In case you were wondering, the state of liberal-ness in Georgia is not very liberal at all! If anything, Georgia is quite conservative, especially outside of major metropolitan areas such as Atlanta and Richmond.
In fact, some would even call it regressive or progressive conservatism depending on where you are located within the state. There’s no easy way to describe this article other than saying that Georgia is extremely politically polarized.
It’s also worth mentioning that political polarization is generally considered undesirable because it creates negative emotions which can have disastrous effects on relationships.
That being said, we will be talking about how liberals are treated like garbage in Georgia today!!
So let’s get into it.
Political orientation is an important dimension through which people organize their lives. It involves questions about what kind of policies individuals want implemented, whether they vote for one party over another, and why they voted the way they did.
There are two main types of orientations: liberal and conservative. Liberals tend to value equality and freedom more than conservatives do, and vice versa.
However, there is a lot of variability across both ends of the spectrum, and many people sit somewhere in between. For example, some may agree with equality and freedom but believe that government should play a bigger role in ensuring those things exist.
Georgia is a liberal state
Liberals love to talk about how diverse and open-minded they are, but sometimes this can feel more like a marketing tactic than an actual representation of the political spectrum.
Liberalism is a philosophy that advocates for individual rights and freedom. Thus, liberals believe that every person has the right to their own opinions, beliefs, and moral compasses as well as the freedoms to express them and live by them.
Freedom includes the freedom to disagree with others and to treat everyone with respect regardless of what you think of their decisions. This was once called “free speech” because it encourages free expression of ideas, even if those ideas are offensive to some.
When used in moderation, free speech is one of the keystones of our democracy and society. It helps create community, an understanding that we are all connected not only due to shared humanity but also because we agree to use common rules to define who belongs in our group and who does not.
However, when free speech is exercised in ways that promote or encourage violence, discrimination, or other types of harmful behavior, then it becomes a problem. These are forms of oppression that keep other people down and prevent them from achieving their goals.
By advocating for your own personal set of values that reward individuals for being good members of society, you are actually creating a culture of oppressive behaviors.
Georgia is a Democratic state
In fact, it’s been classified as a solid Democrat state for years! It has voted for the national democratic party in every presidential election since 1992, with the only exception being when George W. Bush was running against Al Gore back in 2000.
Since then, it’s consistently elected Democrats to statewide office and Congress, including electing Stacey Abrams the governor of our great state last year.
Abrams is an incredible leader who cares deeply about her community and this country. She will make a fantastic Governor because she understands that we are all in this together and fighting for everyone is not a luxury you have after winning an argument.
She also knows how to win. Winning isn’t always the most pleasant or easy, but if you know how to manage your emotions and work hard for what you believe in, you can do anything.
Georgia is a progressive state
While some people may consider themselves conservative or Republican, that doesn’t necessarily mean they endorse all of the policies and ideologies that go along with those labels. In fact, many states have lots of things in common, and few that are completely unique to them.
That’s why it can be tricky to determine how liberal or conservative a state is. Rather than looking at which political parties an individual belongs to, we look more closely at what parts of the government individuals want to control, what kind of rights they believe every citizen should have, and whether they support laws and regulations that promote social equality.
Because liberals value equity and fairness, they often advocate for increased governmental regulation, such as environmental legislation, health insurance coverage, and workplace safety rules. They also might call for higher taxes to pay for these programs.
Conservatives, by contrast, prioritize personal responsibility over big government intervention. Therefore, conservatives tend to oppose excessive taxation and regulatory oversight.
When you add up all of the different policies that exist across America, it becomes clear that not too many places are totally free from one influence or another. Some areas are dominated by just one ideology, while others have components that touch upon several.
In terms of where true progressives live, there aren’t very many countries left in the world. Only seven nations currently qualify as full-blown democratic socialist (yes, really).
Georgia is politically divided
There are no clear-cut liberal or conservative states in America. That is, there are not very many States that can be described as full of people with mostly liberal politics, nor have we seen any that are totally dominated by conservatives. In fact, one could make an argument that California might be considered more political left than most other States!
This is due to two main factors. First, unlike some Western countries like France or Germany, our federal government does not get involved in too much day-to-day business. This leaves each State to run their own affairs pretty heavily.
Second, our nation was founded on strong individualism. Our culture encourages everyone to believe that they are an important part of society, which helps foster internalized individualism. This means we value ourselves over others, which cuts down on collective identity formation.
So why do I mention all this? Well, it shows that even in our country that has been nicknamed “the land of the free”, there are no true liberals or conservatives here. It is simply not possible.
Instead, what we have are just politicians who try to play into these stereotypes at times. Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom once said he believes “Republicans want to take away your health care and give you cancer”, showing his lack of understanding of how healthcare works.
There are many liberal areas of Georgia
Liberals have made significant inroads into every region of our state, but some places show more signs of changing than others. The city of Atlanta is one such area that has seen an increase in liberalism as well as leftist protests.
Liberalism is not limited to any specific area or demographic group in America. It is simply a way of thinking that favors social justice, egalitarianism, and tolerance towards people who are different from you.
It was once considered too radical, even socialist, but these concepts have become increasingly common due to their effectiveness in creating equality among all individuals.
Many cities across America have at least one restaurant that specializes in vegan cuisine, vegetarian dishes, and/or gluten-free options. These eateries are popular because they offer healthy alternatives for hungry customers.
More and more hotels are offering house cleaning services so guests do not need to bring their own supplies. This can be expensive if users opt to buy their own towels, washcloths, and other small items. Businesses that hire this company will usually provide them.
There are many conservative areas of Georgia
Liberals have made great strides in taking over large parts of Atlanta, so it’s no surprise that there are now several liberal towns or cities within the state.
There is one town, however, where they are still very much in control.
Graysville is located about an hour west of Atlanta and is home to just under 2,000 people. It boasts having the highest concentration of vegans per capita in America as well as being ranked number 1 for happiest place in America according to Life Community Survey.
The only thing Grasmere does not have is a Walmart, but you will find lots of other stores and services nearby. They do, though, have their own grocery store called Grayslake Market which sells mostly foods that are grown or manufactured close to where they are sold.
Grays Lake also has its own movie theater named The Living Room Theater which offers free movies every Sunday afternoon.
There are many middle-of-the-road areas of Georgia
Liberals love to tout how liberal New York, California, and other major cities in America have become. But aside from maybe San Francisco, this is not true for most large metropolitan areas across America.
In fact, there’s one state that almost everyone would agree is more liberal than anywhere else in the country — and it’s your home!
Georgia has been ranked as the third most liberal state in America several times since at least 2005. According to an index designed by political scientists, The Cook Political Report, and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, Georgia was voted number three in 2018.
The study looks at which states voters prefer in elections and what issues they care about most to determine their ideological leaning. By looking at both, you get a better picture of who votes for what and why.
There are many Georgia cities that are liberal
Liberalism can be defined as an attitude or state of mind, not necessarily a political ideology. Many people consider themselves liberals, but they may not agree with every policy or position taken by the government.
Liberal policies emphasize social justice for all individuals, especially those who are marginalized due to their race, gender, socioeconomic status, or other reasons. These include providing adequate education, health care, and housing opportunities, as well as protection from discrimination in employment, public spaces, and more.
Governments with strong ties to liberal ideals include open borders, legalized marijuana, and subsidization or even free distribution of healthy foods. Some countries have even elected socialist governments!
Many politicians claim to represent the “liberal” cause, but instead promote regressive policies that hurt minorities. Because liberalism is about equality, then these discriminatory practices are actually anti-liberal. It is important to evaluate whether a candidate or party truly represents your values.
