The Solid South

For John, BLUF:  What goes around comes around.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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In The New Republic is an article complaining about how the Republicans in the South have squeezed out Caucasian Democrats.  The theory of the author, Mr Jason Zengerle, is that Black Democrat legislators in the South (e.g., Alabama) have no one with whom they can make coalitions.  I think this paragraph sums it up:

This fact has occasioned some eloquent obituaries for that most endangered of political species, which is on the verge of extinction.  Not only will there be no white Southern Democrats left in the House come January, but it’s a good bet there won’t be any white Southern Democrats in the Senate either (Mary Landrieu is likely to lose in the Louisiana run-off next month).  Throw in the election of South Carolina’s Tim Scott to the U.S. Senate and, as The New Yorker’s Nicholas Thompson pointed out on Twitter, “there are now more black Republicans than white Democrats from the Deep South.”

The Nicholas Thompson quip was quoted like it was a bad thing.

Mr Zengerle writes as though this is the end of civilization as we know it.  On the contrary, it is a chance for Blacks to consider the Republican Party and make coalitions in that direction.

This situation in the South is no where near as severe as it was when I was growing up and the Democrat Primary ballot results told you who would be elected to the State House.  Where neither Blacks nor Republicans need apply.  The Solid South was about the Democrat Party Solid South. This current situation isn't nearly as severe as it was in the 40s and 50s.

It does seem to me that the current situation is not about race but about ideas.  Caucasian Democrats need to either do a better job of educating the voters or they need to adjust their stands.  At the end of the day it is about the voters.  Subtly suggesting the voters are all racist Republicans (like my middle Brother does) is just ignoring the reality and refusing to face the facts.

Hat tip to Memeorandum.

Regards  —  Cliff