General Discussion

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,588 posts) Sat Oct 17, 2015, 03:56 PM Oct 2015

William Greider on Nixon's Southern Strategy.....and why it matters today.

http://www.thenation.com/article/why-todays-gop-crackup-is-the-final-unraveling-of-nixons-southern-strategy/

Fresh chatter among Washington insiders is not about whether the Republican Party will win in 2016 but whether it will survive. Donald Trump—the fear that he might actually become the GOP nominee—is the ultimate nightmare. Some gleeful Democrats are rooting (sotto voce) for the Donald, though many expect he will self-destruct.

Nevertheless, Republicans face a larger problem. The GOP finds itself trapped in a marriage that has not only gone bad but is coming apart in full public view. After five decades of shrewd strategy, the Republican coalition Richard Nixon put together in 1968—welcoming the segregationist white South into the Party of Lincoln—is now devouring itself in ugly, spiteful recriminations.

The abrupt resignation of House Speaker John Boehner was his capitulation to this new reality. His downfall was loudly cheered by many of his own troops—the angry right-wingers in the House who have turned upon the party establishment. Chaos followed. The discontented accuse party leaders of weakness and betraying their promises to the loyal rank and file.

At the heart of this intramural conflict is the fact that society has changed dramatically in recent decades, but the GOP has refused to change with it. Americans are rapidly shifting toward more tolerant understandings of personal behavior and social values, but the Republican Party sticks with retrograde social taboos and hard-edged prejudices about race, gender, sexual freedom, immigration, and religion. Plus, it wants to do away with big government (or so it claims).

13 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

William Greider on Nixon's Southern Strategy.....and why it matters today. (Original Post) CaliforniaPeggy Oct 2015 OP

K&R! marym625 Oct 2015 #1

we the people have changed olddots Oct 2015 #2

The institutional Repig party is leaking like a hifiguy Oct 2015 #3

Interesting, and as I read this I received this, from Donna Edwards' campaign. elleng Oct 2015 #4

That's great news, my dear elleng! CaliforniaPeggy Oct 2015 #5

YES, yank! elleng Oct 2015 #6

HRC seems to be relying on those same states to stop Sanders n/t n2doc Oct 2015 #7

Kind of a must read article... Wounded Bear Oct 2015 #8

My thought exactly! CaliforniaPeggy Oct 2015 #9

The Republicons don't want to do away with big government. They, along with cpompilo Oct 2015 #10

K&R nt Lionel Mandrake Oct 2015 #11

The end for the Republican party was when they threw the Country Western voters under Mitts bus. Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2015 #12

It's not just that the Republican party has stood still, it's that it's moved crazily ever rightward Arugula Latte Oct 2015 #13

marym625

(17,997 posts)

1. K&R!

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Sat Oct 17, 2015, 03:57 PM

Oct 2015

olddots

(10,237 posts)

2. we the people have changed

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Sat Oct 17, 2015, 04:11 PM

Oct 2015

the machine doesn't change and gets in the way of progress sometimes .

hifiguy

(33,688 posts)

3. The institutional Repig party is leaking like a

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Sat Oct 17, 2015, 04:25 PM

Oct 2015

submarine with screen doors. But it will continue its zombie stagger as long as the oligarchs and their ever-slavish M$M keep propping it up and the gerrymandering continues unabated.

elleng

(130,865 posts)

4. Interesting, and as I read this I received this, from Donna Edwards' campaign.

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Sat Oct 17, 2015, 04:38 PM

Oct 2015

Donna is running for Barbara Mikulski's senate seat in Maryland:

'Wanted to make sure everyone saw this from the The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report following Friday’s Washington Post poll showing Donna ahead:

“The [primary] in Maryland reflects the division in the national Democratic Party, where the progressive, populist wing of the party, embodied by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and the presidential candidacy of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, is challenging the party’s more pragmatic wing, which progressives insist is too close to Wall Street and big banks.”
Together, we’re redefining the narrative and building a movement that can have a big impact on the future of the entire Democratic Party.

We need to seize on this moment and send a message that we’re done with the same old establishment politicians -- it’s time for leaders like Elizabeth Warren who fight for everyday people.

If you’re ready to keep fighting with Donna, chip in $50 or whatever you can one more time at this critical moment. We can’t win this fight without a strong grassroots movement.

. . .

We’re winning this race because Donna is standing strong for the people and for her progressive values. And the numbers show the grassroots are ready to fight with her.

At the end of September we surpassed 22,000 contributions, 94% of those were under $100. This is the fastest growth ever for a Maryland statewide campaign. And we’re doing it without the billionaires and special interests.

But we need to keep up that momentum. If we organize together, we can send a message to the entire country.

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,588 posts)

5. That's great news, my dear elleng!

Reply to elleng (Reply #4)

Sat Oct 17, 2015, 04:49 PM

Oct 2015

Best of luck to Donna Edwards, the state of Maryland, and all of us!

elleng

(130,865 posts)

6. YES, yank!

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Reply #5)

Sat Oct 17, 2015, 04:52 PM

Oct 2015

n2doc

(47,953 posts)

7. HRC seems to be relying on those same states to stop Sanders n/t

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Sat Oct 17, 2015, 05:47 PM

Oct 2015

Wounded Bear

(58,647 posts)

8. Kind of a must read article...

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Sat Oct 17, 2015, 06:24 PM

Oct 2015

lot of good historical insight along with some hope for a more progressive future.

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,588 posts)

9. My thought exactly!

Reply to Wounded Bear (Reply #8)

Sat Oct 17, 2015, 06:25 PM

Oct 2015

cpompilo

(323 posts)

10. The Republicons don't want to do away with big government. They, along with

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Sat Oct 17, 2015, 06:25 PM

Oct 2015

neoliberals in the Democratic party, insist on the U.S. becoming a corporate welfare state, replacing the social welfare state of FDR - something I resist to my dying breath. Resisting the dismantling of the social welfare state in favor of a corporate welfare state is critical to the continuation of the middle class in the U.S., and is but one reason why I am supporting Bernie Sanders for president.

Lionel Mandrake

(4,076 posts)

11. K&R nt

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Sat Oct 17, 2015, 10:03 PM

Oct 2015

Spitfire of ATJ

(32,723 posts)

12. The end for the Republican party was when they threw the Country Western voters under Mitts bus.

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Sat Oct 17, 2015, 10:56 PM

Oct 2015

Arugula Latte

(50,566 posts)

13. It's not just that the Republican party has stood still, it's that it's moved crazily ever rightward

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Sat Oct 17, 2015, 11:02 PM

Oct 2015

so that what used to be the far fringe is now "mainstream" Republican. And the country has moved the other direction.

Yet, these lowlife fascist creeps still retain power well beyond their numbers, because they are ruthless and they cheat.

Reply to this discussion