Which state is more socially liberal?

[TeePee4Prez]

Tough call here.

[RI]

Colorado has the most liberal bastions of these states, but it has a lot of really conservative areas too. Pennsylvania doesn't have any really socially liberal areas--I suppose the Philly suburbs are the closest--but it also doesn't have as many hardcore socially conservative areas as Colorado. Michigan and Arizona have no socially liberal areas other than Ann Arbor and maybe Lansing.

I'll give it to Colorado, narrowly.

[TeePee4Prez]

Colorado has the most liberal bastions of these states, but it has a lot of really conservative areas too. Pennsylvania doesn't have any really socially liberal areas--I suppose the Philly suburbs are the closest--but it also doesn't have as many hardcore socially conservative areas as Colorado. Michigan and Arizona have no socially liberal areas other than Ann Arbor and maybe Lansing.

I'll give it to Colorado, narrowly.

Parts of Philadelphia and some inner suburbs can make me look like George Wallace.  There are hardcore socially liberal areas in PA.  True, Colorado has some very liberal areas, but also very conservative ones to balance it.  PA may have its rabid NRA support, but I don't find even central PA as conservative as Tancredo, Arpaio, etc.  I threw in AZ because while it's the hotbed of anti-immigration and has a closet neo-Nazi Sheriff, it's actually more pro-choice than PA by a hair.  Definitely more extreme than PA on both ends.  Here's how I'd vote:


PA>CO>MI>AZ

[ottermax]

and yet AZ is the only one that voted against a gay marriage ban. tough to decide. Arizona has loud conservatives, but a soft liberal set; CO is similar, but has a more liberal reputation and has changed recently into a more liberal area. Pennsylvania has liberal roots, but seems quite conservative. Michigan seems to have a liberal set of institutions, but remains quite socially conservative as well.

I'd say Michigan or Colorado, but all 4 are very similar in the actual amount of social liberalness that exists.

[RI]

and yet AZ is the only one that voted against a gay marriage ban.

I seem to recall that there were some extenuating circumstances in the 2006 proposition in that it banned existing domestic partnerships and other things I can't remember. Furthermore, Arizona overwhelmingly voted to ban gay marriage in 2008. It doesn't have one single area that can be definitely called socially liberal save maybe parts of Tucson.

[greenforest32]

1. Colorado
2. Pennsylvania
3. Arizona
4. Michigan

[TJ in Oregon]

and yet AZ is the only one that voted against a gay marriage ban.

I seem to recall that there were some extenuating circumstances in the 2006 proposition in that it banned existing domestic partnerships and other things I can't remember. Furthermore, Arizona overwhelmingly voted to ban gay marriage in 2008. It doesn't have one single area that can be definitely called socially liberal save maybe parts of Tucson.

Flagstaff/Sedona are pretty socially liberal but too small to matter. Phoenix is some strange entity unto itself in American politics: a rabidly conservative metro area. My sister lives there and I am occasionally amazed at some of the things the social conservatives do. Joe Arpaio? It also seems like their discipline measures (she's a public school teacher there) are waaayyy stricter than anything in Ohio at least and I'd say Ohio is a little more socially conservative than MI and PA.

I think Colorado is by far the most socially liberal and the only one left of the US average. I think PA is marginally more socially liberal than MI, but not by that much (mostly based on Detroit vs Philly because the rest of the state for each would lead me to the opposite conclusion).

Still, I'd say CO>>>PA>MI>AZ

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

Colorado, how is this even a question? Colorado is legitimately a socially liberal state and is quickly becoming a bastion of liberalism. It's extremely secular, has burgeoning metro areas renowned for all of the latte liberal stereotypes and the only thing holding it back is Colorado Springs. There is no NE Philly equivalent to Denver and it's suburbs are as easily as permissive as Philly's without having any real working class character.

The norm in PA is social conservatism outside of Centre County and the Philly burbs. The norm in MI is social conservatism outside of Ann Arbor and Oakland County. Arizona is more moderate as a whole but the norm is still social conservatism outside of Flagstaff, Tuscon and Tempe.

My ranking would go like this: CO > AZ > PA > MI

[Stan]

CO
PA
MI
AZ

[TeePee4Prez]

Colorado, how is this even a question? Colorado is legitimately a socially liberal state and is quickly becoming a bastion of liberalism. It's extremely secular, has burgeoning metro areas renowned for all of the latte liberal stereotypes and the only thing holding it back is Colorado Springs. There is no NE Philly equivalent to Denver and it's suburbs are as easily as permissive as Philly's without having any real working class character.

The norm in PA is social conservatism outside of Centre County and the Philly burbs. The norm in MI is social conservatism outside of Ann Arbor and Oakland County. Arizona is more moderate as a whole but the norm is still social conservatism outside of Flagstaff, Tuscon and Tempe.

My ranking would go like this: CO > AZ > PA > MI

PA also doesn't have a CO Springs or eastern CO equivalent.  Yes, Denver doesn't have a NE/South Philly equivalent either, but Philly has its latte liberal areas within and in its suburbs. 

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

Colorado, how is this even a question? Colorado is legitimately a socially liberal state and is quickly becoming a bastion of liberalism. It's extremely secular, has burgeoning metro areas renowned for all of the latte liberal stereotypes and the only thing holding it back is Colorado Springs. There is no NE Philly equivalent to Denver and it's suburbs are as easily as permissive as Philly's without having any real working class character.

The norm in PA is social conservatism outside of Centre County and the Philly burbs. The norm in MI is social conservatism outside of Ann Arbor and Oakland County. Arizona is more moderate as a whole but the norm is still social conservatism outside of Flagstaff, Tuscon and Tempe.

My ranking would go like this: CO > AZ > PA > MI

PA also doesn't have a CO Springs or eastern CO equivalent.  Yes, Denver doesn't have a NE/South Philly equivalent either, but Philly has its latte liberal areas within and in its suburbs. 

The whole rest of the state has views on morality and religion akin to Colorado Springs...

[5280]

Denver should be in it's own state and the rest of CO can be merged with the surrounding states.  Keep the wack jobs segregated in Denver.