Southern Politics

The April issue of The Washington Monthly contains several articles of interest to students of Southern politics and culture.

• "Deviously Ineffective" -- a discussion of the controversies surrounding Ralph Reed, former executive director of the Christian Coalition and current Republican candidate for lieutenant governor in Georgia. (Not available online).
• "Everyday Low Vices" -- a critique of Wal-Mart's labor and employment policies and an explanation of the negative publicity that surrounds the Arkansas firm.
• "Backseat Strategists" -- an essay reviewing four new books about the future of the Democratic Party and the role that the South, especially the rural South, could play in that future.

Perhaps the most interesting piece is "When Would Jesus Bolt?" by Amy Sullivan. Sullivan's article explores the growing tensions between moderate evangelical voters and the national GOP -- a tension stemming from the national party's refusal to actually deliver on the issues of importance to some evangelicals. Special attention is given to the work of Randy Brinson, an Alabama evangelical who founded Redeem the Vote, a national voter registration organization.