Whistling Past Dixie: Tom Schaller

Dr. Thomas Schaller, Associate Professor of Political Science, talks about his book, Whistling Past Dixie: How Democrats Can Win Without the South. Once the "swing region" in American politics, the South is now firmly Republican and becoming more so with each election cycle. To forge a national majority, Democrats need to build a non-southern majority similar to the one the GOP used to dominate American politics from the Civil War through the start of the New Deal. Because the South is the most conservative region of the country, Democrats are better served by consolidating their control over the blue coastal states while improving their electoral performance in the Midwest and the increasingly competitive interior West. Then and only then can Democrats focus on restoring their lost southern glory.

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Education

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[poxamericana]

It is obvious you are a product of the Southern educational system. I am so impressed that you were able to get BMW to build a plant for you. Too bad the Germans would never let any of you fucktards design a car. Does the South have many high tech firms that innovate? We need to either evict these losers or completely re-pacify the entire region.

[southernman517]

if you are from the south and calling it shit you are shit this is over.

[greg2009]

Bringing up slavery as not being progressive Southman? I was kidding. Dude who uses the word yankee anymore?? The South has no gender gap in its voting, it has racially polarized voted, it is the least unionized, and is not multicultural. I'm favoring Democrats that is just how the South is. I am from the South and I know what I'm talking about. the South has the poorest and lowest funded schools, but it has the some of the nations best colleges, that is an oxymoron.

[southernman517]

no it is not. that is why there is a BMW plant in South Carolina. sleep number mattress plant in South Carolina. and a Mercedes plant in Alabama. there are many progressive things about the south and it is not the least progressive part of the country. and when i was in new york i saw videos on the news with people beating up old ladies. which is just completely wrong in so many ways. and the fact you are bring slavery up shows that you your self are not progressive.

[poxamericana]

Its about time!! I just hope the democrats come to their senses on this issue. The most important point here is "run unapologetically against the conservative South". Too bad the Democrats are too thick to understand this.

[803honda]

we are a seperate land of seperate people that deserve the right to self government. The north has done nothing but abuse, repress, destroy, and take advantage of the south since day one. yall are no diffrent than the brithish or roman empires that wished to rule the entire globe.

[greg2009]

Democrats need to focus on the "outer Southern States like Virginia, Florida, Georgia,and North Carolina. The demographics in these states are changing culturally. In about 15-20 years, I see progressive Democrats making inroads in the South. So, it will take another generation for the "Redneck Southerner" to die out. I see blacks making up a majority in Misissippi in 20 years. In GA, in 20 years Blacks/Hispanics will be the majority.

[greg2009]

The fact that you still refer to him as a Yankee justifies his arguement about the South. The South is least progressive region in the country. I saw some slaves and sharecroppers when I was traveling through South Carolina a couple of years ago! LOL!!

[hardmod777]

Please..please let us leave this union and empire.

[803honda]

imperial yankee bullshit