Is the South again becoming politically isolated from the rest of America?
The New Yorker has a provocative story out in which it asks whether the American South is once again becoming politically isolated from the rest of the U.S.
It notes that on the recent “fiscal cliff” vote, most House Republicans outside the South voted in favor of the bill, while House Republicans from the South voted overwhelming against it. (The Los Angeles Times also looked at this regional split.)
The story goes on to observe that for a time, the South seemed to be becoming more integrated into American society — with a string of presidents (Carter, Bush 41, Clinton, Bush 43) who were either from the South or at least lived in the South (Bush 41).
But now, the New Yorker says:
Now the South is becoming isolated again. Every demographic and political trend that helped to reëlect Barack Obama runs counter to the region’s self-definition: the emergence of a younger, more diverse, more secular electorate, with a libertarian bias on social issues and immigration; the decline of the exurban life style, following the housing bust; the class politics, anathema to pro-business Southerners, that rose with the recession; the end of America’s protracted wars, with cuts in military spending bound to come. The Solid South speaks less and less for America and more and more for itself alone.
There’s even a brief reference to Roanoke in it.
You can find the story here.
Let us know what you think.
January 14, 2013 - 5:11 PM
That was a terrible article….I don’t know who should be more ashamed the author or the person that put it on Blue Ridge Caucus. Shaking my head…..really??? Dwayne Yancey….
Diehard southerners can’t handle the truth.
Truth is painful, Jason.
Gdud..what would you possibly know about the truth..you and your ilk turn your back to anything that upsets your ideological bubble .
#2…Diehard Southerners ? The truth isn`t always painless, but it is the truth…Another name for it is reality…something you obviously have a problem with.
“As its political power declines, the South might occupy a place like Scotland’s in the United Kingdom, as a cultural draw for the rest of the country, with a hint of the theme park.”
Ouch. It certainly isn’t a “terrible article”…like every single other thing in the New Yorker, it’s well-written and thought-provoking. You don’t have to agree with it for it to stimulate conversation.
1) The article is terrible in itself.
2) Why would you republish it?
3) WHO CARES IF IT IS BECOMING ISOLATED!
SORRY I DO NOT WANT TO BE ASSIMILATED INTO YOUR LIBERAL, GODLESS, BARBARIAN CULTURE.
That’s ok, Jason. We didn’t want you anyway.
Ah, look, Dolto is back making no sense whatsoever. What a joy.
SORRY I DO NOT WANT TO BE ASSIMILATED INTO YOUR LIBERAL, GODLESS, BARBARIAN CULTURE.
Comment by Jason — January 15, 2013 @ 2:20 pm
Oh. You mean the one that doesn’t consider the KKK just a social club for the good ole boys and that driving around in a pickup with a gun rack and a bushmaster hanging on it isn’t a necessary requirement for manhood?