Is "Reagan Democrat" the dumbest term in the American politics lexicon?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Yes, easily. It is so mind-numblingly moronic hearing it gives me the urge to smack the complete moron who said it.

Remember how in 2008 we kept hearing about how Western Pennsylvania was full of Reagan Democrats?



Idiots.

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

No, there are plenty of dumber terms.

[k-onmmunist]

No, not really. Interesting counterpart in Britain: The traditional Labour 'Essex man' who voted Conservative in the elections of 79, 83 and 87.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It has a certain legitimate historical use, but using it as a shorthand for all working class Democrats who sometimes vote for Republican Presidential candidates is idiotic, yeah.

[Bo]

No. BTW, they're called Reagan Democrats because they voted for Reagan in 1980 and/or 1984 and then began voting Democrat again, especially after 1988. I'm sure there are many people in Western PA who voted Reagan 1980 and/or 1984 and Obama 2008.

[The Mikado]

No. BTW, they're called Reagan Democrats because they voted for Reagan in 1980 and/or 1984 and then began voting Democrat again, especially after 1988. I'm sure there are many people in Western PA who voted Reagan 1980 and/or 1984 and Obama 2008.

Note the map BRTD put up.  That shows Mondale (who got wiped out nationally) winning large chunks of Western PA that Obama lost 24 years later.

[Torie]

No. BTW, they're called Reagan Democrats because they voted for Reagan in 1980 and/or 1984 and then began voting Democrat again, especially after 1988. I'm sure there are many people in Western PA who voted Reagan 1980 and/or 1984 and Obama 2008.

Note the map BRTD put up.  That shows Mondale (who got wiped out nationally) winning large chunks of Western PA that Obama lost 24 years later.

All those New Deal Dems are now dead, and have not been replaced in large part, because the mills are old, cold and closed.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Yeah, without no doubt. It's pretty much the equivalent of "Marchais liberals", "Thatcher labourists" or "Davis abolitionists".

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

No. It may a dumb term, but this is American politics that we're talking about.

[Conservative frontier]

No, but McCain Democrats and Obama "Republicans" are. Then again my grandparents Are Dubya Democrats, and I was a Hillary Republican.

[Guderian]

I don't think it's a dumb term at all. There's a difference between "dumb" and "overused". It describes an actual phenomenon. It obviously wasn't as strong in western Pennsylvania as it was in other places (and it would be very interesting to read some analysis why) but it still happened. Some states Reagan couldn't possibly win without a very strong showing among white, ethnic, blue-collar Democrats - Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island (in 1984)...

One thing that should be mentioned more often is that the first apperance of "Reagan Democrats" was really in 1972, so they might as well call them "Nixon-Reagan Democrats". And of course, contemporary use of the term is pointless since the demographic has shrunk considerably because of societal change and upward mobility of 1980s and 1990s.

[Badger]

I don't think it's a dumb term at all. There's a difference between "dumb" and "overused". It describes an actual phenomenon. It obviously wasn't as strong in western Pennsylvania as it was in other places (and it would be very interesting to read some analysis why) but it still happened. Some states Reagan couldn't possibly win without a very strong showing among white, ethnic, blue-collar Democrats - Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island (in 1984)...

One thing that should be mentioned more often is that the first apperance of "Reagan Democrats" was really in 1972, so they might as well call them "Nixon-Reagan Democrats". And of course, contemporary use of the term is pointless since the demographic has shrunk considerably because of societal change and upward mobility of 1980s and 1990s.

The collapse of the steel industry in the early 80's left unemployment in SW PA significantly higher then the national average. Much of the economic recovery the nation was experiencing in late 1984 had not begun to find its way to that region. Mondale carried Alleghany County (Pittsburgh) by over 90k whereas Carter carried it by barely 25k. There still were Reagan Democrats around the region, though. My grnadfather for one.

[Bo]

No. BTW, they're called Reagan Democrats because they voted for Reagan in 1980 and/or 1984 and then began voting Democrat again, especially after 1988. I'm sure there are many people in Western PA who voted Reagan 1980 and/or 1984 and Obama 2008.

Note the map BRTD put up.  That shows Mondale (who got wiped out nationally) winning large chunks of Western PA that Obama lost 24 years later.

There are probably more people in other sections of PA that voted for Reagan. However, I was responding to BRTD's question and no, Reagan Democrats is not a dumb term. There are many voters who voted for Reagan either once or twice and voted Democratic before and after Reagan (possibly with the exception of 1988). As for the people who said that there are many Reagan Democrats in Western Pennsylvania, they were wrong for the most part, but I would like a see a link to someone saying that.

[memphis]

Yes, easily. It is so mind-numblingly moronic hearing it gives me the urge to smack the complete moron who said it.

Remember how in 2008 we kept hearing about how Western Pennsylvania was full of Reagan Democrats?



Idiots.

It doesn't apply to Southwestern PA, but take a look at Erie, Scranton, and Allentown.

[RRB]

YES, it is dumb.  This was a product of the 1980s.  Most of these people were upper middle age and older people then,  Many of them are now dead.  Think about that for a minute and your opinion will change if you said no.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Yes, easily. It is so mind-numblingly moronic hearing it gives me the urge to smack the complete moron who said it.

Remember how in 2008 we kept hearing about how Western Pennsylvania was full of Reagan Democrats?



Idiots.

It doesn't apply to Western PA, but take a look at Erie, Scranton, and Allentown.

Reagan won by 18 points nationwide. He won by 3 points in Erie county, and about 2 in Lackawanna. He won by 20 points in Lehigh County, but that's still barely over the national average. Meanwhile note the Philly suburbs. The real "Reagan Democrats" in Pennsylvania are the affluent suburban ones and that's true just about anywhere.

[The Mikado]

Yes, easily. It is so mind-numblingly moronic hearing it gives me the urge to smack the complete moron who said it.

Remember how in 2008 we kept hearing about how Western Pennsylvania was full of Reagan Democrats?



Idiots.

It doesn't apply to Western PA, but take a look at Erie, Scranton, and Allentown.

Reagan won by 18 points nationwide. He won by 3 points in Erie county, and about 2 in Lackawanna. He won by 20 points in Lehigh County, but that's still barely over the national average. Meanwhile note the Philly suburbs. The real "Reagan Democrats" in Pennsylvania are the affluent suburban ones and that's true just about anywhere.

They would be "Reagan Republicans," considering that that cohort didn't start moving to the Dems until the 2000s.

[Guderian]

Exactly. "Affluent suburban Democrat" was a rare bird in 1984.

[Sasquatch]

Anything with the name "Reagan" on it, is pretty dumb.

[memphis]

Yes, easily. It is so mind-numblingly moronic hearing it gives me the urge to smack the complete moron who said it.

Remember how in 2008 we kept hearing about how Western Pennsylvania was full of Reagan Democrats?



Idiots.

It doesn't apply to Western PA, but take a look at Erie, Scranton, and Allentown.

Reagan won by 18 points nationwide. He won by 3 points in Erie county, and about 2 in Lackawanna. He won by 20 points in Lehigh County, but that's still barely over the national average. Meanwhile note the Philly suburbs. The real "Reagan Democrats" in Pennsylvania are the affluent suburban ones and that's true just about anywhere.

Right. And to win by 18 points nationally (and by smaller margins in PA and elsewhere) he had to win over some traditionally Democratic voters.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Using the old 1980s term in current environment is just retarded.