Not So Fast

The Economist newspaper says North Carolina has bid “farewell to purple.” But an article in The New York Times Magazine gives Democrats reason for optimism.
 
The Economist notes: “North Carolina has a Republican governor, a conservative majority on the state Supreme Court and Republicans controlling both legislative chambers.” Plus, Republicans have nine of our 13 congressional seats. Plus, “It seems that Mr. McCrory, like his state, is turning right.” Witness his “bashing Agenda 21” and deriding “the educational elite.” Plus the rightward rush of the legislature.
 
But here’s the good news.
 
The Times magazine focused on the digital “obsolescence” of the Romney campaign and national Republicans.  It quotes digital-minded young Republicans who believe “Democrats have overwhelmed Republicans with their technological superiority.”
 
They remind me of 1980s Democrats who thought we were losing just because Reagan and Republicans were masters of TV. It was much more than that, and so it is today. The digital divide, in fact, reflects a cultural divide that is rooted in Republicans’ image.
 
What’s that image? According to voters in their 20s: “Corporate greed, old, middle-aged white men, rich, religious, conservative, hypocritical, military retirees, narrow-minded, rigid, not progressive, polarizing, stuck in their ways, farmers.”
 
That explains why, as the Republicans operatives noted, “1.25 million more young people supported Obama in 2012 over 2008.” That also perfectly describes North Carolina Republicans today.
 
Yes, North Carolina Democrats have a long way to go. But they have a lot to work with.
 
 
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Gary Pearce

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Not So Fast

The Economist newspaper says North Carolina has bid “farewell to purple.” But an article in The New York Times Magazine gives Democrats reason for optimism.
 
The Economist notes: “North Carolina has a Republican governor, a conservative majority on the state Supreme Court and Republicans controlling both legislative chambers.” Plus, Republicans have nine of our 13 congressional seats. Plus, “It seems that Mr. McCrory, like his state, is turning right.” Witness his “bashing Agenda 21” and deriding “the educational elite.” Plus the rightward rush of the legislature.
 
But here’s the good news.
 
The Times magazine focused on the digital “obsolescence” of the Romney campaign and national Republicans.  It quotes digital-minded young Republicans who believe “Democrats have overwhelmed Republicans with their technological superiority.”
 
They remind me of 1980s Democrats who thought we were losing just because Reagan and Republicans were masters of TV. It was much more than that, and so it is today. The digital divide, in fact, reflects a cultural divide that is rooted in Republicans’ image.
 
What’s that image? According to voters in their 20s: “Corporate greed, old, middle-aged white men, rich, religious, conservative, hypocritical, military retirees, narrow-minded, rigid, not progressive, polarizing, stuck in their ways, farmers.”
 
That explains why, as the Republicans operatives noted, “1.25 million more young people supported Obama in 2012 over 2008.” That also perfectly describes North Carolina Republicans today.
 
Yes, North Carolina Democrats have a long way to go. But they have a lot to work with.
 
 
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Gary Pearce

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