Loudoun County. The Parent-Child Effect.

While I've lived all over the country, I claim Loudoun County, Virginia. Ashburn to be exact.

It's quite beautiful. Colonial Suburbs. Horse Country. Rolling Hills.

I miss it quite often, but realize that a lot has changed in the past eight years since leaving.

Today, Election Day, Loudoun County is in the news.

Swing State, but not just. Swing county. It baffles me.

During high school, my AP government teacher, Mike Benson, mentioned time and time again that college makes you more liberal. Age and income make you more conservative. I didn't believe him, until today.

I guess I'm guilty of having a false-consesus bias; today I've had a rude awakening. 

To this point in my life (as an independent adult), I've considered myself part of the white, middle-class, christian demographic. I've assumed that within my own demographic circles, the American Dream, traditional social values, and conservative fiscal policies play an important role in one's political views.

Yet today I have seen evidence of "progressiveism". Loudoun County? A swing county?

Loudoun County has been one of the wealthiest counties in the country (Upper-middle class). It has also been one of the most conservative (highly-devout Christians in mass) in Virginia. That's what is so baffeling .

A socially conservative, overwhelmingly Republican-leaning county, voted Obama four years ago?

And might again today?

Despite the growth over the past years I am dumbfounded.

And admittingly give a touché to Mr. Benson.

While parents may believe in traditoinal social values, their kids might not.
While parents may compile the upper-middle class, their kids might not.
While parents may view conservative fiscal policies as important, their kids may not.

Touché Mr. Benson. Touché.

Here's to hopping the majority of the socially concervative, overwhelmingly Republican-leaning county (in which I would have died to vote in today) chooses the Right. 

(Pun intdended.)