Community organizer

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

No doubt community organizers are important, but again, I think small town mayor is at least comparable. Maybe I missed a lot of dismissal of community organizers even before that.

But you know, this is just partisan BS. Community Organizers probably skew heavily Democratic and it's not a big risk for the GOP to make fun. It'd be the same with Democrats talking about corporate fat cats. It's not going to really make your own base mad.

Personally, I doubt there was anyone in American who said, “I was all about John McCain and the Republican party, but darn it, they're making fun of community organizers.”

And I doubt any Democratic mayors of small towns switched parties when Palin's experience was minimized either.

As Michelle Obama might say, this conversation isn't helping my kids. I'm happy to have it with you, but I don't think it matters much.

And even as someone who wants to see abortion restricted, I'm usually creeped out by Right to Life. I think they frequently do a lot to set back the cause more than they help it.

Then you haven't met my boyfriend. He's leaning away from McCain/Palin because he thinks she's unqualified and the community organizer railing really pissed him off. I think it might be hard for Republicans to understand how much that part of Obama's background impresses people who understand the reality of grad school loans - he could have taken a six figure job and didn't.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

Then you haven't met my boyfriend. He's leaning away from McCain/Palin because he thinks she's unqualified and the community organizer railing really pissed him off. I think it might be hard for Republicans to understand how much that part of Obama's background impresses people who understand the reality of grad school loans - he could have taken a six figure job and didn't.

If he had believed she were qualified, would it matter? Maybe it would. I'm sincerely wondering.

I think there are Republicans who understand the reality of grad school loans. But I think they filter Obama's decision through the lens of "but he knew he wanted to be a politician." Unless you think you might seek office as a Republican, I'm not sure the six figure job helps as much as being a community organizer would.

Had he stayed a community organizer, more Republicans would probably find his authentic desire to improve his local community admirable, but we wouldn't be having this conversation.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

Then you haven't met my boyfriend. He's leaning away from McCain/Palin because he thinks she's unqualified and the community organizer railing really pissed him off. I think it might be hard for Republicans to understand how much that part of Obama's background impresses people who understand the reality of grad school loans - he could have taken a six figure job and didn't.

Serious question - does anyone know of a reputable site that talks about the per capita income of Democrats and Republicans? I did a quick Google search but couldn't find anything solid. Because, my own experience has been that I've been around just as many Democrats (if not more) who came from wealthy families.

I'm not sure that Democrats really understand Obama's community organizer background any more than Republicans, as a whole. One way to look at it is, if someone is going to support Obama, his experience as a community organizer is one thing they can offer in his favor.

Again, I really don't have any numbers to back this up, and would be interested to see any stats on the subject. But, as a Republican from a lower-middle class background who has had to work and utilize loans to pay for college and law school, it would be interesting to see how many people are in a similar position.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Serious question - does anyone know of a reputable site that talks about the per capita income of Democrats and Republicans? I did a quick Google search but couldn't find anything solid. Because, my own experience has been that I've been around just as many Democrats (if not more) who came from wealthy families.

I'm not sure that Democrats really understand Obama's community organizer background any more than Republicans, as a whole. One way to look at it is, if someone is going to support Obama, his experience as a community organizer is one thing they can offer in his favor.

Again, I really don't have any numbers to back this up, and would be interested to see any stats on the subject. But, as a Republican from a lower-middle class background who has had to work and utilize loans to pay for college and law school, it would be interesting to see how many people are in a similar position.

I googled Democrat Republican demographics and got this:

http://forum.objectivismonline.net/i...showtopic=7967
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/200...me-and-voting/
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...0081551AAu0Izm

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I googled Democrat Republican demographics and got this:

http://forum.objectivismonline.net/i...showtopic=7967
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/200...me-and-voting/
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...0081551AAu0Izm

Thank you, that's interesting.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I googled Democrat Republican demographics and got this:

http://forum.objectivismonline.net/i...showtopic=7967
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/200...me-and-voting/
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...0081551AAu0Izm

Interesting that the info at the links disagrees. Are both that point to richer voters favoring Democrats the same recent election? I think they are. And I wonder if it has more to do with a lot of anti-incumbent fervor the last time around.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Serious question - does anyone know of a reputable site that talks about the per capita income of Democrats and Republicans? I did a quick Google search but couldn't find anything solid. Because, my own experience has been that I've been around just as many Democrats (if not more) who came from wealthy families.

I'm not sure that Democrats really understand Obama's community organizer background any more than Republicans, as a whole. One way to look at it is, if someone is going to support Obama, his experience as a community organizer is one thing they can offer in his favor.

Again, I really don't have any numbers to back this up, and would be interested to see any stats on the subject. But, as a Republican from a lower-middle class background who has had to work and utilize loans to pay for college and law school, it would be interesting to see how many people are in a similar position.

Yeah, I don't necessarily think it is a Democrat/Republican thing. The Conservinator grew up very blue collar and I definitely did not. Both of us just find it refreshing to see a candidate "like us" who had to deal with being 40 and still paying for education because most recent politicians on either side of the aisle seem to have not had that issue.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

Yeah, I don't necessarily think it is a Democrat/Republican thing. The Conservinator grew up very blue collar and I definitely did not. Both of us just find it refreshing to see a candidate "like us" who had to deal with being 40 and still paying for education because most recent politicians on either side of the aisle seem to have not had that issue.

Holy God. The dude went to Harvard Law - just because he's not retarded and realized that Federal student loans mature at a rate slower than inflation (thus, you make money via the time-value) doesn't mean that he's Joe Sixpack. This continues to blow my mind every time I hear it.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Holy God. The dude went to Harvard Law - just because he's not retarded and realized that Federal student loans mature at a rate slower than inflation (thus, you make money via the time-value) doesn't mean that he's Joe Sixpack. This continues to blow my mind every time I hear it.

Well, consider it blown. I'm glad I could do that service for you. He still had to take out loans which is more than I can say for most of the politicians lately. I'm sure that I'd vote for him over McCain even if he'd had his daddy pay for college.

[CrackerBarrel]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

Well, consider it blown. I'm glad I could do that service for you. He still had to take out loans which is more than I can say for most of the politicians lately. I'm sure that I'd vote for him over McCain even if he'd had his daddy pay for college.

The average annual return on the S&P is 10%, Federal Stafford Loans have around a 6% interest rate. It's smart to pay for school with federal loans and not pay them off early if your other alternative is spending money you would otherwise be investing.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Serious question - does anyone know of a reputable site that talks about the per capita income of Democrats and Republicans? I did a quick Google search but couldn't find anything solid. Because, my own experience has been that I've been around just as many Democrats (if not more) who came from wealthy families.

I would think it would be impossible to get accurate data because many states do not require people to register by party. It would be completely self-reported, and well, I don't really trust self-reported data at all. Kinda like relying on exit polls.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

I would think it would be impossible to get accurate data because many states do not require people to register by party. It would be completely self-reported, and well, I don't really trust self-reported data at all. Kinda like relying on exit polls.

True - plus, if you really want to go back, as in "What was the income level of your household growing up?" it gets even tougher to peg.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

True - plus, if you really want to go back, as in "What was the income level of your household growing up?" it gets even tougher to peg.

And THAT can vary greatly. From first grade to 12th grade, my dad moved up pretty well, so in first grade our family income was pretty low, by 12th grade my dad was making a lot of money PLUS my mom had gone back to college and was working. Perhaps because of all the unions up here, I had always thought of it more as a blue collar(dems) vs. white collar(reps) thing. That one doesn't seem very accurate anymore either.

[sugar and spice]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Serious question - does anyone know of a reputable site that talks about the per capita income of Democrats and Republicans? I did a quick Google search but couldn't find anything solid. Because, my own experience has been that I've been around just as many Democrats (if not more) who came from wealthy families.

An interesting point that this article makes is that in blue states, income tends not to be an accurate predictor of which way people vote -- but in red states, it is, and the rich tend to lean Republican. So if you grew up in the northeast, you might not notice much of a correlation, but your experience would be quite different in Texas or Georgia.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by sugar and spice

An interesting point that this article makes is that in blue states, income tends not to be an accurate predictor of which way people vote -- but in red states, it is, and the rich tend to lean Republican. So if you grew up in the northeast, you might not notice much of a correlation, but your experience would be quite different in Texas or Georgia.

That's a fair enough point - I could cite as many stats as I want, but when it comes down to it my opinions are going to be influenced by my experience up here in New England.