Southern States & Politics: Amendments and Reconstruction

• Study notes on Southern Politics and Texas Politics

The 11 Southern States

• Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida constitute the 11 Southern States.
• Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, and South Carolina are traditionally considered the "Deep Southern" states.
• These states are crucial for understanding Southern Politics due to their historical significance in shaping political trends related to race, economic development, and party alignment.

13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments

• The 13th Amendment (1865) abolished slavery.
• The 14th Amendment (1868) granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S., including former slaves, and provided equal protection under the law.
• The 15th Amendment (1870) prohibited denying voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

End of Reconstruction

• The Compromise of 1877 effectively ended Reconstruction by leading to the withdrawal of federal troops from the South.

The Solid South

• Dominance of the Democratic Party in the South from the end of the Civil War until the mid-20th century.

Disenfranchising Minorities

• Poll taxes, literacy tests, white primaries, and the grandfather clause were the four legal ways to disenfranchise minorities in the South.
• These methods were overturned primarily by federal legislation, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Dixiecrats

• A faction of Southern Democrats opposed civil rights reforms in the 1940s and 1950s.
• Strom Thurmond was the presidential candidate for the Dixiecrats in 1948.

Crumbling of the Solid South

• The 1964 Presidential election caused the Solid South to crumble when Lyndon B. Johnson passed significant civil rights legislation.
• Many Southern whites shifted to the Republican Party due to their opposition to civil rights reforms.

Barry Goldwater's 1964 Election

• Goldwater's opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a critical moment in Southern Politics.
• It marked the beginning of Southern realignment to the Republican Party.

The Southern Strategy

• Republicans used the Southern Strategy to gain support in the South by appealing to white voters' racial anxieties and opposition to civil rights reforms.
• Richard Nixon was the first presidential candidate to use this strategy.

Watergate Scandal

• The Watergate scandal led to a shift in Southern politics by weakening the national Democratic Party.
• This created opportunities for Republicans to gain more influence.

Dog Whistle Politics

• Dog Whistle Politics: the use of coded language that appeals to a specific group of voters without overtly expressing controversial ideas.
• Crucial in Southern politics as it allows politicians to appeal to racial tensions without alienating broader constituencies.

Lee Atwater's Role

• Lee Atwater was a key Republican strategist who helped shape Southern politics through the 1980s, 1984, and 1988 elections by employing negative campaign tactics and racial appeals.

Critical Elections and Electoral Realignment

• A critical election refers to a significant shift in the political landscape.
• An electoral realignment refers to a lasting change in party loyalty.
• The last realignment in the South occurred in the 1970s, when the South transitioned from a Democratic stronghold to a Republican-dominated region.

Political Parties in Texas

• Political Parties: Organizations that aim to control government by winning elections.
• The two main parties in Texas are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.

Political Ideology

• A set of beliefs about politics.
• In Texas, ideologies include liberalism, conservatism, and libertarianism.

Liberal, Conservative, Libertarian

• Liberals favor government intervention in the economy and civil rights.
• Conservatives prefer limited government and emphasize traditional values.
• Libertarians advocate for minimal government and maximum individual freedom.

Stratarchy

• A system where power is fragmented across multiple levels of political organization.
• Party platforms are the policies and principles that a political party promotes.

Temporary Party Organization

• Comprises precinct, county, senatorial district, and state conventions where party delegates meet to select candidates and set policies.

Permanent Party Organization

• Includes precinct, county, and district executive committees, which oversee party operations and manage elections.

State Executive Committees

• Committees that oversee the operations of a political party at the state level.

Texas Political Party History

• 1840s to 1870s: Dominated by the Democratic Party.
• 1870s to 1970: One-party dominance by Democrats.
• 1970s: Transition to a two-party system.
• 2000-2012: Republican dominance.

Dealignment vs. Realignment

• Dealignment: Voters move away from the political parties and identify as independents.
• Realignment: A major shift in party loyalty and control.

Split-ticket vs. Straight-ticket Voting

• Split-ticket: Voting for candidates from different parties.
• Straight-ticket: Voting for candidates of the same party.

Third Parties in Texas

• Smaller political parties outside of the two major parties, like the Libertarian Party or Green Party.

The Media in Texas

• The Media: various channels of communication that disseminate information.
• Texans primarily get news from television and digital media.
• Social Media: influence political opinions and engagement.
• Media Sources in Texas: TV, radio, newspapers, and online outlets.
• Television is the most popular form of media.
• Four Media Roles: Informing, interpreting, shaping public opinion, and serving as a watchdog.

Hard vs. Soft News

• Hard news is serious, fact-based reporting.
• Soft news focuses on entertainment and lighter stories.

Horserace Journalism

• Media focus on election strategy and polling rather than policy, which can oversimplify elections.

Yellow Journalism

• Sensationalized news designed to attract attention, often distorting facts.

Digital Campaigning

• The use of social media, websites, and emails to engage voters.

Internet and Social Media's Impact

• May contribute to lower civic engagement by fostering echo chambers and reducing face-to-face interaction.

Partisanship in Media

• Partisanship is increasing in digital and social media platforms in Texas.

Prior Restraint

• Government censorship of information before it is published.
• Prior restraint was ruled unconstitutional in New York Times Co. v. United States (1971).

Federal Media Regulator

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates broadcast media.

Shield Laws

• Laws that protect journalists from having to disclose sources.
• Texas has shield laws.

Defamation, Libel, and Slander

• Defamation: False statements harming reputation.
• Libel: Written defamation.
• Slander: Spoken defamation.

Regulated Media

• Broadcast media (TV/radio) is the most regulated.

Niche Journalism

• Journalism targeting specific audience groups.

Consequences of Media Concentration

• Reduces diversity, limits local coverage, increases bias, and narrows public debate.

Capitol Press Corps

• A group of journalists who report from the state Capitol.

Campaigns and Elections

• Soundbite: A short, catchy statement used in campaigns to capture attention.
• Mudslide Campaigns: Negative campaigns focusing on the opponent's flaws.
• Candidates can fund their elections through personal savings, individual donations, PACs, and Super PACs.

PACs, Super PACs, and Dark Money

• PACs: Fundraising organizations that support candidates.
• Super PACs: Independent PACs that can raise unlimited funds but cannot directly coordinate with candidates.
• Dark Money: Funds spent by non-disclosing organizations influencing elections.

Campaign Reform Act of 2002

• Limited soft money contributions and increased transparency in political donations.

Texas Ethics Commission

• Enforces campaign finance laws in Texas.

Soft vs. Hard Money

• Hard Money: Donations regulated by law.
• Soft Money: Unregulated donations.

Citizen v. FEC and SpeechNow.org v. FEC

• Court rulings that allowed unlimited spending by individuals and organizations.

Race, Ethnicity, and Politics

• Minority voters, including women and people of color, play a significant role in shaping election outcomes in Texas.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

• Outlawed discriminatory voting practices.

Voter Turnout

• Generally low, especially in midterm elections.

Qualifications for Voting in Texas

• To vote in Texas, one must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years old, and a resident of Texas.

Universal Suffrage

• Every adult citizen has the right to vote.

Motor-Voter Law

• Allows voter registration when applying for a driver's license.

Early Voting

• Begins 17 days before the election.

Voting Precincts

• Geographic areas used to organize elections.

Election Types

• Primaries, general elections, and special elections.

Primaries in Texas

• Held in March and Texas has open primaries, where voters do not need to register with a party to vote.

Special Elections

• Held for specific reasons like vacancies or constitutional amendments.

Interest Groups in Texas

• Interest Groups: Organizations formed to influence public policy.
• Interest Groups: Represent specific issues, lobby for favorable laws, and protect member interests.

Types of Interest Groups

• Economic (e.g., Texas Oil & Gas Association).
• Public Interest (e.g., Texas Civil Rights Project).
• Governmental (e.g., Texas Municipal League).

Powerful Interest Groups

• Oil, agriculture, and business groups are particularly powerful in Texas.

Lobbyists

• Professionals who advocate for interest groups.

Electioneering

• Efforts to influence the outcome of elections.

Regulation of Interest Groups

• Texas requires lobbyists to register and disclose activities.