The American Urban/Rural Political Divide

Basically, if you isolate yourself, you're more likely to end up becoming a bigot

City dwellers outnumber rural dwellers. If not for gerrymandering, we would have real democracy in the US.

People in the city are useless

Finnaly there is now resonable fear of Democrats pushing excessive control and regulation harming small businesses and diminishing personal freedom, especially since covid. This is a now a major economic (and social) reason for many to suport Republicans even among many who might otherwise prefer Democrats.

Furthermore our greatest concentrations of wealth is still in the suburbs despite the partial urban revival and growing decline in many suburbs of recent decades. Most big cities haven't grown recently much either. Instead, it is low density, semi rural exurban areas and smaller to mid size low density metro areas that have grown the most in recent decades, not big high density urban areas!

Actually even the majority of rural residents live in metropolitan areas. Lower density suburbs and smaller cities tend to be more even (purple) politically. Red metros or rural counties and surrounding blue states also have political conflicts. Declining counties are often smaller core urban not just rural.

People in kcmo are racist. There’s segregation and poverty across the entire city. Kcmo is a giant suburb

Lmao there’s not much wealth in kcmo most that is In JOCO

Hawaii should be red and i find it odd its not

What city is that in the beginning?

You're right I feel like ossining in suburban Westchester county is a good middle ground

I think the types of freedom (freedom to vs freedom from) better suited to rural vs urban plays a role as well. If you live in a city its more important that your neighbor doesn't burn their leaves into your face and you can more rely on services to take care of yard waste. In the country you need to be more self reliant, so its more important that you can take care of your yard waste yourself.

I'll give you another reason why I'm probably the real reason why democrats have taken over the cities. Your brain on propaganda packed into a sardine can of other people's brains on propaganda. Mixed in with that ever so annoying trait of herd animals. Those who go against the grain are outcast from society..... And since society is a big thing with big cities. No one wants to be the 1 outcast among the thousands of others. Whereas in the rule areas nobody cares if you're an outcast because there's so much room you don't have to fear what other people think about you. And honestly out here unless you are making a nuisance of yourself nobody cares what you're pretty leave practice or preach. So long as you let everyone else believe practice or preach in their own way.... Not speaking just religion here just all aspects of it. Conservatives just want to be left alone to enjoy life whereas lefty's seemed to want to force everybody to live their way or face the highway!b Of course in the democratic case if they force you to face the highway it's the highway with high moving traffic and they generally show you into it.....

I expect my comment to be highly unpopular, and i can live with that...but Joe Biden is actually an extraordinary President.

Hey it's ok if you vote blue, I just don't want to hear complaining when your catalytic converter is stolen or meth money and they're getting out with no cash bail because they could identify as a different gender and we don't want to be fascist now do we?

I live in the country. I don't really care what side it is just as long as there a good God fearing man or woman that wants to help the people of the USA

The division comes down to two factors,
1 Democrats try to help

2 Republicans block help, thus reverting the blame back to democrats.

Part of the problem is that both parties have established an orthodoxy, and anyone who doesn't follow orthodoxy to the letter is an outcast.

Now, I can act like my grandmother, the WCTU member, when it comes to the expansion of gambling and alcohol sales.

Yet, I'm pro-choice and support same-sex marriage.

Go figure.

I have a friend who has his "Proud Union Member" sign in the front yard, and he likes to go to the shooting range.

He had trouble voting, because candidates who are anti-union support gun ownership, and vice-versa.

Both of my grandfather were farmers. Yet one was unsuccessful and a New Deal Democrat.

The other was very successful and a Goldwater/Regean Republican.

I'm not sure if the divide is so much about rural vs. urban, as it is about self-reliance versus believing the government can fix your problem.

I know rural people who feel life has thrown them curveballs, and the government must help.

I know people from the city or suburbs who only expect government to keep the roads in good shape, pick up the garbage, maintain good water pressure, and teach kids the 3 Rs, well enough to get into an elite college.

When allowing MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of people into the country... unchecked... who have zero job skills.... it has a way of wrecking things. It's not hate against the people, but shaking one's head at the idiocy of allowing it to go on unchecked. If you think if immigrants as water... Yes, it is necessary, but floods are still bad... especially when the water isn't even checked to see if it's 'bad' or not. (criminals, diseases, etc)

People from rural places are legally intellectually disabled

Shrinking welfare programs? Do a quick search. What was spent on welfare before Reagan? What is spent on welfare now? Federal welfare spending now exceeds total revenue.

I'll give you a "B+" here for objectivity. I do kind of get the idea that you lean to the left personally, and that's fine. I certainly don't expect anyone to be TOTALLY unbiased. After all, so of what you talk about here is indeed subjective. I do appreciate that you refute some of the most egregious allegations made against us out here in rural America, such as us all being a bunch of racists and white supremacists. So, here's my take on your points, being as objective as I can be, being pretty right-leaning myself (and having lived in urban, suburban, and rural areas myself.)

Fear of change - I think that's something of a mischaracterization. People in general I think can be described as somewhat fearful of change (think of how people are terrified at the prospect of machines replacing them in the jobs.) Some of that fear is even justified at times. But what I often hear said of people in rural America is that our fear of change is with regard to the social issues like all the LGBT stuff going on. We're not AFRAID of that change. We just don't like what it represents. If there is any fear among my ilk with regard to change, those fears have been quickly validated and justified. Much of that fear surrounds the centralization of power. And honestly, that's happening too much in both political parties, even though it's happening faster on the left. If COVID showed us nothing else (and it showed us PLENTY), it showed just how easy it was for government to pounce on any opportunity to impose its will on free people, and it disturbed us how willing many people were to simply acquiesce to that authority. To be perfectly candid, one of the reasons that Donald Trump is so wildly popular in places like this NOT because he's the most likeable guy in the room, but because he's an outsider. Many of us really hung our hats on his promise to "drain the swamp". I'm more of a pragmatist myself and didn't really expect him to be able to accomplish that, and he didn't. Sadly, a lot of people out here haven't really caught on to that reality yet. That's unfortunate. Donald Trump is a narcissist and is toxic to anyone who surrounds him. I'll vote for him, but I really hope I have a better choice. There are ways to put forth the political policies I would support without being so toxic.

Wealth inequality - I'll agree 100% here. Wealth inequality is a big problem in the city. Of course, I disagree with my blue counterparts in the city as to how to solve that problem, but admittedly it's not as big of an issue out here because we don't have the problem to deal with. People in an urban environment enjoy the luxury of being to, to a large extent at least, leave with a perception of reality that is rooted in idealism. That is, through a lens of how we think the world ought to be. They can afford to do that because they benefit from a great many things that they don't have to provide directly for themselves. Food comes from the grocery store; water from the tap; and there's a gas station a block away, to say nothing of Starbucks. Conversely, those of us living in a rural environment must, out of necessity, view reality through the lens of not how we think the world ought to be, but rather how it actually IS. The world can be a cruel and dangerous place (literally and figuratively). While living here these days is largely a choice, the reality is that law enforcement, the fire department, EMS, or other basic services may be miles and several minutes away. In a time when seconds count, you have to be prepared to deal with situations yourself. Self-reliance is more of a thing out here. It's not like we live in a vacuum of technology, but a power outage can last a few days out here after a bad storm. Wild animals can actually be a real through to the life and safety of people, property, and livestock. We tend to rely a lot more on each other for help than on an infrastructure of services simply due to the reality that your neighbor is a lot closer than some city service or department. That also tends to breed a culture where people, generally speaking of course, are more apt to help when they see someone with a need, and more comfortable to seek out help from others when they need it. That culture is often rooted in a faith-based community that, among other virtues and values (many of which are scoffed at by our blue friends in the city), tends to promote the values of helping others in need and actively supporting our communities.

Democrats have abandoned rural voters - That's very true. Supported by the other reasons you gave, Democrats have found all the votes they need in the city. If only they could get rid of that pesky electoral college, they'd have all the momentum they need to run roughshod over everyone out here and we'd never hear from them again, except at tax time of course.

Democrat = Republican - Sadly, this is so true. While people spend time bickering over the two political parties, people with different needs perceiving themselves (often wrongly, IMHO) to be in different political camps. By and large, we're ruled over today by a uniparty. The "elites" that the republicans talk about exist just as much among their own ranks as the other guys. Again, this is one reason that people here love Donald Trump. We have no illusions about him being wealthy. But it's not politicians' wealth we despise. It's the fact that many of them largely acquired that wealth by using their positions of political power to carve out opportunities form themselves that they then legislatively deny to us. One only need look at the entourage of armed guards that surround people like Gavin Newsom and other politicians, despite the fact that YOU are often denied the right to carry a gun yourself. Apparently they are just more important, and thus more valuable than you are. That doesn't sit well with people like me.

Culture war - I think the Democrats may have started it, but sadly again both parties are happy to play in it. They divide the country up amongst themselves and WE are the just the chum for the feeding frenzy.

Indianapolis lol. I grew up in a small town 45 min outside of Indy. Now I live in Indy. Can confirm the rural/urban political divide. I live and work around a bunch of progressive (not liberal) fart sniffin’ hippies. Liberalism has become rare among the dems

Mr. Beat is juiced?

Everybody knows every body in a small town. If a person is gay,black,been in trouble, comes from a looked down upon family, or does not share the predominant religious views of the community they have to move to the city to feel a sense of freedom. People who live in the country can’t realistically expect a standard of living working at a low skills jobs. People move to the city to get what they want out of life. People move to the country to get what they want out of life. People move or stay according to what they value in life.

It's cosmopolitan vs. Redneckism. I decry both.
As an American nationalist I believe in National unity. Both can learn from each other. I live now in rednecksville but learned how to farm and live in the woods. Rednecks can learn new exciting things like heavy Music ,culture,and business. What is not needed in the cities are illegal immigrants who don't assimilate or degenerate socialism and homosex. What is not needed in rual areas are willful ignorance, yee hawing,and a libertarian mentality.

Fascists always depend on motivating rural "sons of the soil" with fears of change, blamed on city-dwelling "elites". This pattern has been clear for many years. Just like how fascists always attack teachers and sexual minorities.

MAGA = Fascism...there is no longer any doubt about this.

IN THE BIG CITIES, THE DEMOCRAT-RUN PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE CONVINCED THE VOTERS THAT THE DEMOCRATS WILL FIX EVERYTHING FOR THEM AND GIVE THEM MORE FREE STUFF.
IN THE MN BIG CITIES, THE POVERTY RATES HAVE INCREASED ALONG WITH THE CRIME RATES, AND MOST PUBLIC-SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE A YEAR OR MORE BEHIND GRADE STANDARDS, BUT SOMEHOW 80% GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
HOW CAN THAT BE?

Biden grew up outside the city and now is popularized in all cities

Trump grew up in the city and now is popularized in the country

I love your optimism and good faith, but I think you're missing context on your five reasons.

First, the idea that Democrats & Republicans have similar economics is not true, that's flat out wrong. The only fiscal similarity they have is they are both capitalist. The Republican party favors a laissez-faire approach to the economy. They follow the neoliberal Chicago school of economics, men like Thomas Sowell and Milton Friedman. They shun social programs and favor privatization of institutions that most nations would argue SHOULD be publicly owned, such as hospitals. The Democratic party follows Keynesian economics, coined by John Maynard Keynes and the social liberalism of folks like FDR & LBJ. They advocate using a social safety net to lift up the poorest and it has been proven to work since Social Security began in 1935. The Republican party's economic beliefs closely align with right-Libertarian while the Democratic party follows closely with Social Liberalism & Social Democracy.

Second, rural voters are mistaken on the idea that the Democratic party has abandoned them. The Democrats' focus on Keynesian economics means they'd actually be in favor of helping rural voters. Infrastructure and subsidies being given to rural areas to have them developed would be supported by Democrats. Several green policy initiatives would be supported by Democrats in rural areas and boost commerce there. Young people leave rural red areas because those areas have been declining for a long time. A lack of money, a lack of funding in those small towns, a lack of jobs and activities. These young people move to cities & suburbs becoming blue voters.

Third, Republicans & social conservatives need to give up on their culture war. The rising younger generations won't side with them. The Republican party's positions on these social issues are just...wrong. A woman should have control over her body & her fetus. LGBT people deserve full rights & equal treatment. Gun control is necessary to curb gun violence. Police departments cannot be militarized, they need reform or defunding.

Fourth, wealth inequality could easily be tackled by progressive fiscal policies from the progressive Democrats currently sitting in our Congress. People like Bernie Sanders, AOC, yes their proposals would absolutely help tackle wealth inequality. Taxing the rich, expanding Social Security, building cheap affordable mid-rise housing, raise the minimum wage, start unions, provide public healthcare, building public transit, using renewable energy, etc. The simple fact is that Republican fiscal policy has not decreased wealth inequality, it has INCREASED wealth inequality.

So really, no matter any which way you look at it, there's no good reason for a rural voter to vote for conservative Republicans. The Republican party simply does not serve the interests of your average poor rural voter who needs help and wants change. That's not part of the Republican party platform. The fiscal & social policy of the Democratic party, especially progressive candidates, is far more likely to raise your standard of living, freedom and civil rights. We saw this in the 1930s, 1960s, 1990s and again in the 2020s. Fiscal & social policies that lean to the center & left politically see more success than policy on the right. It's not an issue of bias, it's an issue of FACTS.

Trump has never been “rural.” You ever heard of trump tower?

it's funny that u have trump as the rural rep when his company deals in high value urban real estate

Cities outvoting all others far far afield...

Resembles gerrymandering

Some people get even more than their fare share of influence...

Over others rather far away

The Republicans are responsible for all the misery in America they sow conflict whenever they can about anything from the defecate to the right of self-expression. The Party of Sower Grapes with Donald Stinkbug as a leader. It's a white fascist horror show on steroids if I have ever seen one.

I can say on the Culture War Segment, I can say the rural people worrying about democrats taking away what we had, such a as business, guns, that sort is definitely true. Where I live in Illinois during Covid, despite our low spread of the disease and wide spread panic for a slightly more powerful flu, Pritzker forced a shutdown on most no-essential businesses, problem is though, because most businesses needed customers flow 24/7 many shutdown, many people just never wore masks (Unless we went to like the local Walmart or were in school) and the spread wasn’t that bad. Along with most of the democratic news outlets broadcasting the death rates of Covid infected peoples, the reason it was so high was because they counted it even if you didn’t die from Covid. My grandparents had it twice both in their 80s but they were fine. Most of us rural people just don’t trust the democrats cause they keep lying to us and messing with us at every corner. Hope this helps people understand somewhat

Trump = Rural America? Really??? I don’t believe it. Rural American farmers are good folks. Trump = underneath rocks dwelling America & backwoods swamp dwelling camo-gear wearing America… far more dangerous. Several just got 14 / 17 & 22 years of subsidized living at the taxpayers expense.

We should be united not divided we should be United

This issue never gets talked about
It’s the REAL reason why we are at a gridlock

Cut the power and water supply off to a city and watch what happens.

And a rural vote counts for more, which is wrong..

“Republicans and Democrats are equal on economics” lol ok man

so rural represents naive, dumb people....got it

Its not a divide; Conservatives engage in economic & social and warfare in small towns, especially eith the rise of Rush Limbaugh style Lies & Hate radio. Rural America is subsidized by the under represented, under supported metro majority.

Fuck rural areas

They can take their guns and their pickup trucks and go die on a mountain somewhere

I am German and my suggestion to America is to become more rural again.

Ok so what's the largest Republican city

Your bias showed again when you used a population decline chart to describe economic decline.

The major problem for America is that rural areas are over-represented considering it's population. And for those who live in urban area, they barely find time on election day due to their employers.