American Polity by Serow

Readings for Apr 21

Serow #81 by Kenneth Baer; Reinventing Democrats (p595)

• Parties struggle with themselves as well as each other
• Article talks about how the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) was created by moderates who felt the Democratic stance was too liberal and worked to de-emphasize big gov
• Bill Clinton marked the change of the Dem party in his state of the union of reelection year – “the era of big gov is over”
• The reform of Dems to less liberal started in 1984 with the DLC after Dems lose ’84 election
• Strengthened Dems at expense of Reps
• How party and public philosophy changes
• Realignment describes that only a national crisis will prompt a critical election where voters are polarized
• Occurred in 1860 (Civil War) and 1932 (Great Depression)
• DLC effectiveness (initially limited: challenged by party liberals and also main party moves somewhat in their direction)
• DLC uses “big tent” strategy to blunt the attacks
• Influence increases after another Rep victory in ‘88
• Stop the “big tent” strategy and become aggressive and aim to become the main party’s leadership by getting a Pres elected – they convince Clinton to head DLC in return for using it as his springboard
• Clinton gets elected but uses old Dem way until 2 years later when Congress falls to Rep hands
• He embraces New Dem philosophy and wins reelection
• DLC is still trying to reshape the Dem party (very slow – no national crisis to catalyze it)
• New Dems are communitarian – internationalists
• New Dems want to reach out, not rely on special interests

Serow #82 by Earl and Merle Black; The Rise of Southern Republicans (p604)

• 1994 was the first time since ’52 that Repub had both houses of Congress
• Different because they had a majority in the north and south (usually just north)
• In 1950 only 2 of 150 southern congressman were repub
• Dems were elected to protect white supremacy
• Under Pres Johnson of TX, the Civil Rights Act of ’64 and Voting Rights Act of ’65 were passed
• Reformed southern race relations and destabilized the one-party (Dems) system in the south
• In 1964 Reps nominate Goldwater (northern senator who opposed Civil Rights Act)
• Gained southern white vote and lost black vote (influence still felt today)
• South more than just race; 30% of Americans live in formerly Confederate states
• The middle and upper classes are growing and they view Rep as more sympathetic to their economic interests
• Religion (religious right strongly pro Rep) and Gender (men strong Rep, women divided) also influence south
• After the Civil War in 1866, Reps were 90% of southern congressman; down to 20% by 1874
• Due to fraud, violence, intimidation, etc by Dems which ended Reconstruction when they came to power
• New Deal and Depression had little affect on south (Dems were already almost in absolute control)
• Old south Dems in the 60s were anti-Civil rights but as they left they were replaced by more racially conservative Dems
• Fed intervention in segregation helped Rep Pres immediately, but it took until the 80s for a Rep identification to occur
• Reagan had been a Dem and turned Rep late in life; knew how to appeal to white born-and-bred south Dems