The 1994 lobbying boycotts were over the issue of “states’ rights”.
Republicans won the House of Representatives for the first time in 50 years by campaigning on the issue of “states’ rights” in 1994. They won by uniting the White voters of the South, Midwest, Plains, & Mountain West under the banner of one party political party. This coalition had never existed before.
The architects of the Republican Revolution recognized the distinct emotional appeals of “states’ rights” within those geographic regions and used them to gain power.
The interest groups representing Women’s Healthcare Privacy, Racial Reconciliation, LGBTQ issues, and Gun Control heard “states’ rights” and thought of one thing: the Confederate Flag. The Confederacy is morally repugnant to them, so they boycotted.
This reaction was understandable but ill-informed.
ROOTS OF “STATES’ RIGHTS
“States’ rights” has a historical root of white supremacy within it; but that is not the most dominant root.
Within the modern GOP, there are at least four roots of “states’ rights” with their own emotional appeals. The Celtic Folkways root is the strongest, uniting White, Republican voters in the South, Midwest, Plains & Mountain West. Free market capitalism is the dominant root appeal for the donor class. Mormonism is the appeal for a big chunk of the Mountain West. White Supremacy’s home is in the South.
The Bridge Points Project recognizes that these other roots of “states’ rights” can be separated from White Supremacy and used to end the culture wars to fix the gridlock.
Why have the roots of “states’ rights” been missed?
Historical Context
the lens of the melting pot
Most are not aware of the distinct roots of “states’ rights” because we are viewing our citizens through the lens of the melting pot.
America is not a Melting Pot.
we are a mosaic of voting blocs
Grouped by Ancestry & Culture
Some were already here
Some came by sea
Some came by land
Some came by air
The politics of a voting bloc is influenced by:
- Why their Ancestors left the Motherland
- Their reception upon entry
- And the Cultural Folkways brought with them.
Largest Reported Ancestries
The dominant Celtic Folkways appeal of “states’ rights” comes from the largest ancestral voting bloc in America: the Scots-Irish.
The Germans, who are mistakenly identified as the largest ancestry, assimilated with the Scots during the 19th century to create a superbloc.
The Scots-Irish/Germans are the misunderstood and mis-identified White voters of the red states.
They are the backbone of the modern GOP, and they are the key allies to end the culture wars to fix the gridlock.
centralization
versus
Decentralization
“States’ rights” sounds like decentralization
Decentralization is a folkway of the Celtic ancestors of the Scots-Irish.
The forces of decentralization versus centralization began conflicting in Europe between the Celts & the Romans, then continued through the Dark Ages and Protestant Reformation.
When Europeans settled America, they brought that battle with them.
These forces play out in modern times with Republican versus Democrat.
If an interest group chooses sides between Republican versus Democrat, they are choosing sides in that ancient ideological battle.
The Bridge Points Project is making sure social protest movements no longer make this mistake.
