Duck Dynasty’s Ratings Plummet Is Proof That America Is A Liberal Nation

The fact that Duck Dynasty’s ratings have plummeted after Phil Robertson’s racist and homophobic remarks is the latest piece of evidence that the United States is becoming a more liberal country.

The Duck Dynasty ratings drop as viewed in the context of the political shift going on the country was the topic of this week’s Politicus Podcast.

Listen to this week’s Politicus Podcast:

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The Duck Dynasty ratings drop is important because of what it represents. Just a few years ago, Republicans were planning to win elections by banning gay marriage. The Republican playbook as written by Karl Rove is to divide and conqueror on Election Day. This strategy has been used against Barack Obama in two presidential campaigns. Racism, sexism, and homophobia have become major GOP strategies.

Phil Robertson’s comments are a part of the current Republican mentality that is being rejected by mainstream America. What’s happening with Duck Dynasty is millions of people are saying no to the ideology behind the show. Six million Americans disagreed with Robertson’s so much that they quit watching his show.

As I said in the podcast, the United States is clearly becoming more liberal. Democrats won the popular vote for the House in 2012. 2012 was only the second time in 70 years that a party won the popular vote, but didn’t take control of the House. The only thing that saved House Republicans was the extremely gerrymandered nature of their districts.

In states where Republicans controlled the redistricting, they carved out districts that do not represent the majority. House Republicans govern like they are from another planet, because their districts do not represent what most of the country wants.

Democrats have won four of the last six presidential elections. They have control of the Senate, and with Mitch McConnell is struggling to keep his seat in Kentucky, they may keep control of the Senate beyond 2014. Democrats also have the strongest presidential candidate for 2016 in Hillary Clinton.

As long as Republicans continue to be the small minded party that continues to fight against the changing culture of their country, very little is likely to change. Fox News won’t say it. Republicans shudder to even think it, but the United States of America is a liberal nation.

The country has reacted to twenty years of Republican presidencies, with a 8 year interruption by Bill Clinton, by swinging left. Republicans have gone beyond out of step with most Americans. They are living in another universe.

Reality comes crashing down hard on them when people like Phil Robertson share their hateful ideology. Millions of Americans have rejected Robertson’s intolerance, just as they are rejecting the Republican Party.

The new America that is flexing her muscles today is a liberal nation.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association