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Political leanings drive car choice
Washington Times ^ | June 30, 2009 | William Ehart

Posted on 06/30/2009 8:49:58 AM PDT by La Lydia

In the '80s, it was the politics of dancing. In the '90s, the politics of caring. Today, in bailout nation, we have the politics of driving. The Volvo-driving liberal and the redneck in a Chevy pickup are long-held stereotypes. But a map of car ownership - produced by R.L. Polk & Co. - overlaid on the electoral map reveals the surprising extent to which how we vote corresponds with what we drive.

Blue-staters on each coast, from Los Angeles to Seattle and from Boston to the District, are the most likely to drive foreign cars. Domestic brands have their highest levels of market share in the mostly conservative interior of the country.

In some blue states - where a Democrat has won at least three of the last four presidential contests - foreign cars have as much as 60 percent of the market, as measured by vehicle registrations. It is mostly in red states - Republican strongholds - where domestic cars have 74 percent of the market or more....

Polling illustrates how car preferences are more of a liberal-conservative issue than a party-line matter...

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: consumer; politics
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Foreign automakers have a market share of up to 60 percent in CA, WA, Mass., Conn,, RI, N.J., MD and the District.
1 posted on 06/30/2009 8:49:58 AM PDT by La Lydia
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To: La Lydia

Not surprising.


2 posted on 06/30/2009 8:51:59 AM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (The plan... 0 in power for life. At least that's what they told him.)
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To: La Lydia

It’s hard to figure what is really a foreign car these days...

Is a Camry built in Ohio a foreign car while a Chevy built in Mexico with an engine imported from China a domestic vehicle?


3 posted on 06/30/2009 8:52:58 AM PDT by MediaMole
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To: La Lydia

“Its true that liberal Democrats are the least likely group to consider an American car, according to a recent Gallup poll.”

Now that Obama and his marxist thugs own the US car makers, I will never buy an American car again. There are many conservatives out here that feel the same way now.


4 posted on 06/30/2009 8:53:55 AM PDT by penelopesire ("The only CHANGE you will get with the Democrats is the CHANGE left in your pocket")
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To: La Lydia

I wonder how long it’s going to take middle America to realize that today, the purchase of a GM product is a vote for the UAW and Obama? I think we can be better served buying from any non-union supplier that manufactures in the US.


5 posted on 06/30/2009 8:54:02 AM PDT by Steamburg ( Your wallet speaks the only language most politicians understand.)
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To: La Lydia
In some blue states - where a Democrat has won at least three of the last four presidential contests - foreign cars have as much as 60 percent of the market, as measured by vehicle registrations. It is mostly in red states - Republican strongholds - where domestic cars have 74 percent of the market or more....

Oopsie. The liberals who like socialism are already Toyota Prius drivers. Offending their primary market (republicans) by nationalizing GM and Chrysler may not have been a good idea. I will not buy from either company again. Ever.

6 posted on 06/30/2009 8:55:07 AM PDT by TurtleUp (So this is how liberty dies - to thunderous applause!)
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To: La Lydia

Jaguars are 90%+ driven by Republicans.


7 posted on 06/30/2009 8:55:57 AM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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To: MediaMole

Hmm. How much of a Harley is US made?


8 posted on 06/30/2009 8:56:19 AM PDT by rahbert ("...but Rush....but Rush...")
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To: penelopesire

You can still buy a Ford, which (actually) still builds some decent cars and was not part of the bailout.


9 posted on 06/30/2009 8:56:40 AM PDT by bridgemanusa (loan MA Conservative)
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To: La Lydia
So, we can glean that liberals, yet again, demonstrate their hypocrisy by swearing allegiance to Unions while steadfastly buying foreign. Bwahahaha! Do as I say, not as I do.
10 posted on 06/30/2009 8:56:45 AM PDT by Obadiah (Obama: Chains you can believe in!)
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To: Jewbacca

I think that might have changed. Arlen Specter has been driving Jaguars for years.


11 posted on 06/30/2009 8:57:30 AM PDT by La Lydia
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To: La Lydia
It is mostly in red states - Republican strongholds - where domestic cars have 74 percent of the market or more....

THAT's about to change.

12 posted on 06/30/2009 8:57:52 AM PDT by nina0113
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To: La Lydia

I have two F150s


13 posted on 06/30/2009 8:59:07 AM PDT by cripplecreek (The poor bastards have us surrounded.)
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To: Jewbacca

Subaru
Volkwagen
Volvo
Pruis

Pretty much liberal’s cars. Have I forgotten any?


14 posted on 06/30/2009 8:59:17 AM PDT by Obadiah (Obama: Chains you can believe in!)
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To: La Lydia

Jaguar was part of Ford for a decade and sold off to a private group a few years ago. So it’s back to being a separate botique car company. They still use a lot of Ford parts.


15 posted on 06/30/2009 8:59:17 AM PDT by Jack Black
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To: La Lydia

It was 2008 when I saw the study.

I was also suprised to see Jaguar having the highest quality ratings from several groups, although I think they changed dramatically for the better when Ford re-worked their technology.


16 posted on 06/30/2009 8:59:38 AM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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To: La Lydia

I don’t know how much of my Ford pickup is made in the USA, but Ford and I have a long relationship and I intend to stick with it.

We need to make the car manufacturers understand that we want the cars and their parts made in the USA. Keep the jobs here.

Once they understand that they do not gain anything by having parts made in China or Mexico, we will have a stronger economy and better cars.


17 posted on 06/30/2009 8:59:44 AM PDT by Roses0508
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To: TurtleUp

Especially if the tax on health care benefits the rest of us are going to have to pay doesn’t apply to union workers.


18 posted on 06/30/2009 8:59:58 AM PDT by La Lydia
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To: MediaMole
It’s hard to figure what is really a foreign car these days...

Any car from Government Motors is a whole lot less American than anything else on the market. I will NOT buy an un-American car from GM.

19 posted on 06/30/2009 9:00:06 AM PDT by TurtleUp (So this is how liberty dies - to thunderous applause!)
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To: Obadiah

Dodge tends to be driven exclusively by a certain segment of Democrat voters, or at least where I live.

Not sure what that’s about.


20 posted on 06/30/2009 9:01:37 AM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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