.
For those of you who are political neophytes, or who are too young to remember the '60s, or Richard Nixon, or where Reagan launched his 1980 campaign for the White House, or Lee Atwater, or Jesse Helms, and the like, I want to provide you a primer on just how it is that the GOP has become "the South's Party" (which is not entirely true], of course: it's just much stronger here than elsewhere).
Thus I offer the following outline of how this all came about. Please note that this is not meant to be a comprehensive history of things, such as the exemplary works of our own History Professor-in-Residence, "Unitary Moonbat". Rather, it's offered only as a sketch (though an accurate one) of how things got to be the way they are. Many gaps exist (e.g., re: the 1948 "Dixiecrats" -- after seeing that link you may want to shower), but that's where participatory blogging can, and I will hope, fill-in.
Onward...
.
Let's get something straight, right off the bat: the so-called Southern Strategy was (and continues to be) real. Your Republican cousins and neighbors and co-workers will deny this like a Kansas State School Board Member will deny evolution or Republican Congressman will deny human influenced climate change, but its a matter of historical record.
More than that, it was admitted to and apologized for by no less than Ken Mehlman, former Chair of the Republican National Committee, to wit:
"Some Republicans gave up on winning the African American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization. I am here today as the Republican chairman to tell you we were wrong."
Source
Sure, he soft-peddled and downplayed it ("some Republicans" . . . uh, like the Party leaders, Presidential Candidates, Members of Congress, and rank and file), but an admission's an admission.
::
A little background, first.
Born in Washington, DC (early 60s). Raised in Northern (the "other") Virginia until age 13. Moved with family to South Alabama, late 70s. Handed out fliers for "Ford/Dole" campaign as a young teenager in '76. Two small, short stints a staffer on Capitol Hill for two Deep South Congressmen, one Republican, one Democratic. Fellowship (~ 5 months) working in Governor George C. Wallace's Office during the Alabama Legislature's last Regular Session with Governor Wallace in office (spring of '86). Headed-up my County HQ for Bill Clinton in '92 and again in '96, and other things. Anyway, been 'round the block a little bit regarding politics and the Deep South.
::
On to the lesson:
1. The Democratic Party dominated the South both before and for after the Civil War. Before the Civil War it was pro-slavery; following the Civil War it was anti-Carpet Bagger/Big (Yankee) Business.
2. Being the dominate political party in the South, the Democratic Party in the Deep South naturally reflected the proclivities of many of its leaders and members, i.e., pro-segregation and anti-Civil Rights Movement, all the way from the turn of the 20th Century until and into the 1960's.
3. Northern Democrats, Progressive White Democrats in the South and Black Democrats (it was basically the only party in the South) did not share the views of so many white Southern Democrats, i.e., the pro-segregation position.
4. Struggles began in the 40s and 50s as to the direction of the Democratic Party with respect to Civil Rights and segregation.
5. In the 60s it all came to a head when JFK began tentative steps towards making paradigm shifts within the entire Democratic Party (he had hoped that white Southern Democrats would just come along of their own accord, not understanding the deep racism that engulfed so many, too many, bigoted souls). LBJ "dropped the bomb" on the Democratic Party by embracing and championing the cause of Civil Rights, via the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
6. The bigoted, Southern Wing of the Democratic Party was outraged at JFK's and LBJs and RFK's and Northern Democrats' "betrayal".
7. By the mid/late 1960s The Republican Party had a choice: it could make race and racism a non-partisan issue and continue to join and work with the Democratic Party to foster and support civil rights reforms, or it could re-cast itself (it had started as an abolitionist party) as a party hostile to Civil Rights and harmonious race relations in order to "scoop up" millions of disaffected, angry white Southern Democrats, angry at their party's "betrayal".
::
"I'm not dead. . . I feel happyyyy!"
We're all mindful, of course, that while dying, the Southern Strategy is not, in fact, dead -- yet. But it's much, much weaker than it was even 9 years ago, let alone 15, 20 or 30 years ago. And that's a good thing. For our Nation.
.
BenGoshi
_____________________________