We'd like to know how things look in your red state, from a close-up view; where are you?

Outside of Knoxville quite a ways. It's Trump country all the way. But I have definitely noticed a lot less enthusiasm in my neck of the woods, a lot fewer bumper stickers aside from old 2016 or 2020 ones, way fewer yard signs or vulgar displays to glorify their orange Jesus. Since I'm a middle aged white guy, most people where I live assume that I support their ideas and also worship their false God... I've heard a lot less vocal support from some of my neighbors. They're still going to vote for him I'm sure, because the evil libruls drink the blood of freshly sacrificed babies in a post-birth abortion (yes, I've really had a nutter "explain" this to me) but in general, they're definitely not as jazzed this time around as they were four or eight years ago.

I will go to my grave not understanding even the slightest bit why anyone would support that poor excuse for a man, but millions do... Just because I don't understand it doesn't mean that I can't understand why THEY feel that way. I grew up in Appalachia, and I really do think that for a lot of people in my area, it comes down to two things:

1. After being ignored for decades, and watching our communities hollow out as coal, steel, and other manufacturing all gradually died, here comes this guy who says, "I know you're hurting, and I alone can fix it. We'll bring back coal! We'll bring back steel! The plant that closed 15 years ago is going to open again!" and they fall for it hook, line and sinker. Never mind that literally nothing he said came to pass in his term, he said it, and that's all that matters.

2. For a lot of them, mostly economically disadvantaged people, they don't even care about the message, Donald Trump is just a giant middle finger to everyone in Washington who feels, and not without justification, that we've been abandoned. No state in Appalachia is a swing state, so we don't even get pandered to during campaign season. All anyone sees is rich politicians completely ignoring their struggles, and continually making policies that make their lives worse. Trump is the ultimate "fuck you" to a system that threw them overboard 30 years ago.

Now obviously, both of these positions are nonsensical, and in the case of the latter, actively counterproductive. But desperate people will latch on to anything that offers hope, even false hope and that is the one thing that Donald Trump does have to offer. False hope.

welcome again.

I am a transplant from GA, but now live in Blount County.

Jefferson for me, but I lived in Knox and Sevier for a while too.

I’m sure I know plenty of republicans but I don’t talk politics with them (WV). I have noticed that there are VERY VERY FEW trump signs in yards and that amazes me, because WV.
Anyway I’m curious as to how someone could describe a POST BIRTH ABORTION like it’s a real thing.

The guy who was "explaining" this to me is a QAnon type who also told me a lot of crazy and outlandish things over the years. He genuinely believes that Democratic politicians sacrifice newborn babies to drink their blood. He's a neighbor of mine, and I just nod implacably until he goes away. You can't get through to someone like that, no matter how hard you try.

Just out of curiosity, what part of WV are you from? I lived in Morgantown for a few years.

I live in Texas, did some postdoc work at WVU in the 90s and lived there for a bit, then was WVU faculty at a remote site. Back in the good days.

Never went to school there, but if you ate at the Montmarte on the top floor of the Hotel Morgan during that time, I may have been your chef. Small world. yeah?

I have family in Cumberland County (transplants)!

Thanks for joining here!

there's been several headlines over the past year or two about rising neo-nazism in the Nashville area. It's hard to get a handle on how extensive that is. I suspect it might be a few hundred people at most, but it's easy enough to get attention when acting like a bunch of jackasses in public.

Have you seen anything of the like in your area of the state or while passing through Nashville?

Welcome to the DU, MLF1981.

"Have you seen anything of the like in your area of the state or while passing through Nashville? "

Nope, nothing like that here, very red area and there are definitely racists here but nothing so overt. As far as Nashville, I can't really say, I only ever go there if I need to fly somewhere, because even though it's a long drive, tickets usually cost 50% less than they do flying out of Knoxville.

My husband and I moved out of East Tennessee a little over 2 years ago and headed back north to family and old friends including my 4-year old grand daughter. We lived 18 miles west of Knoxville. Although the countryside is beautiful, the mountains awesome, the region never felt like home. The Covid years were insane pitting neighbors against neighbors in many areas. We were fortunate that our surrounding neighbors were rational, dependable and Never Trumpers.

You can keep us abreast of the election tensions in the area as November approaches. And the aftermath which should be interesting. There are pockets of Democrats throughout the state. Just not enough. I'd love to see Blackburn gone but that probably won't happen; Republicans and Trump devotion are deeply entrenched.

Keep us posted and again Welcome.

"We lived 18 miles west of Knoxville."

Were y'all out in Farragut?

"You can keep us abreast of the election tensions in the area as November approaches. And the aftermath which should be interesting. There are pockets of Democrats throughout the state. Just not enough. I'd love to see Blackburn gone but that probably won't happen"

Will do, and yep, there are pockets of blue throughout, just not enough of them. Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville, a bit less in Chatanooga and the Tri-Cities area, but the rest of this state is pretty much blood red. Marsha Blackburn is a disgrace, she's pretty much what you'd get if you crossed Kelly Bundy with Cruella DeVille.

Blackburn as a cross between Kelly Bundy and Cruella DeVille. I'll have to remember that!

And yes, you called it--Farragut was where we lived. Pretty area and I liked my home but once our grand daughter was born there was no way we were trekking back and forth between Knoxville and the Philly suburbs. Been there, done that for more years than I like to remember.

We moved right after the initial Covid crisis eased, then spent 18 months finding permanent housing up here. But in the end, it was worth the expense and nerve-wracking work. Get to see my kids on a regular basis now and then the grand baby, of course.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I have roots in East Tennessee, Chattanooga, to be exact. My mom was born and raised there, and I spent most of my childhood in the area. We moved to Illinois when I was 12 (62 years ago, I am old), and my lord, what a culture shock that was! But I eventually adapted, and I have lived in this state ever since, except for 3 years in NC back in the 80s (long story). I went to college here and married a guy from the Chicago area that I met in college, and I feel like a dyed in the wool midwesterner at this point in my life.

But I still feel a connection to Tennessee and always will. After my dad retired, my parents moved back to the Chattanooga area for the warmer weather and proximity to family. They settled in a rural area, just over the state line in GA (in what is now MTG's district *gag*). We visited numerous times over the years, and I had a lot of fun revisiting places I remembered from my childhood and sharing them with my husband, and later, my daughter.

My parents passed away a while back, and we haven't been down there since, but east Tennessee will always be a part of me. Especially the mountains, which I still miss.

Welcome to being a participating DU member, MLF1981, and may your stay be long and fruitful!

Always nice to talk with someone who knows this part of the world. It sounds like the Midwest has been good to you, and I'm glad for that.

"Especially the mountains, which I still miss. "

I grew up in the mountains, and any time that I've been to a flat place where you can see from horizon to horizon, it seriously makes me uncomfortable. I have an uncle who lives in Nebraska, and it's always so unsettling to see how damn flat that place is...

I'm another long time reader, just recently started posting. I started reading DU more than 20 years ago also, learned of it through Bartcop. Been visiting daily ever since. Welcome.

Honestly, I wish I had signed up years ago.

we need all the help we can get

WE ARE NOT GOING BACK!!!

"we need all the help we can get"

I'm sure willing to do my part!

Literally decades ago I wrote a similar Howdy Y'all post after a few years of lurking,
finally so triggered (not a word we used back then lol) by The Chimp and his
Haliberton Handler - it was time to start sharing too !

Cheers

WELCOME! I'm glad you DID. Hopefully, Kamala-Walz will have more joining us.

candidate! Positivity is infectious

One of the reddest states too where the air is clean and the gop is dirty.

I joined up recently and glad I finally did. I'm in Florida. Enjoy 😁. Voting blue so we don't go back 💙

come in from the cold. We are looking forward to your posts.

Good to meet you.

Welcome aboard.

...have an adult beverage and relax a while.

Congratulations on a really terrific post!

Glad you're here and I hope to read more from you. Lifelong D and d member, myself. I watched and listened to the Republicans and never could fit with what they professed to believe. The Democratic and liberal-leaning worldview and mindset is just... well... the way I lean, myself, and always have.

The access here to some of the greatest contemporary writers on earth is not just eye-opening but also inspiring and tremendously informative. I've learned so much, here, and gained a much more well-rounded understanding than I ever could have without it.

Glad you're here and formally weighing in!

Always great to see kindred souls, sign in for the 1st time!

I also lurked for twenty years.

The more the merrier! And we need all the Democratic voices we can get.

I lurked for a couple of years before I signed up too. It's a family here and I'm glad you joined in.

...you've been here for 20 years.
So, I guess it's more "Welcome to the conversation!"

I enjoyed reading your post. Thanks for taking the time.

Mind the step.

-- Mal

Just adding my welcome as another longtime Lurker who only recently joined. I now live in blue MD but have family in very red OK and TX so I feel your pain.

You've started, or for sure verified, something, I think. Welcome one and all. I apologize in advance for my trademark irascibility and am pleased to meet you. I've noticed some from Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia....Did I miss anybody? Hoping for Nebraska and even Kansas to enter the light, someday.

This miniature island of de-lurking reflects, I believe, that people have had enough of this ridiculous clamor from charlatans, fools and psychotics like Trump. Many having, long ago, lost patience of being force-fed obvious propaganda suggesting they'd better accept and tolerate the clamor in perpetuity or else. Most Americans, even in the red states, still believe in a federal government whose purpose is to strive toward the general welfare of the people as stated in the Constitution. They, and I, await, with impatience, the rebirth of a good government and re-establishment of a just society, which will arrive when we free the hope of problems logically solved by plans based on actual facts from the wasteland where it remains stranded, banished by escapees from justice in the Republican House, misled by a corrupt USSC majority and muted by the endless prating of a corporate media.

The US, the world's premier nation cannot tolerate rule by an extraordinarily large crop of village idiots (and half-witted Nazis) after next January. The planet needs us to be, unwaveringly, on the right side of history. If we aren't, there will not be a future.

We are glad to have you and look forward to your postings.

😀