Southern Democrats: Gone with the Wind

TheCollegeConservative ^ | 01/24/2012 | Alan Groves

[Ohioan]

Thank you for posting this piece by a sound thinking young College conservative.

William Flax

[Maverick68]

bump

[wardaddy]

this fact drives those social moderates here who hate Dixie up the wall.....always has...

[TheBigIf]

I disagree with the premise that the Confederate democrats were mostly conservatives. I believe they would be more correctly defined as libertarians. They were radical and extreme in their views on individual liberty to the point of having an outlaw mentality and a disregard for the law.

It also leaves out the fact that the South was also heavily into populism. In fact, the Conferderate democrat party of the South around the time of the Civil War was not that much different then the demcorat party today. Many anti-Wall Street, anti-banker populists like the Peoples party of the old South and then many radical libertarians as well. Both the democrats then and now only liked the Constitution when it suited them and worked to destroy it when it suited them as well.

After the merger between the democrat party progressives and the democrat party populists for the election of Woodrow Wilson the South celebrated. The terrorist wing of the democrats was revitalized and the march onwards attacking the Constitution and attacking the rule of law went forward.

[DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis]

The South has definitely always been more conserative than the North.

And the democrat party of of the 1800s was much much different than the one we have today. The democrat party platform of 1856 said:

"That the Federal Government is one of limited power, derived solely from the Constitution; and the grants of power made therein ought to be strictly construed by all the departments and agents of the government; and that it is inexpedient and dangerous to exercise doubtful constitutional powers."

It then goes on to say that the federal government does not have the right to do this and that and etc. and also promises to uphold the principles laid down in the Kentucky and Virginia resolves.

On the other hand, the republican party, when it first came out, was the more progressive party and one of the first things they did upon gaining power was to try and raise taxes (whereas the democrat party was for lower taxes). I just have to groan most of the times that folks try to make comparisons between the parties as they are today and as they once were in the 1800s (such as making it seem that the republican party has always been strictly conservative and that the democrats have always been liberal). There is very little similarity.

[Randy Larsen]

Excellent read!

Thank you.

[Ohioan]

In the spirit of encouraging the revival of Southern Conservative intellectual traditions, here is link to one of Edgar Allan Poe's favorite short stories, written by an Uncle of Robert E, Lee's staff officer, General Longstreet, which illustrates a dry humor which probably influenced several major American Literary figures, over the next two generations: The Debating Society. It should cheer up those who appreciate dry American humor.

William Flax

[Colonel Kangaroo]

The real Southern conservatives were those who resisted the slave owners' secessionist power grab of 1860-61. Most of those true conservatives were Republicans and became the basis of GOP strongholds like East Tennessee.

[Ron C.]

As an avid history buff, I learned long ago that home of conservatism was in the Democrat Party, primarily located in the Southern states.

In the late 1800's the 'Progressives' were Republicans. It was in the early 1900's that leftist California governor Hiram Johnson succeeded in turning this nations political process on its head - moving political power from the people into the hands of sitting government. Few today have the least knowledge of just how much 'the people' lost as the policies that Johnson initiated in California spread across this nation during the 'Progressive' era.

The Progressives were soundly thrown out of office nationally - and they migrated to the Democrat Party, where the majority have resided to this day. However, there are many conservatives that have remained in the party of the Donkey - hoping to take it back, or to restrain it.

[Ohioan]

To suggest that the Democratic Party in the South, at the time of the terrible War of the 1860s, were "not much different than the democrat party today," is ludicrous.

The Democratic Party today, engages in the most vicious form of class warfare. They seek to redistribute the multi-generational, accumulated wealth of successful American families. In the old South, in total contrast, there was great respect for multi-generational achnievement; mutual respect between all levels of society, everyone from the greatest plantation owner down to the youngest field hand, so long as they behaved in a responsible manner. This is as close to an exact opposite to the demagoguery represented by Obama & others, as you will find.

There were many--not just in the South--who saw the pre-war Southern Culture as perhaps the last true civilization. The concept grew out of that mutual respect between diverse classes--the ability fight so well as they did, while outnumbered & without a serious fraction of the North's industrial capacity, reflected such moral strength.

Yes, most of them were libertarian in their philosophy, just as Washington, Jefferson, Madison, etc., were libertarian in their outlook. American Conservatism has very libertarian roots; while the South, culturally, has always been more tolerant of eccentricity, and hence more consistent with the general Libertarian Culture that emerged with the Revolution.

William Flax

[kalee]

placemarker

[Ohioan]

But, of course, you are much too kind--as a Southern Gentleman--calling a bunch of canting bigots, "social moderates." A social moderate would not seek to change any people's culture, against their will.

I call them a lot of things, but "moderate" is not one of them.

Cheers,

Bill

[manc]

it astounds me how most of the so called republicans up in the north east call themselves republicans.

They are socially liberal and therefore not a republican nor a conservative , infact especially a conservative.
The fact that Romney is saying he is a conservative is a prime example

[sr4402]

it astounds me how most of the so called republicans up in the north east call themselves republicans.

We in the South, and I live in Georgia, know exactly what Romney is. He is Obama light who wants to socialize our medical care with his Massachusetts special. If he increased the taxes there, he'll increase the taxes here. If he bowed to gay marriage there, he'll make it the law of the land here.

Obama is an Occupier (both begin with O) from the North (Chicago Style). Romney is a RINO (both begin with R), and is from the North (Massachusetts Style).

You can count on it.

[manc]

couldn’t agree more. Romney can not get this nomination at all.
We only have to see what has happened up there to know that.

BTW I love your state

[Lurking Libertarian]

So what changed? The parties or the people? The Democratic and Republican parties did not just miraculously “switch” as some historians have explained, nor did the people suddenly reject their principles. Rather, after a decade of 1960’s radicals, who promoted the Cultural Revolution and after the failure of the Carter administration, the South was swept away in the 1980 Reagan Revolution. Yes, the Democratic Party changed, but so did southerners.

The switch began well before the 1960s. Specifically, it began when the Democratic Party's national convention in 1948 adopted an anti-segregation platform (proposed by then-Minneapolis Mayor Hubert Humphrey), which led to Strom Thurmond and many other southern Democrats bolting the party. Thurmond ran for President in 1948 as an independent, but later joined the Republican party.

[Upstate NY Guy]

it astounds me how most of the so called republicans up in the north east call themselves republicans. They are socially liberal and therefore not a republican nor a conservative , infact especially a conservative. The fact that Romney is saying he is a conservative is a prime example

Don't confuse Northeast RINO politicians with Northeast Republican/Conservative citizens. There are plenty of solid Pro Life conservatives in the Northeast. They just don't run for national office that often.

[Atlantan]

Interesting article about Newt and the GOP in GA. Compare this to Mitt who left the MA Republican Party in shambles when he left.

http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/gingrich-fostered-georgia-gop-1303219.html