Political patterns are always shifting
Lowe restates his belief in the constant shift of political patterns. He argues that the best politicians are like tailors: they retake their measurements each time. Politicians who ignore the need to adapt to changing patterns are destined to lose.
Citing this Excerpt
Oral History Interview with Charles M. Lowe, March 20, 1975. Interview B-0069. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) in the Southern Oral History Program Collection, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Full Text of the Excerpt
- MOYE:
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You say it's more issue-oriented, shifting coalitions and
factions more than a sort of continuing…
- LOWE:
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This is absolutely right, and anybody that thinks that they've
got somebody in their pocket, and they'll always vote for
them, they're kidding themselves. People are learning every
day to study it and say "What's in this for me and
my group?" If there's something in there for them,
they're for it, and, if not, they're against it.
We're seeing this right now. They've been talking
about building down the creek here, and making nice shops and all.
It's surprising the people who come out against it, and many
of the people who come out against it you thought would have been for
it, but they're shifting. They're getting with
some of the blacks and saying there are better places. There are higher
priorities for our money. Maybe they're right. I think this
is good. I think it's healthy. You know, they say the
smartest man, you know is your tailer because he takes your measurements
anew every time you meet. A lot of people forget this. They want to keep
on building by the same old pattern.
