MyDD piece on Rochester
MyDD has a big piece up about Rochester today — one of the main bloggers there, Chris Bowers, is visiting his brother, who lives in this area. He makes a few interesting comments about the progressive scene here. He writes:
In fact, in order to find the type of engaging, creative employment commensurate with his education level in the Rochester area, my younger brother has actually decided to run for Monroe County legislature, and on Friday received the Democratic Party endorsement for his seat. Other creative class types looking for ways to support a family might simply have left the area. It is perhaps remarkable that the area is still able to produce excellent, non-self funding candidates like Eric Massa and Dan Maffei, and organically grown, progressive blogs like Rochester Turning, at all.
It’s an interesting point, but I would say here that every cloud has a silver lining, though: the low cost of living (which is linked with the poor economy) allows all kinds of people to contribute to the progressive movement in a way they probably wouldn’t in a place like New York City. The thing that strikes me most about the people in Rochester I have met via blogging, volunteering, and through Drinking Liberally is how diverse they are as a group: older people, younger people, people who work all different sorts of jobs at all different kinds of income levels, people with children, people without children, people who are politically pragmatic, people who are ideological.
When I was at Drinking Liberally in New York City last week (I was away, hence the small number of posts from me), the crowd was not diverse in this way. It was all under 40 singles, mostly under 30 singles, in fact. And while they were bright and interesting and well-informed, they didn’t have the same kind of interest in state and local politics that I see among Rochester progressives; many didn’t know who Joe Bruno and Shelly Silver were, for example.
That’s not a criticism. The point is that cities like Rochester have an opportunity to spawn a different type of progressive movement than big cities do. The lower cost of living here erases a lot of social barriers that exist in a place like New York. The challenges that we face here are different than those faced in New York City. Not harder or easier, but different — and probably more similar to the challenges faced in other, less urban parts of the country.
Related posts:
Another great post!
With a good point: I didn’t know that about the NYC crowd, for example.
Even the RT blogging crowd is reasonably diverse, when you think about it.
One reason I like RT so much is that we try to focus locally as much as possible. If I wanted to read about national issues, I can use atrios, digby, mydd, big orange, firedoglake, kevin drum, tpm, or a host of other sites.
My 2 cents:
In DC as well, there is a slight arrogant tone of yuppie elitism and disconnect from the governance process. As if they are COMPLETELY removed and have little stake in ability to make a difference. A grity city and urban lifestyle can do that to most people.
The same vibe occurs in Rochester DL as well from time to time. The reason I feel it happens less than in big cities is because people are slowing realizing that change is brewing in the air (Spitzer,Massa,Maffei) and a sense of self-worth and appreciation of political activism is returning.
dude! you were at DL in NYC last week? were you there for the 4th b-day?
if so, what’s up with you not saying hi? what, we’re not good enough for you or something?
heh.
I actually looked for you there since I thought you might be there, but boy that place gets crowded. Pretty different from our DL up here.