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| RACE BAIT AND SWITCH |
|
HAPPY BIRTHDAY B & UNCLE JIM!
It was very much a working weekend. It is amazing how busy everyone, including me, is here in New York. Multi-taking is a
must.
RACE BAIT AND SWITCH
I saw Kevin Phillips on a couple TV shows this weekend and went back to read some of his 1969 book, The Emerging
Republican Majority, where he gained widespread notoriety predicting the rise of the Republican party. It is astounding just
how accurately he described not only on what eventually happened, but how it was all part of one grand scheme.
One thing that struck me from his early book concerned the issue of civil rights. Republicans are fond of mentioning that
they are the "Party of Lincoln" and that their party was the force behind passing civil rights legislation in the 1960's. Both
statements are true.
For a generation I have witnessed the Republican party shamelessly use race to win elections. So, I usually shrug when
someone tries to make a point by raising these historic facts. I usually begin by pointing out that Lincoln was President an
incredibly long time ago. Too long, I think it is fair to say, to try to directly associate yourself with him. There are more current
politicians to compare yourself with.
As far as the 1960's Democratic party's resistance to civil rights legislation, I always remind my Red friends that those anti -
civil rights Southern Democrats moved over to the GOP - in large part because of that issue! From George Wallace to
Ronald Reagan, race baiting and black hating politicians used language and images to damage the Democratic Party and
grow the Republican party as part of a carefully planned "Southern Strategy".
What Phillips explained in 1969, was that this situation did not just happen to happen. Republicans realized they would
benefit if they supported civil rights. Then they could make it a political wedge issue. It was all planned. They knew that they
could use civil rights issues to peel off the rednecks from the Blue party. And that's just what they did.
Party of Lincoln? Not today's Republican Party.
It was very much a working weekend. It is amazing how busy everyone, including me, is here in New York. Multi-taking is a
must.
RACE BAIT AND SWITCH
I saw Kevin Phillips on a couple TV shows this weekend and went back to read some of his 1969 book, The Emerging
Republican Majority, where he gained widespread notoriety predicting the rise of the Republican party. It is astounding just
how accurately he described not only on what eventually happened, but how it was all part of one grand scheme.
One thing that struck me from his early book concerned the issue of civil rights. Republicans are fond of mentioning that
they are the "Party of Lincoln" and that their party was the force behind passing civil rights legislation in the 1960's. Both
statements are true.
For a generation I have witnessed the Republican party shamelessly use race to win elections. So, I usually shrug when
someone tries to make a point by raising these historic facts. I usually begin by pointing out that Lincoln was President an
incredibly long time ago. Too long, I think it is fair to say, to try to directly associate yourself with him. There are more current
politicians to compare yourself with.
As far as the 1960's Democratic party's resistance to civil rights legislation, I always remind my Red friends that those anti -
civil rights Southern Democrats moved over to the GOP - in large part because of that issue! From George Wallace to
Ronald Reagan, race baiting and black hating politicians used language and images to damage the Democratic Party and
grow the Republican party as part of a carefully planned "Southern Strategy".
What Phillips explained in 1969, was that this situation did not just happen to happen. Republicans realized they would
benefit if they supported civil rights. Then they could make it a political wedge issue. It was all planned. They knew that they
could use civil rights issues to peel off the rednecks from the Blue party. And that's just what they did.
Party of Lincoln? Not today's Republican Party.
| “Maintenance of the Negro voting rights in Dixie, far from being contrary to GOP interests, is essential if Southern conservatives are to be pressured into switching to the Republican Party – because Negroes are beginning to seize control of the Democratic Party in Black belt areas” KEVIN PHILLIPS, The Emerging Republican Majority |