Democrats Don’t Need to Win Back the South

Re “GOP Has Lock on South, and Democrats Can’t Find Key,” Dec. 15: Well, so let them have it! The Democrats should stop worrying about the Bible-belt states and instead focus on the West and Southwest.

They need to create a new kind of Democratic Party message, one of “compassionate libertarianism” -- that focuses on fiscal restraint (in stark contrast to the current Republican trend of huge deficits), social tolerance and limited government-enforced morality (in stark contrast to the bed-sharing with the religious right by Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft and President Bush and his political advisor, Karl Rove).

Turn the tables on the successful and persistent image of “tax and spend” liberals. Come up with a similarly catchy phrase to nail the Republicans to their own ironies.

The Dems shouldn’t cater to the misguided southern GOP, but rather take lessons from the more moderate California GOP. With this approach we can surely tip those states that went red this election -- Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado.

Sarah Boyd

Valley Glen

*

To sum up, the unifying theme of the GOP is deep-rooted racism and bigotry. Therefore, the Democratic Party cannot “accommodate” its positions to draw the Southern whites to its party, unless it is willing to advocate discrimination as the Republican Party has for the last 40 years. Well, for thoughtful and educated people, that dawg won’t hunt.

Alice P. Neuhauser

Manhattan Beach