How Southern politicians defended white supremacy -- and made the South poorer
By David A. Bateman , Ira Katznelson and John S. Lapinski at the Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/11/26/how-southern-politicians-defended-white-supremacy-and-made-the-south-poorer/?utm_source=reddit.com&utm_term=.57c47788b1ae
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So Southern Democrats helped draft a rule that would preserve their ability to block civil rights legislation. The rule required a two-thirds majority to end debate, ensuring that the South could defeat any proposal it opposed. In essence, the filibuster created an effective white Southern veto.
The South paid a huge price for its relentless commitment to white supremacy. Southerners regularly opposed bills that would benefit poor whites because they feared that blacks would benefit, too. One example was the Blair Bill, which would have significantly increased federal spending — largely in the South — to pay for primary education to fight illiteracy.
The proposal had wide support among whites and blacks in the South. Although majorities of Southern Democrats voted for it on several occasions, in the end, they balked. The reason was their fear that enhanced black literacy would undermine white supremacy. This hurt not only blacks but many white Southerners as well because the South’s underfunded education system hindered economic development in the region.
Because of its intense commitment to white supremacy, the Southern minority in Congress found many ways to increase its influence. But this leads to an important irony: Their efforts gave the South more political power but left the South much poorer.
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