It doesn't affect me as I live in a very conservative city on the bay, 20 miles south of Houston. ...I love the water too.
I guess if you love the climate and the environment and can tolerate what I'd call the most liberal city in American, you can be happy.
You should shake things up and run for city council. hehe
When I was in my 20's I thought about running for politics. However, I grew up, got smarter and dumped the idea. I realized that it's the system that breeds the politicians and that AIN'T gonna change.
Even the most rabid of liberals who gets to office discovers that the needs of the people, transportation, communication, sewers, health, housing, poverty, federal mis-intervention and so on, are the pressing needs that are always subjugated to political policies. There isn't much time or opportunity to grandstand on liberal policies...and there isn't the money either. Politics is a dog-and-pony show, no matter what urban center you live in.
Living in the burbs is great for many reasons but it was not for me. I live in the city and am 15 minutes for all the opera, ballet and symphony that I love. I have the 49ers and Giants, also beloved, the Pacific Ocean, bays and the best walks in the world.
I also can go to any one of 4000 restaurants of almost any ethnicity, even American, any time I want...all this with out commuting. I have an older American sedan and a Smart car so I can drive on the freeway or park ANYWHERE I can.
For me, life is good. I've had the same neighbors for 50 years and we've all grown old together. Most are white with a sprinkling of Chinese. (By the way, the Chinese, as a rule, are notoriously conservative in every way.) It's no big deal to be a conservative here because I know how people are. I also know the adage: if at 21 you're not liberal, you have no soul. If at 41 you are not conservative, you have no brains. That happens to most people, even the liberals...they grow up too.
I won't change minds about The City because prejudices run deep but I know that. It's nice to have a site like this to speak to those who have SUCH a one-sided view of a place which, by its nature, is MULTI-sided in its population.