General Discussion

raccoon

(31,105 posts) Tue Jun 10, 2014, 09:26 AM Jun 2014

After signing the Civil Rights Act, LBJ allegedly said, "We have lost the South for a generation",

anticipating that Southern whites would totally turn against the Democratic party.

A progressive co-worker of mine said Johnson was wrong. That the Democratic party lost the South for two generations.

Maybe things will change in my lifetime. One can only hope.

2 replies

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After signing the Civil Rights Act, LBJ allegedly said, "We have lost the South for a generation", (Original Post) raccoon Jun 2014 OP

I don't think Johnson anticipated how Republicans would cynically exploit racial resentments el_bryanto Jun 2014 #1

At that time the Republican Party was still the Party of Lincoln, rurallib Jun 2014 #2

el_bryanto

(11,804 posts)

1. I don't think Johnson anticipated how Republicans would cynically exploit racial resentments

Reply to raccoon (Original post)

Tue Jun 10, 2014, 09:30 AM

Jun 2014

Also, to be fair, he probably had a higher opinion of the south than was warranted, as he was, himself, a southerner.

Bryant

rurallib

(62,387 posts)

2. At that time the Republican Party was still the Party of Lincoln,

Reply to el_bryanto (Reply #1)

Tue Jun 10, 2014, 09:38 AM

Jun 2014

the Party that ended slavery and freed the slaves. Even though they had changed drastically the Lincoln legacy held on.
Plus for all practical purposes the old southern democrats may as well have been Republicans.

But I believe most didn't think the Republicans of the day would stoop so low as to openly court the racist faction.

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