What is a "coastal elitist?" I've never heard that term. Since I live on the coast and have a few liberal friends, I know what a "coastal liberal" is. But "coastal elitist?" The only people I know who fit that bill are finance guys, and only a few at that.

California and New England are so divorced from the concerns and ethos of the 'flyover' states that they may as well be on another planet. You may not think of yourself as elitist, but from the perspective of a Midwesterner, you almost certainly are.

It's not the Midwest, it's rural areas everywhere. Coastal elite is just code word for urbanite.

I don't know if people are aware, but the Midwest does have cities and its city dwellers have more in common with city dwellers on either coast than they do with rural areas in their own state.

As an urban Midwesterner, who has also lived on both coasts, you have less in common than you think.

as a chicagoan i disagree

That’s what they think :-)

“I don’t like to be put in a box and labeled. To prove I’m right, I’ll put a bunch of other people in a box and label them.”

Yeah those damned coastal elites fighting for universal healthcare and more education and higher minimum wages.

The reality is that the only real "elites" are these fantasists who've bought into this narrative and actually believe they are the "Real Americans (tm)." It's a childish delusion that is only sustainable by an even more delusional pride.

If you just can't believe that a sane person could be against government enforced "universal healthcare, education, and higher minimum wages" you should expand your horizons a bit. These issues are not so clear cut in the details especially when thinking about long term solutions to problems.

Exactly, and the biggest problem with these programs is that they are administered on a federal level.

Some things that work well for high income coastal areas may not be ideal for the flyover states.

I agree that the rhetoric is harmful, but they do have a point and the "coasties" need to understand it if they want their political fortunes to change.

I assume you mean elitists, not elites?

There are certainly people who are elite, in one common sense or another.

I know, actually, what you are saying. And I can see why you are saying it. But you are wrong.

But I wanted to give motohagiography an opportunity to provide a more specific description of what s/he means. He used a new term and I'd like to understand it.

I don't want to start an acrimonious dispute, but I can clarify what you are right about and what you are wrong about after moto* has had a chance. I moved here- I'm not from here- so I think I actually have a pretty good view of this FWIW.

Within the States, I'm really well traveled. I grew up on the West coast, spent two years on the East coast talking to more people than you've ever met, in more towns than you've ever driven through, and have been living in the Salt Lake valley for about five years. There are profound cultural, even psychological differences in all three regions, that can't be boiled down to red vs blue.

Agree. My point is that the "coastal liberals" are, as I know them, a group of people with a heart of gold who want fairness for everyone. The problem is the really don't understand a lot of America. Their kids go to private schools, they likely belong to a very nice social club (golf/yacht), and, most importantly, nobody in their family has every mined coal or build a Chevy.

So while their theoretical ideals are very kind, they don't understand the subtleties of trying to implement them. That's the view from my perch, anyway.

I liked it much more when elite meant you could hack Gibsons