It also could be argued that blacks turned to the Democratic Party because Democrats passed the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Voters Rights Act of 1965 and enforced laws that ended segregation in the South. The social welfare programs passed by Democrats helped poor people of all races not just blacks. Democrats in the South definitely changed their attitudes toward blacks because the number of blacks in the party made it impossible to ignore them. Southern Republican with membership being less than 2% black have little reason to be concerned with issues important blacks.Blacks started voting Democrat when the Democratic Party started paying them for their votes. It had nothing to do with Democrats changing their attitude toward blacks, they're still as racist as they've ever been, they just figured out how to keep them on the plantation. To you, and other liberals, the term "policies that favor blacks" means welfare.Byrd is typical of the changes in the Democratic party in the second half of the 20th century, from a staunch segregationist to a supporter of the civil rights bill he fought against. In later years the NAACP rated Bryd 100% in alignment with all proposed legislation.You revisionists keep pushing that role reversal claim but if that were the case, Bob Byrd would have been pushed out of the Democratic Party instead of being elevated to party leader in the Senate through the second half of the century. He was called "a national treasure" by every top Democrat in the party. Nice try though. And the only reason blacks embraced the Democratic Party is because Lyndon Johnson started buying their votes with welfare checks. "I'll have those ******* voting Democrat for the next 100 years". - Lyndon Johnson
This is the point, I was trying make. The Democratic Party in the South in the first half of the 20th century strongly supported racist policies. However, the flood of black voters into the party which began in the 60's radically changed the makeup of the party. Segregationist such as Bryd had to either change their political philosophy or change their party loyalty. Some felt more comfortable in the Republican party which was only 2% Black. Other remained in the Democratic Party but split loyalties between the parties, voting for Republican in national elections, whose platform was less favorable to blacks and spiting their vote in state and local elections.
In the South controlled by Republicans and with a long history racism, Black representation in the Republican Party at less than 2%, guarantees policies that disfavor blacks.
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