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 Liberal Place: Columbia, MO
These are comments on Columbia, submitted by other Turn Left visitors. They do not necessarily represent the opinion of the webmaster. You may add a comment on Columbia if you want.
 While the entire state of Missouri could be considered a success of
liberal policies (though Gov. Carnahan is actually pretty conservative
for a Democrat), Columbia is a particularly nice place to live. We have
good radio, good restaurants, good music venues, a great natural food
store, and the Peace Nook, a coop that sells all of the essential
liberal paraphernalia while providing support for progressive networking
(the old-fashioned person-to-person variety). Anything that can't be
found here can be found in Kansas City or St. Louis, each only two hours
away.
The political climate here is not exclusively liberal (but isn't
celebrating diversity at the heart of liberalism?), but seems to be
extraordinarily tolerant of all views. A recent volunteer program
provides "community bicycles" which are kept freely around the city as
an easy alternative to driving or walking.
Best of all, Columbia has a low cost of living with about a 2%
unemployment rate. Who says Democrats can't do economic prosperity?
...and another comment...
I would agree that Columbia has a reasonably strong liberal tradition.
Our environment here has been wonderfully protected despite the
development of the area. The area also has a strong demeocratic tradition.
However, it is not without faults. Columbia remains an extremely
segregated city. Yes, a race-relations commission was formed and I think
did some good, but it was very long overdue.
The unemployment rate is 2%, but most of the jobs in the city pay very
little. Many pay near minimum wage. I work at the public library here and
we get paid only $5.60 an hour to start in Circulation, a far cry from
cities like Des Moines, Springfield, Illinois, Springfield Missouri and
other simarly sized cities, where the average circ employee starts at $7.20+.
Many people I know must get 2 or more part time jobs to support their
families.
Additionally the bus system here could use improving. As a former mayoral
candidate, I emphasized transportation issues. It did not get me too far.
Turnout in the election was less than 20%, far less among apathetic
college students.
I think Columbia has a lot of promise, but it has some ways to go.
...and another comment...
Columbia, Mo., is one hell of a town for liberals and progressives. The
city and the county it's in, Boone County (named after Daniel Boone), is
very green. The city council has a "green" majority, and strives to see the
city grow "smart." It has numerous city and state parks, and is connected
to the "Katy Trail," a "rails-to-trails" state park. The trail stretches
west from the St. Louis suburbs, hugging the northern bank of the Missouri
River, to almost Kansas City. The state is working on finishing the trail
all the way to KC. The Mark Twain National Forest is minutes away, allowing
for excellent camping. Columbia is the ONLY municipality in the USA that
has a beverage-container deposit law, despite the relentless efforts of St.
Louis-based Anheuser-Busch to overturn the measure. Columbia is the
quintessential college town. The University of Missouri's main campus is in
the heart of the city, as well as two smaller liberal arts colleges.
Mizzou, as the university is affectionately called by her students, alums
and friends, brings 25,000 students into the city of 70,000. The university
and the colleges give the city a cosmopolitan air, despite the fact that it
is in the heart of farm country. The University draws students from all
across the United States and the world. Because of this, Columbia has a
relatively large number of foreign nationals residing there. The nation's
oldest and best journalism school is located at the university, which means
the town is crawling with budding journalists. And the city is the second
smallest city in the country with two daily newspapers. Columbia is quite
friendly to gays and lesbians, having passed a gay rights ordinance in the
early part of this decade. The city has a vibrant night life, centering in
the downtown blocks nestled between the university and the other two
campuses. Almost all up-and-coming rock, alternative and folk musicians
(and many that have arrived) stop through Columbia between gigs in St. Louis
and Kansas City, giving the town an unbelievable music scene. The Blue
Note, a downtown honky-tonk, is the epicenter of that scene.
...and another comment...
Columbia is yet another example of the pleasant progressive Midwestern
college town. Those who enjoy a tolerant, open-minded atmosphere, but
without necessarily the raw radicalism found on the coasts, will enjoy
Columbia. Those of you familiar with Bloomington, IN, Iowa City, IA,
and Ann Arbor, MI will feel at home here.
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