Why is it that regions of the country grow ever more red as their economies deteriorate?

When life is hard, one wishes they had more power to control it. A conservative perspective seems to provide more structure and a more traditional perspective. Though it increases the role of government to regulate the lives of individuals, Republicans offer to create legislation that restricts change. Democrats, on the other hand, want legislation that limits restrictions on what they believe are the rights of individuals, diminishing the ability to prevent behaviors that some regard as detrimental to society. When life is relatively easy, however, most are not interested in what others do.

Fearful people will listen to anybody who promises to take away their fear. Read history.

The exact opposite is true in europe.

Is that what happens? Can you give me some examples of states where this is true?

Economic crises drive people towards right wing extremists.
With it comes the scapegoating of powerless minorities, be it Jews, Gays, Blacks, or Muslims.
That is how the Nazis gained power.

I think your premise is effect before cause. I think it is more like, “As they grow ever more red, their economies deteriorate.”

Kansas elected Tea Partiers to the Governorship and legislature, and they have dug a hole, but refuse a ladder and keep digging.

Scott Walker in Wisconsin has done the same thing.

California on the other hand, elected Jerry Brown and a Democratic legislature, raised taxes to balance the State Budget, and we are thriving despite our drought.

@zenvelo. So it’s a chicken or egg discussion? You don’t believe that the economic machinations rendering rural life untenable are what make Walker and Brownback possible in places previously noted for wise and prudent governance?

@stanleybmanly Nope, it is money pure and simple from the Kochs and others that have bought a government to reduce their tax burden.

In 2007 the economy was in the shitter everywhere. Places that addressed it prudently have recovered extremely well. Places that took the Tea Party reaction continue to suffer from Tea Party defined changes.

I’m not so sure. I suspect the downturn was necessary to render the Koch bullshit line viable. My problem is in figuring out how much credit for the swallowing must be given to the flight from such places of those who know better. It’s a thought worthy of a question.

I would think that as the poor grow in numbers and average people have a harder time catching a break or getting paid fairly the people would tend to get more liberal. In Latin America the masses that are kept down financially have shown to vote in socialists. I think that is a risk in the US as the divide between rich and poor grows. Previously, in US history, taking advantage of the average worker led to unions and also that tends to turn states blue. The only thing to counter it is religion from what I’ve seen. Many people who work in unions, or are underpaid, but who are also very religious sometimes still vote red for social issues. I’m not generalizing everyone who is paid low wages or is in a union is religious, I’m saying people who are both religious and in that work situation sometimes have a conflict.

That’s how it has always seemed to me, but maybe that’s not really how the statistics pan out.

When desperate, desperate people do desperate things, never really pays off in the end but they still do it.

As economies deteriorate people become desperate and politics become more extreme. They don’t necessarily become redder.

Assuming you don’t mean Communist Red…

As opposed to becoming what?
Blue vassels of the Political Class?
As they have become in Detroit and Baltimore? Pretty desperate places, not much Red.

True! But neither town has succumbed to turning toward “the dark side”. How is it that these 2 buck the trend?

Both Detroit and Baltimore are Blue oases in a sea of Red. Detroit wanted to do a number of things to straighten itself out, but the Republican Governor blocked every initiative.

Yes it really is difficult to fathom why big cities under stress aren’t hurling themselves toward the compassionate understanding which is the very bedrock of modern conservatism.