Democrats vs. the South

[Hieronymus]

I have some observations about how the Democratic party has alienated the South.
My family were Southern Democrats and I am proud to say I still am. Although I no longer live in that part of the country, I have constantly fought stereotypes of Southerners.
Typical of those who bash the South is Bernie Ward, who has never visited there. As much as I agree with Bernie on many things, people like Bernie wonder why the Democrats can't carry the South. Is there any wonder?
I think Dean had something to contribute in his statement this week, although in doing so, he promoted a stereotype. No doubt, Dean is not familiar with that part of the country either.
The Democrats must give the folks who live in the southern part of this country some incentive to vote Democrat.
:kick:

[vi5]

1. Why should their incentive be any different than the rest of us?

Shouldn't their reasons for voting be the same as anyone in any part of the country? Aren't southerners affected by the Iraq war? Or the economy? Or by corrupt business practices? Or race issues?

I guess I just don't get why Southerners would have any LESS of a reason to vote democratic than anyone in any part of the country.

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. Locking...

Please feel free to post in this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=636191&mesg_id=636191

[KoKo]

3. The huge job losses should do it. If nothing else. In the poorer areas

where the manufacturing and the mills have left, where some of the fundamentalists have had a stronghold.

I think in the end it will be "economics" more than anything else. The South is changing in the big cities, but not in the rural areas as much. That's the last stronghold of the "Old South," although the Cities tend to be Repug lite when it comes to Democrats with the "old guard who isn't racist but who are cronies" keep out the new folks who have moved in and have other thoughts about what "progressive government" is.

However the other parts of the US are just as bad with "old guard cronyism" and Repug Lite Dems, so the South shouldn't get the bad rap on this all the time. I saw plenty of racism in the NorthEast. Once just interact with minorities the way folks in the South do. It was a Limosene Liberal thing in the Northeast, but in the poorer areas there was overt racism.

None of us are pure, no matter where we live. The South makes it easy when Zell Miller's and Tom DeLay and the rest are a lightening rod because of their flamboyance and "in your face" political style.