I'm from Utah and yes whenever it's possible to actually have a real conversation about political issues with someone, we tend to align on policy. It's the emotional reactiveness we've all been programmed with by the billionaire class that keeps us from hearing each other. Utah wants to protect it's families. Can't convince families that themselves rely on SNAP, CHIP, and Medicaid, that the only people those benefits are for are those illegal aliens staying in 5 star hotels on our dollar. They don't want that stuff taken away. They just want the actual waste, fraud, and abuse taken out of our government.
That said, this quote: "Utah and Texas are little more than MAGA theme parks, where everyone’s busy polishing their AR-15s and toothlessly yelling about drag queen story hour as the shuffle through Walmart in camo Crocs and a Jesus-bedazzled thong" isn't an entirely inaccurate image.
Although I don't think the Mormons are supposed to bedazzle their underwear... 🤔😂
You make this Canadian want to go see Texas, Alisa! And I have a few other awesome Texans in my Substack feed too. Have you seen the tv show Somebody Somewhere? Such a beautiful show and gave me a whole new appreciation of the diversity in a place like Kansas. I mean, I know it's fiction, but the biggest fiction of all is the claim that any place is homogeneous or entirely ruled by ideology. Signs of life and resistance are everywhere!
Utah is an interesting place. I recently visited Salt Lake City and was pleasantly surprised at the number of vegan restaurants and options available for those of us who abstain from animal products. And the number of museums. My personal experience with LDS people here in AZ is that they are focused on doing good in their communities, which means DOING GOOD, rather than performative right wingery. That said, I have no idea what politics, if any, the LDS church recommends or endorses.
Salt Lake City is a blue island in an extremely red state. I lived in the St George area (southern UT) for 4 years and it's most definitely a red city. Even though it's growing like crazy most of the transplants are not progressives. And if you're not Mormon you're looked at with suspicion and recruited to join the church. Most Mormons are excellent neighbors, but progressive they are not.
I wish the DNC would arrive at a clear, inspired and inspiring platform. AOC and Bernie have amply proven there’s more hunger and more unity than the media portray. Now for the template, created for the smart, brave wing of the Dem Party.
Subscribing to you for sure! As a Texas Democrat who was the Democratic Delegate from the worst gerrymandered district in Texas that takes one city of 250,000 who should have 3 democratic congressional representatives and instead we have 1 democrat and 2 safe republicans, I know the fight on the ground. Only 118,000 elected our representative in a district of 850,000. If Democrats would actually show up in our district like Beto did just a few weeks ago, or if more join us as the 50 of us showed up at the Republican Party meeting of Navarro County, then the country would know we can flip Texas. But the national democrats listen to the DC consultants and have never ever put money in Texas to flip the state. If you never start working then it will never flip.
Another great perspective, and I have said for a long time Texas is not Red it is gerrymandered, we flipped Blue years ago and they've been cheating ever since. Sad as I feel that Texas mistakenly gets pegged as the MAGA capitol of the US, it is not, It's bad but no worse than anywhere else.
Genuinely curious because I don’t know much about Utah politics - is it as gerrymandered as Texas? If not, why did agent orange win by 20 points in the first place? Did voters not know about project 2025? Did they not believe that project 2025 was the actual goal?
Utah is gerrymandered currently. I think the Princeton Project on gerrymandering has the details, but let's just say, I live in Salt Lake City, and myself and my progressive neighbors are being represented by a rural lady who focuses on ranchers, farmers, 4-H, mining, and religion. No traditional progressive causes whatsoever. I don't feel at all represented by her.
OK, hang on. The Utah Way is dying. The Trumpian movement is taking over in the state legislature and we have pride flags being outlawed on state public property, democratic voice taken away from unions, a push to silence independence in the courts and universities, and gerrymandering. It is, however, correct to say that Utahns have a more traditional conservative take on government and the Constitution, so Trump's breaking the Constitution is galvanizing a lot of people across the board.
I'm from Utah and yes whenever it's possible to actually have a real conversation about political issues with someone, we tend to align on policy. It's the emotional reactiveness we've all been programmed with by the billionaire class that keeps us from hearing each other. Utah wants to protect it's families. Can't convince families that themselves rely on SNAP, CHIP, and Medicaid, that the only people those benefits are for are those illegal aliens staying in 5 star hotels on our dollar. They don't want that stuff taken away. They just want the actual waste, fraud, and abuse taken out of our government.
That said, this quote: "Utah and Texas are little more than MAGA theme parks, where everyone’s busy polishing their AR-15s and toothlessly yelling about drag queen story hour as the shuffle through Walmart in camo Crocs and a Jesus-bedazzled thong" isn't an entirely inaccurate image.
Although I don't think the Mormons are supposed to bedazzle their underwear... 🤔😂
Point taken. Yes, the Mormon stereotypes are more aggressively modest. Thanks for calling me out. 🙂
You make this Canadian want to go see Texas, Alisa! And I have a few other awesome Texans in my Substack feed too. Have you seen the tv show Somebody Somewhere? Such a beautiful show and gave me a whole new appreciation of the diversity in a place like Kansas. I mean, I know it's fiction, but the biggest fiction of all is the claim that any place is homogeneous or entirely ruled by ideology. Signs of life and resistance are everywhere!
Utah is an interesting place. I recently visited Salt Lake City and was pleasantly surprised at the number of vegan restaurants and options available for those of us who abstain from animal products. And the number of museums. My personal experience with LDS people here in AZ is that they are focused on doing good in their communities, which means DOING GOOD, rather than performative right wingery. That said, I have no idea what politics, if any, the LDS church recommends or endorses.
Salt Lake City is a blue island in an extremely red state. I lived in the St George area (southern UT) for 4 years and it's most definitely a red city. Even though it's growing like crazy most of the transplants are not progressives. And if you're not Mormon you're looked at with suspicion and recruited to join the church. Most Mormons are excellent neighbors, but progressive they are not.
Oh, boy, all so true!
I wish the DNC would arrive at a clear, inspired and inspiring platform. AOC and Bernie have amply proven there’s more hunger and more unity than the media portray. Now for the template, created for the smart, brave wing of the Dem Party.
Yes, hope.
I think we're going to have to count on independents not the parties
Maybe so. But yowza, could that get muddy!
Joyce Vance (former Republican) and Sara Longwell (Republican, the Bulwark) have been talking about fully forming a new party too.
I can't have hope if the Dems are not showing up for the current genocide.
LOVE YOUR WORK!
Please keep writing.
Subscribing to you for sure! As a Texas Democrat who was the Democratic Delegate from the worst gerrymandered district in Texas that takes one city of 250,000 who should have 3 democratic congressional representatives and instead we have 1 democrat and 2 safe republicans, I know the fight on the ground. Only 118,000 elected our representative in a district of 850,000. If Democrats would actually show up in our district like Beto did just a few weeks ago, or if more join us as the 50 of us showed up at the Republican Party meeting of Navarro County, then the country would know we can flip Texas. But the national democrats listen to the DC consultants and have never ever put money in Texas to flip the state. If you never start working then it will never flip.
Another great perspective, and I have said for a long time Texas is not Red it is gerrymandered, we flipped Blue years ago and they've been cheating ever since. Sad as I feel that Texas mistakenly gets pegged as the MAGA capitol of the US, it is not, It's bad but no worse than anywhere else.
i am smiling !!!
A small part of this red state can think for themselves. Most just follow what is fed them from their church.
Genuinely curious because I don’t know much about Utah politics - is it as gerrymandered as Texas? If not, why did agent orange win by 20 points in the first place? Did voters not know about project 2025? Did they not believe that project 2025 was the actual goal?
Utah is gerrymandered currently. I think the Princeton Project on gerrymandering has the details, but let's just say, I live in Salt Lake City, and myself and my progressive neighbors are being represented by a rural lady who focuses on ranchers, farmers, 4-H, mining, and religion. No traditional progressive causes whatsoever. I don't feel at all represented by her.
OK, hang on. The Utah Way is dying. The Trumpian movement is taking over in the state legislature and we have pride flags being outlawed on state public property, democratic voice taken away from unions, a push to silence independence in the courts and universities, and gerrymandering. It is, however, correct to say that Utahns have a more traditional conservative take on government and the Constitution, so Trump's breaking the Constitution is galvanizing a lot of people across the board.