The Most Important Article You'll Read Today About The Democratic Party.

[UCmeNdc]

Ever wonder why all those folks in rural, “red” America still vote in droves for the same Republicans who brag about gutting the very social programs keeping them alive?


Snip.......

In one of the more insightful articles ever written about what motivates the rural poor to vote Republican, Alec MacGillis, who covers politics for ProPublica, took a tour through deep red America, asking the same questions. In an Op-Ed for today’s New York Times, MacGillis explains that it’s not all about guns and abortion that drives people in economically-depressed areas to vote Republican. In fact it’s something very basic to human nature, which the GOP exploits at every turn. And Democrats ignore it at their peril.

MacGillis’ first observation is that many people living in the nations’ more downtrodden areas—and specifically, the ones who benefit the most from programs such as Medicaid and Social Security Disability— are completely disconnected from the political process. They simply choose not to vote. Visiting a free medical clinic in Tennessee, MacGillis asked the people lined up how they felt about Obama. Contrary to his expectations he didn’t encounter hostility, Many people expressed support for the President. But practically none of them had bothered to vote:

https://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/11/21/1452751/-The-Most-Important-Article-You-ll-Read-Today-About-The-Democratic-Party?detail=emailclassic

[Scootaloo]

1. And the trend is to keep up the retreat

Howard dean had it 100% right when he was DNC chair. Instead of huddling in "strongholds" and hoping for the best, we need to be everywhere

[daleanime]

3. +1

[99th_Monkey]

2. K&R - and it's THESE very people Bernie is talking to, or trying to ...

and not let them be bamboozled into voting for tRump.

Shame on Sanders for wanting their votes

[wildeyed]

4. The Democratic Party has been chewing on this

problem since I have been paying attention. Jim Webb, the guy who dropped out of the presidential race early, was the "expert". http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2009/10/the-scots-irish-vote/27853/

So first, the article you post is mostly talking about Appalachian poor whites. They are mostly descendants of Scots-Irish. They live in areas that have always been economically depressed. Coal mining was the main economic driver. Wanna talk about poverty and capitalist greed? Horrible. And now coal mining is going and there is only tourism to take its place. But they REALLY still want to mine, which does not fit well with Sanders climate change and environmental positions.

People have been trying to figure out how to replace the coal mines with some other economic engine for, like, forever. This is not something that Bernie Sanders just thought up. And it is really difficult to address for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that fact that the people who live in these places don't seem to WANT the help. As was noted in the article. So what are you going to do?

If you are really concerned about their voting habits, go spend some time doing voter outreach see how it goes. But until you actually know people and respect the culture, it is condescending to pretend that you know what is best for them.

Also, if you went there right after the Charleston bombing (I drive through regularly), you would notice that there were suddenly Rebel Flags ALL OVER the place. So I could surmise that many residents are incredibly racist. Who does that? Put up flags that support a guy who shot a room full of church people? I hear the reasoning that they feel their way of life is being attacked, that they are scared, but still, I dunno how you plan to integrate those attitudes with the values of the modern Democratic party.

[madville]

5. Simple answer: God, Guns, and Racism

That's why they stick to the right.