# Is the West Coast really the most liberal/open minded part of the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 2, 2015, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013 "2015-07-02T02:05:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Reads\_a\_Lot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9a28c/32.png) [@Reads\_a\_Lot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reads_a_Lot)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/21 "2015-07-03T00:55:13Z")
The great bleeding heart lives in individuals ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/22 "2015-07-03T00:57:56Z")
I currently live somewhere that’s under siege from Governor Grand Duff Tarkin. Still, some of the Rebel strongholds are quite entertaining… ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/23 "2015-07-03T01:44:33Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > LA and SF, huge swaths of coastal areas are pretty open minded. Modesto, Fresno, Bakersfield, and other central areas might as well be the bible belt. Thus the apparent contradiction politically. There is a HUGE conservative base outside of coastal areas and most of those areas are very Agriculture centric or in the case of bakersfield, Oil. You’d think you were in Oklahoma or something in those areas. Where did those people come from??? ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/24 "2015-07-03T02:16:21Z")
We’re better than Mexicans in general, and you, in particular, because we have more stuff than you. Maybe you could have more stuff too if you weren’t such a lazy parasitical loafer. Oregon is the best place in the World and there’s absolutely nothing wrong whatsoever with my state, and especially my city of Portland. We live in an amazing place, worth every shiny spendy penny, and I’m glad I can say this anonymously so I can finally be free of the yolk of PC oppression. Now that the issue has been settled, let’s never speak of it again. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/25 "2015-07-03T02:18:57Z")
I think many people overestimate how liberal California is. It’s not like the Democratic counterpart of Texas, in the sense that Texas is considerably more Republican than California is Democratic. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/26 "2015-07-03T02:18:58Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You’d think you were in Oklahoma or something in those areas. Where did those people come from??? nm ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/27 "2015-07-03T03:11:21Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You’d think you were in Oklahoma or something in those areas. Where did those people come from??? Hah! ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/28 "2015-07-03T03:37:34Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I think many people overestimate how liberal California is. It’s not like the Democratic counterpart of Texas, in the sense that Texas is considerably more Republican than California is Democratic. Howso? California has a one party rule at the state level at this point, and gives 20+ point margins in presidential elections. If anything, Texas may become a purple state in 10 years. California will not, if anything it’ll probably become more blue. I don’t know a lot about the state, I did spend time in San Diego and it had a very materialistic vibe. It didn’t feel progressive at all in San Diego, but I’ve heard that is the least liberal big city (behind LA & SF). ---
**Author:** ![protoboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/29 "2015-07-03T05:20:33Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Howso? California has a one party rule at the state level at this point, and gives 20+ point margins in presidential elections. If anything, Texas may become a purple state in 10 years. California will not, if anything it’ll probably become more blue. > > I don’t know a lot about the state, I did spend time in San Diego and it had a very materialistic vibe. It didn’t feel progressive at all in San Diego, but I’ve heard that is the least liberal big city (behind LA & SF). The thing is Democrats aren’t nearly as liberal or left wing as Republicans are a right wing party. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/30 "2015-07-03T06:11:29Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > . . . I don’t know a lot about the state, I did spend time in San Diego and it had a very materialistic vibe. It didn’t feel progressive at all in San Diego, but I’ve heard that is the least liberal big city (behind LA & SF). San Diego is conservative…but more in the old sense than the new. It isn’t regressive. We aren’t at all tempted by Tea Party fantasies. We’re not very hate-filled. We have a really thriving gay community, and a very strong Democratic Party, which, while outnumbered, wins enough elections to attain reasonable representation. San Diego is “laid back” conservative. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/31 "2015-07-03T18:03:34Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > … .Once you get away from the metropolitan areas, things get pretty red. … I wonde if there’s any correlation betweeen political orientation, “away from metropolitan areas”, and “closer to the marijuana fields”? ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/32 "2015-07-03T21:24:38Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I wonde if there’s any correlation betweeen political orientation, “away from metropolitan areas”, and “closer to the marijuana fields”? actually it’s the breaking of the surf on the shores of California bringing a good will alpha particles to every living soul in it’s wake. California has three hours more of sun light than NY which gives us the right to get up early and check the stock market. I don’t stay up late anymore because they fired Jay on the “Tonight Show” after the ten foot snow pack next year on Mt Shasta California water problems will be on the way to being over. ---
**Author:** ![protoboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/33 "2015-09-19T02:07:23Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > San Diego is conservative…but more in the old sense than the new. It isn’t regressive. We aren’t at all tempted by Tea Party fantasies. We’re not very hate-filled. We have a really thriving gay community, and a very strong Democratic Party, which, while outnumbered, wins enough elections to attain reasonable representation. > > San Diego is “laid back” conservative. Gay people are kind of a sacred cow in California, but Mexicans and the poor? Not so much. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/34 "2015-09-19T02:11:51Z")
You go twenty miles inland in California you’re in Alabama. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/35 "2015-09-19T05:53:51Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > Still though, California has voted against so many liberal and left-wing measures it’s hard for me to buy the idea that everyone here is a pacifist socialist laid-back hippie. Would be awesome if it were true, but I’m not seeing it. I don’t know why that’s considered a good thing. A society of lazy burnouts is just as dysfunctional as one made of gun toting bible thumping redneck a-holes. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/36 "2015-09-19T08:28:54Z")
I dont think you can get anymore liberal than Boulder Colorado. Also Lawrence Kansas is the San Fransisco of the state. Interesting they are both college towns. ---
**Author:** ![protoboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/37 "2015-09-19T09:03:57Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I dont think you can get anymore liberal than Boulder Colorado. > > Also Lawrence Kansas is the San Fransisco of the state. > > Interesting they are both college towns. Colorado is socially liberal, but doesn’t really have a socialist consciousness. I’d say it’s more Libertarian, same with the West in general. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/38 "2015-09-19T17:14:35Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > Colorado is socially liberal, but doesn’t really have a socialist consciousness. No part of the country has a socialist consciousness. The closest you get are wee enclaves like Berkeley and to hear some leftist Berkeleyites\* whinge even that is a stretch. This isn’t Scandinavia and it likely never will be. Is the West Coast the most liberal/open-minded part of the US? Overall and in terms of broad geographic regions probably, though New England is also likely in the running. But that of course camouflages very large areas of more conservative thinking within those regions that are swamped out by urban cores. And it is only liberal in a _broad_ and _relative_ sense. You will never find a socialist paradise in the United States because such doesn’t exist - the U.S. is indeed rather more libertarian than “liberal” and will in our lifetimes always remain far more conservative than western Europe ( again, taken as a whole ). - Technically I’m a lefty Berkeleyite as well, but a find many of the more entitled progressives around here tedious as fuck. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/39 "2015-09-19T23:41:45Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > You go twenty miles inland in California you’re in Alabama. I see your point, but it takes more than 20 miles. 20 miles inland is just past downtown L.A. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013/40 "2015-09-20T10:57:31Z")
Again, read the links that I gave in post #12. California and the western U.S. in general are not the most liberal parts of the U.S. California, Oregon, and Washington State are pretty liberal, but they aren’t as liberal as most of the Northeast (and Hawaii, incidentally). The most liberal political division of the U.S. is Washington, D.C. (Here I use “political division” to mean either a state or the District.) If you think that California is the most liberal part of the U.S., it’s because American TV shows and movies misleadingly show it as so being. Remember the following rule, because it will serve you in good stead for many things: Most American TV shows and movies are utter lies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-coast-really-the-most-liberal-open-minded-part-of-the-us/724013.md?page=3)