we're fly over country *waah*

[smileyeagle1021]

I can't stand the people, especially in Utah, that complain about the fact that we are "fly over country".
Well, sorry, but hate to say it, but there is no reason to stop here... best just to fly over.
Politicians aren't going to bother stopping here when they know decades in advance who is going to be elected (I can tell you which party will win the 2050 election in Utah). Why bother spending the money to land the plane when it won't make a damned bit of difference?
As far as the general public... what the hell is there is Utah? I guess we have the ski resorts and temple square, but unless you are a skier (in which case Colorado has better resorts anyway) or Mormon (quite a niche market) there is nothing here that you would want to go to.
This applies to other areas of the country that are "fly over country" too, you want to be more than a speck of land you see while flying over, then you have to give people a reason to land. Either have balanced elections where there is a chance either a democrat or republican will win and maybe you'll see politicians caring more. For everyone else, try developing a reason for people to visit... either become a business center or tourist center for something of a larger market than 13 million people out of a planet of 6 billion of which 1million already live there.

Don't like it, too bad. That is the reality, until you have a reason for people to land, you will be fly over country. I'll bet even money that most people in that part of the country moved their specifically for the reason that it wasn't one of the huge population centers that attracts a lot of politicians and business people and tourists... guess what, being ignored on the national scale is the cost of living outside of the huge population centers... you can have one or the other, not both.

[Red Panda]

I'm going to take a wild guess and say the people complaining about the lack of tourists are the same people who don't have the spare millions to develope a tourist industry.

Complaining about something is both a way to get people to know an issue and to vent about it. You of all people should realize that.

[AdminAssistant]

I know there's been a strong movement in AR to move the primary election date up. After all, Iowa is basically fly-over country, but they get inundated with everyone who is even thinking about being President. There are also a lot of states (and their citizens) that are tired of being punchlines for the rest of the country. Is New York a fundamentally better state than Minnesota? Ohio? Nebraska?

[Hobbs]

I find it ironic you're telling other people, "Don't like it; too bad" b/c they're in Utah.

[Red Panda]

New York is definitly more importany because it has New York City

[smileyeagle1021]

I find it ironic you're telling other people, "Don't like it; too bad" b/c they're in Utah.

I'm especially though referring to the people who complain that presidential candidates do nothing but fly over... these are the same people who have voted republican every elections since the state was founded (slight exaggeration, but you get the point) and will never consider voting for a democrat. Sorry, but if you want a candidate to actually land here, you have to be willing to vote either way, until then the democrat will fly over because they know they have no chance in hell and won't waste their money and the republican will fly over because he knows he already has the 5 electoral states and won't waste his money.

That is a valid "don't like it too bad" complaint because they are the people who are responsible for the problem.

Besides, the board members never fail to remind me that I should have known what I was getting into moving to the theocratic capital of the nation... seems fair that I should start using the same tactic.

[Hobbs]

I'm especially though referring to the people who complain that presidential candidates do nothing but fly over... these are the same people who have voted republican every elections since the state was founded (slight exaggeration, but you get the point) and will never consider voting for a democrat. Sorry, but if you want a candidate to actually land here, you have to be willing to vote either way, until then the democrat will fly over because they know they have no chance in hell and won't waste their money and the republican will fly over because he knows he already has the 5 electoral states and won't waste his money.

That is a valid "don't like it too bad" complaint because they are the people who are responsible for the problem.

Besides, the board members never fail to remind me that I should have known what I was getting into moving to the theocratic capital of the nation... seems fair that I should start using the same tactic.

Actually, from around 1920 to the 1960s, Utah was pretty split between Democrat and Republican. Both Reps were Democrats during the 87th Congress.

The irony is still valid...so why don't you follow your own advice?

[Red Panda]

I guess if those people want attention from national politcians they better start voting for people they don't like.

[smileyeagle1021]

The irony is still valid...so why don't you follow your own advice?

start being homophobic and open to the idea that I am an inferior human being?

My advice is that if you don't want to just be passed by stop making it clear that your view is right from the outset and maybe someone will actually take the time to stop and debate their view with you.

Or do you mean the get the hell out of Utah bit... maybe y'all haven't paid attention to the fact that it is going to take me at least two years to save up enough to move... I have every intention of getting out of this hellhole as soon as I am able, but at 10% nationwide unemployment and no college degree (yet), that will take time.

And Red Panda, you do not have to vote for someone you don't like to be open to the possibility that someone who doesn't have an R after their name is worth at least listening to and considering voting for them (and perhaps, *gasp* they'll be someone you like and you will be voting for someone you like). As it stands in Utah, nearly 70% of the population votes the same party line every single election without even considering who the candidate is other than the fact that they are the correct party... why is any candidate going to waste their money here?

ETA- and in Utah the people that aren't liked are the ones who have platforms about gays not being inferior, women not being inferior, and those who are non-religious not being inferior. If you can campaign to the average Utahn that you hate gay rights, hate women's rights, and hate secular rights, then you are guaranteed votes. I wouldn't mind those people voting for people they don't like

[Red Panda]

How do you know they only vote on party lines without any consideration for the other candidate? Maybe they just agree with the group they keep voting for. I doubt you have the phycic capabilities to read that many minds on voting day to check if they are well informed or just vote along the party lines.

[Hobbs]

start being homophobic and open to the idea that I am an inferior human being?

My advice is that if you don't want to just be passed by stop making it clear that your view is right from the outset and maybe someone will actually take the time to stop and debate their view with you.

Or do you mean the get the hell out of Utah bit... maybe y'all haven't paid attention to the fact that it is going to take me at least two years to save up enough to move... I have every intention of getting out of this hellhole as soon as I am able, but at 10% nationwide unemployment and no college degree (yet), that will take time.

Actually it's none of those. I meant the whole, "Quit yer bitchin'," thing you talked about.

[smileyeagle1021]

How do you know they only vote on party lines without any consideration for the other candidate?

Because a lot of them admit it...
I've heard quite a few people who will proudly proclame that they have never and never will vote for a democrat.
I haven't seen it, but I know people who have been in a church meeting where the bishop has reminded peopel that the republican party is God's party and to vote appropriately, and at least publicly most people present agreed to vote for God's party all the way.

And to be honest, I'd rather believe that they are just stupidly voting for someone based on party and that they really don't agree with people who think that gays are the greatest threat to America and that gays should be rounded up and sent to conversion therapy or prison... then again... what do I know, that may be what Christian and Republican values have come to in this nation... right now though I'd rather believe it's ignorance and not malice.