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Is Racism & Bigotry still the biggest factor in Presidential Elections? (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 days ago by BadmanDan@lemmy.world to c/AskUSA

22 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Just gonna keep this short and to the point.

We all know FDR only went so far with including black people in new deal programs to appease the southern coalition of Dems. He also denied entry for Jewish Refugees and deported many Mexicans during the Great Depression.

Once LBJ passed the Civil Rights Act, Dems essentially lost the South forever.

Nixon pulled federal funding from affordable public housing in black neighborhoods and it strengthened his base.

Reagan blamed the aids epidemic on gay people and was embraced by the country.

Obama had to run on being anti-gay marriage in 08, but ran on being pro-gay marriage in 2012 and lost some support.

Trump spent millions in anti-trans ads. And leaned into the trans panic.

I know social issues aren’t everything, but it seems like that’s the direction America has gone post Civil Rights.

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[–] ptz@dubvee.org 8 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I am no expert, but I want to say "partially, yes" but with an asterisk.

It would be much less of a factor if the presidential election was based on popular vote rather than electoral college. Without "swing states", candidates would have to appeal to the masses rather than pandering to a few demographics in the battleground states.

That covers the presidential election, but Congress is another matter

Rampant gerrymandering
The House is currently capped at 435 members which limits representation of higher-populated states
Every state gets two senators regardless of size, and once elected, it's really difficult to unseat an incumbent.

There's also a lot of dark money in politics, but that's a whole other can of worms.