Southern Democrats listen up!

As Monica Potts pointed out in American Prospect, the new Republican legislatures in the South are already looking for ways to dramatically reduce spending on social programs and welfare. A majority of the region's attorneys general have joined Florida's lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act, and it's unlikely that any of them will implement its provisions, such as the requirement to create state-level insurance exchanges, with enthusiasm, potentially leaving many families worse off than before. In our backyard, just days after taking office, Georgia AG Sam Olens joined the lawsuit opposing the ACA.

There's not much point in trying to persuade Democratic political strategists to care about the South. There is apathy in the party about turning back the red tide. But to undo the damage they are about to inflict on us, the party needs to invest in the grass roots of Georgia and surrounding states. The strategy might never again pay off on the map of the Electoral College, but in a decade or two, it might just result in a little more power and a better life for those who need it most.