Comments on: REALIGNMENT? http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/realignment/ Online Journal of Politics and Foreign Affairs Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:37:08 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/realignment/comment-page-1/#comment-7641 Anonymous Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=3743#comment-7641 I have always been a little catious of assuming that Latinos will vote democratic. While democrats are "advocates of the poor", light on immigration laws, etc., they don't actually back what is thought of as Latino attitudes: pro-religion, pro-family and fairly anti-abortion. As Latinos acquire more wealth and move into the middle class, my experience is that they generally vote republican. I have always been a little catious of assuming that Latinos will vote democratic. While democrats are "advocates of the poor", light on immigration laws, etc., they don't actually back what is thought of as Latino attitudes: pro-religion, pro-family and fairly anti-abortion. As Latinos acquire more wealth and move into the middle class, my experience is that they generally vote republican.

]]> By: Paul http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/realignment/comment-page-1/#comment-7642 Paul Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=3743#comment-7642 I think it is actually stronger than the number show. Especially in the south. I have a game I play with my dem friends. I ask, "So, why are you are Democrat?" After a long pause while they struggle to come up with anything that resembles an answer, I suggest... "Because your parents were Democrats?" Almost to a person they laugh and admit that is why. Republicans (in my neck of the woods) are like reformed smokers. They are republicans by choice and they strongly dislike their former party. Many of the Dems were "cultural dems" and never put any thought into it. The new breed of republicans is informed and passionate. That makes a big difference. I think it is actually stronger than the number show. Especially in the south.

I have a game I play with my dem friends. I ask, "So, why are you are Democrat?"

After a long pause while they struggle to come up with anything that resembles an answer, I suggest... "Because your parents were Democrats?"

Almost to a person they laugh and admit that is why.

Republicans (in my neck of the woods) are like reformed smokers. They are republicans by choice and they strongly dislike their former party.

Many of the Dems were "cultural dems" and never put any thought into it. The new breed of republicans is informed and passionate.

That makes a big difference.

]]> By: JW http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/realignment/comment-page-1/#comment-7643 JW Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=3743#comment-7643 Record voter turnout in Mississippi--and they elect a Republican governor, Lt. Gov. and treasurer. What was that again about Republicans only winning by suppressing voter turnout across the board? Record voter turnout in Mississippi--and they elect a Republican governor, Lt. Gov. and treasurer. What was that again about Republicans only winning by suppressing voter turnout across the board?

]]> By: James Joyner http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/realignment/comment-page-1/#comment-7644 James Joyner Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=3743#comment-7644 JW, Who's saying that, especially with regard to Mississippi? The Republican Party has been dominant in the Deep South for nearly 20 years now. The sizable black vote still tends heavily Democratic, but the white vote is usually over 70 percent GOP. JW,

Who's saying that, especially with regard to Mississippi? The Republican Party has been dominant in the Deep South for nearly 20 years now. The sizable black vote still tends heavily Democratic, but the white vote is usually over 70 percent GOP.

]]> By: JW http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/realignment/comment-page-1/#comment-7645 JW Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=3743#comment-7645 Conventional wisdom for years has been that Republicans want to limit the number of people voting so that they will have a better chance of winning. Witness all the fuss over voter ID in Mississippi and the charge that it's a Republican plot to keep voters from the polls. Even serious political pundits fall back on the old wives' tale that if it's raining on election day, Republicans do well since it depresses turnout. Well, record numbers of souls turned out to vote on a day clear as crystal--and we still have a Republican Gov. for only the second time since Reconstruction. MS is not so nearly as monolithically Republican as you think. (Very conservative, but not necessarily Republican) Witness Democrat Jim Hood's win over in the Atty Gen. race against a very well-financed Republican Scott Newton. The election was contested since the incumbent AG Mike Moore retired. Hood won by a 2-1 margin. meaning he garnered at least 20-30% voters that voted for Barbour at the top of the ticket. I think what we are seeing in MS is the development of an actual live two-party system, where the parties are finally reaching parity after years of Democratic dominance. Conventional wisdom for years has been that Republicans want to limit the number of people voting so that they will have a better chance of winning. Witness all the fuss over voter ID in Mississippi and the charge that it's a Republican plot to keep voters from the polls. Even serious political pundits fall back on the old wives' tale that if it's raining on election day, Republicans do well since it depresses turnout. Well, record numbers of souls turned out to vote on a day clear as crystal--and we still have a Republican Gov. for only the second time since Reconstruction.

MS is not so nearly as monolithically Republican as you think. (Very conservative, but not necessarily Republican) Witness Democrat Jim Hood's win over in the Atty Gen. race against a very well-financed Republican Scott Newton. The election was contested since the incumbent AG Mike Moore retired. Hood won by a 2-1 margin. meaning he garnered at least 20-30% voters that voted for Barbour at the top of the ticket. I think what we are seeing in MS is the development of an actual live two-party system, where the parties are finally reaching parity after years of Democratic dominance.

]]> By: James Joyner http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/realignment/comment-page-1/#comment-7646 James Joyner Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=3743#comment-7646 JW, I see what you're saying. I think it's generally true that light turnout favors Republicans, since Republicans tend to be more committed voters for demographic reasons. And, of course, most Southern Democrats are still essentially Republicans. --- JW,

I see what you're saying. I think it's generally true that light turnout favors Republicans, since Republicans tend to be more committed voters for demographic reasons. And, of course, most Southern Democrats are still essentially Republicans.

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