Election irony

[ChrizJen]

McCain won the Bible Belt partly due to anti abortion and anti gay marriage stances.

Don't forget guns. My BIL thinks the Democrats are going to take his guns away.

Exactly! That's the very reason that you see the most RED through the Bible Belt. If the Republican party stood for what it was originally (which is fiscal conservativism, with a small government that stays out of our bedrooms and our social lives), and hadn't injected ultra conservative/religious social ideals into their platform, you could go with the OP's ideeology. But throw religion into the mix, and it's gonna get skewed every time.

 

[c4a]

Enlighten us then. Since we are talking about the poorer Republican voters, what did McCain offer on his plate for them that would be better than Obama's plans for the less wealthy?

Kentucky is blue (except the city of Louisville, which is strongly Dem.). And for the first time anyone around here can remember we ALMOST sent a Democrat to the Senate-the only reason we sent the Republican (McConnell) back was because he will now be the Leading Senate Chair (most experienced, longest tenor) and the most affluential Republican in the Congress. This was done in the hopes that if the majority Dem. Congress + Dem. POTUS/VP attempted to "go overboard" on the handouts, we would have a thistle to put under their saddles. Yes, we know that McConnell leads in taking pork handouts...but we took one for the team is how we see it.
We are one of the few states that did not see a rise in new voter turnout-be they the young, Hispanics, or African American, also. That is part of the reason, that unlike Indiana (who saw one of the largest new voter turn-outs in Indy, Gary, & Terre Haute (three cities with large African American & Hispanic communities)-which until those 3 cities turned in their numbers- McCain was leading in the state.
As for your question as to what the Rep. offer...well around here there is a saying..."the Republicans want my money. The Democrats want my rights. I can always get another job & make more money."
Nor are we ignorant. No one I know did not vote for Obama for the reasons that many on here ASSUME. I have heard lack of experience-(leadership, military, foreign affairs), great orator who says nothing while leading masses of people to believe he said something, potential ticking timeball (concerning comments during debate about Pakistan & Afghanistan), a tax plan that while insuring that taxpayers pay less money does not insure that the taxpayers will have jobs since it will do away with the loophole/tax cuts to keep manufacturing jobs here in the states-if those jobs go overseas...no jobs.No jobs-who cares if you get an income tax break? What income would be being taxed? I have also heard mentioned a health care plan that somehow managed to be even worse than the one Sen. McCain offered.
And yes, some have mentioned guns. The fact that Obama was a senior member of the Joyce commission did not go unnoticed. For many here, guns (and hunting) is NOT just a sport...it is how we put food on the table. We don't have a Kroger/Meijers/Wal-Mart 10 min. down the road.
Are we proud? Yes. Most of us will & do work more than one job to make ends meet. We would gladly pay more in taxes with the hope that the money would be used for the nations good than take a hand-out. We believe in hand-ups...not generations living off of welfare & a system that not only allows but encourages them to do so.
Similary, just as many in this country are "oohing" and "aahing" over the fact that a woman 106 yrs. old took the opportunity for the first time in her life to vote and admitted it was because the man who was running was black...well, we find that appalling. Along with the people running around in their "The Great Black Hope" t-shirts; who when asked what issue they were most interested in-can't. Instead, they start spewing about "Hope" & "He's going to bring about change". A short 5 minute talk led to finding out that they did not know about Obama's tax plan, stance on gay marriage, civil rights, foreign policy views,or healthcare plan...which leads many of us wondering-what about Sen. Obama were they voting for?

 

[Mikelly1221]

Nothing new under the sun. Go back through history and you will find the following truth about America:

The industrial centers are liberal, the less-industrialized countryside is conservative. Regardless of the name attached to the parties (Democrat, Republican, Whig, Federalist, etc.) it has pretty much always been the same.

Look at a county level map to see the real truth behind major elections. The northeast and the heavily populated cities in the south and west vote blue, everything esle mostly votes red. The same sort of division existed before the Civil War. The issues today are not slavery and trade tarrifs on cotton, etc. but they are just as devisive. The only areas in the South that had a majority for Obama are the biggest cities (generally a large number of "outsiders" who have moved there for jobs over the years), South Florida (which is just a retirement village for New Yorkers and a safe haven for hispanic minorities escaping other countries), liberal college towns (like Gainesville, FL), and locations where blacks are large percentage of the population (95% of whom voted for Obama based on exit polls cited by CNN.com).

That leaves the rural countryside where many or most of the people have been living in that area for generations (or in other rural areas like it) and have a long standing tradition of believing in the concept of individual rights, owning guns, earn what you work for without hand-outs, higher percentage of religious persons, etc. All of those things go against a liberal agenda that might seem to many to offer hand-outs for no work, limit gun rights, be anti-religion, etc.

You can offer "free" money to those people all you want - most of them would turn their noses up at you and be insulted. I grew up around those people. Much of my family are those people. Part of me still is and always
will be.

In the end, though, I still think most Americans are more centrist than the media (or maybe even ourselves) want us to believe. Take away the really devisive issues like abortion or gay marriage (and for most I think it is only the word "marriage" that is at issue, not allowing civil unions or the same rights), and most of the remaining stuff is probably not all that different. I think we are all willing to fight to defend our country when necessary and would all prefer to not need to fight at all. I think most of us are willing to offer help to the poorest and neediest that truly need help. I think most people would agree that providing at least basic health care for those who absolutely cannot do so for themselves is a good thing. I think we'd all like to make more money and pay fewer taxes whenever possible. I think most of us just want to be left alone to live our lives with our friends and families as best we can.

I will exit my soapbox with a quote from the movie "Enemy at the Gates":

Danilov: "I've been such a fool, Vassili. Man will always be a man. There is no new man. We tried so hard to create a society that was equal, where there'd be nothing to envy your neighbour. But there's always something to envy. A smile, a friendship, something you don't have and want to appropriate. In this world, even a Soviet one, there will always be rich and poor. Rich in gifts, poor in gifts. Rich in love, poor in love."

Excellent analysis!

 

[DarthKTrava]

McCain won the Bible Belt partly due to anti abortion and anti gay marriage stances.

That and probably a good portion aren't willing to accept a black president.

 

[Scurvy]

That and probably a good portion aren't willing to accept a black president.

That's an interesting assumption. I doubt that was a factor for most people. Of course there are still racists in this country, but it's far from the norm even in the Bible Belt.

 

[Golf4food]

That's an interesting assumption. I doubt that was a factor for most people. Of course there are still racists in this country, but it's far from the norm even in the Bible Belt.

Especially since the Bible tells us to love everyone equally just like God does. If everyone in the "Bible belt" were so religious these days they would not care about a black or purple president. I certainly don't. There are pockets of white who despise all blacks and there are pockets of blacks who despise all whites, but I think most of us are past all that and willing to give everyone a chance - you can ruin your chance, but you get one to start with at least.