preservation.

Actually, very little of DC residents actually work for the federal government or the contractors. That is mostly suburban folk.

+1. This narrative is infuriating and incorrect. I have lived in DC for 25 and literally have one friend who is a fed, and one friend who is a federal contractor. That’s it.

Ok, but the base of the economy if linked to the federal government, and as a result, your friends are indirect beneficiaries, even if they don’t work directly for the government or a government contractor. How many law firms do you think would be here if it weren’t the capital? Even the tech corridor is in many ways a function of government funded research from the cold war era.

But no one takes the same argument to discount, say, the opinions of people who live in towns near military bases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because people flock to this city to work for the government. They are, by and large, process people who love rules and telling other people what to do. The very definition of a liberal.

Haha. Try again. It’s because DC is one of the most EDUCATED areas in the country. Folks with college education and above vote for Democrats.

So education means that you vote for policies that harm you?

We like things like mask mandates because it helps keep everyone safe and allows businesses to operate to the greater care of their employees and customers.

That isn't "against our interests"

DP. I’m a democrat and life long liberal. Please don’t use mask mandates to argue liberals have gotten it “right” on covid. I’m a bit embarrassed by it. There are plenty of other things democrats do to ensure a social safety net for all. Please use those examples.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC literally wouldn’t exist without government. And the more the government spends, the richer DC residents get. So it makes sense that they’re pro big government and pro big government spending. Self preservation.

Actually, very little of DC residents actually work for the federal government or the contractors. That is mostly suburban folk.

+1. This narrative is infuriating and incorrect. I have lived in DC for 25 and literally have one friend who is a fed, and one friend who is a federal contractor. That’s it.

Ok, but the base of the economy if linked to the federal government, and as a result, your friends are indirect beneficiaries, even if they don’t work directly for the government or a government contractor. How many law firms do you think would be here if it weren’t the capital? Even the tech corridor is in many ways a function of government funded research from the cold war era.

+1

You don’t need to get a paycheck directly from the federal government to be dependent on it.

If the capital of the country was in Tennessee, do you really think the DMV would have the economy is has? It would be a lot more like Baltimore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC literally wouldn’t exist without government. And the more the government spends, the richer DC residents get. So it makes sense that they’re pro big government and pro big government spending. Self preservation.

Actually, very little of DC residents actually work for the federal government or the contractors. That is mostly suburban folk.

+1. This narrative is infuriating and incorrect. I have lived in DC for 25 and literally have one friend who is a fed, and one friend who is a federal contractor. That’s it.

Ok, but the base of the economy if linked to the federal government, and as a result, your friends are indirect beneficiaries, even if they don’t work directly for the government or a government contractor. How many law firms do you think would be here if it weren’t the capital? Even the tech corridor is in many ways a function of government funded research from the cold war era.

+1

You don’t need to get a paycheck directly from the federal government to be dependent on it.

If the capital of the country was in Tennessee, do you really think the DMV would have the economy is has? It would be a lot more like Baltimore.

You can equally say that if the capital of Tennessee wasn't Nashville do you think it would have a large and vibrant metropolitan area? I'm not really sure what point you're making.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would DC ‘improve’ less liberal?

Our liberalism has gotten:

- Universal Pre-School
- Universal Paid Leave
- New Mom UBI Pilot
- Free Public Transportation for Kids
- Highest LEED Environmental certification in the country
- Extremely high percentage of commerce and mixed used development
- Universal public testing and vaccination for a pandemic
- Highest levels of protections for residents in a pandemic including moratorium laws and vaccine passports

Meanwhile our neighbors just got stripped of a mask mandate. I love DC.

That’s all nice if you don’t get shot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC literally wouldn’t exist without government. And the more the government spends, the richer DC residents get. So it makes sense that they’re pro big government and pro big government spending. Self preservation.

Actually, very little of DC residents actually work for the federal government or the contractors. That is mostly suburban folk.

+1. This narrative is infuriating and incorrect. I have lived in DC for 25 and literally have one friend who is a fed, and one friend who is a federal contractor. That’s it.

Ok, but the base of the economy if linked to the federal government, and as a result, your friends are indirect beneficiaries, even if they don’t work directly for the government or a government contractor. How many law firms do you think would be here if it weren’t the capital? Even the tech corridor is in many ways a function of government funded research from the cold war era.

This is correct. The indirect effects influence every part of the economy even if people don’t directly work for the federal government.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC literally wouldn’t exist without government. And the more the government spends, the richer DC residents get. So it makes sense that they’re pro big government and pro big government spending. Self preservation.

Actually, very little of DC residents actually work for the federal government or the contractors. That is mostly suburban folk.

+1. This narrative is infuriating and incorrect. I have lived in DC for 25 and literally have one friend who is a fed, and one friend who is a federal contractor. That’s it.

Ok, but the base of the economy if linked to the federal government, and as a result, your friends are indirect beneficiaries, even if they don’t work directly for the government or a government contractor. How many law firms do you think would be here if it weren’t the capital? Even the tech corridor is in many ways a function of government funded research from the cold war era.

+1

You don’t need to get a paycheck directly from the federal government to be dependent on it.

If the capital of the country was in Tennessee, do you really think the DMV would have the economy is has? It would be a lot more like Baltimore.

You can equally say that if the capital of Tennessee wasn't Nashville do you think it would have a large and vibrant metropolitan area? I'm not really sure what point you're making.

I’m not sure the point you’re making. Plenty of state capitals are pretty blah places that are neither large nor vibrant.