So many hard core, California conservative just moved in the last couple of years to Austin in droves (nearly joined them!). Even though Austin is extremely liberal (oh, I can't belief they have a law to not report/check on immigration status-unnerving)there are a lot of serious conservative politicians (The architect Karl) and many citizens that fight hard for conservative ideals, that don't live far from the urban center of things like in Seattle/Portland.
Have you lives in all of those cities? I take that from your post. IF so, what is your experience in how they compare? Just curious.
Austin is far more reasonable in terms of politics and ideology. At least if you occupy different ends of the spectrum there, you can have a rational conversation. Seattle and Portland 'liberals' are either hardcore Leftists or group-thinkers. Both places are so inbred politically, that they have no conception of ideological diversity. None. And even the reasonable people (under normal circumstances) are so insulated with that culture that a wierd sort of bigotry lingers like miasmic fog throughout that clouds their judgement entirely.
Don't get me wrong, the moonbats exists everywhere. In Austin, however, a liberal is a fairly intelligent American with more alternative sensibilities from that of the so-called 'traditional.' And in that sense it transcends old labels of Conservative and Liberal to actually blur most distinctions on real issues, leaving only a lingering political affiliation.
In Portland and Seattle, 'liberalism' is the default position and Marxism - real live Stalinist/Anarchist collectivism - prevails and dominates. And they are not intelligent for the most part, but brainless punks influenced by shrewd twisted radicals, reinforced by an insulating class of progressive delusional cattle.
If you can imagine what the condition of southern racism was like in say places like Mississippi back in 1868, pretend you are a black man... the liberals would be most whites, and Leftists are the Clan. The atmosphere they have created for themselves is exactly the same here. And President Bush is like Grant to them.
So make a friend with a southern 'liberal' and discover how much you truly have in common as reasonable Americans. Because there are those out here in places that top the list, that have nothing in common with you, and never will again.