A reporter goes South to interview rural whites and figure out why they keep voting GOP.
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=17998
In a nutshell:
- What have Dems done for working class Americans lately? As in, the past 3 decades? Besides making payroll taxes more regressive, and the EITC (which Reagan signed into law--the only progressive thing he ever did)? Clinton may have reversed some of the 80s damage, but not by much. And worsened it a lot with the free trade crap and Freedom to Farm bill. The party known for big ideas and programs--SEC, Soc. Sec, Medicare and Medicaid and GI Bill and Fannie Mae hasn't done crap as far i can see to show the working class male that we care about him.
- Dems now known instead as the party of gay marriage, abortion and the people who think the Passion is a bunch of anti-semitic hooey and pornographic violence. So long as we harp on these issues at the expense of the bread and butter ones, we're never gonna make inroads in rural areas or the South.
I subscribe to the newsletter of the Institute for Southern Studies--a progressive Southern think tank. they have a fantastic news magazine and their news wire is excellent. They just asked me by email for a donation. I hope folks will consider donating to this important and very valuable organization. And check out their articles!
http://64.245.255.134/index.asp
