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bill wolfe's avatar

The Dems' betrayal of labor and abandonment of the New Deal coalition began under LBJ -

Civil rights and Vietnam were exploited by Nixon's Southern strategy and attacks on the hippies. That was the origin of both the culture wars and the beginning of Neoliberal political economy. Those cultural and political moments were consolidated and organized into a Strategy by the 1971 Powell Memo.

And, as Caitlin says, here we are.

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michael888's avatar

Nixon's "Southern Strategy" for Republicans was actually a failure in 1968, even though he won. George Wallace, a Democrat, won five of the Southern states. Republican Nixon won the Midwest and California in an electoral landslide.

In 1972 Nixon won 49 states.

In 1976 Democrat Jimmy Carter won fewer states than Republican Gerald Ford, but did win all Southern states.

So the mythical Republican Southern Strategy was done.

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Patrick Powers's avatar

Seems to be working pretty well these days.

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