Suburbs more important in politics

For the first time ever, voters in the suburbs are responsible for a majority of the seats in the U.S. Congress, according to a new analysis by Congressional Quarterly. Of the 435 seats in the chamber, some 220 are made up of voters who mostly reside in suburbs.

The demographic shift has important meaning because it means party appeals to suburban voters are more important than ever before and is important for the control of Congress, according to the story. Even more interesting is appearance of two kinds of suburbs -- an outer suburbia that is more Republican, compared to an inner suburbia that is more Democratic.

The newer, outer suburbs are almost all overwhelmingly white, wealthier than the rest of the country and conservative-leaning, traits that lend themselves to the Republicans’ current dominance of their congressional districts. The inner suburbs have a more urban feel, both in their atmospherics and demographics, with more ethnic diversity and a greater range of income. The Democrats, whose strongest congressional base remains in the nation’s 90 urban districts, also do well in neighboring inner suburbia, just not well enough to offset the GOP’s looming advantage at the metropolitan edges.

New ideas for rural prosperity in the South

Across the South, some 34 percent of residents live in rural areas, according to a new report by the Southern Growth Policies Board (www.southern.org). It says while progress is being made in rural areas, more needs to be done to close the gap. Otherwise, the split between the metropolitan haves and the rural have-nots will continue to worsen.

The report, called "The New Architecture for Rural Prosperity," essentially calls for rural areas to work together - - to collaborate - - to generate smart, economic development opportunities.

"If the rural South is to enjoy sustained prosperity, then its economic development architecture must be perceived whole and understood in all its diversity," the report says. "It must be esigned and managed as an integrated enterprise."

Bottom line, according to a newspaper column by BetterSouth's Andy Brack: For the rural South to have more prosperity, it's going to have to take the bull by the horns and work together, pool resources and pool its strengths. State lawmakers can help by seeding worthy projects. In the long run, targeted state rural investments will pay off more than anyone can guess.

Women: Arbiter of family values

A new study by EMILY's List says Republicans are losing support of women who helped them win the White House last year. The survey of 2,600 people provided the backbone of the study, "Women at the Center of Political Change" (view full report as PDF). It also said Democrats had opportunities among women voters, but needed to connect messages to real values of women.

According to EMILY'S List President Ellen R. Malcolm:

"There is a clear message from the women we spoke to: never stand between a woman and her desire to protect and care for her family. Republicans will continue to lose women if they fail to respect that women see themselves—not government or politicians—as the arbiter of family values. From the intrusion of government into private family decisions, the risk created by efforts to privatize Social Security, and the ‘my way or the highway’ foreign policy of the Bush administration -- the Republican’s own agenda has worked to turn women away from that party."

Takings cases will be tougher

In what can be seen as a victory for proponents of better land use, the U.S. Supreme Court said Monday that federal courts can't be counted on as a legal bail-out for people who claim the government improperly took their property.

The California case involved a San Francisco hotel that wanted to convert rooms previously assigned permanent residents to tourist rooms. The hotel sued the city over restrictions and lost in the state Supreme Court, according to the Associated Press.

"This is a big victory for local governments," said Nicole Garnett, a Notre Dame law professor.

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, in a rare admission, wrote in a concurring opinion that he and his colleagues may have made a mistake 20 years ago when they told people in such property fights that they must exhaust state court options before filing federal suits.

Hunger: An issue for common ground

The Christian Science Monitor editorialized Friday that hunger is an issue for the left and right wings of America to use for common ground as highlighted by the recent meeting of more than 40 denominations at a Convocation on Hunger.

"Such unity shows that religious beliefs need not be captive to one partisan view. Yes, different religious beliefs may have different social implications. And yes, a civil democracy can often serve as a win-lose contest of opposing beliefs.

"But democracies work best long-term only with a spirit of respect and compromise, and protection for minority views and interests. Reasoned argument and compassionate listening offer ample opportunity for religious beliefs to play a public role without ruining public discourse and the political equilibrium."

But on other issues, can the Christian right stop always believing it is right? Or the elitist left get over different points of view without smug dismissal? While actions during the recent presidential election don't offer much hope, perhaps baby steps toward common ground can lead both sides toward compromise, tolerance and acceptance.

Where are progressives on this?

A Tuesday story in The New York Times outlines how the conservative Heritage Foundation spends $570,000 a year for a 10-week internship program that provides 64 bright young conservatives with a $2,500 stipend and (yes, this is interesting) subsidized housing for about half.

Folks, this is long-term strategic thinking that is breeding a new generation of young conservative leaders who will thwart progressive efforts.

"They come from 51 colleges and 28 states, calling for low taxes, strong defense and dorm rooms with a view. And let's get one thing straight: they're not here to run the copying machine."

Why aren't progressives doing the same kind of thing?

How philanthropy affects the Mid South

This just in from the Southern Growth Policies Board's weekly email newsletter:

The Foundation for the Mid South has released a new report that outlines how philanthropy and its leadership can cause big change in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The report, called "Where Hope and History Rhyme: Reflections and Findings from the Mid South Commission to Build Philanthropy," discusses five strategies for promoting equity:

1) move beyond the charity model of philanthropy;
2) diversify governing boards and staffs of the region's philanthropic organizations;
3) listen to, learn from, and develop new ways of inspiring and empowering people in local communities;
4) support work that promotes the development of equitable public policies; and
5) embrace and nurture the creativity, energy, and assets of the region's diverse young people.

Read the full report.

Warner says people want hope

Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, who is making the rounds in Democratic circles across the South and county, is being touted as a serious presidential candidate, as highlighted in a new article in Salon.

"Warner says that Democrats have to engage voters in a conversation about the future, particularly the future of rural areas, small towns and midsize cities where the global economy hasn't delivered on its promise. Most of all, he says, Democrats have to give voters hope."

Warner surely fits the profile for a Democratic presidential contender. He's pragmatic. He's talking about hope. He's remembering rural voters. And he's from the South - - just like the party's last two presidents, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.

Hispanics population soars

The Hispanic population is the nation's largest minority group. Since 2000, an additional 6 million Hispanics were born or moved into the U.S. to bring the total population to 41.3 million of the 294 million people in the country, according to The Washington Post. The chart below outlines changes over the last four years (in millions):

Race, Ethnicity.....July 2004 ......July 2000............ % Change

White ......................239.9 ..................232.0 ....................3.4
Black .........................39.2 ....................37.2 ....................5.4
Asian .........................14.0 ....................12.1 ..................15.7
American Indian............4.4 ......................4.2 ......................4.7
Native Hawaiian ............1.0 ......................0.9 ....................11.1
Non-Hispanic/Latino....252.3 ..................246.5 ...................2.4
Hispanic or Latino...........41.3 ...................35.6 ...................16.0
Total Population...........293.7 ..................282.2 ....................4.1

(NOTE: The total for race is higher than total population because people can belong to more than one racial group, according to Census methodology.)

The surging number of Hispanics will have a big impact on public policy in the years to come, especially in the Southern half of the nation, where more people are tending to settle. According to the Post story:

"It's going to have profound effects on America. They are no longer regionally concentrated in places like California and New York," said Harry P. Pachon, president of the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute, a California think tank. "There are more Hispanics in Cook County, Chicago, than in Arizona or Colorado or New Mexico. . . . The major significance is that it's a national presence."

Not your father's George Wallace?

Lord knows going through life with the name "George Wallace" can't be easy. I doubt this does much to downplay that rep for George Wallace Jr., who is an Alabama Public Service Commissioner and the son of the Alabama governor.

George Wallace Jr. addressed the Council of Conservative Citizens during its national conference in Montgomery, where it protested its designation as a race-driven "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Wallace said the 50 people at the meeting in Montgomery struck him "as good, patriotic people."
The Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center classifies the Council of Conservative Citizens as a hate group. During the group's national conference in Montgomery, members protested outside the law center's headquarters Saturday, with some waving the Confederate battle flag.

If you visit the group's Web site, be sure to check out the ad for "White Pride" T-shirts on the right side of the homepage.

An Iraqi swing

Is Walter Jones leading the way or off on a tangent?

The Republican congressman, who represents a district with several large military bases in eastern North Carolina, cast a remarkable vote recently. He voted for a measure that would press President Bush to set a timetable to remove U.S. troops from Iraq.

While the Democratic-sponsored measure failed 300-128, five Republicans, including Jones, voted with the minority.

You may remember Jones as a leading supporter of the war in 2002 and 2003. When the United States could not secure the assistance of France, he led the charge to rename "French Fries," opting for the jingoistic "Freedom Fries."

Today, Jones is singing a different tune. The money quote now is:

"If we were given misinformation intentionally by people in this administration, to commit the authority to send boys, and in some instances girls, to go into Iraq, that is wrong."

We can reasonably grant that Jones is sincere in his swing on Iraq. Perhaps what he's doing is truly representing his khaki-colored district, where military families are feeling increasingly left out in the cold by policies in Iraq that aren't gaining much traction. How long will it be before other Southern congressmen who supported invading Iraq make this turn? It's hard to believe Jones is the only Southern congressman with a wealth of military families who are suffering mightily on the homefront.

Blacks on back of judicial bus in SC

A new study by the S.C. Senate Judiciary Committee shows black candidates are much less likely to be elected to the bench by lawmakers than whites - - even though the state enacted judicial reforms eight years ago to improve diversity.

The study, quietly released as state lawmakers wrapped up business for the year, also found a gap between men and women, but it was less wide, according to The (Columbia, S.C.) State.

"[The study] examined 728 judicial races involving 1,236 candidates since 1975, when legislative screening began. It found, for example, that over the past eight years about 27 percent of white and other nonblack candidates were elected annually in races without an incumbent, compared with an average of about 11 percent for blacks — a 2.5-to-1 ratio. By comparison, an average of about 27 percent of male candidates were elected annually in no-incumbent races; about 20 percent of female candidates were elected for the same period.

"S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Jean Toal [the state's first female chief justice] said Monday the study 'certainly confirms the position I’ve taken ever since I became chief that our bench does not adequately reflect the diversity that is South Carolina....These figures show a disparity not only in elections, but in nominations.'"

• See the full study.
  

Huck passes buck on children's health

Gov. Huckabee -- who has made public health his signature issue -- last week sent a letter to Jo Nell Caldwell, chair of the Arkansas Board of Education, "strongly recommending" board passage of a package of recommendations developed by the Act 1220 Child Health Advisory Committee, which would then allow local school nutrition and physical activity committees to act on them. That means he is foregoing any role in passing the recommendations as state law.

Huckabee is leaning on the idea of local control to avoid mandating strict adherence to the recommendations. He says in the letter:

From a policy and a personal point of view, I believe in these recommendations, and I will work aggressively for their passage at the local level. But I also believe each community has a better understanding of its health and nutrition needs than the state does.

He says he "thinks each school district should pass the recommendations as they are written and take immediate steps to implement them," but he doesn't want them to "be construed as unfunded mandates."

He also says "the Arkansas Soft Drink Association has agreed to support local control regarding the implementation of the standards." Big surprise!

This whole approach strikes us as political pussy-footing. If Huckabee believes so strongly in the recommendations, thinking them crucial to the health of our children, why doesn't he try to do something about it, instead of passing the buck? He says in the letter, "The recommendations from the Act 1220 Child Health Advisory Committee can go a long way toward improving the quality of life for all children in Arkansas," but he doesn't want to take a stronger role in implementing them.

He knows that many school districts will decide to keep taking the money they get from soft-drink and vending machine sales. But hey, he sent along the recommendations. That's all he could do, right?

Modern-day slavery in Florida?

Federal agents on Friday raided a migrant worker camp in Florida where homeless men and women lived in conditions described by a labor official as modern-day slavery, according to the Associated Press. Four face charges in a case that is expected to grow. Authorities also were looking into environmental and drug violations.

"Officials said homeless people were recruited to the Evans Labor Camp through offers of room and board, along with alcohol, tobacco and drugs, which they bought on credit. But they never made enough in the field to pay it off, according to an investigative summary. 'A lot of times, they get them indebted even before they get back to the camp,' federal agent Rebecca Hall said."

While it's stunning such third-world conditions exist in the world's richest country, what does it say for America's growing greed-based culture of Haves fueled by the hard work of many Have-nots? Progressive leaders need to take note of these symptoms and work to treat the culture's economic ills.

Mississippi battles over life

A federal judge in Mississippi has ruled a state law limiting abortions to be unconstitutional because it "unduly burdening a woman's right to choose an abortion," according to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.

"The law, passed last year, would have prevented abortions after 13 weeks' gestation, except in places with ambulatory surgical center standards. The clinic said it was ineligible for such a license in the state."

So what did the state do? Pass another law to block abortions. It's supposed to take effect in July and some are worried it will lead to the closing of Mississippi's only abortion clinic.

"Pete Smith, spokesman for Gov. Haley Barbour, said the governor urged lawmakers last year to pass another law after the judge's injunction. That law, to take effect July 1, will make the clinic eligible to apply for a license to meet those ambulatory surgical standards. Unless the clinic gains the certification, it will be illegal for the clinic to perform abortions beyond the first trimester."

Clinton provides direction

Former President Bill Clinton appeared on Larry King Live last night, reminding us why he is one of the greatest political minds of his time. If you missed it, the transcript is worth reading.

Two highlights:

1. Clinton offered calming words for today's hyper-partisans.

“I mean, you know, this idea that somebody we disagree with on economic or social policy or something we have to turn into some kind of ogre or demon, I think, is a mistake. I mean, it's like telling the American people or half the American people that don't agree with you, they're all fools. That's just not true.”

2. While praising Karl Rove, Clinton offered good advice for progressives who see their candidates traditionally smacked around during campaign time.

In 2002, I thought -- that was maybe one of his [Rove's] most brilliant achievements, the 2002 congressional elections. Because I think he was largely responsible for the fact that, you know, the Americans were concerned about security.

It was shortly after 9/11, but they also thought the White House was too far to the right, and they wanted a correction. And were inclined to vote for more Democrats for Congress. But they really supported the president on 9/11 and how he handled Afghanistan and terror. And so they said, well, what are we going to do? Two-thirds of the Democrats were for Iraq, 100 percent were for Afghanistan. How are we going to make them look weak on security? That's the only way because we don't agree with them on the domestic issues.

So, they come up with this Homeland Security bill, which the president had opposed for eight and-a-half months. All of a sudden they decided they're for the bill, then the next day if you're not for it you're Saddam Hussein's ally. And they beat Max Cleland, you know, who was profoundly wounded in Vietnam and a lot of other people.

But I think that's our fault. We let them get away with that. We've got to learn to stand up engage in those debates.

(Emphasis mine)

Stand up and engage, indeed.

Soul searching a la green

Over the last few days, we've heard about the Soul of Environmentalism, a new site dedicated to reinvigorating environmental activism. The proponents launched the site to rebut some of the stuff in a long article last year called "The Death of Environmentalism."

More than anything, they seem to say struggles with race and class really matter for the environmental movement, as outlined in a recent article in Grist:

The environmental-justice movement emerged in the 1980s as a way to revitalize the grassroots activism started by the civil-rights movement. ... Twenty years later, the mainstream environmental movement has been unable to racially integrate its senior staff, not because of overt discrimination but because of differences in vision. ...

Despite its limitations, environmentalism as we know it today wasn't just the marriage of liberalism and conservation. It was committed activists, engaged in struggle and riffing on every tool they could see around them. Like Elvis, the environmental movement had soul -- and soul is one thing you can't kill.

No pay

Alabama's Legislature must return for a special session this summer after failing to pass a general fund budget during the regular term. Republicans in the state Senate, who took part in a five-week filibuster to protect the interests of the Christian Coalition and, in turn, brought the Lege to a standstill, are vowing to forgo their salary during the special session.

Such charitable gestures may become more frequent as hard times predicted for Southern states hit home.

Did we say, hit home? Here's another way, as reported in today's Anniston Star, that states are going to feel the pinch:

When wealthy Alabamians die this year, the tax man is collecting a portion of the wealth they leave behind, but none of those tax revenues are staying in Alabama.

Under tax changes adopted by Congress in 2001, the federal estate tax on inherited wealth is to phase out gradually by 2010. But states stopped collecting their share this year, leaving the Internal Revenue Service holding all estate taxes collected.
That means wealthy families still see a cut taken from their inheritances, but none of that money flows into their state’s barren budget coffers.

“It hurts,” said Ron Bedsole, Estate Tax Supervisor with the Alabama Revenue Department. “And the main reason it hurts so bad is because the estate tax funds the General Fund, which is in financial peril.”

Going where they shouldn't go

Four paragraphs could set the stage to wreak havoc on special places across the South. Perhaps a Bush Administration "pilot program," the recently-signed emergency military spending bill includes language that would give energy companies the right to explore for oil and gas inside the Gulf Islands National Seashore in Mississippi, according to The Los Angeles Times. The language codifies the state's claim to mineral rights under federal lands.

"The legislation marks the first time the federal government has sanctioned seismic exploration on national park property designated as wilderness — which carries with it the highest level of protection."

What's next? Horse wrangling on Cumberland Island in Georgia? Sand mining at North Carolina's Outer Banks? Woodpecker killing in Arkansas?