Why Americans Hate Democrats—A Dialogue The unteachable ignorance of the red states.

Slate ^ | 11/04/04 | Jane Smiley

[ClintonBeGone]

The day after the election, Slate's political writers tackled the question of why the Democratic Party—which has now lost five of the past seven presidential elections and solidified its minority status in Congress—keeps losing elections. Chris Suellentrop says that John Kerry was too nuanced and technocratic, while George W. Bush offered a vision of expanding freedom around the world. William Saletan argues that Democratic candidates won't win until they again cast their policies the way Bill Clinton did, in terms of values and moral responsibility. Timothy Noah contends that none of the familiar advice to the party—move right, move left, or sit tight—seems likely to help. Slate asked a number of wise liberals to take up the question of why Americans won't vote for the Democrats. Click here to read previous entries.

[RipSawyer]

"Clinton pretended to have some morals and carried a bible for the camera"

Clinton carried a bible for photo ops and won twice, Kerry carried a shotgun for photo ops and lost, does this mean that hunters are smarter than churchgoers, uh oh they are the same people, this is becoming confusing, I need to consult with an astrologer.

[traviskicks]

I wrote a fairly long summary of welfare. Here is a summary of the highlights to get you interested, which then links to the main page:
http://www.neoperspectives.com/summary.htm

Here is an excerpt that kind of answers your question (the difference between (blue) illinois and (red) indiana is notable - cuz they are right next to each other). It begins while debunking the viewpoint of a liberal washington post columnnist:


This opinion piece is notable because it emphasizes the the racial demagoguery we've seen elsewhere and is even more potent because it comes from an African American. What is most interesting is that he has also has his facts skewered. This is worrisome because journalists are supposed to be 'objective'. However, this really just reinforces the standard conservative view that most journalists are not objective; they are liberals purporting to be objective. He says:

And when you look at the states of the Old Confederacy, where the largest percentage of black welfare recipients live, the African American proportion rises dramatically. (167)

Let me list the states with the high percentages of children on cash welfare (AFDC) out of total children in the state. The year is 1996, when his opinion piece was written:

District of Colombia 44.1%

California 20.3%

New York 17%

Rhode Island 16.5%

West Virginia 14.6%

Hawaii 14.5%

Illinois 14.4%

Michigan 13.9%

Connecticut 13.7%

Tennessee 13.7%

Ohio 13.4%

Of the top 10 states (+1 district) only Tennessee is in the south (a lot of which includes the 'whiter' Appalachia region). In fact, the only 'confederate states' with rates higher than the national average of 12.4% are Georgia (12.8%), Tennessee (13.7%), Mississippi (13.1%) and Louisiana (13.3%). (168)

Of course, he was stating that the percentage of African Americans on the Welfare rolls was greater in the south. It seems to me this is being almost as disingenuous as the Children's Defense fund in the statistics he is using. Let's examine where African Americans are located throughout the country in 2002:

3.6 million
Estimated black population of New York on July 1, 2002, the highest of any state. Four other states had black populations that surpassed 2 million: Florida, California, Texas, and Georgia. (169)

37%
The estimated proportion of Mississippi’s population that was black as of July 1, 2002, the highest percentage of any state in the nation. Louisiana (33%), South Carolina (30%), Georgia and Maryland (29 %), and Alabama (27%) followed. The District of Columbia, classified as a state equivalent by the Census Bureau, has a population that is 61% black. (169)

Colbert King doesn't say where he got his data from, but just from this raw data I found here it is clear that, at minimum, more African Americans are on Welfare in New York and California then in any southern state. The greatest percentage of African Americans on Welfare is in the District of Colombia. His attempt to disparage the south, an area which, despite being historically poorer, has lower percentages of it's children on welfare and is becoming a growing bastion of African American prosperity (probably for this reason) and then to link this to the Confederacy shows complete ignorance. Even if the Southern States had higher percentages of African Americans on their welfare rolls than the national average (which might indeed be the case) then these states have the most to gain - not loose- from Welfare Reform!

I wonder what Colbert King would think of blackenterprise.com's analysis (170):

Survey respondents placed a high priority on income earnings potential, cost of living, housing prices, and entrepreneurial opportunities. When BE first published this list in 2001, four of the top 10 cities were in the South. This year seven out of 10 are below the Mason-Dixon Line. Five out of 10 have a black mayor, and all have a black population of at least 25%.

Atlanta, Georgia, ranks as the No. 1 city for African Americans, driven primarily by entrepreneurial opportunities, earnings potential, and cultural activities. Future job growth is strong at 23%, and Atlanta is home to a high number of black-owned businesses. African Americans make up 61% of Atlanta’s population. (170)


Colbert King is only right about one thing: that African Americans would be the group most affected by Welfare Reform. What about other black leaders in and out of Congress? There must have been a curious alliance of African Americans, who traditionally vote 90% Democratic, and Republicans over the issue of Welfare Reform? Surely no African American leader would echo the Democrat party line against progress for their own people and constituents? African American leaders must have experienced the scourge of Welfare firsthand in their districts and be absolutely livid at the poverty and family dissolution that accompanied Welfare dependency?

Sadly, the exact opposite occurred. Mainstream African American leaders fought in favor of the continued subjugation of their own people. Again, this is how dangerous some of the ideas of liberalism are. It can brainwash even the leaders of the very people who have had welfare stomped on them for over 60 years, to the point where even their caring, educated standard bearers don't believe in the strength and competence of their own people. These African American leaders believed that poorer African Americans needed government help to fight their way out of poverty - that they would be unable to do it themselves. Caught up in their condescending compassion, they could not bring themselves to believe that the very help that they fought to bring their constituents, was the hopelessness and despair they sought to alleviate.

[RipSawyer]

"The Dims got it. Look at the current campaign. Everything about it was a lie. Everything"


What a mouthful you said.

[Grammy]

"If you are sufficiently ignorant, you won't even know how dangerous your policies are until they have destroyed you, and then you can always blame others."

"....red state types love to cheat and intimidate, so we have to assume the worst and call them on it every time."

So which is it? Are we so ignorant we can't walk and chew gum at the same time, or are we evil geniuses who out wit you every time? I love the north's tendency to drop a southerner's IQ by 60 points just on the basis of the accent. I have watched more farmers outwit some "elitist" just by playing on his "supposed" ignorance.

[freedumb2003]

That's what happened to Jimmy Carter—he asked Americans to take responsibility for their profligate ways, and promptly lost to Ronald Reagan, who told them once again that they could do anything they wanted.

BBBUUUAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Stagflation, Gas lines and Iran had nothing to do with it. Man, how sad it must be to be so wrapped up in yourself that you can't see the real world.

[RipSawyer]

"I have watched more farmers outwit some "elitist" just by playing on his "supposed" ignorance."

Almost forty years ago, I worked with someone who was fond of saying, "my daddy taught me a long time ago that it was easier to pick a Yankee than a bale of cotton".

[DaveMSmith]

What makes libs think they have this divine "intellectual insight" into the minds of people?

Because they are from 'self'. They have rejected the premise of a Divine creator, God. They believe they are god.

Their agenda is to purge America of all symbols and free religious speech concerning God: school prayer, 10 Commandments, Nativity displays and remove 'In God We Trust' from our currency.

The left cannot bear seeing these symbols because they feel the guilt and shame for their sins. They claim it 'offends them' which is just a lie. The left has guilt. Lots of it.

It follows that they could hate and despise our President. They knew the propoganda was false but used it anyway because they could not stand the thought of someone with true moral convictions leading this nation. They label him 'Hitler'. They are afraid their 'choices' will be limited by law. God's law is a foundation for our Constitution. They wish to destroy the Constitution for their own immoral mission: Turn the United States into Hell.

Citing Bill Clinton's 'moral values' is the most insane thing I have ever heard. That 'President' desecrated the office of President, sending this entire nation on a headlong slide to Hell.

The President's character values and faith is a barometer of where we stand in God's eyes. The electorate is moved by the spirit. The results, campaign process and election night give us insight to many secrets of Heaven. I personally believe God has made Himself well known since the 2000 election and recount. Just as promised. I was compelled to join FR to be a part of the process this time.

The liberal left operates from their selves... from the flesh... from their own wills and not God's. They almost gained control: we have to bear witness to this and expose it so it never happens again. It was a time of great spiritual darkeness upon the earth.

The Lord leads us all in his own way. These are historic times. See the left [behind] for what they are. Look closely at them and what they do and look with ourselves and try to identify similar behavior. I did that during the campaign with John Kerry and was horrified to realize that I did some things just like him. His upbringing was similar to mine. I had 'rich' relatives that I envied for their wealth. I told 'stories' to impress people... I found many similar things - I got more involved in the campaign because God was showing me my own faults. And I have repented them as sins and have asked for God's mercy and redemption.

I wasn't worried about the outcome because I knew I would be at peace with myself in a good place after it was over. And that has happened. I know that things are not in my control or anyone elses.

[Liberty Valance]

I would politely suggest the author watch "Gangs of New York" before passing judgement on the great unwashed of the plains.

[DemforBush]

Unbelievable. This woman is exactly the reason President Bush won my support for re-election. What condescending drivel!

[willyboyishere]

"the red forces, then known as the slave-power..."
---that's all anyone needs to read to know that Jane
Smiley is a moron. Gotta love this self-serving, cut-to-the-chase way of presenting an "argument".

[DaveMSmith]

I would suggest:

Psalm 9
¹⁹ Arise, O LORD , let not man triumph;
let the nations be judged in your presence.
²⁰ Strike them with terror, O LORD ;
let the nations know they are but men.
Selah

[willyboyishere]

Same Jane Smiley, but now her repertoire extends from incest, plots purloined from Shakespeare, all the way to
horses and the occasional appearance on Garrison Keillor's
PBS show Prairie Home Companion.

[Chode]

how do i hate thee??? let me count the ways...

[CharacterCounts]

I am very encouraged by this article, and numerous others written by liberal writes, appearing on Free Republic over the past several days.

It verifies that the Dems still don't get it. I have high hopes for 2006 and beyond.

[Constantine XIII]

Dude, i've been saying it for years.

Mexican food is conservative food. :)

It's only a matter of time before Hispanics see how kooky the Dems are. That, combined with a natural social conservatism, will put them firmly in our camp.

JMHO, of course!

[Poser]

Hey Jane!

We don't vote for Democrats because of people like you! We don't want to be associated with an irrational hate group and that is what the Democrat party has become.

I seem to recall the mantra of the Dems in 1996: "Mean Spirited"

The Dems spouted it with every spewing of their talking points. What they were really doing was describing themselves.

[John Lenin]

Give me an hour with this woman and I'd have her talking to herself for days. She would understand the concept of critical thinking after I got through with her.

[SittinYonder]

we'd really like to see them join us for a better america.

I agree. What I see in the results of this election is that we've got a lot of work to do to show people why smaller government, a strong military, lower (or no) income taxes, fewer nanny state benefits and all the rest is not good for us as individuals and not good for us as a country.

I'm wallowing in a joyous post election victory as much as anyone, but we've got to convert these folks.

Plus, it wouldn't hurt them at all to not be so hostile toward Christians :-)

[Sergio]

Let's make it simple.

1. To win an election, you have to have more people voting for you than for the other guy.

2. Give the majority of the people what they want and the majority of people will vote for you. It's that easy.

Here is a list of some of the things that around 59 million voting Americans want.

The majority of voting Americans believe that marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman and that babies should be born rather than killed. They feel that if their underage child cannot have a surgical procedure or even a tattoo without their consent, that the same rule should apply to their child wanting an abortion.

They also want to keep their guns, and feel that they shouldn’t have to check with and get their neighbors approval to shoot the deranged individual who just broke into their home intent on killing them or members of their family. Strangely enough, they feel the country shouldn’t have to either. They want our military and intelligence agencies to have the tools and funds they need to keep our country safe, and they want the fight against the bad guys to happen in the bad guy’s living room, not theirs.

The majority of voting Americans would like to be able to run a small business without being taxed or regulated out of existence, as a matter of fact, most voting Americans would love to pay the same tax rate as the Kerry’s did on a reported $5 million income, 12%. As to the use of said tax money, most voting Americans want to break the public education monopoly so they can take their children out of a bad schools and place them in good schools be they public or private, and while most folks are ready and willing to help those in need, they prefer to see their tax money used for a hand up rather than a hand out.

The majority of voting Americans will welcome into their home/country anyone who comes to the front doors, knocks, and asks for permission to enter, but for some unknown reason, don't take too kindly to someone who jimmies the back door while the home owner isn't looking, enters the house/country, eats all the food and then, gets a lawyer to inform the homeowner that a)he will have to give up more of his income to support the uninvited guest, and b) he will be arrested if he tries to make the uninvited guest leave.

The majority of voting Americans want judges who are dedicated to truth and justice, not social engineering. The majority believes the Constitution means what it says, just like the 10 Commandments, and that neither is open to "nuanced interpretation". They are also of the belief that what makes this country great is freedom of religion not freedom from religion.

So to the Democrats I say, take a stand, do what is morally right, and you just might start winning elections.

Best Regards

Sergio

[HomeschoolGenealogistMom]

I suppose that they will never believe that the Democrats lost the election because we just want to be left alone to enjoy our freedoms. It is that simple. We want to be free from fear that we will be attacked by Bin Laden's type. We want to be free to worship as we please. We want to be free to raise our children in a reasonably decent atmosphere. We want to be free to choose our own healthcare and doctors. We want to be free to invest our money as wisely as we can. We want to be free to worship God- in public or private, as we believe is right.
We don't want to change America. We just want the freedoms Americans have had for many years- that are threatened today by many Democrats. It is simple.