Could Affluent Suburbs Give Barack Obama a Win Over John McCain?

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Isn't it interesting that affluent suburbs are overwhelmingly flocking to Obama when many of its residents might actually be hit by his tax increase. The reason is most affluent voters needed brains to make their money. They can see that even though they stand to lose some tax dollars they can't stand to put the country in the hands of incompetent leadership. Sarah Palin is a disgrace to American politics!

of 2:54PM November 03, 2008

I am a life time resident of Wisconsin. I would have to disagree with Stan's accusation of racism as the cause for Milwaukee's "inversion". Mr. Barone's article hinted on the true rational for region's to support one candidate vs. another. It is not so much a split between urban and rural, or affluent and poor, but a split between producers and consumers.
Areas growing food, mining for metals/minerals and fuels, building equipment, in short producing tangible goods tend to be vote conservative. Areas that govern, provide services, set cultural trends, educate, in short areas that consume tend to vote liberal. Milwaukee is a unique case of an urban area that is a strong producing area as well.
Consuming areas vote for redistribution of what is produced, Producing areas vote for more control of what they produce. The Wisconsin case is illustrated by the voting patterns of Milwaukee and Madison as mentioned in Mr. Barones article.

RangerRick of WI 2:41PM November 03, 2008

Wisconsin. SurveyUSA shows Obama weakest in Milwaukee, leading only 49 percent to 46 percent, but leading 70 percent to 24 percent in Madison and by lesser but still impressive margins in Green Bay and Northwest. The Milwaukee suburbs, once again, as in 2000 and 2004, are sticking Republican. I'm not sure what the explanation is.
- That must be one of the most heavily Republican suburban areas in the midwest. Northwest Wisconsin is traditionally Democratic, alongside northeast Minnesota (though Bush took many of the interior Democratic counties in that part of Wisconsin), but the real surprise is Greenbay. I am not sure what the difference is between the proportion of Catholics in Greenbay v. Milwaukee, but McCain should carry that area.

From North Central ILLINOIS of IL 10:08PM November 02, 2008

Well Stan in MI.,that statistic is surprising ,given Wisconsins reputation as an off the chart welfare state. What is more revealing is how far to the RIGHT Wisconsins cousins - Sweden & Norway have moved because of the backlash that stems from burden of being taxed to death to support the shiftless.

Mark of MO 9:57PM November 02, 2008

It is sad but no surprise that so many so-called Americans could be fooled by the
Obama farce. There's no surprise to me just how frivolous the voter is today.
It is never been more clear that the electoral vote system denies the popular vote
and in doing so denies a true democracy. We have been selling this democracy to other
countries for years. I wonder how Iraq would handle the electoral vote system.
In MY mind it's not about the campaign rhetoric, it's about voting for our troops
and our troops who are not with us today to voice their opinion!
I say A vote for McCain is a vote and a voice for our troops.
IF that's the only reason you can find to vote for McCain, then that's all the reason
you need! May God save this country if you vote for obama, not an American, a racist
only looking to use blacks for his own purpose.

Denn2008 of CO 7:34PM November 02, 2008

Remember that Florida can not be called until after 8:00 p.m. eastern time as the panhandle portion of Florida is in central time. This was a problem in the 2000 election. Florida was called before all polls closed causing the race to be close. The panhandle is primarily Republican and people who were going to vote for George Bush decided not to vote after Florida was called early. Don't let this happen again. Vote McCain - Palin. Let the voters decide who will win, not the media.

BJW of FL 2:49PM November 02, 2008

If the states of Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvlania, etc., are called as a win for Obama by 7:00 P M. eastern time, it will be unncessary for Republicans to go vote in the western states. They can just stay home and save money on gasoline, which they will surely need if Obama is elected.

Carolyn of TX 1:41PM November 02, 2008

I lived in Wisconsin from my birth in 1936 until I left for college in 1954.
During this period my home town had a restrictive covenant forbidding the sale of property to African-Americans, and the daily paper published in the county seat explicitly endorsed racial segregation. In 1964 George Wallace ran in the Wisconsin Democratic primary and did quite well, primarily due to cross-over votes by Republicans. I esteem my native state, but I have to say that its affluent suburbs are extraordinarily backward when it comes to race relations. They resemble Metarie in Louisiana and other southern suburbs more than they do the suburbs of Philadelphia and the other northern cities cited in Barone's article. I have no idea why they're this way, but they are.

Stan of MI 8:42AM November 02, 2008

I hope not. But since the parents of these brats are brats themselves(50 somethings) you can expect that the appeal of Obama to this otherwise unlikely demographic is based upon the belief that they can continue to enjoy lifes many distractions without risks.Can't wait to see the look on their faces when Komrade Obama sends notice that their presence is required in DARFUR!

John Thomas of KS 6:56AM November 02, 2008

Whatever happened to the investigation of the 3 homosexuals that were shot in the back of the head "execution style" all within 40 days of each other and all were from Obamic's church?

Bro don of OH 2:47PM November 01, 2008