Black&Black: Rise of the Southern Republicans

[Beet]

Has anyone read this book by Earl Black and Merle Black? It's pretty damned impressive, though I think they underestimate the Republican advantage in the south, this can be forgiven since the book was written after the 2000 elections (also they missed the significance of the 1948 presidential election, which is a huge omission).

But the pages of easy to read statistics and charts showing the exact nature, time, and place, of the rise of the southern GOP they have from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s are quite spectacular. I don't think many of them can be found in any other source. The insights from this book are essential to understanding to transformation of the south...as well as changes in national politics.

For example, it shows that the liberal-Democratic alignment was completed at the House level around 1982-84, while the conservative-Republican alignment was not completed at the House level until 1994.

[Rob]

I have read it. Good book.

[A18]

Get it at the library or what?

[Sam Spade]

I've pretty much read about every book about Southern politics that the Black brothers have put out.  They are pretty much the standard when looking at Southern political history of the last 50 years.

Of course, I can also brag that when I was back at undergraduate, I took a poli sci course on American Government and Politics that was taught by Earl Black.  Nice guy, fairly decent teacher, and the man clearly knew his stuff.

[Beet]

A18- read almost the whole thing in the book store, though skimmed some of the text as it as a bit long.

I've pretty much read about every book about Southern politics that the Black brothers have put out.  They are pretty much the standard when looking at Southern political history of the last 50 years.

Of course, I can also brag that when I was back at undergraduate, I took a poli sci course on American Government and Politics that was taught by Earl Black.  Nice guy, fairly decent teacher, and the man clearly knew his stuff.

Yeah, I'm now looking forward his next project, The Politics of the Modern South. I wonder if he'll revise his thesis that both parties are still equally competitive in the south, given the results of the 2002 and 2004 elections?

[Sam Spade]

A18- read almost the whole thing in the book store, though skimmed some of the text as it as a bit long.

I've pretty much read about every book about Southern politics that the Black brothers have put out.  They are pretty much the standard when looking at Southern political history of the last 50 years.

Of course, I can also brag that when I was back at undergraduate, I took a poli sci course on American Government and Politics that was taught by Earl Black.  Nice guy, fairly decent teacher, and the man clearly knew his stuff.

Yeah, I'm now looking forward his next project, The Politics of the Modern South. I wonder if he'll revise his thesis that both parties are still equally competitive in the south, given the results of the 2002 and 2004 elections?

I really don't know.  I took the class in spring of 2002 and most of the stuff he dealt with then (in modern political developments) was in terms of the context of the 2000 election.

[??????????]

I also recommend "Southern Politics" by V.O. Key.

[jacob_101]

I have read this book more than once.  It is an awesome book.  Lots of statistics showing how the South has transformed over the decades.  Includes the presidential level and the congressional level of politics.

[AuH2O]

I've seen Merle speak but haven't read the book. The Blacks are good political scientists, though not groundbreaking per se.

[A18]

For example, it shows that the liberal-Democratic alignment was completed at the House level around 1982-84, while the conservative-Republican alignment was not completed at the House level until 1994.

You mean that pretty much all liberals were Democrats around 1982-1984, but not all conservatives were Republicans until 1994?