Poet’s Notebook: Crossovers still happen, but the gap between the parties is widening

Intellectual disgrace

Stares from every human face

And the seas of pity lie

Locked and frozen in each eye.

Many of us, in mild debates that pop up naturally, are sometimes called “yellow dog” Democrats, which implies that we’ll always push that Democratic button straight down the line, the whole ticket, even if there’s only a mangy cur listed there. I used to object to this term, partially because of its history — it began around 1900 as an endearing nickname for pro-slavery Southern Democrats who hated the Republican party of Abraham Lincoln for prosecuting the Civil War (and generally pronounced “yaller dog,” which gives you an idea of the education level).

But in the last 10 years, I find myself barking more and more, not to mention foaming at the mouth. Still, as PolitiFact might say, even today this “yellow dog” claim would register as “Barely True.” Kendrick Meek or Charlie Crist? Hmm…

This article appears in Sep 30 – Oct 6, 2010.