I don't know, Crankin--I don't find that reasoning laughable and I think it's understandable. Political frustration accumulates over time, and it gets harder to stand some of the same old ugly stuff. There's real comfort in being around people who care about the same things you do. I have often wondered how my friends in Arizona and Texas keep their heads from exploding given Governors Brewer and Perry. And I also believe that the work you do also helps make the world a better place. I would just say, though, that there are like-minded people everywhere, including states that appear to be conservative--they're not monolithic and you would find people in all those places who care about the same things you do.
"My predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved;I have been given much and I have given something in return...Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and an adventure." O. Sacks