30 Jan 12
2 edits
Originally posted by TerrierJackMy same experience. In Texas when I was a kid, "Republican" was a bad word. I didn't even know a Republican. It was about the working man, unions, work safety, fairness in the work place, compensation for work deaths and injuries, guns, hunting, land and oil equitable treatment for individuals, etc.
The Republican Party is for all intents and purposes a Southern regional Party. The Party began life in the 1850's as a Midwest Liberal Party. Why the change? Well, I'm someone who was there when the change occurred and I can tell you. When I grew up there was only one Party in the South and that was the Democratic Party (my Parents told me, "I don't car ow. Every day Lincoln spins in his grave and LBJ and Harry Truman sleep soundly.
The state was pseudo two-party in the sense there were the conservative Democrats versus the liberal Democrats. (Granted that is a simplification). For state and local offices, the Democratic primary decided the election. The general election was just a formality with the Democrat candidate always winning.
Then, the Republican southern strategy (running from Nixon to Reagan) was effective at recruiting racist Democrats to the Republican party.
31 Jan 12
6 edits
Originally posted by utherpendragonRespectfully, I am surprised you are not familiar with the very effective Republican Southern Strategy. I watched it happen. The Republican party national chairman apologized for it a few years ago.
How about naming these GOP racist ?
And when did this "undisputed Southern takeover" occur ?
As for an antectodal point, do you remember when Harvey Gant (an African American) was leading against Jesse Helms in the polls in the NC senate race, and then Helms ran the political ad showing a close-up of a white hand giving a black hand a check, representing the government transfer of money from whites to blacks, and affirmative action. After an inundation of the TV ad across the state, the poll numbers changed to Helms favor and he subsequently won the election. What about the Willie Horton ad?
Moreover, the only notable I can think of who did not change to the Republican party was the racist Democrat Robert Byrd. Yet, Bryd (a very powerful senator as you may know) apparently went through some kind of big transformation, and became one of the most liberal members in the Senate, and never being afraid to go against the popular conservative grain. Political scientists break the Byrd political career into the racist era and the later non-racist era.
Below is a list of notables racist or racist-leaning Democrats who changed to the Republican party. The complete list is much longer. The Republican southern strategy (running from Nixon to Reagan) was very effective.
1962 – Floyd Spence, while a South Carolina Representative
1962 - Dave Treen, later became U.S. Representative for Louisiana (1973-1980) and Governor of Louisiana (1980-1984)
1964 – Strom Thurmond, while U.S. senator from South Carolina switched to the Republican party on September 16, 1964.
1965 – Albert Watson, while U.S. Representative from South Carolina
1968 – William Reynolds Archer, Jr., while a member of the Texas House of Representatives
1970 – Jesse Helms, two years before running for the U.S. Senate from North Carolina
1970 - Bob Barr, who later became U.S. Representative from Georgia (1995-2003).
1970 – A. C. Clemons, while serving in the Louisiana Senate
1972 – Trent Lott, prior to running for the House of Representatives from Mississippi.
1977 – A. J. McNamara, while serving in the Louisiana House
1977 – Lane Carson while serving in the Louisiana House
1980 – S. S. DeWitt, after having left the Louisiana House of Representatives
1983 – Phil Gramm, while U.S. Representative from Texas (resigned before switching parties and re-won his seat in a special election)
1988 – David Duke, prior for running for a seat in the lower house of the Louisiana state legislature
1989 – Rick Perry, before running for Agriculture Commissioner of Texas. [though as with each politician on this list, interpretation of that politician's ideology and actions can be different according to the interpreter. While I think Rick Perry is not some ardent racist, I do think his ideology and actions are at least unaware and ineffective and hurtful. Moreover, one could argue that even David Duke or Jesse Helms or Strom Thurmond were not racists? After all, the rumor is that Strom had a black baby.]