Blue Collar Democrats Return to Their Roots.

[SeattleGirl]

October 24 2006

The Times October 21, 2006


Blue-collar Democrats return to their roots
By Tim Reid in Pittsburgh

The cornerstone of Republican success is crumbling after it was built up by Reagan

EVEN in the febrile atmosphere of modern US politics, you can tell a candidate is in really deep trouble when he screams at his opponent during a televised debate: “Quit lying to them Bob! Tell them the truth! You’re lazy!”

The man screaming is Rick Santorum, one man Democrats would love to destroy more than any other in next month’s midterm elections. Mr Santorum, the third-ranking Republican in the Senate, has become one of the most polarising polticians in the country thanks to his abrasive social conservatism. And he is clearly not going down without a fight.

Mr Santorum is the most senior Republican incumbent being targeted by Senate Democrats this year and has been trailing his challenger, Bob Casey Junior, the son of a beloved former governor, for months. Nearly everyone agrees this is because the people of Pennsylvania just don’t like Mr Santorum any more.

You can read the rest of the article here:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2414298,00.html

[freeplessinseattle]

1. geez, how many repugs is that now flipping out

during a debate? do they not get that the working class know what having class is?

Thanks for the article, SG!

[SeattleGirl]

3. Hey freepless!

I know. The Repubs are definitely losing it all over the place.

Sorry I haven't gotten back to you on getting together for lunch. Lost my job, got another one, and the transition has been time consuming. But we will definitely get together after things calm down a bit.

[bluestateguy]

2. "Reagan Democrat" is kind of an outdated label

That's so 20 years ago. Most of these so-called Reagan Democrats either became Reagan Republicans in the 1980's and 1990's, or came back to the Democratic Party during the Clinton years. Most political scientists have found that straight ticket party voting has been on the rise for the last 10 years. The era of the Reagan Democrat is long past.

[SeattleGirl]

4. That well may be, (regarding "Reagan Democrat"), but I think

the main point of the article was that people like the ones described in the article, who may have been voting Republican for a long time, are starting to wake up to the destruction caused by the current crop of Republicans, especially the damage done to jobs and wages.

[filer]

5. I've been amazed and dismayed at the number of people...

voting contrary to their economic interests. Are they coming to their senses and seeing through that phony moralistic crap the Repubs have been spoon-feeding them? Are they finally realizing they've been taken for chumps? Here's hoping.

[SeattleGirl]

6. Sure sounds that way, from what the article says.

People may be disconnected from the war if they have no one over there. People may be disconnected to the issue of stem cell research if they don't have anyone in their family who could benefit from it. But EVERYBODY is connected to their income, or lack thereof. If they find themselves getting squeezed tighter and tighter in the wallet, you bet they are going to start waking up and selling the coffee.