Robert Reich: "The Role Reversal Is Complete"

[kentuck]

Mary Landrieu’s loss in yesterday’s senate run-off election in Louisiana gives the deep South entirely to Republicans for the first time in history. From Texas through the Carolinas, the GOP now controls every senate seat, every governorship, and every state legislature. The Republican party began its life before the Civil War as the party that took on slavery, leaving the deep South to what became the Democratic party. Now, the role-reversal is complete.

But whether called Democrats or, increasingly since the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Republicans, the sad fact is southern white politics has been dominated by hidebound racists seeking to suppress the votes of African-Americans. FDR’s New Deal coalition of southern Democrats and northern blue-collar and ethnic voters excluded southern blacks. In recent decades, white southern Democratic politicians were never much better than Republicans. So, good riddance. Regardless of party label, the goal must be to fight voter suppression, strengthen the voices of minorities, and encourage white southern progressives to continue their fight. What do you think?

[baldguy]

1. And how many supposed "liberals" on DU are cheerng that outcome?

[bluedigger]

6. Not so much cheering as cutting my losses.

Sometimes you just have to move on and try something different.

[HereSince1628]

2. No "southern" about it...encouraging progressives is needed everywhere

there is plenty of racism/classism in states bleaching from purple to red.

[Rex]

3. Current events leave me wondering how many Dixiecrats stayed in the party

just to fuck it over decade after decade.

[JI7]

14. They Benefit from govt programs but don't think people of color

Should get the same. This it's Why they supported fdr .

[OldRedneck]

4. LBJ nailed it.

LBJ, 1960, Nashville, TN:

"

I'll tell you what's at the bottom of it. If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you. "

[JDPriestly]

8. Precisely. The Democratic Party needs to focus on both social and economic justice.

We have shut our eyes to economic justice issues that help oppressed people regardless of race.

Fair wages will help people of all races. Regulating the banks and Wall Street and making sure that corporations pay fair taxes on the profits they make in the US will also help people of all races.

[olddots]

5. why we call people who vote for Republicans dumb

Is because they ARE !

[secondvariety]

7. Florida still

has Bill Nelson as Senator. He's kind of a Democrat.

[thesquanderer]

9. Looks like Robert Reich wrote a post that could get banned at DU! (n/t)

[LuvNewcastle]

10. Our own little Torquemada would be asking Reich

if he is going to vote for the Democratic nominee, no matter who it is.

[Dont call me Shirley]

11. I have long wondered if this is the basis for the incessant political "Flip Flop" accusations.

[JI7]

12. the president bEing black is one reason for the losses

The dems who were still winning did so because they were getting some racist vote. But a black man being president made the racists less likely to support candidates of his party.

[JI7]

13. Reich is saying what many have been saying. fdr had racist support

To pass his pRograms .