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Comment:

Hey Clunk, I saw this article yesterday. I dare say the MSM wont touch it. It comes with audio of Lee Atwater discussing the Southern Strategy (you know that whole bit that Republicans deny ever existed)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/11/13/1161225/-Jimmy-Carter-s-grandson-strikes-again

You probably won't listen. But the whole strategy is still in play today. This isn't 1960-whatever, where news slowly makes its way around, a candidate farts and the world knows within minutes. More people are aware of the wolf in sheep's clothing.

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The idiotic democrats on here think people didn't vote for Obama due to his race or political affiliation. Just so you know WE are educated and I would not have voted for Obama if he was white and republican due to his stupidity and inability to be a leader....PERIOD.

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Yes I am.

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It is sad that the election came down to race and social issues. I don't care if the President is Black, White, Blue or Purple. Our economy is suffering and needs to be fixed. Our president cannot blame GW any longer, he has had 4 years in office and not much has been fixed. We still have high unemployment, more people on welfare and the cost of living is out of control. Middle class gets screwed over no matter what happens. Whether it is taxes or insurance costs, your wallet will feel it. Just ask yourself the one question "Are you better off today than you were four years ago?"

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Jane, I don't think it's an education issue. I think predominantly it's a faith (or blind faith) issue.

What I see in my circles here in the Valley is that, even among my fairly well educated friends, their faith guides them in their principles. While I don't begrudge them of their rights (or beliefs), what seems to happen is that their "spiritual" brain overrides their "logical" brain...and given that the right seems to tend to favor the "spiritual" brain, they find brothers-in-arms in letting their morals guide them.

Also, as a quibble...the Valley was "blue" through 1964, when the Democrats took up Civil Rights, and the "Southern Strategy" in the GOP took hold.

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"I did vote for his father (41) and believe if GW had followed his father's path instead of listening to that warring Cheney the US would not have the problems of the last eight to ten years."

Are the problems you write about, relate to our economy? The stage for that was set way before Bush took office. The cornerstone for our current economical woes was firmly in place, thanks to none other than, President Bill Clinton.

In 1995 Clinton loosened the housing rules by rewriting the Community Reinvestment Act. In rewriting the rules, he basically gave the bankers a free hand to introduce many high risk lending practices to allow more folks to qualify for home loans that previously could not, and also allowed those who previously could qualify, to qualify for a lot more than before. The bankers were happy, realtors were happy, home builders were happy, it was a great cash cow for them, but bad for the consumer. Everything looked great at first...

Gone were the days, when you actually had to qualify for a conventional mortgage, where the monthly payment could not exceed 35%+/- of gross monthly income, and you also had to have a 20% down payment, unless you went with a VA loan. Almost anyone could now qualify for a home if they had a job.

The bankers and mortgage lenders started pushing risky loans (ARM, etc) that allowed someone who made as little as 50,000 a year, to qualify for a $500,000 home loan. Now with people qualifying for that much when they could not before, it was easy for many to purchase a new home they normally would never be able to afford. Then the housing feeding frenzy began, pushing home prices in some areas to record highs, near double or more in some places in 5 short years 2000-2006.

Reality then set in, many of the ARM low interest/low payment teaser rates expired, and people had to either refinance if they could, or began to pay the real payment, which in some cases equaled up to 65% of people’s gross monthly income. With payments that high, there basically was no money for anything else, causing zero to little growth in the economy.

Now with all the money going to the banks in interest and mortgage payments, and very little to spend on other things, jobs started going away very quickly. Mortgage payments stopped, foreclosures took place, and the whole house of cards imploded upon itself to the mess we are still dealing with today.

So before we blame GW, that issue existed way before he took office. Nevertheless, our issues are not political party exclusive, both sides are equally to blame, and a lack of smart leadership has led and will continue to lead us down the wrong path. Was Clinton right to loosen the lending practices in 1995? Yes and no, yes it helped qualify more people for a loan, but it was short sighted and did not include a failsafe to prevent the out of control housing market we experienced.

There should have been controls written into the act that limited the loans covered by that act to $200,000 or less. However, a lack of smart consumer driven leadership failed us again. We have the highest debt in our history. It will take decades for the housing market and economy to correct itself. May our current leaders gain insight and have the fortitude to do what is necessary to recover our great nation.

Comment:

I remember a time when elected officials used to disagree and disagree bitterly; but at the end of the day they would have a meeting of the minds for the good of the country. I fear those days are gone forever. The Republicans have lost any sense of reasoning and it started with Newt when he was the Speaker of the House. All politicians spin their causes too much but I have never in my life heard anyone more dishonest than Mitt Romney and, thank God, there were enough intelligent voters to realize that. I detest what GWBush did to our country but, as my husband said and I wholeheartedly agree, if I had to choose between GWBush and Romney, I would take Bush (argh!). I did vote for his father (41) and believe if GW had followed his father's path instead of listening to that warring Cheney the US would not have the problems of the last eight to ten years.

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Just goes to show you that most of the country are more intelligent and well read than the average "white man". If I'm not mistaken, Shenandoah has always been red. Maybe one of these days they will learn how to re(a)d.

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I know some front royalians with that 'hell town" spirit. I'm not sure if some of them have a clue.

I know a gal that is black/engish, And I know that she is love by both sides of the table. But you know what I should not have to type about this.

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For some it really isn't. I did come across a home in Warren Co. with both a big rebel flag and an Obama sign in the yard. Granted it could have been separate voters within the household, I just like to think differently.

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I get a kick of these boys (could you say young men) driving around with rebel flags on the back of their trucks. I definately think southern hospitality is the best thing around! But if you think racism is in the equation....well you know what? I have no answers!

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jaydance (or whoever you are), my dad is german heritage, and mom has a bit of native american in her blood. I think Im as much native as you can talk about. The 11 trail used to be a indian trail...so they say.

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Amazing, Romney is a professional businessman who makes wise decisions?

Paul Ryan not only didn't carry his home state of Wisconsin, he couldn't even carry his own district! And he would have been a breath away from the Oval Office!

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"All signs need to go off the lawns the day afer election."

Agree.

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Well said.

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The headline is incorrect. Virginia isn't purple anymore. She's proved she is true blue.

This article and many comments crow about maintaining the status quo instead of moving this country forward. Cheer for yourselves now. Demographics show that Virginia will continue to move left. It's already happened twice now. Red counties are irrelevant.

Comment:

Yup, we got it right with Romney, just like we got it right with distribution centers, truck depots and polluting factories. Three cheers for the Valley!

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Blacks voted for Gore 95 % and Kerry 93%. They vote Democratic regardles of skin color because the Democratic party reflects their ideology.

Comment:

@Spanky

The inference you seem to be making is that Petersburg (predominantly black, based on your numbers) only voted for the President because he is also black.

What you don't note (or perhaps are aware of) is that it's NOT because Obama is black...it's because he's a Democrat.

Black % Vote:

2012: 90%
2008: 99%
2004: 93%
2000: 95%
1996: 96%
1992: 88%
1988: 88%

Also of note is that Obama gained 70% of the Hispanic vote, and 52% of the female vote.

Perhaps the issue isn't that "black people only vote for their own"...perhaps the issue is that the Democratic Party is more inclusive?

Comment:

I guess back when only white male landowners could vote racial disparity in the voter tallies was less a concern.