Letters to the Editor
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hard road to hoe
On one hand- when the two best choices, this time around, for Democrats are an African-American and a woman, it's fair to consider the argument. But in a time when alignments are shifting in ways so subtle that an election wonk like Karl Rove can get fired for misreading tea leaves, I personally think Democrats need to be out there fighting for every single vote. Burning bridges is the way of the political neophyte. And I don't think white males are ultimately a constituency you can just blow off and hope to remain viable as a candidate or a party. It's a cute argument, but its also an exceedingly stupid one.
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Once upon a time
Every voter was a white male. The story of the U.S. electorate is the story of the expansion of voting rights first within and then beyond this group. The acquisition of voting rights tends to follow the acquisition of other things, such as economic power and social status.
Since the founding of the Republic, therefore, white males have always had voting rights. Relative to other groups, they have almost always had superior social status and economic power as well. When their economic and social hegemony has declined relative to other groups, the American WM has responded in different ways depending on his level of education and location (southern or non-coastal western vs. northern, midwestern or coastal western; rural vs. urban). The rising tide of American economic growth has lifted white males along with everyone else in some areas (the northeast, e.g.), but not in others (the rural south, e.g.).
Urban or non-southern/western white males with a college education simply cease to exist as a discrete voting bloc; they tend to vote like non-white non-males with similar levels of education in similar locations. It's not all white males that are a solid "NASCAR" voting bloc, only the ones that live in parts of the country where special circumstances--the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow, e.g.--have prevented anyone from rising very far. The end of segregation and the destruction of whatever pubic educational system that existed in the rural south (not much) through white flight left the so-called NASCAR bloc feeling left behind, besieged, and disempowered. This may be a fiction, but it's the one that many so-called Bubbas live by--guns and big, loud trucks make up for the women and the non-white folks taking our historical place in the power structure.
Long story short, the average NASCAR voter is living a different reality than the rest of us. There is no reason to pander to them because the appeals to testosterone and chronic feelings of victimhood that seem to be necessary when addressing them as a group are inconsistent with the kinds of things that progressives are trying to accomplish: a national agenda of mutual tolerance and shared purpose.
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What world are you living in?!
Most of the geeks that I see will not vote Democratic. They are strongly behind Ron Paul, and many are staunch Libertarians. Eggheads don't vote Democratic.
And, the term "eggheads" generally went out in the 80's.
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An ounce or two of truth, perhaps
I actually agree with Schaller's point in reference to presidential politics. Democrats are wasting their time and energy chasing socially conservative Bubbas.
However, there is a significant minority subset within the larger stereotype -- non-aligned Bubbas -- who love NASCAR, God, Country, the Flag, and Momma's home cooking -- but who also place economic interests above hot button social issues. These folks have helped to flip elections into the Democratic column in states such as Virginia -- most notably with Mark Warner, Jim Webb, and Tim Kaine. None of these politicians would have won statewide office had they simply relied on national demographic trends -- and all of them made a serious play for this vote (employing the assistance of experts in Bubbaology: political consultants Steve Jarding and Mudcat Saunders).
Warner actually employed the NASCAR sponsorship tactic to good effect in the gubernatorial race in 2001. It didn't hurt that he also had established business ties throughout the state. Webb highlighted his service to country and the Reagan administration in 2006. Kaine played up his missionary work, and, in a brilliant political stroke, highlighted his opposition to the death penalty (a net negative in Virginia) on the basis of deeply held religious beliefs (a net positive) in 2005 for the gubernatorial race.
The country, the state, and the Democratic party are better off for the fact that these politicians didn't take independents of the non-aligned Bubba variety for granted.
As far as 2008 goes, I think it's a given that no Democratic presidential candidate will win in the Deep South and that a candidate would be foolish to invest his or her resources heavily in these areas; however, I wouldn't be so quick to write off the south altogether -- especially in reference to statewide elections. The border states (of the Mason-Dixon variety) are very much up for grabs these days, and it would be ill-advised for the national party to overtly alienate voters whose economic interests are very much in-line with the priorities of the Democratic mainstream.
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One key is consistency and clarity
I am a southern, white, male, heterosexual, property owning, stock holding Catholic, who's been married to the same woman for - it'll be thirty years next summer, and I'm a father of a wonderful young lady now at FSU (GO 'Noles!). And I call myself a Liberal. Those who want to call me "Progressive", ok, I'll take that too. But I tell my acquaintances down here in East Central Florida - who are roughly 2:1 Republican and often Bible Bangers - that I'm a Liberal, and I can quote Scripture (often Matthew Chapter 25 "Whatsoever you do unto the Least of my Brothers, That you do unto ME") to tell them why.
Now I doubt that they would vote for me if I were to run for office. In fact, I can't point to a single individual whose political choices I've changed. So maybe I'd be a pretty lousy campaign consultant too. But I'll assure you of this - they respect me and know that I'm authentic and honest.
That's all you can ask from an office seeker. Show me your hand, no aces up the sleeve. No triangulation, no contradictory messages in front of different audiences, no pandering. That's the way to approach Floridians, and as well I think Pennsylvanians and Montanans, and all the rest.