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    American Political Shifts: The Movie

    By Michael Wolraich on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 4:01pm | Politics

    Fascinating. Here's the full article.

    Topics: 
    Politics

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    This is fascinatng, Genghis. Michael Tomasky says in a NY Review of Books piece that he expects it will take 10 years for the democrats to regain control of the House unless the gop screws up big time.  I'm guessing that the 2008 map is as blue as it's going to be for a while.


    by AmiBlue on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 6:11pm

    I also found it fascinating.  I am beginning to have some hope about the "Drop It or Stop It," health care push-back for those who decry health care for the great unwashed (and call it a loss of freedom), but DEMAND IT FOR THEMSELVES -- especially the government subsidized variety.

    I am also starting to think that the uber-rich tax cuts might finally be recognized for what they are by Independents, if not the hard-core uninformed.

    Now, if we could just get Obama to realized that the republicans have met the enemy, and they have declared it OBAMA!  So forget them, Mr Prez!!!!

     


    by CVille Dem on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 7:03pm

    Amen to Obama's enlightenment!  I think the cons are on a precarious perch with their radical agenda and their obstructionism, not to mention their hypocrisy.  They're going to have to play it just right to make it work and I'm hoping they fall off.  Who knew in 2008 that this is what Hope would mean in 2010?


    by AmiBlue on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 8:06pm

    Thanks Ami. Here's the link to the Tomasky piece: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/dec/09/can-obama-rise-again/

    I have to say that I share his pessimism.


    by Michael Wolraich on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 11:33pm

    Thanks for the link, Genghis.  I too share the pessimism. 


    by AmiBlue on Tue, 11/23/2010 - 10:45am

    I wasn't too impressed. Nice effort but the whole thing looks as if whoever created it was on speed. It would have been nice to see it slow down as an election period approached to freeze it for a few seconds to get a better grasp at how the political persuasion of the public was flowing at the time. I found using the pause key was awkward, especially when I didn't know the dates of prior elections. I would think the author would like for all that info to sink in better than a powerpoint presentation otherwise what's the point?.


    by Beetlejuice on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 10:17pm

    OK, Grumpy, it could be improved. Still pretty cool though.


    by Michael Wolraich on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 11:35pm

    here is the slideshow that shows just the static state images for each of the presidential elections which provided the basis for the video.

     


    by Elusive Trope on Tue, 11/23/2010 - 9:42am

    Genghis, I found this fascinating. I'm in an optimistic mood today and this helped. It shows that times change, nothing is forever and that our system is still working. Speaking for myself I have to start looking at the long term and not be so swayed at not achieving all of our short term goals. I may not be around to see the long term but I can still be in there fighting day to day for what I believe is a just society and a level playing field.


    by Oxy Mora on Tue, 11/23/2010 - 12:05am

    What a wonderful comment.  If I ever need a mood lift, I'm going to read back on this and get my mojo back into its groove. 


    by LisB on Tue, 11/23/2010 - 12:09am

    Thanks, LisB, now I feel even better.


    by Oxy Mora on Tue, 11/23/2010 - 12:47am

    Interesting how some of us read the video pessimistically and others optimistically.


    by Michael Wolraich on Tue, 11/23/2010 - 12:19am

    The "heartland" and west began the switch to red after the 1964 Civil Rights Act. I would have expected it  to be the south, but Florida has one of a few red areas in the south in 1968.  Perhaps Goldwater  started the ball rolling in that part of the country in 1964.

     

    Edit: Goldwater started the ball rolling in the west probably.


    by AmiBlue on Tue, 11/23/2010 - 11:36am

    The South went for George Wallace in 1968. That said, what we call the Southern Strategy also targeted working class whites across the country. The idea was to exploit white resentment against perceived special treatment of blacks--affirmative action, welfare, busing, etc.


    by Michael Wolraich on Wed, 11/24/2010 - 8:20am

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