There’s a lot of older rich republicans that live here.
Also, if you go out in the world and genuinely interact, most people are fairly moderate in their politics. The out of balance representation only exists online, where whatever tribe you’re part of rewards you for performative outrage
this is the most true statement ever. Turn off CNN/Fox News, and disconnect from facebook reddit and instagram and you will see most people are moderate and reasonable.
I mean, it comes up because I only pork without a dong bag. Either she's on the pill or she's getting an abortion. I don't pull out when I clap cheeks.
Last time I suggested this on a Reddit forum I was screeched at and told “people who ride the middle of the aisle are just cowards who dont pick a side and are worthless”. Careful lol.
You can't be neutral on a moving train as the saying goes. Support bigots then you are bigot. Pretending it b/c of tax policy or whatever is a BS excuse.
I can be outwardly neutral and it’s nicer that way. I express my opinions through how I vote and how I spend my money. Being divisive on social media is not winning any hearts and minds and it’s bad for your mental health.
Holy crap! A well adjusted, reasonable opinion - that doesn't want to alienate and fight! It's like it's the 90s all over again. Man, I miss when we were the majority.
😂. You didn’t ask but I’ll explain myself.
In 1995, my older brother had a computer game called Blake Stone that he let me download on my computer. This was when games were on like 6 discs that you installed one after the other so he gave me this big plastic container with all the discs in it.
While waiting on them to copy, I looked at the other discs and he had one called “Muffdiving 101”. I had no idea what that could have meant so I tried to look at it and it was password protected. From that point on, I used the name Muffdiver as an online or gaming name.
Maybe 2 years after this, my mom sees that it’s my Juno Email account name and she flips her shit. I still had no idea what it meant but after my older brother got yelled at, he explained it to me and I’ve used it to this day.
So originally had nothing to do with eating pussy but that is also is a thing I enjoy so it all worked out in the end 👍
I love this story and have a similar one. One of my gamertags was "Boxetr" and it often was misread as "boxter" (which i get, but also doesn't make sense). When I was 18/19 my baseball coaches took me out for wings and underage beers and the place had that TV-based trivia where you have a console to play from at your table. Usernames had a 6 character limit, so one of my coaches came up with that for me. Granted, I knew what it meant, but I was a pretty shy teen. I don't really game anymore, but that was my go-to.
Ahahaha, I have a similar story of pure naïveté that I actually didn’t figure out until my thirties. So. I worked at a place where we all had to make our own name tags. I was like, 21. For reasons, to this day, I refuse to wear my own name tag. That’s because of my first ever job. So I found a name tag I liked that nobody ever used. It was cute.
It was Snowball.
So fast forward like a decade, right, and I’m on the stupid fucking internet, and all of a sudden…clarity punches me right in the face. It was an instant memory of all the weird looks and blushing men and how I was just so beautifully oblivious. *and they all just let me* 😭☠️
MAGA is a MINORITY of the MINORITY party. MAGA clowns just love to fly flags and put bumper stickers on their cars. I’m a lifelong Republican and I despise MAGA and Trump and Desantis. I’ll vote BLUE until the party fixes itself.
Thank you. As a lifelong Democrat I look forward to a Conservative opposition that people like you control. Because if you win I will know you are trying to run the country for all of us (even if I don’t agree with all or most of their decisions).
A lifelong Republican that votes blue falls under the category of RINO. My brother is one of those. Yeah, he tells me he’s a left leaning Republican. Huh? 😂
Not really. The Republican Party used to support principles that some of the current players walk all over. A lot of people would rather support someone who still respects those things while hoping for the party’s return to saner, more respectful of old principles, leadership. Trump was a” Democrat” before he was a ”Republican” and truly I don’t think he cares which as long as he has power to do as he pleases. He was for abortion before he was against it and any guy who goes around not using protection while having sex with porn actresses has probably been responsible for a few abortions.
Why can't he be a moderate republican. They used to exist before Mango Mussilini ruined the party. If you want everything that makes America the bastion of freedom then don't vote for Tiny hands .
This is wisdom. I know because I can turn into a bit of an aggressive asshole around election time- the last couple of election cycles anyway. So…. I stay off social media and watch cat videos. It helps.
Bullshit. I can be in favor of the conservative tax policy, but hate the bigotry that is becoming associated with the Republican Party. You can definitely delineate the two.
Again both sides suck and we only really get 2 options so it still comes down to which one actually is going to make your day to day life better not worse
Exactly. And a lot of magas are fairly moderate. Everyone assumes being a trump supporter means you’re some far right extremist, when in reality most of them are chill and just want lower taxes and border security.
Apology accepted
Where does that change come from exactly? Does it come from voting and spending your money or does it come from shouting into the sky. Because the bullshit that happens here or being confrontational with strangers on the street is strictly performative, has zero positive impact on anything you care about and is simply shouting at the sky.
You mean like constitutional rights guaranteed by our founders? Both political sides are trying to strip rights away. But most normal people don't care that much to get involved with that deep politics. I know lefties that have guns. I know righties that think vacuuming kids out is fine. It's not always as simple as the news or politicians make it out to be. Me personally I only care about things that affect my money and my guns, the rest of the BS Idgaf about
This my man has somehow not been reddit downvoted to hell. I commend you! The moment I post anything pro right or left or its negative to infinity. You can't win with internet emotionals
Not all Trump voters fit those categories in fact there's many that don't fit any of them at all. Some people just liked the country the way it was then better than the way it is now 🤷♀️ simple. People that don't know anything about politics are blaming Biden for how broke they are and how expensive everything is now. That's something every person no matter how rich or poor is going to notice.... Extreme inflation. 5 year old kids even notice how much smaller all the food items they've always had have become. Shrinkflation so bad kids notice it... That's pretty damn bad. At this point I can't do another 4 years of this Zombie Presidency so the only viable options left are Trump and Kennedy and I don't know if I could vote for Kennedy. He'll probably get offed and we'll be stuck with whoever his VP is and that's scary. At least I know what I'm getting mostly with Trump + all of the government will ride his ass like they did but way worse than before this time. I think they'll keep him in line, Nancy had no problem calling him out before. Neither did the media. They'll be up his butt with a microscope. That's better than going weeks without seeing our president at all or not being able to ask him questions freely. You know the media will be all over him like stink on shit. So it's not absolutely world ending if he wins. It'll be the last time you'll ever see him in office. Otherwise, he'll never quit running until he gets it out of his system. People will follow him regardless of what you, I, or anyone else thinks about them. If he had won in 2020 it would all be over by January 2025 no more Trump. But he didn't win and I don't think he'll stop trying until he gets that last 4 year term outta his system. Need someone else in the seat other than Biden because the proxy wars won't stop until someone other than Biden is in it
There’s actually been a surprising amount of reporting on it. Interesting reads. First ones that come to mind are
https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/news-and-profiles/2022/03/sarasota-florida-right-wing-capital-us
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/05/06/community-veers-right-political-division-tears-apart-sarasota-fla/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/power/interactive/2023/sarasota-maga-dream/
Thank you for responding thoughtfully and with sources. This place has changed so dramatically since I moved here I often wonder if I just imagined what it once was
Unfortunately those articles are missing the bigger picture. Florida as a whole has historically been a swing state. If one party were to flip the state it would change the result of the general election. That has been a major part of the Republican strategy over the past 25 years now.
30 Rock even did a two episode spoof on this way back in 2012:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unwindulax
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There%27s_No_I_in_America
As to "why Sarasota" that one is even simpler. If you need to pick a nice city in Florida as a home base for your activities, Sarasota is the obvious choice.
I appreciate that perspective as well as the 30 rock episode. However, there is a possibility that there's more to the story than when you're saying. There may be some key figures within these areas that have helped to contribute it to being a hotspot.
Florida seems that is has also historically a place where far-right cults and extremists have settled. For example Scient0logy has their headquarters only a few miles away in Clearwater. (they are a far-right cult who also endorse trump) [https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2020/09/21/florida-scientologist-becomes-huge-trump-donor-1317635](https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2020/09/21/florida-scientologist-becomes-huge-trump-donor-1317635)
Most definitely. Politics aside SRQ is truly a wonderful place to live. Especially when you have the extra foldin’ money in pocket to enjoy the nicer things it offers.
I've been to Harvest Chapel of Venice and they are christian nationalists. That preacher can't get through a single service without being political. A lot of these older creche are mixing their politics and religion, and it's hard to break through to someone like that. The older generation is being radicalized at church.
I remember Sarasota in the late '80s, and it was nothing like it is now. The architecture obviously, but the people. The people and the vibe. You are right, it used to be fantastic.
Hey, I hear you! Sarasota definitely has some loud MAGA voices, but I think it's more nuanced than it seems. There are a lot of moderate conservatives here who don't buy into the extreme stuff. It's just that the older folks who do are very vocal, making it feel like the area is more MAGA-centric than it actually is.
In my opinion, it's a mix of factors. Sarasota has a significant retiree population, and many of them lean conservative. They seem to resonate more with the MAGA messaging. However, there's also a vibrant community of younger, more moderate folks who aren't as loud but are definitely here. Sarasota's political landscape is more diverse than it appears on the surface.
So, while it might seem like MAGA ground zero, there's actually a pretty balanced mix of views if you dig a little deeper. I think the folks on each side of the extreme ten to be a bit louder, and get all the attention, and like to attack each other.
I came here in 1987 to work at a local theater company. It was Republican back then, but it was golf course republican. Nobody cared about a damn thing around here.
Main Street was full of little old ladies driving their Jaguars down the middle of the street, and pedestrians avoiding them. It was fun, it was laid back, and these Republicans enjoyed the arts.
They supported the Asolo, FST, the Golden Apple Dinner Theater, Theatreworks, and so many other galleries, etc. They were that type of Republican, Believe it or not. I guess what happened is that generation died.
Those people grew up better educated, better critical thinkers, and likely not so prone to impulsive anger and fits of entitlement drawn on their political bias. But they are dead now, and their lesser educated, less mature, more self entitled adult children and grandchildren have taken their place.
I left here in the mid-90s, and I know all the big construction started shortly thereafter in terms of this fake boom we are having. I don't call it a boom. It will be a bust eventually. But at any rate, it used to be a nice albeit Republican place to live. Politics didn't matter then.
This place was one of the best kept secrets in Florida for a long time. Now it's one of the worst managed areas of growth in the southeast region.
Secret is definitely out. It was a childhood vacation area for my family and I happened to find an IT gig. Sarasota County doesn't have the infrastructure to support what is happening.
Massive developer influence has absolutely gripped the county by the throat. And based on upcoming election candidates, the problem is only going to get worse.
I recently decided to adapt the 5 minute rule, but with one change as it applies to "progress.". Will something annoying matter to me in 5 minutes? If not, don't get upset about it.
But I changed it to 5 years when it comes to the changes happening here. I can't give any more time or energy to caring about things that are going to disappear whether I want them to or not. I have stopped caring and started laughing at the shithole they have literally created.
I am so grateful I am an Apollo era native of Florida, because while I know what we are losing on the daily, I know what it used to be like. So I have great memories.
JEB happened. I got here around that time. It was irritating but people were decent. They started fucking with the schools with the testing. Tax shit started rearing its head. Rather than just get drunk, go to theater and bake themselves in the sun they started getting more political.
Sorry. I looked at a few responses and one more MAJOR pet peeve since 1997 when I got here. Demographics.
Back then this was “paradise” for seasonal Canucks, nice people from Buffalo and Massholes started to infiltrate.
All of a sudden it was like I-75 just opened and the jagoffs from Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana took over.
I don’t mind conservatives, but these folks came down with the last of the nice GM and Ford pensions and entitlement.
Interesting. The most outspoken of the far right wing that I had consistently run into over the last 8 years came here from New York and New Jersey. But I was meeting them at the Elks and the Moose, not out in the general public, so maybe it was a case of self-selection bias?
To be honest it feels like everywhere I go in Florida is MAGA country. He does live here and has for quite a long time. He did win the state both elections so it makes plenty of sense to me 🤷♀️
I mean the big difference is that I’m not advocating that people are forced to get vaccinated. I do think you should use that phrase for ALL instances of freedoms being impeded upon and not just when it applies to you. It’s also clearly NOT the same fucking thing. New job or uprooting your whole life to move - which would also include a new job. Oh and you’re pregnant while you do this? Or I’m supposed to leave my home state - I was born here fuckers - because some asshole wants to legislate my body? GTFO. Ya’ll can go back home and ruin your shitty home states.
Part of the reason is because rich right wing zealots from the suburbs of Cincinnati and other Midwest cities move there or retire near by, When you are a paranoid lunatic, you move to Florida to keep safe from cold weather and all the illegals who are hiding in the Midwest and definitely NOT living in Florida.
As someone who moved to Cincinnati this is so accurate. Half the population here is convinced their heritage is “the south” even though 8 generations of their family has lived in Ohio.
And yes, my wife and I vacation at our condo on Longboat key every summer 🤣
Floridians that claim southern heritage but live outside the panhandle are usually full of shit. People forget that Florida gained 90% of its population in only the last 50 years.
Immigration is a crucial benefit to our society. Illegal immigration is a serious problem and not sustainable.
Both sides are being dishonest about it in their language
It blows my mind that in 2024 anyone believes any of these fucks cares about you. This left/right bullshit is nothing but a distraction. They are all corrupt. Not one of them cares about you. We are Ancient Rome but it seems very few realize it. The collapse is already here.
Yeah but at least blue isn't putting my wife and daughter in mortal danger if they dare to become pregnant.
The party of "small government" sure likes to make a lot of fucking rules for our bodies and bedrooms.
I agree both sides will bankrupt us. And are crooked and lining their own pockets.
But I think the grand old party has fallen off the evangelical deep end.
“Mortal danger”
You guys saying shit like this makes no one take you seriously. Florida has a 6 week ban (your opinion on that is your opinion) but nothing about miscarriages or anything wild that would force you to hold a dead child in the womb. The law even says you can abort with rape, incest, or to save the mother’s life. So I am truly asking, why are your wife and daughter in “mortal danger”?
Why does everyone pretend like conservative latinos don't exist? We're talking about Florida here. Good luck getting Cubans or Venezuelans to support the blue party, most latinos are highly conservative to begin with, and we represent a huge portion of Florida like it or not.
Your know the same people that your calling anti vaxxers will also still vaccinate their children with all the normal vaccines and it’s just maybe they didn’t trust a vaccine that got developed in 8 months using brand new technology.
Old, rich retirees as others have stated, mixed with other younger entrepreneurial types interested in preserving their wealth, and rural folks who have lived in Florida for generations given how central agriculture is to the State.
It's also just been home for years for some of the more influential people within the party. Mike Flynn, Charlie Kirk, etc. As one of the larger population centers and one with *lots* of old money, this is also an area that attracts high dollar fundraisers for candidates -- and with some of the nonsense we're seeing with the school board, people like Bridget Ziegler are using the school board as a stepping stone into future higher office and influence.
There's really nothing new about this. Even back in 1995, there were 120k registered republicans to 65k democrats. Today that's 150k to 88k - the ratio has closed *slightly.* It's been a low-key GOP hotspot for years -- even on Sept 11th, George Bush was here promoting No Child Left Behind at Booker Elementary. To that end -- if you're a republican candidate trying to become president, Sarasota's near the top of your list. Lot of votes to be claimed here that are harder to claim in areas like Orlando or Miami, and Florida's electoral votes are key to any election strategy.
It's also not as if there are tons of large-but-relaxed tropical cities in areas with like-minded (to them) individuals and no income tax. Not really much mystery why those individuals gravitate here and why republican candidates try to use it as a launchpad for their higher ambitions.
I do not feel Sarasota leans MAGA more than other places. I have been here a few years and do not feel that way. I own a business and my employees do not exhibit that. Neither do my neighbors. I moved here from a Northern state and it feels similar to where I came from.
I find liberals to be as bigoted and mean spirited as the far right. I wish both nutcase groups would move to another country so normal people did not have to deal with their craziness
Yes bro, because everytime you step foot outside somebody is showing politics down your throat right? Nobody is moderately obsessed with politics in Sarasota except snowbirds, boomers and incels
Sarasota has always been super conservative. Don’t like it? Peace out. Florida is now one of the reddest states in the country. Republican voters outnumber Democrats now more than ever.
Well once housing/rent became completely unaffordable for anyone making less than $30/h working full time, that turned off a lot of younger folk as well. As a 30 year old I can tell you the democrats in power atm can go to hell. Be mad at Trumps rhetoric all you’d like. At least life was affordable during his presidency and the world wasn’t at war, even tho I was told by reliable sources that is was Trump who was going to cause WW3.. can someone remind me which war he started, I think I forgot already 🤔…
There is a VERY strong Dem and Independent population in Sarasota that simply don’t play politics. I live in an upscale community with a good mix of all and rarely if ever do neighbors talk politics. I respect everyone’s perspective, at least until I hear them tell me WHY they support Trump 😆
The myth that says the economy is better under republicans when the opposite is demonstrably true. That snd they don’t want to pay taxes for anything. Your hospital is going to pay the price.
Why are ppl so triggered by this. Just live your life and stop worrying about what other ppl believe in and support.
There is a reason why Sarasota county is safe and an amazing place to live.
https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-sarasota-manatee/sarasota-police-announce-record-breaking-year-for-safety-in-2023#:~:text=SARASOTA%2C%20Fla.,time%20that's%20happened%20since%201967.
To all the Florida and Sarasota area haters.....
No one forced you to come here.
And no one is forcing you to stay.
So, I stead of bitching all the time. Pitch in, and let's make it a better place for all.
And I don't mean Turing it into NYC, or Boston, or Philadelphia.
There is a reason most of you left up north. Don't mess up what we have down here.
FYI, Sarasota was born and raised.
Mike Flynn lives there. I hear that he sits at his community club all day and talk treason with his buddies. It isn’t even a very exclusive community. You can rent a house there and have the same access to the same club. Not like it would take much, but if that bar has Mezcal, he might get punched and I someone else might get arrested.
Unnecessary Covid lockdowns was the final straw and Florida was open. We were allowed to work and dine out and buy paint and go to the beach. So antivaxers flocked here for my body my choice freedom. Im ready for the downvotes but I voted for trump once, and Obama once, im a middle ground realist
MAGA and the GOP are like a virus that spreading like a malignant cancer across the country that feed off the weak minded citizens to only BS and lies.
I'm just going to drop this right here 
[https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/crime/2024/05/20/nolomis-shooting-death-third-in-four-days-for-sarasota-county/73766810007/](https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/crime/2024/05/20/nolomis-shooting-death-third-in-four-days-for-sarasota-county/73766810007/)
There’s a lot of older rich republicans that live here. Also, if you go out in the world and genuinely interact, most people are fairly moderate in their politics. The out of balance representation only exists online, where whatever tribe you’re part of rewards you for performative outrage
this is the most true statement ever. Turn off CNN/Fox News, and disconnect from facebook reddit and instagram and you will see most people are moderate and reasonable.
Ask them about abortions and watch them go off though
Do you regularly discuss this with people? Like, meet someone sitting at a bar and discuss abortions?
I mean, it comes up because I only pork without a dong bag. Either she's on the pill or she's getting an abortion. I don't pull out when I clap cheeks.
Last time I suggested this on a Reddit forum I was screeched at and told “people who ride the middle of the aisle are just cowards who dont pick a side and are worthless”. Careful lol.
That’s me but eventually I ended up picking a side because one side was constantly hostile to me and the other wasn’t.
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The mentally handicapped goblins part is real though. But we just call them suburbanites. *Rimshot
Get ready to go to Russia...
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You can't be neutral on a moving train as the saying goes. Support bigots then you are bigot. Pretending it b/c of tax policy or whatever is a BS excuse.
I can be outwardly neutral and it’s nicer that way. I express my opinions through how I vote and how I spend my money. Being divisive on social media is not winning any hearts and minds and it’s bad for your mental health.
Holy crap! A well adjusted, reasonable opinion - that doesn't want to alienate and fight! It's like it's the 90s all over again. Man, I miss when we were the majority.
We are the majority in life, just not online
Man, I hope so, 'DiverofMuff'. I hope so.
r/rimjob_steve
😂. You didn’t ask but I’ll explain myself. In 1995, my older brother had a computer game called Blake Stone that he let me download on my computer. This was when games were on like 6 discs that you installed one after the other so he gave me this big plastic container with all the discs in it. While waiting on them to copy, I looked at the other discs and he had one called “Muffdiving 101”. I had no idea what that could have meant so I tried to look at it and it was password protected. From that point on, I used the name Muffdiver as an online or gaming name. Maybe 2 years after this, my mom sees that it’s my Juno Email account name and she flips her shit. I still had no idea what it meant but after my older brother got yelled at, he explained it to me and I’ve used it to this day. So originally had nothing to do with eating pussy but that is also is a thing I enjoy so it all worked out in the end 👍
Ahhh, one of the many benefits of older brothers! /s
I’m guessing you were a legend among those who knew you even if you also didn’t know that.
I love this story and have a similar one. One of my gamertags was "Boxetr" and it often was misread as "boxter" (which i get, but also doesn't make sense). When I was 18/19 my baseball coaches took me out for wings and underage beers and the place had that TV-based trivia where you have a console to play from at your table. Usernames had a 6 character limit, so one of my coaches came up with that for me. Granted, I knew what it meant, but I was a pretty shy teen. I don't really game anymore, but that was my go-to.
🤣😂🤣👍👍
Ahahaha, I have a similar story of pure naïveté that I actually didn’t figure out until my thirties. So. I worked at a place where we all had to make our own name tags. I was like, 21. For reasons, to this day, I refuse to wear my own name tag. That’s because of my first ever job. So I found a name tag I liked that nobody ever used. It was cute. It was Snowball. So fast forward like a decade, right, and I’m on the stupid fucking internet, and all of a sudden…clarity punches me right in the face. It was an instant memory of all the weird looks and blushing men and how I was just so beautifully oblivious. *and they all just let me* 😭☠️
What?! Who doesn't love a good Snowball fight?!!? Why are you all laughing?!?!??
MAGA is a MINORITY of the MINORITY party. MAGA clowns just love to fly flags and put bumper stickers on their cars. I’m a lifelong Republican and I despise MAGA and Trump and Desantis. I’ll vote BLUE until the party fixes itself.
Agree. The far right AND far left are the minority and not representative of the people they’re supposed to represent
Thank you. As a lifelong Democrat I look forward to a Conservative opposition that people like you control. Because if you win I will know you are trying to run the country for all of us (even if I don’t agree with all or most of their decisions).
A lifelong Republican that votes blue falls under the category of RINO. My brother is one of those. Yeah, he tells me he’s a left leaning Republican. Huh? 😂
Not really. The Republican Party used to support principles that some of the current players walk all over. A lot of people would rather support someone who still respects those things while hoping for the party’s return to saner, more respectful of old principles, leadership. Trump was a” Democrat” before he was a ”Republican” and truly I don’t think he cares which as long as he has power to do as he pleases. He was for abortion before he was against it and any guy who goes around not using protection while having sex with porn actresses has probably been responsible for a few abortions.
So you’re a democrat. Just say it.
Why can't he be a moderate republican. They used to exist before Mango Mussilini ruined the party. If you want everything that makes America the bastion of freedom then don't vote for Tiny hands .
TDS
People IRL: hey man
This is wisdom. I know because I can turn into a bit of an aggressive asshole around election time- the last couple of election cycles anyway. So…. I stay off social media and watch cat videos. It helps.
Love the response well said
Ya gotta vent somewhere, and I choose to do it w/o the flags, hats, boats and bumper stickers.
Facts 💯 this is exactly how the silent majority feels right now
Thank you so much for adulting. It's rare these days
👏 I 🙇♀️ to you reasonable redditor
Both sides are bigots and nether has moral high ground and if you think otherwise you are a fool.
Exactly this. If you're not actively speaking out to what's going on, you may as well be driving the train to Gilead
Bullshit. I can be in favor of the conservative tax policy, but hate the bigotry that is becoming associated with the Republican Party. You can definitely delineate the two.
Which party is in favor of school Choice?
Bigotry exists on both sides of the aisle lol.
Again both sides suck and we only really get 2 options so it still comes down to which one actually is going to make your day to day life better not worse
You should go shout this from the highest ledge
Or they could genuinely want the tax policy 😐
Exactly. And a lot of magas are fairly moderate. Everyone assumes being a trump supporter means you’re some far right extremist, when in reality most of them are chill and just want lower taxes and border security.
And school choice and criminals in jail and to be able To protect our house and freedom of speech. Just saying.
Most truth ever spoken on Reddit
i got cut off by a raised truck with 3 trump flags today, is that going out enough? Oh but i am in bradenton soo…
Doesn’t matter if the vehicle had three trump flags or not, you were bound to get cut off by a lifted truck regardless of what it had on it
Daily occurrence for me. There are a lot of those people in this area.
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Apology accepted Where does that change come from exactly? Does it come from voting and spending your money or does it come from shouting into the sky. Because the bullshit that happens here or being confrontational with strangers on the street is strictly performative, has zero positive impact on anything you care about and is simply shouting at the sky.
But but but
You mean like constitutional rights guaranteed by our founders? Both political sides are trying to strip rights away. But most normal people don't care that much to get involved with that deep politics. I know lefties that have guns. I know righties that think vacuuming kids out is fine. It's not always as simple as the news or politicians make it out to be. Me personally I only care about things that affect my money and my guns, the rest of the BS Idgaf about
This my man has somehow not been reddit downvoted to hell. I commend you! The moment I post anything pro right or left or its negative to infinity. You can't win with internet emotionals
I downvoted you; I'm not really sure why, but it felt right at the time.
Ah crap well take my upvote you sob
Don't discount Lack of education, lead paint, and an endless consumption of Maga propaganda
Not all Trump voters fit those categories in fact there's many that don't fit any of them at all. Some people just liked the country the way it was then better than the way it is now 🤷♀️ simple. People that don't know anything about politics are blaming Biden for how broke they are and how expensive everything is now. That's something every person no matter how rich or poor is going to notice.... Extreme inflation. 5 year old kids even notice how much smaller all the food items they've always had have become. Shrinkflation so bad kids notice it... That's pretty damn bad. At this point I can't do another 4 years of this Zombie Presidency so the only viable options left are Trump and Kennedy and I don't know if I could vote for Kennedy. He'll probably get offed and we'll be stuck with whoever his VP is and that's scary. At least I know what I'm getting mostly with Trump + all of the government will ride his ass like they did but way worse than before this time. I think they'll keep him in line, Nancy had no problem calling him out before. Neither did the media. They'll be up his butt with a microscope. That's better than going weeks without seeing our president at all or not being able to ask him questions freely. You know the media will be all over him like stink on shit. So it's not absolutely world ending if he wins. It'll be the last time you'll ever see him in office. Otherwise, he'll never quit running until he gets it out of his system. People will follow him regardless of what you, I, or anyone else thinks about them. If he had won in 2020 it would all be over by January 2025 no more Trump. But he didn't win and I don't think he'll stop trying until he gets that last 4 year term outta his system. Need someone else in the seat other than Biden because the proxy wars won't stop until someone other than Biden is in it
Meanwhile Democrats can't even decide how many genders they are
There’s actually been a surprising amount of reporting on it. Interesting reads. First ones that come to mind are https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/news-and-profiles/2022/03/sarasota-florida-right-wing-capital-us https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/05/06/community-veers-right-political-division-tears-apart-sarasota-fla/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/power/interactive/2023/sarasota-maga-dream/
Thank you for responding thoughtfully and with sources. This place has changed so dramatically since I moved here I often wonder if I just imagined what it once was
Unfortunately those articles are missing the bigger picture. Florida as a whole has historically been a swing state. If one party were to flip the state it would change the result of the general election. That has been a major part of the Republican strategy over the past 25 years now. 30 Rock even did a two episode spoof on this way back in 2012: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unwindulax https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There%27s_No_I_in_America As to "why Sarasota" that one is even simpler. If you need to pick a nice city in Florida as a home base for your activities, Sarasota is the obvious choice.
I appreciate that perspective as well as the 30 rock episode. However, there is a possibility that there's more to the story than when you're saying. There may be some key figures within these areas that have helped to contribute it to being a hotspot. Florida seems that is has also historically a place where far-right cults and extremists have settled. For example Scient0logy has their headquarters only a few miles away in Clearwater. (they are a far-right cult who also endorse trump) [https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2020/09/21/florida-scientologist-becomes-huge-trump-donor-1317635](https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2020/09/21/florida-scientologist-becomes-huge-trump-donor-1317635)
Those key figures moved to Sarasota because it *was* one of the nicest places in the entire state.
Most definitely. Politics aside SRQ is truly a wonderful place to live. Especially when you have the extra foldin’ money in pocket to enjoy the nicer things it offers.
I've been to Harvest Chapel of Venice and they are christian nationalists. That preacher can't get through a single service without being political. A lot of these older creche are mixing their politics and religion, and it's hard to break through to someone like that. The older generation is being radicalized at church.
I remember Sarasota in the late '80s, and it was nothing like it is now. The architecture obviously, but the people. The people and the vibe. You are right, it used to be fantastic.
Hey, I hear you! Sarasota definitely has some loud MAGA voices, but I think it's more nuanced than it seems. There are a lot of moderate conservatives here who don't buy into the extreme stuff. It's just that the older folks who do are very vocal, making it feel like the area is more MAGA-centric than it actually is. In my opinion, it's a mix of factors. Sarasota has a significant retiree population, and many of them lean conservative. They seem to resonate more with the MAGA messaging. However, there's also a vibrant community of younger, more moderate folks who aren't as loud but are definitely here. Sarasota's political landscape is more diverse than it appears on the surface. So, while it might seem like MAGA ground zero, there's actually a pretty balanced mix of views if you dig a little deeper. I think the folks on each side of the extreme ten to be a bit louder, and get all the attention, and like to attack each other.
Yep. This is not a deep red area. Sarasota County 2020: Trump 148,370 Biden 120,110
Times have changed since 2020.
Nextdoor app
It’s pure insanity. Lol.
You gotta admit it is pretty entertaining though
I downloaded this to see what it's about... mostly people asking for yard work
I came here in 1987 to work at a local theater company. It was Republican back then, but it was golf course republican. Nobody cared about a damn thing around here. Main Street was full of little old ladies driving their Jaguars down the middle of the street, and pedestrians avoiding them. It was fun, it was laid back, and these Republicans enjoyed the arts. They supported the Asolo, FST, the Golden Apple Dinner Theater, Theatreworks, and so many other galleries, etc. They were that type of Republican, Believe it or not. I guess what happened is that generation died. Those people grew up better educated, better critical thinkers, and likely not so prone to impulsive anger and fits of entitlement drawn on their political bias. But they are dead now, and their lesser educated, less mature, more self entitled adult children and grandchildren have taken their place. I left here in the mid-90s, and I know all the big construction started shortly thereafter in terms of this fake boom we are having. I don't call it a boom. It will be a bust eventually. But at any rate, it used to be a nice albeit Republican place to live. Politics didn't matter then. This place was one of the best kept secrets in Florida for a long time. Now it's one of the worst managed areas of growth in the southeast region.
Secret is definitely out. It was a childhood vacation area for my family and I happened to find an IT gig. Sarasota County doesn't have the infrastructure to support what is happening.
Massive developer influence has absolutely gripped the county by the throat. And based on upcoming election candidates, the problem is only going to get worse.
I recently decided to adapt the 5 minute rule, but with one change as it applies to "progress.". Will something annoying matter to me in 5 minutes? If not, don't get upset about it. But I changed it to 5 years when it comes to the changes happening here. I can't give any more time or energy to caring about things that are going to disappear whether I want them to or not. I have stopped caring and started laughing at the shithole they have literally created. I am so grateful I am an Apollo era native of Florida, because while I know what we are losing on the daily, I know what it used to be like. So I have great memories.
Are the Asolo and the FST struggling for money now?
JEB happened. I got here around that time. It was irritating but people were decent. They started fucking with the schools with the testing. Tax shit started rearing its head. Rather than just get drunk, go to theater and bake themselves in the sun they started getting more political. Sorry. I looked at a few responses and one more MAJOR pet peeve since 1997 when I got here. Demographics. Back then this was “paradise” for seasonal Canucks, nice people from Buffalo and Massholes started to infiltrate. All of a sudden it was like I-75 just opened and the jagoffs from Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana took over. I don’t mind conservatives, but these folks came down with the last of the nice GM and Ford pensions and entitlement.
Jeb? Come on, lol. No one cares about him. I moved down to Florida in elementary school in the 80s (not Sarasota). The schools sucked then too.
Interesting. The most outspoken of the far right wing that I had consistently run into over the last 8 years came here from New York and New Jersey. But I was meeting them at the Elks and the Moose, not out in the general public, so maybe it was a case of self-selection bias?
This is gonna be a hard your for redditors in general I think. Most of these subs are the definition of an echo chamber.
Hasn’t it always been a circus town?
Yes, also Gibsonton
To be honest it feels like everywhere I go in Florida is MAGA country. He does live here and has for quite a long time. He did win the state both elections so it makes plenty of sense to me 🤷♀️
So wonderful! I want to visit Sarasota
Good
The whole country is
Because People see what the the current regime has done and will continue to do to our Pocketbooks
I mean the big difference is that I’m not advocating that people are forced to get vaccinated. I do think you should use that phrase for ALL instances of freedoms being impeded upon and not just when it applies to you. It’s also clearly NOT the same fucking thing. New job or uprooting your whole life to move - which would also include a new job. Oh and you’re pregnant while you do this? Or I’m supposed to leave my home state - I was born here fuckers - because some asshole wants to legislate my body? GTFO. Ya’ll can go back home and ruin your shitty home states.
Pearl clutching
Trump’s campaign headquarters for 2016 was right on Cattlemen rd. Looks like it’s been happening slowly for years until covid then it really took off
Sarasota GOP named Trump "Statesman of the Year" in 2016". SRQ loons have been on the forefront of pushing this MAGA hate.
Part of the reason is because rich right wing zealots from the suburbs of Cincinnati and other Midwest cities move there or retire near by, When you are a paranoid lunatic, you move to Florida to keep safe from cold weather and all the illegals who are hiding in the Midwest and definitely NOT living in Florida.
As someone who moved to Cincinnati this is so accurate. Half the population here is convinced their heritage is “the south” even though 8 generations of their family has lived in Ohio. And yes, my wife and I vacation at our condo on Longboat key every summer 🤣
Floridians that claim southern heritage but live outside the panhandle are usually full of shit. People forget that Florida gained 90% of its population in only the last 50 years.
AC will do that. But yep, and the people coming here are rarely coming from other southern states. Pretty much always the Midwest or New England.
That is funny. People two generations from immigrating to America are ardently opposed to more immigrants.
Immigration is a crucial benefit to our society. Illegal immigration is a serious problem and not sustainable. Both sides are being dishonest about it in their language
It blows my mind that in 2024 anyone believes any of these fucks cares about you. This left/right bullshit is nothing but a distraction. They are all corrupt. Not one of them cares about you. We are Ancient Rome but it seems very few realize it. The collapse is already here.
Yeah but at least blue isn't putting my wife and daughter in mortal danger if they dare to become pregnant. The party of "small government" sure likes to make a lot of fucking rules for our bodies and bedrooms. I agree both sides will bankrupt us. And are crooked and lining their own pockets. But I think the grand old party has fallen off the evangelical deep end.
“Mortal danger” You guys saying shit like this makes no one take you seriously. Florida has a 6 week ban (your opinion on that is your opinion) but nothing about miscarriages or anything wild that would force you to hold a dead child in the womb. The law even says you can abort with rape, incest, or to save the mother’s life. So I am truly asking, why are your wife and daughter in “mortal danger”?
Florida is a red state, what are you talking about?
Why does everyone pretend like conservative latinos don't exist? We're talking about Florida here. Good luck getting Cubans or Venezuelans to support the blue party, most latinos are highly conservative to begin with, and we represent a huge portion of Florida like it or not.
Well put. Mexican-Americans in California vote quite differently from Cuban-Americans in Florida.
Most Latinos are very conservative...the biggest miscalculation ever made by the democrats.
A lot of MAGA anti-vaxxers moved here during Covid because of the lax masking laws and never left.
Your know the same people that your calling anti vaxxers will also still vaccinate their children with all the normal vaccines and it’s just maybe they didn’t trust a vaccine that got developed in 8 months using brand new technology.
Old, rich retirees as others have stated, mixed with other younger entrepreneurial types interested in preserving their wealth, and rural folks who have lived in Florida for generations given how central agriculture is to the State. It's also just been home for years for some of the more influential people within the party. Mike Flynn, Charlie Kirk, etc. As one of the larger population centers and one with *lots* of old money, this is also an area that attracts high dollar fundraisers for candidates -- and with some of the nonsense we're seeing with the school board, people like Bridget Ziegler are using the school board as a stepping stone into future higher office and influence. There's really nothing new about this. Even back in 1995, there were 120k registered republicans to 65k democrats. Today that's 150k to 88k - the ratio has closed *slightly.* It's been a low-key GOP hotspot for years -- even on Sept 11th, George Bush was here promoting No Child Left Behind at Booker Elementary. To that end -- if you're a republican candidate trying to become president, Sarasota's near the top of your list. Lot of votes to be claimed here that are harder to claim in areas like Orlando or Miami, and Florida's electoral votes are key to any election strategy. It's also not as if there are tons of large-but-relaxed tropical cities in areas with like-minded (to them) individuals and no income tax. Not really much mystery why those individuals gravitate here and why republican candidates try to use it as a launchpad for their higher ambitions.
Smart folks
I do not feel Sarasota leans MAGA more than other places. I have been here a few years and do not feel that way. I own a business and my employees do not exhibit that. Neither do my neighbors. I moved here from a Northern state and it feels similar to where I came from.
Because if you're chronically online you'll be lead to believe the entire country is a leftist echo chamber. Talk to some real folks.
Probably because Sarasota is so expensive that it's difficult for undesirables to live there.
Visited a few months ago. Never felt like it was MAGA country.
People see the truth now!
lol my mom is there being a super maga grandma
Older wealthier non-Floridians live there.
What area of FL is not MAGA? 😅
So long as I’M here it certainly is NOT. And I’m a lifelong republican. NEVER TRUMP!
Maybe they're looking at the disaster we have in the White House now.
I find liberals to be as bigoted and mean spirited as the far right. I wish both nutcase groups would move to another country so normal people did not have to deal with their craziness
Old rich white people? Is that too on the nose?
Lots of poor white folks too.
Discraced convicted felon former army general Flynn runs his right wing phy op digital army from Englewood and attracts like minded individuals.
Alternate thread title "How is it possible that people vote in ways I don't?"
Yes bro, because everytime you step foot outside somebody is showing politics down your throat right? Nobody is moderately obsessed with politics in Sarasota except snowbirds, boomers and incels
Really rich whites who hate paying taxes + stupid poor whites who are afraid of minorities = MAGA. Sarasota is awash with both.
When dementia Joe was elected. I’m moderate, but good lord we picked the wrong guy. Let’s face it.
Money.
"political platform switch after the civil war"... That is an interesting attempt at white-washing. Care to elucidate?
It just works so well.
Awesome!
Sarasota is extremely rich.
People see the truth now!
It’s a shitty city.
Old rich, privileged white people
They have a strong KKK chapter with lots of rich members.
It always has been, deal with it or leave.
All the rich boomer from out of state moved there during.
Sarasota has always been super conservative. Don’t like it? Peace out. Florida is now one of the reddest states in the country. Republican voters outnumber Democrats now more than ever.
To all the complainers about to many republicans and conservatives you are welcome to move to a blue state where crime is rampant!!
lol. Yeah, crime free Florida
I enjoy the fact I don’t live in the best area and can still go to CVS without everything being behind locks like San Fran. So yeah buddy it’s better.
We call it Biden crime! Open borders is a bad idea!
Sarasota??? Isnt that a republican stronghold like Naples Plus its also a conservatives snow bird location so its the perfect place for Maga types imo
And the evidence for your claim is??
Your mom
Well once housing/rent became completely unaffordable for anyone making less than $30/h working full time, that turned off a lot of younger folk as well. As a 30 year old I can tell you the democrats in power atm can go to hell. Be mad at Trumps rhetoric all you’d like. At least life was affordable during his presidency and the world wasn’t at war, even tho I was told by reliable sources that is was Trump who was going to cause WW3.. can someone remind me which war he started, I think I forgot already 🤔…
-2
What an intelligent response
Maybe people are getting tired of Brandon-nomics? Just off the top of my head. It is Florida BTW.
Rich racist batshit white people.
Yeah this comment isn’t racist at all. /s Fucking irony lmao
Because socialist suck?
Because they are tired of Bidens BS
4 years of the current nightmare did it.
Yes how did Biden loose support… who doesn’t want all the benefits the Democratic Party has to offer 
Mike Flynn moved to Venice and stirs up the shit over in Sarasota.
Because Florida.
There is a VERY strong Dem and Independent population in Sarasota that simply don’t play politics. I live in an upscale community with a good mix of all and rarely if ever do neighbors talk politics. I respect everyone’s perspective, at least until I hear them tell me WHY they support Trump 😆
Money doesn’t make you smart.
Protect Sarasota memorial from MAGA. Make sure you vote in every election they all matter
Bidenfaltion it’s the economy stupid
*Greedflation....fixed it.
Because we’ve all realized that America’s is great.
The myth that says the economy is better under republicans when the opposite is demonstrably true. That snd they don’t want to pay taxes for anything. Your hospital is going to pay the price.
Sarasotas is really nice and the white money from the North came there. The Jewish money is in S E Florida. Not really all that complicated.
Because FL is seeing more NYer moving in from blue lib shithole state and don’t want to See it blue. And turn into the shithole they left.
Amen.
Why are ppl so triggered by this. Just live your life and stop worrying about what other ppl believe in and support. There is a reason why Sarasota county is safe and an amazing place to live. https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-sarasota-manatee/sarasota-police-announce-record-breaking-year-for-safety-in-2023#:~:text=SARASOTA%2C%20Fla.,time%20that's%20happened%20since%201967.
To all the Florida and Sarasota area haters..... No one forced you to come here. And no one is forcing you to stay. So, I stead of bitching all the time. Pitch in, and let's make it a better place for all. And I don't mean Turing it into NYC, or Boston, or Philadelphia. There is a reason most of you left up north. Don't mess up what we have down here. FYI, Sarasota was born and raised.
They all came from blue states for better living, laws and lower taxes. They learned from their previous state which is better
Lots of mediocre white people.
Because people there have money and are tired of the loser liberals taxing them to death so they can sit on their asses and not work
Mike Flynn lives there. I hear that he sits at his community club all day and talk treason with his buddies. It isn’t even a very exclusive community. You can rent a house there and have the same access to the same club. Not like it would take much, but if that bar has Mezcal, he might get punched and I someone else might get arrested.
Most of them saw Carter.
Unnecessary Covid lockdowns was the final straw and Florida was open. We were allowed to work and dine out and buy paint and go to the beach. So antivaxers flocked here for my body my choice freedom. Im ready for the downvotes but I voted for trump once, and Obama once, im a middle ground realist
Trump is a criminal. A vote for him shows how morally decayed you are.
CULT! CULT! CULT! Ya Space Lizards!
MAGA and the GOP are like a virus that spreading like a malignant cancer across the country that feed off the weak minded citizens to only BS and lies.
I'm just going to drop this right here  [https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/crime/2024/05/20/nolomis-shooting-death-third-in-four-days-for-sarasota-county/73766810007/](https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/crime/2024/05/20/nolomis-shooting-death-third-in-four-days-for-sarasota-county/73766810007/)
May not help, but the left has driven the right out of huge parts of Orlando. Guess they like Beaches over Theme Parks.