Do you feel bad for Tennessee?

[NYCButterfinger]

Uber red state, Phil Bredesen couldn't even win the state in 2018 against Marsha Blackburn.

[AirmensMom]

1. Well, I live here.

It’s hard to be in the minority so much that I’m 100% sure my vote counts for shit.

[Laffy Kat]

3. I am from there. I got out in my twenties.

I still feel your pain.

[SheltieLover]

6. Me too!

At least we have great Dem leadership in Memphis region.

[SouthernIrish]

33. I live here too

East Tennessee. It is depressing how so many of my neighbors and coworkers are duped by the Republicans

[peggysue2]

34. I live here, too

A transplant from Jersey and the Philly suburbs. Definitely not a native. The county I reside in, however, has had a low infection rate but one that doubled in the last month+. The Board of Health fortunately put through a mandated public mask ruling recently which I'm happy to report most residents (not all) have complied with. I think people are beginning to wake up to the horrifying outbreak reports from Florida, Arizona, California, etc. At least I hope so.

As for the politics down here? Yeah, Ruby Red, the land of the lovely Marsha Blackburn.

One of the many reasons we're looking to move back home next year. In addition to my brand new grand daughter, that is.

Do I feel sorry for myself? No, I'm just hunkered down eagerly awaiting to vote for Joe Biden and all things Blue in November. It might not mean much in the state's overall vote count but it will give me great satisfaction.

[spanone]

2. republican state house. republican state senate. republican governor. 2 republican senators.

Home Sweet Home

[onethatcares]

27. I thought this OP was about Tennessee

but floriduh is the same make up.

[spanone]

32. that's tennessee

a cesspool of republicans

luckily I'm in Nashville....

[captain queeg]

4. I have a sister who lives there. I'm sure she's happy, a RWer

A beautiful state. It’s too bad.

[Polly Hennessey]

5. No. Tennessee is well.........no comment.

My dad was an Air Force pilot
stationed there. I spent a little too much of my time and it was no fun. Let me think again ———— no, can’t say I feel sorry for Tennessee, no, not at all.

[Alacritous Crier]

7. I think the long term effect...

of this Trump aberration will be a bluing of much of "red" America. I could see things changing considerably here in TN over the next decade. I hope anyway.



GOTV.

[walkingman]

8. I feel bad for Tenn. as well as the entire South in many ways. I was born in Miss. in 1950, went to

HS there and left for college in '68 and haven't lived there since. It is a beautiful part of the country with a lot of good people but they are absolutely dominated by religious fundamentalism and racism. Most of the people do not think of themselves as racist but they are and it is almost a generational thing. The indoctrination is hard to shake and although things are much better than the 50's and 60's it still exists and without apology.

That is not to say that they are the only part of America like that but I do think the "Bible Belt" is still the most dominate area. I live in Texas and East Texas is very similar to the Deep South, Central Texas much better, and West Texas is almost as bad but not in a religious sense. more of a rancher mentality of "don't tell me what to do or how to live" mentality which is just as offensive in my opinion.

So, do I feel sorry for Tenn. - Yep, mainly because they are trapped in a world that could be so much better and they don't even realize it.

[stopdiggin]

10. well said

pretty much every word. I think change will/is coming -- but it's also been way, way too long in coming. Mostly due to an almost belligerent backwardness.

[nolabear]

18. People who condemn whole areas have no idea who they're condemning.

And they don’t care. They have the luxury of powerlessness. I grew up in MS too—the coast, though my people are all over the state and in LA and AL too. To condemn everyone is to condemn myriad refugees, musicians, artists, creators of bodacious food, Native Americans, and white allies. And let’s face it, people whom we might look down on deserve life and health. I cannot imagine Wanting to harm someone like that. Would I act to stop them from harming? If I had the power to compel them to stop I would. Would I kill them and all those around them? Seriously?

[walkingman]

23. I guess I missed something? Who said anything about killing anyone? I was born in Grenada and most

of my extended family live in the Hattiesburg/Laurel area. I think Mississippi is a hidden gem with so much to offer in terms of climate, rich soil (anything will grow), beautiful timberland, and good folks. I was discussing the "Home Town" series with my sister the other day (who lives in Laurel) about the fact that we could sell out in the Austin area and move there and live like kings in terms of real estate and the food is outstanding. But I do not want to live the rest of my life (I'm 70) in an area that is so prejudiced and judgemental. I was thinking that when Miss. changes their flag they should make a "rainbow" flag with a welcome sign for LGBT folks and although with it their creativity. Make it a mecca for gays - they could turn the economics of the state around in short order and it could become the next Bay Area

We humans are flawed - but if we had the time I think we could evolve into truly a nation that is "Of the people and for the people" but given that Climate Change is happening so fast I don't think that generational change will be possible. So IMO just make every day the best you can and don't give up the fight for justice.

[nolabear]

35. I think we're on the same side.

I might have been clumsy in what I said. I agree with you.

[beachbumbob]

9. elections have consequences so now redstate south is paying and will pay dearly and I really

don't care

[roamer65]

11. TN Democrats:

Stay at home as much as possible, wear masks everywhere, wash your hands and use hand sanitizers.


“The meek shall inherit the Earth.”

The Bible.

[we can do it]

13. No

[quickesst]

14. to those who replied "no" or "I don't care"....

.. I feel bad for any state under republican thumbs. While it is true that the majority in these states are right wing, and continue to elect right-wing politicians against their own best interest, I cannot discount, nor ignore the millions of Democrats who, like myself, voluntarily or involuntarily live in these states. I find myself thinking that liberals have a tendency to think of these Democrats as somehow tainted by association, and are written off as collateral damage, or simply ignored. It seems that several States, including Florida, Georgia, and Texas are now toss-up states in the general election. I firmly believe this change has come about mostly because of the efforts of good people who are residents of these states rather than any outside influences. So yeah, I do feel bad for states like Tennessee, but, I am starting to feel a lot less sorry for states that are finally waking up enough to start rejecting right-wing ideology. That's just the way I see it, and I stand firmly behind my opinion.

[nolabear]

15. Of course. I'm not a monster.

45 will not turn me into someone who wishes a plague on masses of people.

[Lucinda]

26. +1

❤️ ~❧~✿~❧~✿~❧~✿~❧~✿~❧~✿~ ❤️

[Ferrets are Cool]

16. Since my mother lives there and I love my mother....

but this has nothing to do with feeling good or bad about ANY state.
We ALL want this shit to be over with.
If individuals OR groups want to shake their tiny fingers at fate, so be it. I just hate it for the innocent that get caught up in the maelstrom.

[old guy]

17. I'm going to reserve my opinion 'till after the election.

Whether we like it or not, this is a political issue in a number of states. If the voters send repubs back to govern them, I'm sorry but feel little empathy. Dems cannot, by themselves, change the political landscape in these red states.

[MyMission]

19. Not much. 60.72% of them voted for 45,

After the election I broke down the results by state, needed to identify the enemy, so to speak, or states to avoid. Lol

I have a list of 9 (worst) states where 45 won over 60% of the votes, and Tennessee is on it. The highest numbers came from West Virginia @68.5%, Wyoming @67.4%, and Oklahoma @ 65.32.
(Numbers may have been adjusted slightly since I recorded them over 3 years, but they're close.)

Another list (very bad states) where he won with 50-59% has 14 states on it.
That's 23 states that elected him by majority vote.

I feel bad for the 8 states that elected him with under 50%. I call them misguided or unlucky. Some ended up with good governor's, at least, while others weren't so lucky. Most are flippable, and I expect them to turn blue, except Utah and perhaps poor Florida.

Arizona
Florida
Maine
Michigan
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Utah
Wisconsin

I do feel bad for Dems and independents living in the 23 majority red States, but not the states themselves, but rather those in cities that tend to vote Democratic

I live in NC, a purple state that elected rump with 49.83% of the vote, yet elected a Democratic governor. I dream of moving back to the northeast, away from south, for obvious reasons.
I was born and raised in NYC, lived there over 40 years.

(Apologies to born and bred Southerners. The ones here on DU are, of course, more open-minded, more educated or well read, and less believing that the south will rise again and that the Confederate flag and statues are ok)

[steve2470]

20. I do

Tennessee is just a more extreme example of what ails Florida also. Profound ignorance about self-interest vs. the parties, the racism, the religious fundamentalism. Florida just has a massive in-migration from the Northeast (blue states) and other parts of the country.

We here on DU tend to forget that the vast majority of people in TN, FL and other states are not so dialed into politics as we are. The dominant paradigm for the country (especially the "Old South&quot is apathy about politics and ignorance. What you don't know, does hurt you in many cases.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

21. I feel bad for the Democrats there.

Floating almost isolated in a sea of Republicans.

[Tanuki]

22. I live in Tennessee. Phil Bredesen got 71% of the vote in my county.

I have never voted for a Republican in my life. I don't think I deserve to get sick and maybe die because of Donald Trump's incompetence and criminal negligence. Before anyone gloats over the morbidity and mortality here, they might want to consider that in my county at least, the people who have died so far have been disproportionately African Anerican and Latinx, and probably not Trump supporters.

[cry baby]

24. Yes, I feel bad for us.

I live in a blue bubble in Tennessee which is better than the small town in Texas where I lived for 10 years.

I’m grateful for my blue bubble.

[GeorgeGist]

25. I feel bad for ...

Every State.

[SammyWinstonJack]

28. +1000000!

[LuvNewcastle]

29. Me too.

[Generic Brad]

31. Thread winner!

This is an American problem, not a Tennessee problem!

[philf99]

30. 2006

I lived in Tennessee in 2006 and worked on the Ford Campaign. We came damn close to winning that race and Phil Bredesen won every county in the state.

That wasn’t that long ago