Dear Upper Midwest: How to survive a Walkerstan world.

[shcrane71]

If you're state is threatening to become solidly Republican in this post Citizens United world, here are some survival strategies.

1. Live really, really cheaply. If you can do without that cable bill, do so. Try to get the cheapest cellphone or telephone plan that you can. Make your phone energy efficient, and put on sweaters. Keep the thermostat at 68 in the Winter. Eat less meat. Keep that old car running.

2. Try to get as much education for as cheaply as you can. Increase your marketable skills. You're doing this to be try to get out of these Red state areas. For the majority of people (i.e. if you don't come from money), this means you need a degree in business (accounting), or science.

3. The progressive enclaves on the coasts aren't cheap. We've all met or have even been the numerous people who have tried to move to Portland, New York ..., only to come back even more broke (see number two on skill sets). Try to meet people in areas you'd like to live, and build a game plan to get there.

4. Keep your head low. Never indicate that you suspect someone of being a snake oil salesman, but don't buy snake oil -- be nice about not buying it.

[Blaspherian]

1. Good tips

Save your soda cans

[YellowRubberDuckie]

2. Soon, it probably won't matter where we live...

The dark ages are about to return. Buckle up, Buttercup! With Europe in shambles and capitalism failing, but still having a strangle hold on humanity, we are fucked. No if ands or buts about it.

[shcrane71]

7. Germany, with it's pawltry population, just last year was overtaken by 2 billion Chinese

as the world's largest exporter. Germany is still going strong, and it has very strong unions. If Americans can emigrate to Europe, Canada or a number of other places, I think they'll be fine. It's hard to do though.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

8. Indeed.

If only we'd win the lottery. We'd return to the Albers' homeland of Germany. =) (That's my husband's family's name BTW)

[shcrane71]

9. If I win the Lottery, I'll help as many Americans get to Germany

or whatever country with single payer healthcare and guaranteed vacation days that they want to go.

[Scuba]

3. Keep your head low?

Is that sarcasm? Is the whole thing sarcasm? What was your point?

[shcrane71]

5. As someone who has survived a Red state, you're not going to get many

job offers, pay increases, or promotions by doing things that I would consider innocuous. These things include having an Obama bumper sticker. I was told by my boss that I needed to remove all bumper stickers from my car. After I got a new-to-me car, I didn't put any bumper stickers on it for over a year, and I stopped getting pulled over every few months.

[Scuba]

10. This is perhaps the worst advice I've ever heard. What you are saying is don't speak out...

... just go along, so the right-wingers feel even more secure with their lies, so others aren't inspired by our actions.


Well, fuck that! I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees.

[Zalatix]

11. +100,000,000!!

I say we pull our money out of the region and drive any Republican-dominated place into bankruptcy.

Buy Blue.

[shcrane71]

12. If you're in a place where you're not going to lose your livelihood because of your politics, then

keep fighting. The whole country needs you.

Others don't have that option. Here's just ONE of many anecdotal examples that I have. My aunt lives in a very red area. For close to twenty years, she held a job as a secretary at a small public school district. She got breast cancer. Her job had always been a limited term employment, but the contract had always been reinstated until she was fighting breast cancer. Her schoolboard chose to not reinstate her position (with the healthcare benefits she and her family relied upon) at the worst possible moment. Aunt is an outspoken Democrat, but she needed a job. The only people hiring with benefits were the Republican Party in her county. She worked there, and was surprised at all her friends and neighbors who were donating so much money to the Republican party. Why did this surprise her? Because she talked to these people at church, festivals, playing cards and they all asked her about her politics and all were in agreement. This coupled with the neighbors on the school board that voted to stop her contract left her feeling utterly betrayed. After she was in remission and the neighbors saw that she'd be around to keep telling them what asshats they are, the school board found the money for a secretary (which they badly needed) again. She was reinstated for four more years which meant that she got her pension.

These Republicans are utterly without morals, they are two-faced, cowards, and corrupt. Hell, they run fake Dems just to keep power. Keep fighting Scuba, if you can. I don't want anyone treated the way my aunt was treated. If you can get out of these areas and avoid this type of treatment, I think you should.

[Scuba]

13. My career was always in jeopardy because of my politics. That never shut me up....

... yes, I was "punished" a time or two.

I was also respected for having the courage of my convictions. I still think your advice stinks. If we all follow it we will never make any gains.

[shcrane71]

14. I admire you. Many aren't respected for having courage.

Or if they are respected, it's only secretly. Meanwhile, loans are illegally called due (prove it's illegal), slap suits abound, and people fighting life-threatening illnesses lose their livelihoods, and their "progressive" neighbor offers them a job for the Republicans. People are bought. My aunt believes she sold her soul for extra years of life. What do you say when someone tells you that? I can't tell you how sickening it was to watch Obama give away the public option.

I know people who are Democrats, but registered Republicans in their very, very red areas in order to vote in the primary for least disgusting candidate.

[Scuba]

15. I'm beginning to think you don't belong here.

[shcrane71]

16. Ok. I'll go if you want me to.

[Scuba]

17. Why don't just stop threatening people.

[shcrane71]

18. What have I said that has threatened you or anyone?

[Scuba]

19. You've made a point to remind everyone of what they already knew...

... that if they have a bumper sticker, they'll get their car scratched. That if they speak out, they're at risk of losing their job, or worse.


Worse is your recommended response to these conditions: go along to get along.

[shcrane71]

20. With all due respect, I recommend survival not go along to get along.

One has to assess the situation. If you've been lay-off once for being gay (but you can't prove that was the reason you were put in that untenable situation as a manager), and you land a good-paying job after a year of looking with RW wingnuts who would fire you in an instance if they new about your being gay, what do you suppose you would do? I know of people in that situation too. It's getting that bad for Democrats. I say "getting" because most Democrats in red states have become Blue Dogs and they spurn the word Liberal. For whatever reason, this seems to appease the wingnuts.

Personally, I was surprised that Wisconsin elected Tea Baggers. Many Tea Baggers lost their attempts to over-take entrenched Republicans in long-standing Red states. My father is a white guy who told me that the Tea Baggers were all racist prior to me even knowing much about the Tea Party. I think in Red States the Tea Baggers didn't have their guards up as much, and people saw their true colors.

I told you. Keep fighting. Not everyone has the option to be so overt. For those who being overt isn't an option, persevere.

[Scuba]

21. I'll take your comments at face value. Thanks for the respectful dialogue.

[shcrane71]

22. I appreciate that, and I'm truly sorry for what happened in Wisconsin.

I love your state, and I think Walker is destroying it.

[Anna45]

4. Yup

Amen. Good tips, all. We already live this way in IL, and it can help out while awaiting political change. Just keep your head down, work hard and put something by. Better days are coming( I hope!).

[shcrane71]

6. Welcome to DU. Where are you in IL?

I hear that southern IL is terrible for liberals.

[Skinner]

23. Welcome to DU, Anna45.