[net.politics] How Jackson Defeated Reagan

berman@ihuxm.UUCP (The Appeal to Reason) (08/07/84)

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Rather than wait for November, let's look at some statistics
now:

State         pre-Jackson campaign       1980 Reagan margin
              number of unregistered      of victory
              Black voters

New York      894,000                      165,459
North Car.    506,000                       39,383
Virginia      331,000                      237,435
South Car.    292,000                       11,456
Alabama       272,000                       17,462
Louisiana     256,000                       84,400
Tennessee     158,000                        4,710
Mississippi   131,000                       11,808
Arkansas       85,000                        5,123
Massachus.     64,000                        2,421
Kentucky       62,000                       17,857

Now as well-informed folks know, the stress on new voter
registration was one of the most significant aspects of 
the Jackson campaign. The process is ongoing, and shows
unprecedented number of previously excluded persons,
Blacks, women, Latinos, and others registering to vote.
Since Reagan is running at under 10% of the vote in the
Black community, also very unfavorably among women and Latinos
the expansion of participation in the electoral process
clearly is a key factor in the return of Reagan to
Hollywood in January 1985.

When the updated statistics, reflecting new registration
become available, I'll post, if there's interest.

Meanwhile, if Mondale and Ferraro have the courage to
inspire the constituencies that Jackson brought in,
then Jesse indeed will be known as "the man who defeated
Reagan in 1984."

                                    Andy Berman

cher@ihuxi.UUCP (Mike Musing) (08/09/84)

> Meanwhile, if Mondale and Ferraro have the courage to
> inspire the constituencies that Jackson brought in,
> then Jesse indeed will be known as "the man who defeated
> Reagan in 1984."
>
>                                     Andy Berman


Even if they had the courage to inspire Jackson's constituencies
they could not do so without significantly losing their own constituencies 
to Reagan. Remember what happened in democratic Chicago with the arrival
of a black democratic candidate. I think Jackson's drive could still help 
Mondale/Ferraro if they play cautiously.