What does this even mean?
Of course it is a term all us political junkies have heard and used for years and years--this is nothing new. But the icing on the cake for me must have been the West Virginia primary, and the anecdotal interviews with those infamous "hard-working, white, blue collar" voters. Some of the comments were so blatantly racist it made me sick. Some of the comments I heard were unprompted; people were asked about voting generally, and, despite not being prompted about race, said things like they would never vote for a "colored" (and of course much worse--that's the kind of stuff they'd say to a reporter and then would make the airwaves).
So when I heard one more reference to "wooing the Reagan Democrats", I had a severe twang of "Why???!!!??" I know you've got to 'build a broad coalition to win', but ... words escape me. If you're undecided you must not be thinking about it too hard is all I can say.
Have you ever heard the phrase a "Kennedy Republican" (Maria and Arnold aside)? Guess what: a "Reagan Democrat" is no more a Democrat than a "Kennedy Republican" is a Republican.
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3 comments:
I agree - at one time the term "Reagan Democrat" may have had some relevance. I think many southerners who had traditionally voted Democrat simply switched and found themselves to be what I consider to be black Republicans. They are Republicans and that is that. The Democratic party is (I hope) one of inclusiveness, and I certainly don't think you can call a true Democrat racist or sexist - our two top contenders for Presidential candidates are a black man and a woman. I don't want to appeal to people like those interviewed in West Virgina. What makes them any different than the Rev. Wright, except that they are polar opposites? If those are their views, we would never agree on much of anything, and I would reject, renounce and repudiate a candidate who pandered to them.
Dad and I are very proud and pleased with both you and Barb! You are absolutely correct in that there is no such thing as a "Reagan Democrat". They are simply Republicans who are voting in the Democratic primaries - and I wish they would get the heck out of our party. They neither think nor vote like we do and no business calling themselves Democrats!
You guys said it better than me. I accept, approve, adopt and affirm your comments.
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