Reply #5: PA: Socially conservative; liberal otherwise [View All]

[westernpenndem]

I'm a PA native and have lived here most of my life. I think that, even in the urban areas, it's pretty socially conservative--extended families staying in same neighborhoods, regular church attendance, stigma still there for people living together unmarried, abortion viewed quite negatively even when it's felt it should remain legal But economically and otherwise, I'd say it's less conservative than a state like New Hampshire. Higher union membership, strong belief in government safety net, lots of colleges and diverse college towns, strong social justice tradition in the churches, strong enviromnental/sportsmen group efforts to preserve natural heritage, vibrant arts communities in big cities. "Populist" issues still play well here and citizens have a built in BS detector--they are skeptical of Bush administration economic agenda and the buzz words (e.g., ownership society) they like to employ.