Can The Democrats Learn To Speak Redneck?

[lib2DaBone]

Source: Huffington Post

(Snip)

All this criticism of Sarah Palin is just whistling past the graveyard. And, it is solidifying her credentials with those in Middle America who were reluctant to vote for McCain.
We can take no chances. We all know that every vote is going to matter here. Not only do Democrats need to focus, they need to sound the alarm to take action. Not only do the Democrats need to register every young person they can scrape up, they must step outside their comfort zones and reach out to groups who live where they have become afraid to tread -- the gun toting speaking-in-tongues crowd. Hit Palin where she lives, in the territory she's claiming -- America's redneck frontier. Throw some barbecues, chili cook-offs, and raccoon, duck, or venison dinners. Slap in some bluegrass music and a pie-baking contest
___________________________________________________

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/beth-arnold/can-democrats-learn-to-sp_b_124219.html

---

Let me tell you a story. A guy named http://www.joebageant.com/ was plucked from the Internet by Three Rivers Press and has one of those publishing stories of which every blogger dreams. He'd developed a big readership of the very demographic that the Democrats lost a couple of decades ago and now desperately need to get back in the fold, and this publisher saw the $ potential in this segment of web mass consciousness (exactly what the Democrats ought to be going for). Bageant followed his Internet dynamic by writing a book called Deer Hunting with Jesus (Dispatches from America's Class Wars).

[bluestateguy]

1. I don't know where to begin

If Obama were to pull stunts like that at this point in the campaign, it would look phony and disingenuous, much like John Kerry in the camouflaged outfit hunting trip photo op in 2004. The best thing he can do is what he has been doing today in Terre Haute, Indiana (is that "Middle American" enough for you peanut gallery critics?), and that's talking about the issues with small groups of voters. Unlike Kerry, Obama is campaigning in Indiana, North Carolina, Montana, North Dakota, Virginia and Missouri.

And as for Palin and Alaska, Alaska is not Middle America. It's this far away place that most of us only read about or see on TV. Most Americans could not even afford to take a family vacation there.

[TomClash]

4. Spot on nt

[sandnsea]

14. You just have to go talk to them

Honesty is the key.

The funny thing about Kerry and the duck hunting is that he loves horses and was photographed with horses on a few occasions, quite naturally. Bush was afraid of horses. Why the campaign chose to risk the duck hunting instead of exploit the horse situation, I'll never understand. Some have said people in the east think horses are elitist. Well, not in the west we don't. :crazy:

City people have got to stop telling candidates how to win over rural people.

[Indenturedebtor]

28. In the east they are elitist

Land is at a much greater premium. You have to stable your horse with someone else generally, and pay an arm and a leg. Also English riding forms are favored, with english style competitions etc. It's a different ballgame altogether.

[treestar]

36. That's a really good point

They probably are elitist in eastern blue states, but we need to realize they aren't out West, and that could apply to other things.

[mitchum]

43. Exactly...ALASKA HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MAINSTREAM AMERICA...

that is something we need to keep hammering over and over again.

[Nambe]

2. Bush ruined alot of red neck lives in an unpopular war.

They may be smart enough to speak Democrat this time around.

[JI7]

3. why do people always claim Middle america is the same as conservatives

yes, there are many conservatives in middle america and they are the ones who are getting behind McCain now. but these are people who would never vote for Obama but were not happy with McCain.

but there are also many in middle america who are supporting Obama. these people are not leaving him. and there are many who are moderate who are either supporting Obama or considering him.

[Fumesucker]

5. I pass for redneck very easily...

I grew up around them, can turn on and off a southern drawl like flipping a switch, I pretty much dress like a redneck and I'm fish belly white where I've never tanned.

The chances of getting rednecks to vote Democratic are slim to none, particularly now that we have a "colored person" as a candidate.

Rednecks are aggressively anti-intellectual, that alone makes them nearly unreachable.

Honestly I think the current Democratic movement to increase the size of the tent is wrong headed. Trying to chase certain demographics is going to turn other demographics off big time.

In my case, the Dems chasing the evangelical vote has soured me on them to some extent, what party does someone who really, really dislikes having religion constantly shoved in his face vote for in the USA these days?

[Fluffdaddy]

8. Good post. We will never win over a true redneck. so why try?

I work with a good "ole boy", and we get along fine. I been over his house and he has been over mine.
We have only one unspoken rule, we never talk politics. But I know instinctively he would never ever vote for Obama. It's a waste of money and effort to even try.

[MsTryska]

6. You know what tho?

the South used to be Dem, and campaigning was all about the BBQ.

I don't know how that works with Obama, unless he was out there glad-handing at the BBQs, but it would have to be thrown by a local.

[Tesha]

27. The South was Dem because the Republican Party kicked the South's ass in the Civil War.

When the Dems stopped being the party of pandering to overt Southern
Racism, the entire South switched over to the Republicans and it isn't
going to be moved back to the Democratic column any time soon.
Only changing demographics will eventually affect that.

Tesha

[tannybogus]

29. The demographics are changing now.

And if you don't keep reaching out as they change then you will never turn the region or any states. Some states like VA are already in play and NC may send Dole

packing. You have to put them in play and affect the down ticket races. That's where change begins.How do you think new Rethugs build their base? They have a party

willing to help and no strong Dem in opposition with issues like the economy that will affect some. There are those who you would classify as reneck who could be

persuaded. I know some. As far a pandering? There is pandering and there is reaching out. My brother is a redneck. He was going off the rails because he thought Dem

gun control meant take away all the guns. I explained a few things to him and told him why Bushco would be more likely to be after his guns under some national security

hooha. The GOP plants so many rumors like that and they become gospel.

[pipoman]

30. It is the Democratic party

who sponsors and promotes such things as assault weapons bans, it is even in our latest platform. Joe Biden wrote the previous assault weapons ban for crise sake. Obama continues to talk out of both sides of his ass on this issue, in one breath saying 'what is right for Chicago may not be right for Cheyenne' then talking about a blanket, federal assault weapons ban. The former would satisfy those who are strong 2nd Amendment supporters, that is allowing states and cities to decide their own firearms issues, the latter alienates millions of potential Democratic voters. Adamantly agree not to enact any new federal firearms legislation not related to the betterment of the national instant check system, and win back millions of traditional Dems.

[WePurrsevere]

7. You can't be all things to all people or you come across as phoney.

Just be REAL, honest and clearly address the things that really matter to them like the economy, home, family, jobs & education.

"This above all, to thine own self be true."

[tannybogus]

9. I too speak fluent redneck.

I can turn on a dime and slip into the vernacular and fit in. Then I can whip back into grammar mode and whatever else. That's why people dismiss rednecks at their peril.

You never know what really is lurking there. I am a redneck to some extent by definition, and Lord I am related to enough of the 100% model. Even they are not "one size

fits all." Here is a part of an article from the Newsweek issue about the South. The GOP should mind this:

But this is not a normal year: a friend of mine was buying a plate lunch from the Church of God on Natural Bridge Road in Franklin County, Tenn., in July—you have to get there early, because the fried chicken goes fast—and overheard a couple of white truckers denouncing President Bush and the GOP in virulent terms. If you are a Republican in a nation at war and you have lost the truck drivers at the Church of God on Natural Bridge Road, you cannot be sure of anything.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/150478/page/2

That should give them pause.

[pipoman]

10. Funny, that...

well not funny haha, the author here unknowingly hit the nail on the head but is just too full of him/herself to realize it. The alienation of this party's traditional base, these rednecks who have become such sport for the urban elite and self proclaimed intellectual snipers, have lead to major party losses since at least 1994. Party officials still don't get it because most are too busy catering to wealthy urban supporters who have bought their ideals. What has the party done to win the votes back in these states which are obviously so desperately needed to win? Not one fucking thing recently. The traditional base of this party was abandoned over a decade ago, now all those toothless, redneck, knuckle draggers who are too dumb to know when they are being viciously screwed are viciously screwing this party and the dumb ones are the party officials who are too busy catering to the wealthy to realize that those who they are so fond of minimizing votes count same as theirs...it's just who they count for in question.

[Fumesucker]

11. How are you going to get rednecks into the Democratic party ...

Without adopting redneck values?

I don't even have to change my clothes to pass for redneck, I'm an old hippie who hasn't changed styles since 1968.

Put on a southern drawl and grab my shootin' iron and voila', I'm a redneck.

If the Dems go aggressively after the redneck vote, they'll lose my vote.. They're damn close to losing it because of all the God botherer talk, that hypocritical garbage turns me off big time.

I don't want to vote for a party which courts the redneck vote and I won't. I'm having to hold my nose so hard it hurts now, try bringing the rednecks in and there is virtually no reason for me to stay and I very well may not.

[pipoman]

13. Look at what the party has done to loose the votes to begin with..

They whole heartedly, arm-in-arm, tongue-in-mouth joined with the pugs to sell blue collar jobs to the 3rd world with trade agreements which destroyed the power of labor unions and put US farmers into competition with countries whose government owns the farm land and the manufacturing facilities. They passed the failed assault weapons ban which did nothing to curb crime, it only infringed on rights important to blue collar and rural people. They oppose most illegal immigration reform which has disrupted the balance of labor supply and demand and driven wages down. They have failed to make any meaningful move against the high cost of medical care and perscription drugs and haven't outlined any real, tangible solutions.

These 'rednecks' were, for decades, the base of the Democratic party. They have now been alienated due to changes in Democratic party platforms. They have been alienated by attitudes of elitism within the party which have told them to pound sand if they don't like it. The Democratic party is no longer the labor party at all...there isn't a labor party


To win enough of those voters back requires the party to agree, in no uncertain terms, not to enact any new federal firearms legislation. Obama said something about 'what is good for Chicago, may not be good for Cheyenne'. That being the case, leave gun issues to states and cities. If Obama made such a statement as, 'I will not sign any new federal firearms legislation not related to enhancing the National Instant Check System', he would win many voters who are otherwise on the fence. Frankly it is time for the party to remove the assault weapons ban language from the platform, realizing they are on the wrong side of that issue and removing it as an issue for the pugs. There are damned few single issue pro gun control voters. The fact that 43 states have enacted concealed carry laws should be a clue that it is time to stick a fork in this issue.

They need to come up with a way to stabilize the exodus of blue collar jobs to 3rd world countries. This is trickier as former administrations have entered into binding agreements which may be difficult (but not impossible) to navigate around. Simple things like promising to enact legislation requiring country of origin on all food and non-food products would be a good start.

Building a reasonable formula for varying the minimum wage based on the local economies would be a good position as the current system is just idiotic.

Not willing to concede a few issues to make the party more attractive to these voters? Then resign yourself to unnecessary losses at the national level.

[Fumesucker]

15. I see a few problems...

On the gun control issue, there is a very significant fraction of the Dem base that is for considerably more stringent gun control. It doesn't effect me either way, I'm pretty much neutral on guns, but I know there are a lot of people who will vote based on pro or anti. It's my opinion though that you are more likely to shoot yourself or a family member than you are to defend yourself with a firearm. Most people get their firearms training from the movies and TV which leaves them believing fantasies about firearms.

Look at who owns the Dems, big business, just like the Reps.. There really isn't any way that the Dems are going to become more progressive on labor issues.

Obama is talking about universal insurance, I also remember Hillary's comment about "I can envision a day when you have to show proof of insurance at the job interview".. That one single comment was enough to turn me off Hillary completely, it was so incredibly out of touch with the concerns of average Americans that I was in shock after hearing it. I don't want universal insurance, I want universal health care. I went to a new doctor the other day as my coverage changed.. Out of about fifteen pages of forms to fill out, well over half had to to do with insurance. I hate filling out meaningless paperwork and universal insurance is going to mean yards and yards of paperwork.

Rednecks by and large are bigoted jerks, I have no intention of sticking around if the Dems try to court bigoted jerks into the big tent.

[pipoman]

16. The very term

'redneck' means different things to different people, it isn't concrete. Many urbanites consider anyone who lives in a rural area, is blue collar or a farmer, drives a pickup and is white a redneck. If this is your definition and you are labeling them bigots, well you are out of touch with reality. If you are talking about some fringe white supremest types, that is not the target voting bloc to which I am referring. Most rural and blue collar people are good people.

I don't believe there are very many Democratic voters who are Dems because of, and only because of the pro gun control issue. Bill Clinton stated in his book that the 1994 loss of the Congress and Al's loss of the 2000 election were due to the failed assault weapons ban. You can think what you want and choose never to own a gun if you want, but federal bans effecting millions and millions of voters (i.e. people who actually get out and vote this issue) is now and will continue to be a looser. Most of these voters would vote Democratic if this one issue was laid to rest. They would go along with virtually every other party position even if they disagreed with the position.

This party has repeatedly lost national elections since 1994. Where do you think our voters went? Why are we loosing repeatedly? Are you really willing to just keep loosing to keep those voters issues out of the party?

[Fumesucker]

17. I'm blue collar

And my area was very nearly rural when I moved here sixteen years ago.. Today, not so much.

I pass for redneck very easily, all I have to do is stop sounding halfway educated (which I'm really not anyway). I already look like a redneck because I'm a 1968 conservative hippie who hasn't changed styles in forty years.

I think you are deluding yourself about the numbers that aren't voting Dem based solely on the gun issue, I know these people quite well, have lived and worked amongst them for most of my life. A huge number wouldn't vote for a black man on pain of death.

I'm seeing this dynamic even within my own family and they aren't particularly red, just very conventional, for lack of a better term. My adult daughter and mother of my three grandchildren, raised by hippies, told me the other day she was voting for McCain because "I like his smile". She's far from stupid but cares as much about politics as I do about football, which is to say it bores her way beyond tears. I know better than to argue, she got world class stubborn from both sides of the family and she doesn't take orders, she gives them.

To be quite honest I'm going to have to hold my nose to vote Dem myself, I think Obama is a world class hypocrite and I loathe Biden, it's just that the other side is so much worse.. I'm really sick of voting for the lesser of two evils and if this election weren't so damn critical I'd probably vote Green.

[pipoman]

18. Well my friend

it appears we agree on some things and will have to agree to disagree on others.

[Skittles]

22. I hear you Fumesucker

loud and clear

[WildEyedLiberal]

24. Excellent post

Urban liberals have used rural people as a punching bag for 20 years and wonder why rural people don't vote Democratic. :eyes:

Because the Democratic party has allowed Republicans to make "values issues" paramount in the campaign, they have effectively signed away large parts of the country that are more socially conservative. Trying to win elections based on social liberalism is idiocy; if the Democrats actually STOOD for economic populism instead of just giving lip service to unions and "the middle class" and actually refused to back down on a real economic agenda that would benefit poor, working and middle class Americans, then rural states would very much be in play again. But as long as Democrats are too cowardly to defy the free market sacred cow, they will never increase their vote total by a substantial margin and elections that by all rights should be blowouts will be close.

[Selatius]

21. The traditional base of the Democratic Party fractured permanently in 1964.

I live over here in Mississippi. In the past, this state reliably sent Democrats to the White House. The rural farm workers and the day laborers were Democrats in so far as agreeing on economic bread and butter issues of the day. The split occurred in the 1960s. It was said that LBJ foretold that signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 meant signing away the South, and he appeared to be right.

They switched parties, and the kids they raised voted Republican like their parents, and now they have kids of their own, and predictably, they're voting Republican as well. Since then, this state has not voted for a Democrat since Jimmy Carter. He was the very last. This state has reliably voted for Republicans in each presidential contest since 1980. George W. Bush won this state twice.

The problem with courting rural conservatives is that there is inevitably a clash over cultural views ranging from religion to guns and how the treat gay people in society. Nevermind ongoing issues with discrimination against other minorities.

Rural voters could be won, but the fight would be difficult because it requires going back to FDR-style Democrats who were pro-worker but generally were mute on social issues. The business community, in general, does not want a return of New Deal-type Democrats.

[pipoman]

25. Point taken

Two things which limit all of our thinking, our generation (age) and our locale. Even reading history isn't the same as living the time. You are one generation older than I am, as a child of the 70's. I don't disagree that the 60's split occurred, another split occurred in the 1990's with the enactment of NAFTA, GATT, Chinese trade status, and the assault weapons ban. These issues alienated a whole other group of traditional Dem voters. The deep south is admittedly not my culture, the rest of rural/blue collar America isn't as racially energized as the deep south. It is the 1990's split which could be easily fixed IMHO.

The party has been favoring urban, elite issues since the Clinton administration. NAFTA and GATT were opposed by over 70% of rural and blue collar people, including vast areas of farmers and union/former union workers. Bill C. proclaiming US workers are able to compete with the productivity any workers in the world (productivity = low wages and longer hours), then putting these worker in direct competition with 3rd world workers cost many, many votes. Then the support by national party leaders for and enactment of the assault weapons ban and talk of even more restrictive gun control alienated even more of the traditional Dem voters. What part of 43 states expanding gun rights to include concealed carry at the will of their populace is not understood by this party? The meme that gun rights is a pug issue is completely refuted by this simple bit of historic truth, if 43 states are so firmly pugs to pass this legislation would mean it is time to roll up the Democratic rug and go home....they aren't.

So, while I too have no desire to court the racist or religious right, I do believe that pulling back the rest of rural and blue collar demographic is crucial to the party. Without them we are continuing to do the same things expecting different results.

[blindpig]

26. At the end of the day

politics is about economics, it is the dog that wags the tail. That the business community would oppose a return of New Deal style politics says all you need to know about them, they are the enemy.

The Republicans play the Democrats like Pavlov's dog, they throw bait like Palin in front of them and sit back while the Democrats discredit themselves before a large part of the electorate. And the thing is, the Democrats got nothing else, you need a microscope to discern differences between them and the Republicans on economic matters. Where's the universal health care?

This is a loser's game.

[Nikia]

12. They could always give more support to the local parties

In most counties (if not all) there is a local Democratic party. If the local party hosts publicized events, it will be genuine. Obama and National leaders should attend some of those events. Before attending such events though, they should talk with local party members to find out why they are Democrats and what local concerns are compatible with Democratic party values. I think that this is vital in certain states, like battleground states of Wisconsin and Ohio, where urban voters vote more for Democrats and rural voters vote more for Republicans. I think that there are a certain percent of rural voters who could be won over to guarentee that the states will go to Obama.

[krispos42]

19. No.

What they can do is say something like:

"The reason I am against the government extending it's control into a woman's womb is because government power stops at the skin. I don't know about you, but I don't want the government deciding that I'm a mandatory organ donor. And if we allow government to have control over a woman's womb, we're allowing it control over our harvestable organs, too."

"The reason I am against mixing church and state is because it would corrupt both of them. Having a church reading the Bible based on political winds and having the government basing law on Leviticus is a sure way to destroy both."

"I recognize that owning guns is not about hunting and target shooting, it's about exercising your right to collective and individual self-defense. I believe that on the federal level we should have a minimum standard that other states can increase if they desire to, as long as their stricter laws do not run afoul of the Constitution."

"I recognize that national security means a lot more than simply throwing money at the Pentagon. It means having an economy that is not deeply in debt to foreign rivals. It means not being dependent on foreign manufactured goods. It means not being dependent on foreign oil. It means not propping up dictators, theocracies, and strongman just because it is politically convenient. And it means making our country safer by decentralizing our power grid so that we are harder for terrorists to attack."

"I recognize that the purpose of the automobile is not to turn gasoline into energy and exhaust, it is to get us from Point A to Point B at our convenience, comfortably, quietly, safely, and in an environment of our chosing. And since I believe we can do that without using a toxic, carcinogenic, pollution-emiting fuel of foreign origin, we must do it as soon as possible. I do not fear for the oil companies; they will have thirsty fuel tanks to fill for decades to come. That is plenty of time for them to change to meet future needs."

[eridani]

20. Bageant on universal health care

Dot probably wouldn't give a flying fuck about the candidate's accent, either.

http://www.counterpunch.org/bageant09092004.html

Dot started working at 13. Married at 15. (Which is no big deal. Throw in "learned to pick a guitar at age six" and you would be describing half the Southerners in my social class and generation.) She has cleaned houses and waited tables and paid into Social Security all her life. But for the last three years Dottie has been unable to work because of her health. (Did I mention that she is slowly going blind to boot?) Dot's congestive heart problems are such she will barely get through two songs tonight before nearly passing out.

Yet the local Social Security administrators, cold Southern Calvinist hardasses who treat federal dollars as if they were entirely their own---being responsible with the taxpayers' money---have said repeatedly that Dot is capable of fulltime work. To which Dot once replied, "Work? Lady, I cain't walk nor half see. I cain't even get enough breath to sing a song. What the hell kinda work you think I can do? Be a tire stop in a parkin' lot?" Not one to be cowed by mere human misery, the administrator had Dot bawling her eyes out before she left that office. In fact, Dottie cries all the time now. Even so, she will sing one, maybe two songs tonight. Then she will get down off the stage with the aid of her cane and be helped into a car and be driven home.

Although my people seem to step on their own dicks (I couldn't think of a female metaphor) every time they get near polling place, it is not entirely because we are drunken inbreds, although it is a contributing factor. The truth is that Dottie would vote for any candidate, black, white, crippled blind or crazy, that she thought would actually help her. I know because I have asked her if she would vote for a president who wanted a nationalized health care program?" "Vote for him? I'd go down on him!" Voter approval doesn't get much stronger than that.

But no candidate, Republican or Democrat, is going to offer nationalized health care, not the genuine article. Of course we expect the Republicans to be pricks, but the Democrats are no better. Guys like John Kerry think they can stay in Washington and BUY progress with the money they take from health care industry lobbyists buying off both parties with campaign contributions. John Kerry does not know anybody in Dottie's class. John Edwards claims to, but he's not very convincing to these people. As Dink puts it, "Neither one of 'em gets me hard." If Dot is lucky, a Democratic pollster might call her, take her political temperature over the phone to be fed into some computer. But that is about as much contact as our system is willing to have with a 300 pound diabetic woman with a small bird and a husband too depressed to get out of his TV chair other than to piss or stumble off to his car washing job.

[Norrin Radd]

23. Fuck pandering. People never respect anyone who isn't true to him or herself. n/t

[erpowers]

31. Question Not Can They, but Should They

I contend the questions should not be can they learn to talk redneck, but should they try those things. If there are Democrats that like country music and hunting then they should try to talk to the gun toting hunting Republicans. However, any Democrat that does not genuinely like those things should not do so. There is no need for Democrats to change who they are just to get a few people to vote for the party. As other in this post have said the Democrats need to keep talking about the facts. In addition, the Democrats need to do as the author said and register as many people as possible and get as many people to the polls as possible. It seems that a number of people are upset about Palin's comment about community organizers. Democrats need to say to those people, "if you are angry about Palin's comment do not just complain, get out and vote and while you are at it bring a few people with you." I think DU should make up some special bumper stickers and avatars that say, "I am a community organizer and I brought three or more people to the polls with me", and then give them out to anyone who brings multiple people to the polls.

[blindpig]

32. Yeah, right.

Wouldn't want anybody to have their precious minds sullied by comporting with the great unwashed.

Elitists much?

This is how the Democrats snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, again.

[erpowers]

33. Why Pretend

Why is it that anytime someone on DU says DU members should not be fake they get called out of being elitists or as not wanting to mingle with the "great unwashed". I am not an elitist and I have no problem mingling with the "great unwashed". I actually like some country music and do not have a real problem with guns. Rascall Flatts is one of my favorite groups and I have been listening to the likes of Garth Brooks and Brooks and Dunn for most of my life. I am a big fan of Brooks and Dunn's song "Hillbilly Deluxe". In addition, I am a big fan of the song "Redneck Woman" and I have liked it since it came out. However, I do not think someone should try to be fake. If someone would never listen to a country song if they were paid to do so then their is no need to go and pretend to like country music for a few votes. There is nothing wrong with not liking country music and guns. No one should have to pretend.

[pipoman]

34. Not liking

and legislating against, are two completely different things. Wouldn't it be nice if there were only two groups with opposing views? You mention guns. To proclaim gun control an untouchable Democratic position believed by the majority of Dems is simply wrong. How is it that over the last 20 years 43 US states have adopted 'shall issue' concealed carry laws and 48 states allow concealed carry? Obviously these laws passed with the blessing of most residents of these states with no real movement in any of these states for repeal. If that means that these states are populated by pugs, the Dems are in real trouble, huh?

What does country music have to do with this election? Anyone who votes for a candidate based on their music preference are really too immature to be a meaningful contingent anyway.

[blindpig]

35. Like pipoman said

Why even mention it? These things are irrelevant, why does the party, and for that matter a large chunk of posters here, put stuff like this forth as 'differences'. What about economic policy or health care? if there was a dime's worth of difference on these issues, or on the continued occupation of Iraq, they'd blow the Republicans out of the water. Thus the resort to culture war, which the Republicans invariably win.

I guess ya go with what ya got.

[Marr]

37. Let me tell what you do to appeal to "rednecks".

Don't put on a phony show and pretend you're one of them when you're not. People can smell that a mile away, and no one respects it. It's condescending, in fact.

If you want to compete in traditionally Republican areas, you come in and, in a dignified way, state exactly where you stand on issues like civil rights, the Constitution, national healthcare for their friends and neighbors, etc., etc., and you tell them flat out that if they don't support those things, you don't want their vote anyway.

[blindpig]

39. That's good

Though I'd leave off the part about not wanting their vote anyway, no need for that.

I strongly suppect that a whole lot of blue collar Republicans would switch teams in a heartbeat for honest-to-god universal health care. Bubba can do ciphers.

The big question is, why don't the Democrats do this, where does their loyalty lie?

[Bethesda Home]

38. I saw it first hand.

I joined the Democrat party in 1959. The CCDC - Chatham County Democrat Club.

I was 22 years old. And had just been discharged from the USMC.

Back then we were the "party of the people". My state, Georgia had never had an elected Republican Governor. Our party dominated because we helped "people". Newspapers said that winning the Democrat party primary was 'tantamount' to winning the election.

But then in the early '60s our candidates started telling the "people" we were better, more educated, and could lead better.

That's when we started to lose the "people". Our message might have been true but "people" don't like to be put down like that.

For decades I've been telling my fellow Democrats "It's not working".

The "people" don't want someone who tells them to vote "for me because I'm better than you".

I joined the Democrat party because - OK, some examples - TVA (making jobs and electricity for the "people" - RFD (a simple concept that made the "people" happy that we, the Democrats, were taking care of them) - Civil Rights, Social Security (I could go on and on, but I think you get my point).

But we got away from things like this; now the people really think that we are 'elitists' and they don't usually vote for someone like that. Neither do I.

Does the word 'nuanced' bring up memories. Most "people" I know don't talk in nuances.

That's why the "people" elected Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.

That's why the "people" would have elected Hillary Clinton.

I'm 71 and hope my party will return to normalcy someday but I don't think it will happen in my lifetime.

Semper Fi! And God Bless You.

[misanthrope]

40. What else happened in the South in the early '60s?...

...Any historic legislation signed in Washington that changed things down here?

[Bethesda Home]

41. In the early sixties...

...we were marching for civil rights. I got arrested doing a sit-in at Woolworth's. Almost lost my job, too.

I was too young to keep up with was going on in Washington.

I still have my trespassing certificate that was autographed by Hosea Williams.

Have you ever heard of him?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosea_Williams

My whole point of the post was to tell people we need to treat people with respect and not look down on them. There's a lot of dis-respect on DU (and other places) and I believe it's hurting us. And we have to go back to the things that made us a great party.

I remembered how proud I was that John Kennedy had been elected in 1961 but was disappointed that he took Lyndon Johnson for his VP. But I caught on when I realized that he probably won Texas because of it.

[misanthrope]

42. I think condescension was less instrumental...

...than the GOP's Southern Strategy. We'll just agree to disagree.