Poor Rand Paul!!

[lazarus]

Republican Senate nominee Rand Paul – and the GOP leaders newly lashed to him – are scrambling to control the damage from interviews in which he’s questioned whether the government should prevent private businesses from discriminating against racial minorities.

Paul issued a statement Thursday afternoon saying he was the victim of baseless liberal attacks, and he stated “unequivocally” that he “will not support any efforts to repeal the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”

And in a damage-control interview with conservative radio talk show host Laura Ingraham, Paul seemed to indicate he actually was supportive of at least some elements of the original law.

"There was a need for federal intervention to say that you can't have segregation, that we shouldn't be doing that," he said.

There was no rush in Washington to lend Paul a hand. Instead, GOP leaders seemed more anxious to ensure that the Senate candidate didn't hijack the party's message and send it back 45 years.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/37550.html#ixzz0oWVWHd1R

[Dr. Shane]

It was primarily the Southern Democrats that opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Most of those Southern Democrats later became Republicans as the liberal wing of the Democratic Party gained more influence in the South. So even today some prejudice can be found among some parts of the Republican Party in Southern states.

However I don't blame it all on racism. Some of it is the Libertarian ideology of not giving big government control. They would oppose the Civil Rights law because it tells an employer who they can and cannot hire. A Baptist church member that owns a factory cannot just hire other Baptists from his local church. That runs against the Libertarian fabric of some Southern Republicans. That said, I don't think most Southern Republicans think that way.

[karl]

It was primarily the Southern Democrats that opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Most of those Southern Democrats later became Republicans as the liberal wing of the Democratic Party gained more influence in the South.

Hmmm. Is that why the south is still Democrat? Because everyone in the south converted to Republican?

The states in which racism was the strongest - Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia - are all still dominated by the Democratic party. Here in Arkansas, there is rarely even a non-Democrat candidate on the ballot for most offices. They run unopposed.

Ever heard of a yellow dog Democrat? We've got a lot of em here in Arkansas.

[lazarus]

Most of those Southern Democrats later became Republicans as the liberal wing of the Democratic Party gained more influence in the South. So even today some prejudice can be found among some parts of the Republican Party in Southern states.

When conservatives point out that it was southern democrats that voted against the civil rights act they somehow neglect to mention where these folks found a home. I don't believe it was all racism either. It's interesting to hear the different arguments that were used against the civil rights legislation. WF Buckley argued desegregation was unconstitutional but of course he later changed his mind. My guess is that some conservatives may still hold Buckley's position but of course it's not a popular one.

I wonder if there is a philosophical connection between those who argued for the retention of slavery, segregation, who were against social security, and now health care reform. This not necessarily about racism but about the protection of vested interests. Follow the money.

I like Rand Paul . He think he was simply being honest about his positions. It was fun to see GOP leaders squirm, though.

It's interesting that if the Rand Paul argument had had its way then we could still have a situation where Walgreen is still segregated in the south or bathrooms at a gas stations in Georgia would not be open to African Americans.

[lazarus]

He has every right to. I like his honesty and straightforwardness with out the rancor that sometimes comes from politicians.

[phkrause]

He has every right to. I like his honesty and straightforwardness with out the rancor that sometimes comes from politicians.

I agree Lazarus with your post.

pk

[Dr. Shane]

Originally Posted By: Shane

It was primarily the Southern Democrats that opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Most of those Southern Democrats later became Republicans as the liberal wing of the Democratic Party gained more influence in the South.

Hmmm. Is that why the south is still Democrat? Because everyone in the south converted to Republican?

No. The reason many southern states are controlled by Democrats is because blacks and minorities gained access to the voting booth after the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As the blacks and other minorities became a greater part of the Democratic party in the South, the racists started moving into the Republican Party. I do not want to be misinterpreted as saying southern Republicans are racist. The overwhelming majority are not. However the few white racists left in the South that are politically active look to make their home in the Republican Party.

[karl]

No. The reason many southern states are controlled by Democrats is because blacks and minorities gained access to the voting booth after the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As the blacks and other minorities became a greater part of the Democratic party in the South, the racists started moving into the Republican Party. I do not want to be misinterpreted as saying southern Republicans are racist. The overwhelming majority are not. However the few white racists left in the South that are politically active look to make their home in the Republican Party.

I disagree with your analysis. I LIVE here! Every racist I've met here in Arkansas (and there are still quite a few of them) is a Democrat. You know why? Because the vast majority of citizens here - racist or not - is Democrat. The population is 82% white, so it would be IMPOSSIBLE, Shane, for blacks to have any major effect on the makeup of the Democratic party. What you wrote is certainly not true here.

Arkansas has only elected one Republican to the U.S. Senate since Reconstruction, Tim Hutchinson, who was defeated after one term by Mark Pryor. The State General Assembly has not been controlled by the Republican Party since Reconstruction and is the fourth most heavily Democratic Legislature in the country, after Massachusetts, Hawaii, and Connecticut. Arkansas is one of only two states among the states of the former Confederacy that sends two Democrats to the U.S. Senate (the other being Virginia).

[Dr. Shane]

That may be true in Arkansas. In Texas, white people are now a minority. That old "Southern Democrat" that voted like a New England Republican is a breed that has already died here.

[karl]

That may be true in Arkansas. In Texas, white people are now a minority. That old "Southern Democrat" that voted like a New England Republican is a breed that has already died here.

What have you been drinking, Shane? That KoolAid is really messed up!!!

As of the 2006 US Census estimates, the racial distribution in Texas are as follows: 71.5% White American, 11.6% African American, 3.3% are Asian American, 0.6% are American Indian, and 13% are of Some other Race (presumably Mestizo).

Hispanics (considered white in the census) make up 31% but they are by no means a majority.

[Dr. Shane]

Non-Hispanic Caucasians make up less than 50% of Texas. Hispanics are 36.5% and Non-Hispanic Caucasians are 47.4%. Blacks are 11.9%.

[karl]

Non-Hispanic Caucasians make up less than 50% of Texas. Hispanics are 36.5% and Non-Hispanic Caucasians are 47.4%. Blacks are 11.9%.

So does this qualify you in your mind to be a minority, Shane? If you'll notice your figures above, you outnumber all other groups. Admittedly, Hispanics have grown from 31% to 36.5% since 2006 and will outnumber you if they continue, but whites still outnumber all other segments of the population. Since hispanics are considered a subset of whites, and since non-hispanic whites outnumber hispanic whites, I don't see how you can claim minority status.

[Dr. Shane]

Hispanics are not a subset of whites. They are considered Caucasians because they are a mix of Spanish blood and Indian (Aztec, Mayan, Inca, etc.) Here in Texas, white people are typically called "anglos". An algo is "a white American of non-Hispanic descent, as distinguished esp. from an American of Mexican or Spanish descent."

A minority is normally qualified as expressed in power rather than numbers. So even if one ethnic group outnumbers another, that doesn't itself determine which is the minority. In the four-county area where I live, nearly 90% of the population is Hispanic. Does that make the anglos the minority? Not necessarily. Who has the power? Who has political power? Who are the business leaders? Which ethnic group holds the most college degrees? In my area, Hispanics hold the majority of the power when these questions are asked. However anglos do hold a disproportionate share of the power. While anglos make up less than 10% of the population, we hold more than 10% of the management positions in business. Of those with college degrees, over 10% of them are anglos. The average income of an anglo in this area is well above the average income of a Hispanic. However I serious doubt we hold over 10% of the political offices.

Many act as if all Hispanics vote Democrat. Actually, about 40% of Hispanics tend to vote Republican. The more money a Hispanic makes, the more likely he or she is to vote Republican. And, second-generation Hispanics make on average what most Americans do. So what weights the Hispanic vote in the Democrat direction are mostly first-generation Hispanics. I expect a Hispanic-dominated Republican Party in Texas within the next 10 or 20 years.

[lazarus]

I expect a Hispanic-dominated Republican Party in Texas within the next 10 or 20 years.

Now that would be interesting.

Shane, how would you expect the Republican party to change in Texas if that happened. I mean in terms of policy.

[Dr. Shane]

Shane, how would you expect the Republican party to change in Texas if that happened. I mean in terms of policy.

I know a lot of Hispanic conservatives. (In fact, I kind of feel racially profiled because many people here automatically think I am Republican because I am white.) The Hispanic conservatives I have met are extremely conservative. About 40% of Hispanics vote Republican so as the Hispanic population continues to grow here, it is only a matter of time before they take over the state Republican party.