Comments on: Country Music: Republican or Democrat?

By: Justin

Justin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:51:25 +0000

Libertarian government would NOT equal big business Republicans. In a Libertarian government we wouldn’t have these insane bail outs of guess who? BIG BUSINESS!! A libertarian government would be the same government that our founding fathers gave us, which was a Republic and the rule of law. It is not the duty of the government to give hand outs, bail outs, and all the other social tendencies it does. We should have a non-interventionist foreign policy, defend our shores, secure our borders, no standing army, freedom and equality for all, self-reliance. Everyone in this country has the opportunity to make it rich. It’s just a matter of self reliance, perserverence, and setting goals. Don’t whine about “the evil rich”. I make 40,000 a year, but I will be wealthy one day, and I will never ask for hand outs from anyone. Like Charlie Daniels said, “I ain’t asking nobody for nothin’ if I can’t get it on my own.”

People don’t want liberty and freedom anymore. They want womb to tomb security, and frankly it makes me sick.

By: Matt B

Matt B — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 03:36:56 +0000

censorhsip is political correctness. Isn’t America the country where everyone’s right to an opinion is honored, regardless of what that opinion is about? So it should be with country music, but it isn’t. so ‘mindless bumper-sticker type sentiments’ are what ‘get by’ because they seem to stay ‘pc’ instead of flying directly into the face of us the way they used to.

By: hairandtoenails

hairandtoenails — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 20:05:54 +0000

I’m suspicious of the “politics doesn’t belong on stage” line because it so often means “political views that I support belong on stage, but those I dislike do not.” For example, those who lambast the Chicks for improperly injecting politics into music due to their their anti-war stage talk don’t seem to be crowing about Bucky Covington’s nostalgic longing for School Prayer in “A Different World.” But Bucky Covington is just as political as the Dixie Chicks. The “politics don’t belong in music” line is often an attempt to censor those with different views.

However, much of the political commentary in country music is extremely shallow, naive, and misinformed. So I hope that people seeking political news and editorials would seek out more sophisticated sources than country music. And I wish country singers and songwriters would stop reducing complex political issues to mindless bumper-sticker type sentiments.

By: Noah

Noah — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 19:06:00 +0000

“I’m Libertarian meaning I don’t trust the big-business Republicans”

Under a libertarian nation, All you would have is “big-business Republicans” shoving the asscramer so far up the rear of the working class (slave class as it would be called under right wing anarchy)backside.

Working Class = Country Music
Republicant = (Yea, you guest it) Non Working Class (as the party has been for a very long time)

The question should be, “has country music been hijacked?”.

By: Chris N.

Chris N. — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 16:00:21 +0000

Reagan was from Illinois. And the Bushes are really from Connecticut.

By: Paul W Dennis

Paul W Dennis — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 00:57:11 +0000

I prefer my music to be non-political. Not that I am uninterested in politics, but there is a time and place for everything.

I’m Libertarian meaning I don’t trust the big-business Republicans at all, and I think the Democrats are totally insane and owned lock, stock and barrel by the trial lawyers

Anyway, we’re stuck with the two major parties -but I’ll get my politics through other sources, thank you

By: Colt

Colt — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 00:23:24 +0000

This conversation is giving me a headache.

By: Steve Brooks

Steve Brooks — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 22:17:02 +0000

Country music isn’t so country any more. It’s mostly a conglomeration of unshaven rock & roll crossover artists who are making believe they were born behind a scenery flat on the Opry stage. If the democrats want the current crop of alleged country music artists…they’re welcome to ‘em.

By: Pierce

Pierce — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 21:01:39 +0000

Name the last president who was from a state above the Mason-Dixon line…

In my lifetime, there’s only been Texas, Arkansas, and Texas. Wasn’t Reagan from Texas too? So that means you have to go back over 20 years to find a president without a slight hint of a Southern accent.

Regardless of party, people seem to gravitate towards the Southern good ole boys. Country music DOES reflect the majority of voters in the US.

Key to Democratic victory in 2008: John Edwards.

Suggested reading: Rednecks and Bluenecks by Chris Willman. An excellent read on the the Music Row Democrats and how country music has reflected/influenced elections recently.

By: Peter Kohan

Peter Kohan — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 19:51:31 +0000

I think the point of the Times article was less about how artists themselves wear their political beliefs on their sleeve (or not) or within their music (or not).

What that writer was talking about was the messages inherent in the songs Country radio plays and broadcasts for the world to hear. And the fallacy in that is so big you could drive a hole in it.

1) The singles chosen for airplay by an artist and label are chosen to maximize airplay, not to necessarily make a political or social statement.
2) Since Country radio usually only grants an artist 2-3 shots (unless that artist is a heavy hitter) at releasing singles off a particular record, then 70-80% of that artist’s repertoire never gets Country radio airplay, so country radio might be missing out on songs which reflect a less conservative point of view.
3) There are all types of Country music Country radio doesn’t even touch with a 10-foot pole, but it still has a loyal audience which might lean left or right - but there’s no radio outlet for it for anyone to analyze that audience - or stereotype it as the Times writer does.