Message to Llewlladdwr & all other Southerners: Perspective on the South bashing.

[Jack Sprat]

53. Here is a position with a longer history of the southern strategy

This was a response I sent to johnlucas in regards to our failed attempts to get down to the very heart of the matter last evening. It really predates my life experience somewhat, but having been born into a southern family of Democrats and raised in a city neighborhood of southern Democrats in the 1950s and early 1960s, it begins my experience of political awareness as I began life in the aftermath of my Dad's return from WWII.

< Reading your narrative here clearly shows we were getting into the real meat of the subject. Your historical context is correct. From my perspective, all current political discourse is shrouded in resentment towards FDR and the New Deal including blacks in many reforms as compared to excluding them as was the general normal. Allowing them to participate in WWII military units. The Labor movement included them in unions in northern cities. Then, Truman opening up all military services to integrated acceptance.
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> The next phase of integration was Eisenhower's enforcement of school integration in Little Rock. As we have learned, Ike was actually a Democrat of his day. That was during my childhood which was mainly harmonious. Ike faithfully protected the social security system and taxed at a rate that preserved and strengthened the new middle class started by FDR.
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> When Kennedy came into office on a platform that promised racial equality across the board, the shit hit the fan with southern politicians. As you state, the south had already erected a barrier in previous years with alternate Dixiecrat electoral delegates who could alter the popular vote.
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> What changed? The 1964 Civil Rights legislation by LBJ affored the black population the same availability for federal dollars that southern whites had always treasured for themselves alone. It was their greatest fear because it threatened the hierarchy of their social structure. That fight still rages to this day with several midwest states like Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska joining forces. Although the individual white middle class doesn't want to be swallowed alive by giving up their own social security, medicare, and government benefits, their politicians and gentry have convinced them it's necessary to nudge the black calves away from the feed trough. Many of them still believe their own place at the feed trough will someway be preserved, or that's what they try to tell themselves.
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> We know what changed. It's blatantly obvious and historically obvious. But what the modern Democratic party is failing to do to this point is have a frank discussion with southern whites to accept the inevitable change that was necessary to implement the stated intentions of a genuine land of liberty and justice for all. To this point, their politicians have shielded them from it and don't want the conversation to ever take place. I believe Howard Dean was determined to have that discussion with them and I'm sorry it never took place. President Obama can't get close to having the conversation with them, because southern politicians won't even acknowledge the validity of his presidency.
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