Tar Heel Politics 2000 / Edition 1

by Paul Luebke

Overview

Offering an insightful analysis of North Carolina political trends and personalities, Paul Luebke moves beyond the usual labels of Republican and Democrat, conservative and liberal. In Tar Heel Politics 2000, he argues that North Carolina's real political battle is between two factions of the state's political and economic elite: modernizers and traditionalists. Modernizers draw their strength from the bankers, developers, news media, and other urban interests that support growth, he says. Traditionalists, in contrast, are rooted in small-town North Carolina and fundamentalist Protestantism, tied to agriculture and low-wage industries and threatened by growth and social change. Both modernizers and traditionalists are linked with politicians who represent their interests.
An updated and revised version of Luebke's Tar Heel Politics: Myths and Realities (1990), Tar Heel Politics 2000 highlights the resurgence of the southern Republican Party for the first time in a century and discusses a number of significant changes that have occurred over the last decade. These include the institutionalization of a viable two-party system in the General Assembly, the further shift of native-born whites throughout the South into the Republican voting column, and ideological conflict in North Carolina that parallels to some extent the post-1994 battles between the Republican Congress and the Clinton White House. In addition, the book provides a detailed analysis of the political appeal of Senator Jesse Helms and draws on Luebke's insights as a member of the North Carolina State House since 1991.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807847565
Publisher:	The University of North Carolina Press
Publication date:	11/30/1998
Edition description:	1
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.65(d)

About the Author

Paul Luebke (1946-2016) was both a sociologist and a state legislator. He was associate professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and he represented Durham in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 1991 to 2016.

Table of Contents

Contents

Preface
1. The Heritage of the Democratic Party Elite
2. Competing Ideals in North Carolina Politics
3. The General Assembly: Two-Party Ideological Conflict
4. A Socioeconomic Portrait of North Carolina
5. The Politics of Economic Development
6. Organized Labor: Still Not a Major Player
7. Racial and Ethnic Politics: The Multicoloring of North Carolina
8. Tar Heel Politics 1984 and 1990: Why Helms Beat Hunt and Gantt
9. The Rise of the Republicans and the Decline of the Democrats
10. The Future of North Carolina Politics
Bibliography
Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

The best contemporary southern state political analysis in print.—Journal of Southern History

A useful analysis of our state's political trends and personalities.—Our State

Paul Luebke's Tar Heel Politics 2000 is the best book ever written about modern North Carolina politics. Whether Democrat, Republican, or independent, anyone interested in understanding competitive, two-party politics in the South should read this subtle and fascinating book.—Merle Black, Emory University

Paul Luebke understands North Carolina politics like no one else. I can't say whether he understands them better than anyone else (it's possible), but I know that being both an academic who studies politics and a legislator who practices them gives him a unique perspective. This extraordinarily valuable account should be read by anyone who cares about the recent course and likely future of our state.—John Shelton Reed, coauthor of 1001 Things Everyone Should Know about the South

Paul Luebke has combined his experience as a politician and perspective as a scholar to produce a remarkable book. His provocative critique will change the way you think about North Carolina politics.—Ed Williams, Editorial Page Editor, Charlotte Observer

Editorial Reviews

A useful analysis of our state s political trends and personalities.

"Our State"

A useful analysis of our state 's political trends and personalities.

"Our State"

A useful analysis of our state_s political trends and personalities.

"Our State"

[T]he best book ever written about modern North Carolina politics.

Merle Black, Emory University

A useful analysis of our statea[s political trends and personalities.

"Our State"

ÝT¨he best book ever written about modern North Carolina politics.

Merle Black, Emory University

A useful analysis of our states political trends and personalities.

"Our State"

His provocative critique will change the way you think about North Carolina politics.

Ed Williams, Editorial Page Editor, "Charlotte Observer"

Paul Luebke understands North Carolina politics like no one else.

John Shelton Reed, coauthor of "1001 Things Everyone Should Know about the South"

"[T]he best book ever written about modern North Carolina politics.

Merle Black, Emory University"

"His provocative critique will change the way you think about North Carolina politics.

Ed Williams, Editorial Page Editor, "Charlotte Observer""

"Paul Luebke understands North Carolina politics like no one else.

John Shelton Reed, coauthor of "1001 Things Everyone Should Know about the South""

A useful analysis of our stateUs political trends and personalities.

"Our State"

The best contemporary southern state political analysis in print.

"Journal of Southern History"

From the Publisher