Peynus
89618
4609
115
Whenever I see a blue county (often with 60+% of the total state vote), I can pretty much assume it's a city. In this dumpster fire, this has kept me moderately amused. Go Biden!!
Omnipotence0
Haha Facts
Tarrondor
There are still hundreds of thousands of votes to be counted from my city of Philly. It's trending well for Biden!
CalluColorGod
swordofblaze
Is the entirety of massachusetts a city then?
JackSnare
The district system was designed to benefit voters what live in less population density. Republicans gerrymander, redraw lines to win votes.
leperoutcastunclean
This is why the disconnect between red and blue on some issues is so big. Metropolitan lifestyle vs Rural lifestyle.
FairlySplendid
Every election in Texas... Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Houston (most of our major cities) are blue islands in a sea of tiny red counties
jj999124
In indiana theres 3 blue counties. All associated with collages and major cities. Purdue, university of indiana, and indianapolis. Restisred
McKorndick
Ya them stupid fucking city slickers
rghtwo
You either forgot the /sarcasm tag or an education.
Chavestvaldt
Isn't it weird how cities with universities tend to vote blue, and country towns whose main export is syphilis tend to vote red? Weird
mrsdowneyjr
I'm sorry
Daemencer
Exactly
Cheetahlover
As a Californian living in Florida, this statement could not be more true.
Bigboxajunk
Our President was never meant to be selected by a majority of people, but by people in a majority of places.
notthatkaren
DING! (light bulb moment) That's the first time reasoning behind the electoral college made sense to me. Coulda used you in civics class.
duhqueenmoki
Even in most red states, the major cities all vote democrat.
Thesaya
As a European I keep forgetting that you have your colours backwards, and your left(ish) party is blue, not red.
Majskornsuperstar
As a fellow European, that's not all that is backwards in the land of the "free"
JPStroudIsMyName
Tbf, it didn't start off that way...
mn634
Yeah, that's actually a fairly recent development, too. I believe it only really got set in stone that way around 2000.
Redisia
100% this lol
billdozer86
Ah civilization!
GreyBeagle
Or they contain multiple colleges/universities. I went to uni in Indiana w/4 schools in town. We were an island of blue in a sea of red...
IDNMAN21
I currently live in Indiana. Voted for Biden.
GreyBeagle
IDNMAN21
Thank you
iambrose
But what’s the city in the middle of Pennsylvania? I think it’s Centre County, but don’t recognize any city names.
marshmellow1116
State College. Penn State is located there.
iambrose
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh! That makes a lot of sense! Thank you!
Proffesional1Downer
Sorry we can’t count your vote. Not because your a different nationality but because it’s for Biden.
SomaSantutxu
As european I think after the counting the candidates have to fight on a circular paltform using padded crooks.
Takethejump
This is america, pal. Blades, not pads.
hechicera84
As an American... that’s a GREAT idea!
japh
As the founding fathers intended.
iusedtodream
This, but Senators.
EuropeanDude
We still do this in the old world
WardenTerror
Would probably be better if they weren't padded
katidragon
Why would we wrap our politicians in padding if we wanted them to fight it out?
CyranoDeBurlapSack
So do you say it like “a yuropean” or “an uropean”?
MurphyPandorasLawBox
I live in one of the blue parts, it’s nice here.
ParryLost
Really? You aren't getting burned and looted to death by weekly BLM riots? Antifa death-squads aren't patrolling your streets? Are you sure?
FiftyShadesOfCauliflower
Reminds me of the fabled no-go zones ruled by Shariah law on my side of the Atlantic.Closest thing I've seen was a street with 5 Döner shops
whatisthisimgurforants
We just look past the death squads. I'm in a blue part of Utah. There are 3 of us in the whole state
skizzit
Better educated people tend to live in cities. They also tend to vote more liberal. Been that way for awhile.
BlahBlahBlacksheep555
Trump support (by state demographic) is inversely proportional to post-high-school education levels.
ParryLost
Good thing we have the electoral college to ensure that the clueless, poorly educated people get an equal say in government!
InboxMeYourGermanShepherds
So, only people with a fancy piece of paper should be allowed to vote?
Arvykins
I think you meant to say, village fools shouldn’t be allow to vote?
InboxMeYourGermanShepherds
The rhetoric going around suggests there isn't a difference between the two statements.
Arvykins
Haha that’s the joke.
ParryLost
Maybe we should stop looking at education as a bad thing, or at being an uneducated voter as a virtue?
InboxMeYourGermanShepherds
1) Perhaps, although having a college degree doesn't make someone smart, nor does lacking one make someone stupid. To the original point
InboxMeYourGermanShepherds
2) don't start with the "one person = one vote" if you're going to withhold that basic right simply based on education level.
drdrmn
Living in Lexington, KY
wangtangle
Lived in FL, I understand such shame. Our role is to be a horrific warning to other states. Not proud work, but our job is essential.
mn634
Is that why your state didn't shut down for the pandemic? Because it's an essential worker?
ColoneISanders
It is the nation's dong after all.
wangtangle
lmao
Ishouldbeworkingnotlookingatpictures
As an outsider, why do America only have two parties to choose from?
clubracer
Who knows
WhatSayYouCitizen
Because the system is fucked, is the short answer.
notthatkaren
Electoral college maintains two parties. It's winner take all in each state. Similar parties take votes from ea. other.
notthatkaren
Unfortunately, there is no "middle road" to choose from except in primaries. We end up with mortal enemies on the national ballot.
peterned
There's many more, but they never make it to the final round.
JPStroudIsMyName
Easier to control the narrative, easier to convince the populous we have a choice; plus "Poppa Washington" *specifically* told us not to, so
InboxMeYourGermanShepherds
Because ~95% of us are too stupid to realize that more parties would benefit us.
katidragon
I think there's also the part that if a third party arises, it will ONLY cannibalize voters from one of the 2 current parties, thus >
katidragon
Creating one majority party and 2 minor parties with too few a majority to compete. But no one wants to break further.
InboxMeYourGermanShepherds
Not necessarily. A 'true moderate' party could arise while the major two continue on their way to each extreme.
GullahGullahIslander
My county went blue for the second time since '64...very proud boy here in MI
Imhereforthedankmemes247
Michigander here as well! And very proud to say so!
TypedThisWithMyPenis
My Michigan county went red. Still proud of Michigan as a whole though.
somethingawesomeandgreat
yourlocaleconomicsnerd
Uhmmmm.. I hope you know what Proud Boy means.
fudgycurmudgeon
He’s taking it back
Peynus
Certainly taking it ;)
GravyEducation
"Rural voters are being disenfranchised because statistically there are fewer of them"
GravyEducation
Mate, as an American, forgive us. But it's likely it will get better. Sorry that you had to watch us as close as you watched Brexit
ReaperCDN
Brexit is that scene for Austin Powers where he runs a guy over with a bulldozer. Anybody could have stopped it and nobody did.
mynamespaul
The Irish tried pretty hard to be fair!
TheDuK
Rural electoral votes are very inflated
LadyRivers
And thanks to the EC, their vote counts more.
marsgoose
Which was fine, but with feds ignoring the 10th amendment and states taking over more authority from the counties, it's a problem now.
marsgoose
Direct democracy is a problem too, it turns to just rule of the lowest common denominator.
JustJoe2047
LMAO!! ? Holy shit that made me laugh, thank you @GravyEducation
GravyEducation
Hey man I think I voted for you
terreMoonWatcher
That's because they keep annexing these rural areas into the cities. Happen to me twice. Moved after both times.
Nbdycares
Beware majority rule, because one day you may not be in the majority.
omgwtfbbqXD
Ah yes, instead having a system that revolves around a few battleground states is the best.
omgwtfbbqXD
Fwiw 80k votes determined 2016 despite Clinton having a ~3MM lead. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/12/01/donald-trump-wi
omgwtfbbqXD
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/12/01/donald-trump-will-be-president-thanks-to-80000-people-in-three-states/
GravyEducation
I'm cool with that.
clubracer
Tyranny of the majority
EndocrineResearcher
How is minority rule superior?
Nbdycares
false dichotomy
EndocrineResearcher
If you don't have the majority rule, a minority rules. What's the other option?
Nbdycares
When the majority wanted Jim Crow, who stopped it? If the majority want slaves (which they did in the south), does that make it ok?
[deleted]
[deleted]
jammer909
Well, that was the original point of the electoral college. That system is old and broke now though.
mrmartini
It was more of a north v. south situation in 1787. A popular vote would hinder the south since most eligible voters lived in the north. >
mrmartini
The rural v. urban issue is a more recent development. One that probably grew out of industrialization.
Leithoa
No the EC exists because Hamilton & others didn't trust people. They thought the electorate were idiots who needed smart men to rule.
fatcatfreya
If only we had some sort of system that allowed groups of people to vote for one person to represent them in the gov't, and that one person/
fatcatfreya
's sole job was to listen to the people who they represent, and advocated for them in the gov't, and knowing that they are helping their/
fatcatfreya
Fellow man was reward enough, that they had the honor of being the voice of the people, and money was not involved whatsoever
fatcatfreya
Crazy, I know
cjandstuff
Wasn't that exactly the reason we have the House and the Senate? It was a compromise on this idea.
GoddamnitClown
Those people's needs are addressed, they have more representation per person, already. Much more. I mean, we can split ourselves into /1
TheGrayBox
How is this downvoted? It’s absolutely true
TheGrayBox
The current election system has made rural white voters first class citizens in terms of elections. It’s aristocracy by another name.
Leithoa
It's not about equal power, its about proportional representation.
GoddamnitClown
Well rural voters already have proportional representation and then some, so I don't quite see how their needs require *more* addressing.
Leithoa
I didn't say they did. I pointed out you conflating representation w/ power.
GoddamnitClown
whatever groups we want, like furries AND non-furries. Or me AND not-me. But it hardly follows we must give each group exactly equal power.
TheMaestro66
This!
empath
Gee, it's like 'majority rule' isn't democratic or something...
clubracer
Tyranny of the majority
LibertyHound
We are a Rebublic
VladimirsKacs
Woosh
googooberry
So minority rule is?
Nbdycares
Shouldn’t minorities be protected from majority oppression?
EndocrineResearcher
I'm pretty sure those rural voters are the ones that are fine with taking away LGBT rights and disenfranchising black people.
googooberry
Or maybe everyone's voice should be counted equally and fairly. Maybe the president should have less power and local government more.
MechKelly
Their votes carry more weight. A single rural vote can carry as much weight as 3 urban ones. That's garbage.
schocker28
Thats not true what so ever.
MechKelly
You sure about that? https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-30/urban-voters-have-less-power-in-federal-government
Leithoa
Id rather people get to rule themselves. Rural voters don't know what urban voters need nor the reverse.
TheAlviss
Word. An urban voter has an apartment, maybe a house and vehicle. Rural voters for houses, vehicles, sometimes land. Taxes hit them harder
Leithoa
That's not how that works.
TheAlviss
Obviously a gross oversimplification. But the life style is different and changes that don't effect urbanites can affect ruralites.
TheAlviss
Its the reason you guys fought a civil war and a war of independence.
InoffensivePablum
In Mississippi there is a Senator for every 2 million people. In California there is a Senator for every 20 million. That’s disenfranchised.
jonlememe
The two Wyoming senators represent 600k people have as much power as the two California senators representing 40 million people.
KingofDucks1990
If there are 2 Dakotas & 2 Virginias we should do 6 Californias. 10 more senators would be a start to having a system resembling democracy
TavisMcNamara
In Wyoming there's a senator for every like... 300k to 400k people. That's it.
LeftenantSebastian
What I find crazy is that we’re only allowed to vote for prez at all because every state agreed to base their votes on the result. Not in...
LeftenantSebastian
the constitution at all that we should have a say. We’re supposed to elect local governments that decide all that for us. It was always...
LeftenantSebastian
meant to be states first, union second. Only reason the common zeitgeist of “one US” manifested is from the result of many wars.
LeftenantSebastian
Civil war told us we were one country, WW1 that we are part of the global community, and WW2 that we were better than everyone else.
Bigcurly2000
Woah. In the UK I think the largest constituency is less than double the size of the smallest. And there's 650 of them!
RandomUserC137
Word.
NewHouse32
Uhh that's by design buddy. That's why we have a house and a senate. Though we have had the same # of reps since 1917.
poughdrew
In DC there are zero senators for an infinite population, and they are ruled by everyone else's Reps.
ColoneISanders
Which is funny (in a sad way), considering the people living in the nation's capital are being taxed without representation.
rowanblaze
They actually have a license plate style that says "Taxation without Representation." I don't understand why anyone lives there.
Tumescentpie
Dc overwhelming voted against Trump.
clubracer
DC is ultra left
Tumescentpie
Cities are left. This is how it works. Look at a map.
imakeurglassesfoggy
And lets not forget Wyoming, 2 senators, 500,000 people on a good day
IWishPeopleWouldStopStealingMyUsernames
Not to mention 3 EC votes, despite having basically no people, for the sole reason that the minimum EC amount was set at 3, but doesn't
IWishPeopleWouldStopStealingMyUsernames
linearly with population.
Orionsbellybutton
Yes, we have more representation and more say than populous area. Please note that I did not say BETTER representation. Fuck our 3 dipshits
Auman5
Which is why wyoming only has one representative in the house... Senate is by state, house is by population...
Callynd
That doesn't make it ok nor does it make it equal. The Senate is the more powerful body and should be the more equitable branch.
Yurqle
I think you’re ignoring the point that they’re saying the senate gives voice to land and is inherently less democratic.
override367
yeah and it's nonsensical and every single person supporting it would change their tune if say California decided to split to six states
rnj454
Except senators don't represent the people. They represent the state. That's why we have the House of Representatives.
JPStroudIsMyName
That hasn't been true since the 17th amendment was ratified.
rnj454
I agree. The 17th was a mistake IMO. It removed power, checks, and balances.
EngineerforPresident
Which has so much less power. Why should “the state” be more important than “the people”? The people should be the represented vote, always
mastertmo
When the rules were written, the state was FAR more important than the country. We're far more unified now than back then.
rnj454
I agree. The state shouldn't be represented at the expense of the people.
Illinifan88
States are people as much as corporations are. Neither deserve a say in our democracy.
rnj454
I agree they're not people and shouldn't be represented as such. But I disagree that they shouldn't have a say. That's effectively what 1/
rnj454
the US had under the Articles of Confederation (at least for the federal state) and that didn't work out well at all.
hardytardigrade
And what do they represent in that state? The land? The buildings? The leaves on the trees?
rnj454
They're supposed to represent the interests of the state as a sovereign entity.
hardytardigrade
And those interests are actually held by people. "The state" is a construct created by people for the benefit of people.
Leithoa
They're supposed to be a check against populism.
orbitn
Wrong. They represent the corporate interests. Who else will take care of our poor, poor billion dollar businesses?
rnj454
Won't someone think of the corporations?
InoffensivePablum
Which is the lower house and doesn’t get to choose judges. Then the electoral colleges disenfranchises voters in a whole other branch.
rnj454
I agree, I'm just pointing out that representing the people has never been the purpose of the Senate.
rowanblaze
The problem w/ that idea is they stopped letting the States (governor & legislature) choose Senators. They're just super representatives now
ReaperCDN
And yet McConnell is holding up bills blocking the voice of the people and got reelected anyways.
SlackerTactical
And infact it took a constitutional amendment for Senators to be directly elected.
icer190
California has 1 Representative for every 745,471 people. Mississippi has 1 for every 744,000. Texas, however, is at 1 for every 805,555,
chromed
Because they rig the census against counting minorities.
LibertyHound
It’s nice to see facts and not BS. Wish more would take the time
icer190
The senate meme has been annoying the shit out of me for years. Because it's sheer propaganda behind it, and it's dangerous.
PiggyWobbles
the house isnt even balanced either.... democratic reps account for more votes for less seats. Everything is skewed towards rural just to >
TavisMcNamara
Hey there fucko! Just letting you know that Wyoming has one representative for every ~200k people!
ProphetofEntropy
yea cause its not like the senate does anything important, like confirm supreme court justices...
JohnQPubic
here you go bud
FrolickingFrolicking
Thank you, this is so good. “Red landslide” is part of the stupid ignorance that fuels their fascism and delusions. LAND DOESNT VOTE
AmerIndoBento
check out Native American country with the blue in the bottom left center
srirachamakeseverythingbetter
d3ltabrav00
There's too many people in California, spread out a little JFC
byrondio
I'll have to keep this as reference if I ever want to move somewhere.
swordofblaze
*squints at east coast* is the entirety of massachusetts a city or smthn?
justamanwhoknowshowtofeel
I wonder if isolation and self-reliance has a measurable effect on someone’s tendency toward individualism as opposed to collectivism
SecondAccountforDoingOtherShit
I was looking for this Tuesday night to make my wife feel a bit better. Thank you!
cookiediver
So all areas that are condensed are democratic, except... Florida. Now things make so much more sense.
IfILikeYourJokeITellYou
Shout out to Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, and Detroit.
tacolord17675
now we need this with a population density map behind it.
RaMaLove
This map shift creeps me out, but still informative. Also, it's the 2016 for anyone wondering
justamanwhoknowshowtofeel
I absolutely love this visualization
ydwyrd
That just looks like America got fucked up in the microwave.
RoundThreeFIGHT
Speaking for utah, it's pretty accurate. Not many people anywhere but around the salt lake valley and we tend to lean progressive
HonestCommentFarmer
Even with all the mormons around?
RoundThreeFIGHT
Indeed. Believe it or not but utah isn't one giant mormon commune. There's even *whispers* diversity...
HonestCommentFarmer
UnkoBruh
Those dots make me feel uncomfortable
IDidntThinkItWouldBeThisHard
Mr. States, I don’t feel so good...
doggetofftheqcekmty
I was just about to go find this!
SenselessSentiments
Yeah but that's not the full story: https://imgur.com/IdaiRVf.jpg (from the same creator of that gif above)
ElbowDeepinaTinyOctopus
It's more accurate, because it violates the "land doesn't get to vote." The land votes through its state's 2 senator seats in the EC.
AmZero85
Good thing Empty Land doesn't have voting rights, despite Republicans best efforts.
MemeLandLord
Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good.
10hoursmspaint
Why are there even representatives for all that empty space?
10hoursmspaint
Fuck you guys for downvoting my legitimate question
PanderBare
Because that empty space grows food, houses industry, and supplies power to all those non-empty spaces
10hoursmspaint
The more you know, thank you for taking the time to answer ^^
10hoursmspaint
When you see it in movies, it's often depicted as straight up nothingness, so knowing it's not all like that is informative
SenselessSentiments
Yeah but that's not the full story: (from the same creator as the gif above) https://imgur.com/IdaiRVf.jpg
InboxMeYourGermanShepherds
Looks more like the second map than the first
justamanwhoknowshowtofeel
Oh that’s another good one. I love data viz
Fortherea
Baffling how thinly populated the US are in some areas
imgurdotcommie
drive through Nevada sometime. Central and E Nevada is basically uninhabitable. Pretty much looks like mars.
FrolickingFrolicking
And how the Republican is over-represented on Supreme Court, senate, and White House, despite being a minority of the country
arewenotkingsandqueenstogether
If you look at a topographical map you'll see. Desert.
raptorjesuswentextinct4ursinz
And corn.
MoistTowelettez
So basically, mostly rural areas with poor education vote trump? Not surprised.
genericanamoly
Birds of a feather...
teachersgonnateach
Don't forget white people. Rural, poor, white people...
alteriron
theyre taking our jerbs in the boonies
InboxMeYourGermanShepherds
Uneducated does not necessarily mean stupid. Don't have to be a genius to get a $40k+ piece of paper. City schools are far from perfect
imafarmer
My wife and I are that blue dot surrounded by red in north Louisiana
FuzzyBear
Trump this time, but these states are generally always Republican states, so they always vote Republican
HandoB4Javert
and they aim to drag it backwards from there
EchoWhiskyBravo
This kind of elitism is why we have Trump.
kovski
we have trump because they are bat shit crazy and think they are better than poor urban people and don't want to change a thing
FuzzyBear
I think defunding schools, thus lowering the educated population, combined with fear & no accountability of news reports is why Trumps here
RandyRandalman
He loves the poorly educated. Literally said this.
RandyRandalman
HandoB4Javert
draculaura
They’re his sheeple
scuuubasteve
That's a pretty shitty thing to say.
aspiringgamedev
its true though, red states have lower education, higher obesity, and take in most of the govt money but socialism bad. blue states
aspiringgamedev
literally keep this country running
squeegyfighter
Interesting conclusion considering the majority of blue city exports are digital goods, entertainment, movies, games, sports, art, music
squeegyfighter
In the actual "keep this country runnning" argument
squeegyfighter
Meanwhile infrastructure, livestock, large portions of vegetation, energy production mostly come from red areas. . . Which is more important
GreyBeagle
I grew up in the country. Like, listen! there be banjo playin'! And I'm full on biden. Not stupid, just not well represented or informed
StarmineRendezvous
Poor education, highly religious, so basically zealots that will fall for the false crusade for justice he is peddling.
TsunamiJohn
Isolated people want things to stay the same. They also have less exposure to new ideas, leading to more bigotry and stubbornness.
notdante42
I mean education, less money, not as good jobs, we could do something to help, or just click our tongues at them...
chromed
Democrats literally run on a platform of social safety nets and education funding.
HerUsernameWasLola
But they’re literally voting for the people that WON’T help.
delecti
While yes, the dems could also do a bit better to try and reach out to them.
chromed
How? Honest question. They have such a diverse coalition how should they appeal more to them without losing other voters?
Zyrixion
No, they couldn't. There's literally nothing that can be done to reach them, if this election hasn't made that painfully clear, then...
kizzle69
When you live your whole life in the middle of nowhere, getting raped by uncle-daddy, it's hard to feel anything but hatred towards others.
Zyrixion
Seriously, how do you reach across the aisle to people who revel in their own oppression and the suffering of the side reaching out to them?
Zyrixion
Morality does not appeal to them. Civility does not appeal to them. Community and altruism do not appeal to them, there is nothing that 1/
imgurianitarian
Brit here, why don’t many people live in those cities on the left?
GreyBeagle
Mountains. Lots and lots of mountains. Or deserts
arewenotkingsandqueenstogether
It's hot and dry, less arable land and water. Cities did not develop there.
civel
So lots of people do live in those cities, relative to the surrounding areas. Take Nevada - the whole of the population is basically in (1)
civel
Las Vegas, and outside of that is desert and little rural towns leftover from the gold rush. And Reno, which is a medium sized shit hole.(2)
civel
But what Brits have trouble imagining is HOW BIG the desert is. You drive all day at 70 mph tiger from Vegas to Reno. (3)
civel
The distance from LV to Reno is the same distance as the entire island of Britain from north to south (approx 400 miles/660 km). (4)
MrFlick
Also, those cities on the right side are heavily populated cause the US was settled from right to left
bacter
The VERY left is Cali, a ton of people live there. The whole middle-left is an alkaline desert. Soil sucks, temp. sucks. It's where we
bacter
forced the Native Americans to move! On account of how bad it sucks! And where we did our first nuclear testing, same reason.
DoNotKnowJack
https://images.app.goo.gl/LxQbEZYKnZ5YbVDa7 Federal Land
ToastedAlmond
They got no water, and shit's always on fire!
SilverAura
It's hot.
HeyThatsMyGirlfriend
Part history, part geography. Basically, the eastern seaboard has been settled by Europeans for 3x as long as the west coast (1/2)
HeyThatsMyGirlfriend
Also by the time America conquered the western US the federal government existed with enough power to keep a lot of the land there (2/X)
HeyThatsMyGirlfriend
Add onto this that it’s mostly mountainous and deserts until you get to the Pacific, people cluster more densely in the west (3/3)
Mossanony
No water.
LudeJaw
When y’all got here in 1607, y’all started @ the east coast (close to water sources, fertile soil etc). No one outside of indigenous >
LudeJaw
Peoples knew how vast the country was and it was a huge gamble to venture west, so y’all stayed put for the most part.
LudeJaw
Until a brave few did travel west and were greeted by monolithic mountain ranges and said “fuck all that, I’m going home.”.
FizzleBurger
But the ones that braved those mountain ranges, forded the rivers, and risked it all, found their reward at the end. Dysentery.
damion20xx
Pretty much the plot of Wagons East
ZebAsiz
Are you asking why fewer people live in the western side of the country [minus coast]? Cuz it's all mountains and desert there. Mostly.
designBeast
A good portion is farm land. California is the largest agricultural producer in US measured by $ generated.
BORGALOOGIE
And speaking from Massachusetts, for most of this past year— lots of that western portion was hot hot HOT with wildfires
xenocrisis0153
Delta357j
Not very true. It’s mostly because the US doesn’t have enough people to fill all that land yet. Perfectly livable
xirbitzy
And earthquakes, don't forget the earthquakes.
RabidDingo
Last to get incorporated too. East coast has a 50+ year head start. It may not sound like much, but when politicians get involved, slooow.
spiceass9000
I’d say it’s a mix of that and also we discovered it last and not many people made the trip out. different now but I think it effects it
tzeeeeeeentch365
*cough* Gold Rush
InkyBlinkyPinkyAndClyde
Dust Bowl also. The whole middle where it happened is still pretty empty.
Tearex1
And as a Californian, I can attest, the weather is magnificent in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles areas
BORGALOOGIE
I could believe that, but does the average resident pay more than half their income on a place just big enough to be a closet?
Tearex1
1/2 Not quite, it’s not nearly as dense as New York City. And at least for home loans, most banks won’t let you spend more than 45%
1maGoh12
As a former Californian, yes they do.
imgurianitarian
Yes that’s what I needed to know. Thank you for not making fun. Education is power.
MostlyReplyWithGifs
And if you know your history, the map was settled on the east coast and spent the next 300 years going west.
TemetNosce000
And farmland. Miles and miles and miles of farmland.
hangar
And parks https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/USA_National_Forests_Map.jpg/1920px-USA_National_Forests_Map.jpg
montyman185
Keep in mind, the big cities are absurdly big so the scale looks weird
PonchoPuggo
It's also hot and expensive in a lot of those places
lowerider777
Lot of empty space out west, you can count on at least 50 miles between many towns.
sheetascastle
Which is why it's always important to get gas before you get below a 1/4 of a tank on road trips.
iusedtodream
Rocky Mtns, Death Valley, Sierra's.
Bukkhockey
Also there's a ton of corn, soy and meth production in the Midwest
Akurei00
The two big dots in the middle of that expanse are Salt Lake City, Utah and Denver, Colorado, if you were interested.
imgurianitarian
I am interested. Thank you. I have only been to the east coast once and to San Fran back in March. Would love to do more one day.
BlackCatGreenEyes
That's sexy.
VodkaReindeer
Now, do you need someone to tell you the benefits of EU membership?
imgurianitarian
Dude, I voted remain.
IfILikeYourJokeITellYou
Visiting that part of the country is absolutely beautiful. Recommend if you have never been to the rocky mountains
thesmelge
Such an awful name for mountains. Oh no, they're Rocky? Who could have guessed that from a mountain?
IfILikeYourJokeITellYou
Google Yosemite, Redwoods National forrest, the Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone to start.
Gheebun
Also, the circles on this map represent voting districts rather then cities. And a city can take cover multiple districts. US map is weird
TheBlueMuppet
Houston Texas is in Harris County, not Houston County, and Harris County has 2x+ the population of Houston (City).
ZVMaker
US map is super rigged basically
IW42
They actually represent counties, typically the lowest subdivision that reports results to the states.