Red State Conundrum. Please help me understand

I live in a very red county, in a very red state (MS). Baptist Churchs cover the county like dollarweed. The county went overwhelmingly for bush in 00 and 04. Bumper stickers and magnets are awash with patriotic fervor. The locals appear to be god fearing, patriotic Americans, so why do I see constant advertisements for:

- Domestic Violence Counseling
- Drug Testing
- DNA Testing (Who's your Daddy? Who's your babies Daddy?)
- Unwed Pregnancy Counseling
- AA

And how come a week does not go by when there is a news story about a Meth Lab being found out in the woods?
And how come the Local National Guard Unit has had unfilled billets for more than a year?
And how come the police report is filled with DUI's and shoplifting and forgeries?
And how come the Divorce rate is so high?

Taking a profile from a distance of those in my county, one would think I live in Nirvana. I just don't understand; however I do like typing in all caps sometimes:

THE EASIEST WAY TO PISS OFF A SO CALLED CONSERVATIVE IS TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES

A paradise in General Rove's eyes.

My wife works for a major retailer, and one thing I've noticed is that you don't sell products, you sell results.

If you're selling tires, you don't sell tires, you sell SAFETY.

If you're selling radios, you sell ENTERTAINMENT.

If you're selling cameras, you sell MEMORIES.

The people in the Red States are voting for SOLUTIONS, because that's what they've been SOLD. Religion / faith based etc is the SOLUTION to all of these things... And the worse it gets, the more you need of that 'old time Religion', guns and fewer appeals for the death penalty! THAT will keep teen pregnancy down! :sarcasm:

Of course, our society (Western Civilation) has learned this lesson time and again - religion is NOT the answer to social problems, but it seems that we have to learn it AGAIN...

What would Jerry Clowers do?

It's because you live in the delta.

The Delta is 2/3 African American and thus around 2/3 Democratic.

I thought I read where he lived in the delta. All one needs to do is know things about the counties along the Miss. River. I'm originally from Tupelo, so if he's from the delta and grew up there, he would know what I'm talking about. Sorta an understood language among fellow Mississippians kinda thing. Hard to explain.

which is the heart of the Delta. The whites were just awful, beyond belief awful. I have never in my life met such a backward group of people. But thankfully they were in the minority.

Someone much wiser than me will have to explain why millions of Americans continue to cast their lot with a group of thugs who wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire.

Overgeneralizations can be used against us just as much as we use them. Take a look at cities which are very blue, and have plenty of sick fucked-up people in them which commit sick fucked-up crimes.

I think this represents the US more than either party.

about in his book "Whats the Matter with Kansas?"

The people of your county see both political parties as being the 'same' regarding economic issues. Once those issues are off the table meaning the choice in their own minds doesn't matter they move onto social issues.

They are probably aware just as you are of how things are there, DUI's, marriages etc. In a futile attempt to help they vote in the party which does the best at touting social issues which is the Republican party. They also turn to God - ie your large number of churches.

Actually most of these issues stem from economic reasons, marriage failure is more often then not due to money issues etc. As your area has seen economic decile, an 18 year old HS grad can no longer make anywhere near a decent living other issues start to dominoe off of this problem.

The Democratic Party needs to embrace Worker issues if they want to win and recapture many of the voters your around everday.

They forge to say it is with the most people in prison.These people are just not in the know of what is really going on I guess.

Often, people focus on problems that can't be fixed (i.e pre-life, avoiding death, insisting everyone believe in something that can't be proven) in order to avoid problems they can fix (i.e. poverty, addiction, problems having to do with lives in being which are visible to the naked eye).

Pretend like problems, which could be fixed, don't exist by fantasizing about things out of your control.

:shrug:

Some characterize the behavior as a mixture of laziness, hopelessness and bitterness. To me, the form of denial you describe seems almost parallel to an intentional powerlessness which allows folks to rationalize the perpetuation of a life of suffering they've come to know.

:shrug:

Don't you have any insight? If you can't tell from two feet away, then we can't tell from several hundred miles.

1) Check cashing/payday advance "services"
2) Title pawn shops
3) retail pawn shops
4) Liquor/beer/package stores and tobacco shops
5) Buy here-pay here used car lots

These were the only growth businesses in the area I used to live in outside Chattanooga, TN.

to avoid the gargantuan beer trucks which often clog up the parking lot.