The sensible liberal's quandry made easy

[Imran Siddiqui]

But seriously, the South has been mostly Democratic.

Yep, last year at this time, Georgia had TWO Democratic Senators and a Democratic Governor. Democrats were totally in charge. A historic couple of upsets led to one of those Senators and the Governor to be Republicans (first Republican Governor since Reconstruction).

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
DD: Even though that destroys his position that the South will vote for anyone with 'Republican' written next to him?

If I had cared to I could have destroyed it by pointing to the current Governor of MS.

However I don't think that Dean would have much of a chance in carrying the South.

[The Templar]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

And lets face it, most of the south - mouthbreathers that they are - would vote for Stalin if he ran on the Republican ticket.

Ah, another bashing of the South without facts . You do realize there are plenty of Democrats in office over the South right? Senators, Governors, you name it.

Actually, I'm thinking mostly of Texas (especially the Dallas Metroplex), Alabama, North Louisiana, and Mississippi. I've lived in Texas and Louisiana (and had many students from Mississippi and Alabama) so I know the attitude (especially in Dallas) and have the facts.

Besides, wasn't Georgia the state where the people threw out a triple amputee from Vietnam because he wasn't patriotic? Yet they love Bush - Mr. Draft Dodger - who was too drunk and coked up to even make it to air guard duty. That speaks volumes about the integrity of Georgia. Then of course there was the governor who won in part by promising to hold a referendum on the flag. Of course, business feared a NAACP boycott, so the governor reneged on his promise by not putting the old racist flag on the referendum ballot. And I bet every one of those rubes will vote for the Republican again.

And yes, Bush is a right wing nut - he just disguises it well since he would like to be a two term president (unlike his daddy). But Bush is an obnoxious combination of big business (not libertarian - Bush loves corporate welfare) and homophobic anti-woman right-wing Christianity. If you want to see just how evil Bush is, we would need a second term. Because once the need for reelection is gone, Bush will be free to pursue his pogrom without the nicey-nice rhetoric and restraint.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Originally posted by The Templar


Lieberman won't get the base out, and the people who would vote for Lieberman would rather vote for Bush. Although Lieberman might give the Greens a 30% showing if he is the Dem nominee.

"The base" is too damned lazy to vote anyway. That's why there's always this wailing and gnashing of teeth in the democratic party about turnout, and the conventional wisdom about high turnouts favoring the Democrats, because Republican voters make a point of voting. Maybe if we had voting the same day and place as picking up the welfare check, more of "the base" would deign to get off their asses and vote?

If you have to pander to a bunch of ass-sitters who can't decide if they'd rather bother going three blocks for a few minutes to vote, you're already screwed.

The greens are lucky to get their two percent looney fringe protest vote, and that's it.

As for defeating Bush, that chances of that happening increase geometrically with every troop killed in Iraq after that "Mission Accomplished" banner on the carrier. It also increase with each new joblessness report. At the rate things are going, a ham sandwich will be able to beat Bush everywhere but the south.

Actually, the problem is that the Dems are likely to put up a candidate who's even worse than a ham sandwich.

And lets face it, most of the south - mouthbreathers that they are - would vote for Stalin if he ran on the Republican ticket.

Mouth breathing is a sign of doing good, honest, hard work. And ol' Joe is a bit too pro-labor union and pro-big government, thank you.

[The Templar]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

But seriously, the South has been mostly Democratic.

Yep, last year at this time, Georgia had TWO Democratic Senators and a Democratic Governor. Democrats were totally in charge. A historic couple of upsets led to one of those Senators and the Governor to be Republicans (first Republican Governor since Reconstruction).

This demographic has switched since the Republicans started talking about states rights (i.e. the right of a state to not implement civil rights measures) and the Democrats took up the banner of civil rights.

Since Reagan implemented his obnoxious Southern Strategy, the white South has been flocking to the Republican party.

And we'll see if Mississippi still has a Democratic governor after the next election.

[The Templar]

Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat
Actually, the problem is that the Dems are likely to put up a candidate who's even worse than a ham sandwich.

This is probably true. Or at least that's how I felt before Dean started gaining so much ground.

Mouth breathing is a sign of doing good, honest, hard work. And ol' Joe is a bit too pro-labor union and pro-big government, thank you.

Uh, unions are a good thing. They promote pairity of bargaining power between workers and management. Oh wait, I see, you don't like pairity of bargaining power. Damn worjers! Trying to get paid what they are worth!

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by The Templar
And we'll see if Mississippi still has a Democratic governor after the next election.

That depends on how skillful a politician Musgrove is. There's a reason why the election of Fordice was historic here.

[The Templar]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
That depends on how skillful a politician Musgrove is. There's a reason why the election of Fordice was historic here.

You're in Mississippi!?

That explains it ...

[Imran Siddiqui]

wasn't Georgia the state where the people threw out a triple amputee from Vietnam because he wasn't patriotic?

Then of course there was the governor who won in part by promising to hold a referendum on the flag. Of course, business feared a NAACP boycott, so the governor reneged on his promise by not putting the old racist flag on the referendum ballot. And I bet every one of those rubes will vote for the Republican again.

Your ignorance of the situation is Georgia is astounding .

Max Cleland (the triple amputee) was defeated very narrowly because he didn't back all of the Homeland Security bill. It didn't have much to do with patriotism but with a vote on a bill. Though some idiots thought because that since Cleland was a war hero he should get critisized at all .

As for the Governor thing. Most of those 'rubes' voted Democrat in the past. And you know, probably will again. Governor Perdue did put the old flag to a vote in the Legislature (where it would need to pass in order to become a referendum). It failed and the new flag (the Confederate political flag) passed. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Perdue lost in the next election.

Actually though the main reason the Democrat Governor Barnes lost in the last election was because the Teachers' Union was against him and voted against him in high numbers (and they usually back Democrats). He pissed them off greatly.

Oh, and Senator Zell Miller (D-Ga) will probably never be voted out of office. He can probably stay as long as Strom did .

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by The Templar
You're in Mississippi!?

I've never hid that.

[Imran Siddiqui]

You're in Mississippi!?

That explains it ...

You're just full of tact and politeness aren't you .

Now I remember why I dislike most of my Northern breathern.

[monolith94]

"Mouth breathing is a sign of doing good, honest, hard work."

I can't believe Michaelthegreat actually ADVOCATED mouth breathing!!! You rightists really are INSANE!

Sure, Dean may not have a great chance with the south, but then again, gore didn't carry any southern states either, and he came close to winning.

Howard Dean has alot more charisma than Gore, and I think he would do well going national. He is the most popular democratic candidate among online voters.

[Spiffor]

What does "mouthbreathing" mean ?

[Imran Siddiqui]

I don't have any clue either Spiffor. Maybe I'll type it into Google .

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
However I don't think that Dean would have much of a chance in carrying the South.

Is there a single Democrat that would have a chance in the South against Bush?

On the other hand, think of all the states Gore carried in 2000. I can't see any reason why Dean wouldn't carry every one of those states, with the exceptions of Pennsylvania and New Mexico. Plus, I'd wager he'd pick up New Hampshire and West Virginia, and possibly Ohio.