Centerfield

I spent my first two years of college in Northfield, Minnesota, which is 45 minutes south of downtown Minneapolis. Then, Northfield was in another world. Today, Northfield is becoming part of exurbia. And a large part of the farmland or otherwise open space that existed 20 years ago between Northfield and Minneapolis has since been filled with strip malls, Home Depots, and large houses.

David Brooks calls these growing areas as "Mayberrys with Blackberrys." He is so clever.

I guess I would say I spent the majority of my life in Suburbia -- first in Sacramento and now in the East Bay Area. Actually, where I live now is probably a cross between urban and suburban -- not quite each.

Funny, my husband would like to be a hermit. His ideal would be somewhere in New England with a house in the middle of about 5 acres. That would be okay, just as long as it's not too far from civilization!

Funny, my husband would like to be a hermit. His ideal would be somewhere in New England with a house in the middle of about 5 acres. That would be okay, just as long as it's not too far from civilization!

That's me to a "T"! Just make it 20 acres in "rural" Texas. :)

I think the displacement may represent a little from column A and a little from column B. Each generation dreams of their children doing a little bit better. For some, better comes with a different way of thinking and the perception that a Republican vote best represents a new socio-economic status.

I live in Rockvill, MD, a suburb of Washington, DC. It is not an exurub, but my perception since the election is that Rockville (or at least my neighborhood) is more conservative than the inner suburbs (Chevy Chase and Bethesda). Interestingly, these inner suburbs are also more affluent; people like George Will live in Chevy Chase, yet they are also more liberal.

I like the IDEA of living in the city, but there is a lot of hassle, especially in DC, with poor schools and services, etc. The suburbs frankly offer an easier way of life and more affordable while still being reasonably accessible to the city. ON the other hand, it does not offer a lot of intellectual stimulation and I don't feel I have a lot in common with many of the suburbanites.

I think people's perceptions do change as they grow older and become more affluent. It's also a matter of background; people generally become more conservative as they get older, but I think it's relatively uncommon for people to go from being a Democrat to a Republican simply because of their change in economic status. I suspect that much of the Republicanism in the exurbs reflects the fact that people who were already Republican are sort of moving out together.

Over at Bobnews.com they are discussing the link between the suburban/exurban lifestyle and support for foreign intervention and military adventurism. The premise is people who require alot of energy to power big homes and long commutes have a vested interest in cheap energy and are willing to go to support it militarily.

I don't know that I agree with all of that, but clearly a 40 mile commute and a 3000+ square foot home (multiplied by millions) is not sustainable unless you can afford the energy costs. It is a lifestyle I tried and am not comfortable with on several levels.

Me, I live a few blocks from the University of Iowa, ride a bike 10 minutes to work year round (or walk if there is snow and ice) and like the fact our two cars only get a combined 15k miles per year. On the other hand, I like to hunt, fish, go for long runs in the country and appreciate the wide open spaces.

The biggest sacrifice I had to make moving to a 100+ year old home on a 50 ft lot is the inability to have the kind of big gardens I used to have on my half acre lot out in the burbs. I also wish I had that lower level rec. room common in suburban homes. It's hard to entertain in a cold basement with 6 ft ceilings.

But overall I fit the stereotype. I'm a liberal. I like the coffee shops, import beers and book stores that are all a short walk from home.

Tim;
Help me understand this. Invade Iraq, gas prices go up. How does that support the lavish exurban lifestyle?

Chris:

I think the idea is by invading Iraq and establishing a military presence in the middle east (how many new bases are currently open or under construction) we will maintain access to middle east oil. It's more about access than price. Unless the price goes up a lot more than it has so far.

But again, I'm not a subscriber to the theory.

Chris:

If you are interested in their discussion, you can find it at:

http://www.bopnews.com/archives/002518.html#2518

The article itself doesn't discuss this; it's in the comment section. I think Ian Welsh brought it up first.

And sorry, it's Bopnews, not Bobnews.

That article could have been written about me. We were already living in what could be considered an exburb and moved even further out last year when we felt things were getting too criwded. My new hometown is still pretty rural but there are quite a number of new, moderately expensive homes.... I commute 60 miles (each way) to work everday....but I love where I live now...it's much more comfortable for me. Politicaly, I didn't see a single Kerry sign in my home town but about every 4th house had "Bush '04" in the front yard.

I was always conservative before....but definately became more so when I got married and had a child...which is also partialy what influenced our decision to move where we did. However, I will say that it does feel easier and more comfortable to be conservative where I live....and certainly the issues that affect my local community are more closely represented by the Conservative viewpoint.

So, I think you have a combination of both going on....alot of people moving out to these areas are already pre-inclined to be conservative. Alot of them are moving due to major lifestyle changes (kids) which would already tend to affect thier political outlook.....however the local community and it's issues definately seem (IMO) to reinforce that trend.