Democrats do not demonize entire states like Republicans.

[JohnnyRingo]

Imagine if President Obama made a speech in which he spoke of the evil conservatives who populate Texas. What if he made up a clever nickname for Utah like "You duh". Could Obama speak of the people of Arizona while circling his ear with a forefinger?

Republican presidents and the hopefuls who seek that office consistanly point to states like Massachusetts as terrible bastions of liberalism, even using terms like "Taxachusetts" in reference to the citizen's lack of American ideal. They chide California as a state full of liberall loons and openly express their disdain for the entire state and the Americans who live there.

And you know what? They get away with it time after time as if it's common knowlege that only red states are inhabited by true Americans. I'm glad that Democrats don't resort to such playground politics to score points with their base, but the right would never let them get away with it if they tried.

[Angry Dragon]

1. ..........

[hfojvt]

2. Yeah what IS the matter with Kansas?

Maybe those running for office don't, but we of the grassroots keyboard activists sure do.

[baldguy]

4. I'm guessing you didn't actually read the book.

[kenfrequed]

5. I think you need to actually read the book.

The book isn't about Kansas it is about the abandonment of economic progressivism and thereby allowing conservatives to be able to run exclusively on trumped up religious dogmatic BS issues.

I think you should read the book and not just cite the title.

[provis99]

9. It's about how Kansans are idiots for going against their own interests.

But the silly "What is the matter with Kansas" thesis was completely blown away by actual political scientists years ago.

[kenfrequed]

14. uhm

Really the book was fairly good and as decent social theory as any other. Most of the heavy critiques came from conservatives with an axe to grind and who benefited from people forgetting about economics and voting for values crap.

[provis99]

19. the book was anecdotal unscientific journalistic crap.

Larry Bartel's "What's the Matter with What's the Matter with Kansas" pretty much destroyed the whole premise of the book.

[kenfrequed]

27. Bartel's analysis is flawed

Bartel a definition of working class based on incomes that make 35K or less. Obviously the working poor have not shifted much but the working poor never voted much either.

Bartel destroyed nothing and the people that hated Frank's book the most tended to be DLC sorts that didn't wan't anyone heaping scorn on their political methadology.

While I agree on some analysis on other papers that Bartel has authored his critique of Frank's book was fairly poor.

http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~dlinzer/Frank-ClassDismissd.pdf

[zipplewrath]

3. I hate to ask this

But name the last GOP president that did such a thing. Not candidate, but actual sitting president. I'd be surprised if you found one. Most don't want to "give away" whole states like that. Once you get away from encumbents, I wouldn't be surprised if you could find more than a few folks that have made fun of Texas, or Florida.

[unblock]

6. they're a well-orchestrated team.

they know all about the top dog keeping it clean while the minions do the dirty work.

note that their top dog rarely calls for the others, even the rabid pit bulls, to back off.

[JohnnyRingo]

7. Bush often used Taxachusetts in speeches as I recall.

I remember wondering at the time how people in Massachusetts thought about being alienated from a presidential podium like that.

I don't know if he made comments about the Hollywood liberals that infest California while in office, but I have to assume he did in one way or another. After all, it's an applause line at any GOP fundraiser.

[former9thward]

8. I have had my state demonized on DU countless times.

[JohnnyRingo]

11. I'm in Ohio, and it happens to me as well.

and there's some truth that the majority who put Kasich in the governor's mansion may not have the standard Hoyle deck of cards in their hands, but I was refering to politicians who make speeches from a national platform, not posters on an internet debate forum

[emilyg]

12. Georgia, too. In fact

the whole South.

[RevStPatrick]

13. Yep...

http://fuckthesouth.com/

[The Genealogist]

16. Region bashing seems quite common here

Whether it is the simple dismissal of any value in the "flyover" states/regions or "teh South is a bunch of Rednecks" type stuff. And individual states get slammed too.

[Enrique]

18. me too, but my state deserves it

I live in Florida.

[FarLeftFist]

25. But not done by politicians. Big difference.

[karynnj]

10. Santorum went further - he actually blamed MA and the two liberal Senators for the church abuse

Somehow it was not the fault of the priests, but the liberal climate in the state. The Kerry and Kennedy spokespeople responded calling him out.

For fun, rather than giving a 2005 link - here are the DU comments - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4092037

Funny, someone even speaks of Mitt and Santorum running against he other for President - and this was back when Mitt hadn't yet said he was not running again.

[rbnyc]

15. I have...

...often made generalizations about certain states and regions. But I wouldn't if I were a public official. And I don't think I've even done it in a public forum.

[grantcart]

17. Oh contrare

My state never gets any love at DU




wait for it



















When was the last time you ever heard anyone say anything nice about my state, the state of confusion?

[Bed and Nun]

20. Well, Mississippi kind of sucks.

Now that you mention it.

(just kidding!)

[provis99]

24. shucks, even Mississippians say that!

`First in everything bad, last in everything good` is an old Mississippi joke.

[cherokeeprogressive]

21. Democrats don't demonize states, but DUers demonize whole AREAS.

Go figure.

Can you say "south"?

[Shankapotomus]

22. And on the diplomacy front Repugs

talk the same way about entire countries. For instance, France. And Russa. Alienating countries that we are supposed to be allies with or at least on good terms with. Proving that they are unskilled and ignorant of international relations.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

23. unless they're posting on DU

oh, wait...DU trashes entire regions.

sP

[FarLeftFist]

26. The GOP is DIVISIVE and NASTY!

[Arkana]

28. I don't particularly care for the Mountain West region myself.*

The South makes good barbecue, as does the Midwest. If they could just get their politics on straight that would be better.






























*SARCASM