It is not "urban centers". It is high crime areas. :)
Exactly. They can't feel safe there and think the government can keep them safe if only it enacts tons of new laws limiting their neighbors' actions.
It's an evolution of patronage and the subversion of the system at the ward level which is the historic province of the Democratic party.
The Democrats have always had a less-than-stellar respect for the franchise. They treat it as a form of currency, to be controlled and doled out to those they favor. This evolved throughout the 20th century with the largesse-campaign-vote cycle that centered around welfare.
They buy votes with money in the form of 'entitlements'. It is a simple and odious evolution of patronage since it makes the patron the Master and the voter into a slave.
Democrats buy votes with threats of mob agitation and promises of free lunch. Of course, throwing in a bit of class envy for all to indulge in as they indoctrinate their starving audience in class warfare is just considered 'light' entertainment.
In short, the cities vote Democrat because the people there have either been bribed, been titillated with hate, been bought outright, or have been told they have no hope but the Party.
Actually, now that I've summarized it - I am struck with the hideous, precise evil of it all.
That is accurate. You'll note that urban and suburban areas that are well-kept and low crime are also generally Republican. Its the more run-down, crime-ridden areas that vote Democrat. And for good reason - its the laziest among us that look to others to provide for the needs that they don't wish to provide for themselves.
It is high crime areas.......union areas
Here's an interesting crime stat I noticed:
Fredericksburg, Virginia is 50 miles from either Washington, DC or Richmond, VA. It is a city of 19,200 people.
It is also completely in charge of the liberals (most likely thanks to Mary Washington College). It went for Gore in 2000 and Kerry in the recent election.
Fredericksburg's City-data.com crime index = 382.2 (higher means more crime, US average = 330.6)
Now, let's look at Manassas, Virginia, a city solidly in charge of conservatives that went for Bush in 2000 and Bush in the recent election. Manassas, Virginia is a city of 35.135 people and is 20 miles from Washington, DC.
Manassas's City-data.com crime index = 277.3 (higher means more crime)
Another data point is that it recently came out in the local Fredericskburg paper that Fredericksburg's teen pregnancy rate is SIGNIFICANTLY above the surrounding counties of Spotsylvania and Stafford. If I recall correctly, it's almost double.
Based on that, the only conclusion that I can come to is that liberalism and social pathology go together like flies on crap.
at least M.P. didn't say "inner cities"...