“Originally published in 2006, Mississippi Politics quickly became the definitive work on the state’s political history, campaigns, legislative battles, and litigation, as well as how Mississippi shaped and was shaped by national and regional trends.” While the second edition of the book still shows Mississippi’s gradual change from a blue state to a red state, it also examines the aftermath of Haley Barbour’s re-election campaign in 2007 along with the 2008 presidential elections. The one thing that I found most interesting about this book has nothing to do with its contents but everything to do with the two authors Jere Nash and Andy Taggart. Jere Nash is a well known Democrat who has held many political positions including chief of …show more content…
Republican Barry Goldwater’s speech in Atlanta in 1961 led to the development of what the Republicans call the “southern strategy” which basically explains “how Republicans took over the South by the way they defined themselves.” Goldwater’s nomination as the Republican Party’s candidate for the 1964 presidential election lead to Strom Thurmond (former leader of the Dixiecrats) becoming a Republican. After that, all of the conservative, White Mississippians followed. Chapter 22 focuses on Haley Barbour’s rise to political fame. I found it interesting that Nash and Taggart chose to talk about Barbour’s background in addition to his time spent as governor. While I have always admired Governor Barbour’s political prowess, I did not know much about his passion for politics before reading this book. Chapter 22 gave me a newfound respect for Barbour because I was able to see that he was not a “political opportunist” like so many other politicians are today. The chapter humanized Barbour and portrayed him as a life-long student of politics which is what I wish to be. In essence, I think that Barbour’s rise through the ranks of the Republican Party is the path that all politicians should take because it is one that requires
The final article, Alwyn. Bahr, "The Making of a Secessionist: The Antebellum Career of Roger Q. Mills,” conducts an analysis of a young lawyer and politician, who first supported the Southern Whig’s and then the Know Nothing party, before joining the moderate Democrat’s and their fight for secession. He argues that Roger Mills demonstrates the political characteristics “typical of the young Texas and southern politicians who, although not long-term fire-eaters, provided much of the leadership and backbone of the secession movement at the local level.” Bahr provides a detailed history of Mills family heritage dating back to Jamestown, Virginia in 1620, and their association with slaveholding tobacco planters. Mills’ family moved
In Part II of this portfolio, I selected a research paper from American Government 101 concerning Senator Dan Coats. This document represents a man who has a driving passion in government in regards to representing Indiana Hoosiers in Washington D. C. and serving the nation in various roles. Senators have many important responsibilities; therefore, by providing this research paper, critical readers and viewers may grasp a more comprehensive understanding of a senator’s role in governmental affairs throughout United States and in Indiana. Senator Dan Coats represents political responsibility by exemplifying himself as a strong-minded Indiana Senator set on limiting government, fighting for the rights of constituents, and upholding the sound
In “Populist Dreams and Negro Rights: East Texas as a Case Study,” Lawrence Goodwyn keys in on the triumphs of the People 's Party in Grimes County, Texas. I discovered Populism in Grimes County is the narrative of an interracial alliance that had its beginning in Reconstruction and persevered for more than an era. I resolved why the long post-Reconstruction period emerges as the social request that has been composed progressively along racial lines; the time period encroached as a brief gleaming light in parts of the South. I learned how some white Southerners have generally been a spread for the district 's skepticism and other issues. Goodwyn establishes a viewpoint about the possible results for a greater number of individuals voting in a free society. I understand that the variables of pressure and coercion caused an end to influence at the polling stations; there was corruption occurring with vote counts. The Grimes County story significantly describes this disappointment; however in the understanding, it gives into the hidden legislative issues of black disfranchisement and the accomplishment of a solid single-party political environment in the American South it is not one of a kind.
James Meredith’s successful campaign to gain admission to the Univeristy of Mississippi, ‘Ole Miss’, and desegregate education in the state most resistant to integration of educational institutions, has become a crucial episode in civil rights history. Ole Miss transformed Mississippi politics and contributed to a cultural shift in the region, as well as invigorated local civil rights activists and those in neighboring states 1. The historic showdown between James Meredith and the
Meg Greenfield was a well-known editor of the Washington Post and wrote her own analysis of the way government officials in Washington interact. This analysis was written in the final years of her life. The book, was titled Washington. Greenfield offered an interesting perspective having been a witness to decades of activity with many of the nation’s political leaders, and her book offers readers a look at what actually goes on inside the government. The book was published in 2001 by PublicAffairs. It is 228 pages but has an additional 30 pages describing Greenfield’s personal background and career written by one of her colleagues. This gives readers understanding of Greenfield that is imperative to understanding her book.
Prompt: Although the development of the Trans-Mississippi West is popularly associated with hardy individualism, it was in fact largely dependent on the federal government. Assess the validity of this statement with specific reference to western economic activities in the 19th century.
Mississippi’s Civil War: A Narrative History begins by providing the account of the Nullification Crisis that took place in 1832. The crisis began as a dispute between the state of South Carolina and the federal government over a series of national tariffs that many of the southerners viewed as excessive. (6) The leader of the nullification movement in Mississippi was John Anthony Quitman. Quitman died in 1859 and the Mississippi finally left the Union in 1861. (8) As a result of the Nullification crisis, the Mexican War took place. Many Mississippians volunteered to fight with much enthusiasm. After nearly two years of war, America won. (11) From 1840-1860 Mississippi’s population doubled to almost 800,000 residents and by 1860 Mississippi’s institutions were hopelessly entangled in the web of slavery. The cotton based agriculture increased the need for slaves and by the eve of the Civil War slaves represented 55 percent of the state’s total population. (12) Mississippi’s ordinance of secession officially took them out of the union in 1861 leading up to the Civil War. (32)
The next set of models changes the dependent variable to national party strength. There has long been a disagreement over the manner of the shift in party strength. Some have argued that the realignment of southern politics started with a top down approach. Others argue that the realignment was fueled by success down ballot, which led to ambitious Republican politicians seeking and finding success higher up the ballot. Besides the change in the dependent variable, there is also a change to models 4 and 5 by adding the state party index to the model. This will allow a test of the top down/bottom up question on the southern realignment. Because of the controversy relating to this topic, any significant finding will assist in explaining this important
Although I wasn’t in Mississippi during the ‘Freedom Summer’, I had a solid understanding of how life was during the ‘Freedom Summer’. This was years of racism and segregation towards the blacks in the US during the Civil Rights Movement. My aspect type was racism, and I learned of its impact on life through our analysis in the class of The Color Purple (1982) by Alice Walker, an epistolary novel about the lives of black people in rural dominated white racist Georgia during the 1920’s-50’s. Furthermore, we discussed Nelson Mandela’s Inaugural Speech in class, and how Mandela fought for Independence from the white racist government. With extra research of the Freedom Summer project launched by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating
Before the civil rights act there was a slow turnover towards republicanism in the south was because of immigration from northern states. More industries began to move south and along with it came people who began to carve out their own cities. These areas began to vote for the republicans because they wanted more economic freedom because of the prosperity they had occurred. But, the poor white farmers never left, they stayed democratic their entire lives because they saw the democrats as the only option to stop the loss of their way of life. This explains why democrats in the south even after the civil rights act even the congressmen stayed in the same parties with only one leaving the Democratic Party strong Thurman even those who filibustered the civil rights act stayed democratic.
This paper, drawing from the Almanac of American Politics 2016, will analyse some the most partisan congressional districts within the South, according to the Cook Index. It will also include the most non-partisan district in the south. They are •
What challenges did the “new immigrants” face (those arriving between 1877 and 1914) that previous waves of immigrants did not? (Discuss at least 2 challenges.)
In Mississippi and Alabama however, Trumps populism strongly appealed to each states’ respective more rural population. Echoing a populist message tinged with winks and nods on racism, Trump seemed like an easier fit for the state of George Wallace, and Ross Barnett. South Carolina is unique from Louisiana, in the way that SC has more of a “business Republican” presence. And while race still effects politics in South Carolina, racial politics aren’t as harsh as LA, MS, or AL. Although SC has the longest root to the Confederacy, the state managed to elect an Indian governor, and an African American Senator. This, if anything, shows a there’s a stark contrast between SC, MS, and AL. In Georgia, the urban metropolis, Atlanta, is the anchor for Georgia politics; and the main reason why Georgia seems to be breaking away from the staunchly republican mold of the region. In the deep south states, Georgia had the highest decrease of Republican vote share. As Atlanta builds a strong African American middle class, and embraces it’s growing progressive populace, Georgia continues to get bluer. Like the turn Virginia or North Carolina, GA is seeing a similar path toward becoming a swing
The literature on party realignment in the South has only recently begun looking empirically at questions surrounding the changing the structure of the economy and its effects on politics (Eleid and Rodden 2006). For example, several recent studies have examined how changes in income have affected voting patterns. Nonetheless, these studies have mostly ignored changes from subsistence farming to a service-oriented South (Shafer and Johnston 2006, Stonecash 2000, Brewer and Stonecash 2001). This dissertation was a chance to test the notion I heard from many of my friends and neighbors in the South—that the Republican realignment in the South was partially the result of a changing economy .
On Tuesday, October 10, 2016, I attend the political science meeting in room 113 in the Grace Thomas Kennedy Building. The guest speaker of the meeting was Dr. Todd Shaw and he is the Chair of the Political Science Department at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Shaw is also the president of the National Conference of Black Political Scientists and he is very proud of his position.