The Former Confederacy & Modern American Politics, Part Seventeen

Ronald Reagan began his second term in January 1985.

A scandal broke in late 1986, dubbed "Iran-Contra," because of its connection to Iran and to the Contras of Nicaragua. The scandal is complicated, but it essentially involved the U.S. selling arms to Iran, which was in a brutal, very bloody war with neighboring Iraq; then, some of the "proceeds" of that sale going to support anti-communist forces, called the "Contras," in Nicaragua.* The problems were these: Iran had been a bitter enemy of the U.S. since 1979 and the beginning of the ordeal for the American hostages being held in Iran. Sanctions against Iran were then put in place, which included an arms embargo. The U.S. openly supported Iran's enemy, Iraq, in the war between those two countries, but Iran desperately needed U.S. weapons to fight Iraq. There were also American hostages being held by an Iranian supported group in Lebanon. So the U.S. sold weapons to Iran, and some of the American hostages in Lebanon were released, although other Americans were then taken hostage. The process continued, but the price for weapons to Iran increased, with the extra money diverted to help the Contras in Nicaragua, something that was against American law. Eventually the deal with Iran became public, which badly damaged Reagan, whose poll numbers took a big hit until the 1988 election campaign and Reagan's pending departure from office lifted his numbers again.

The midterm election in 1986 saw Democrats gain a total of 8 Senate seats, as they defeated 6 Republican incumbents who had won election, at least partially, on the strength of Reagan's first term win in 1980. In the former Confederate states, Democrats captured Republican seats in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. In the House of Representatives, the overall results were less dramatic, as Democrats gained only 5 seats nationally, and with the changes in former Confederate states being: 1 Republican seat gained in Louisiana, making that state's delegation 5 Democrats and 3 Republicans; in Mississippi a 1 seat gain by Democrats, making the delegation 4 Democrats and 1 Republican; a 2 seat gain by Democrats in North Carolina, making the delegation 8 Democrats and 3 Republicans; a 1 seat Democratic gain in South Carolina, making the delegation 4 Democrats and 2 Republicans; and a 1 seat gain by Democrats in Virginia, making its delegation 5 Republicans and 5 Democrats. In governorships, Republicans replaced Democrats in Alabama, Texas, South Carolina and Florida (where former Democrat turned Republican, Bob Martinez won), but in Tennessee, a Democrat replaced a Republican as governor.

* For a little more on the "Iran-Contra" scandal, this is the link to an article I did in October 2012:  http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2012/10/its-about-coalitions-not-purity-part_7635.html

WORD HISTORY:
Cove-This word, UNRELATED to the similar word "cave," "seems" to go back to an Indo European form "geuba," with the notion of "pit, hollow;" thus, "a hole in the ground." This gave its Old Germanic offspring "kubon," with the meaning "den;" that is, "hollowed out living area in the ground or hillside for animals," but also with the "hollow, pit" meaning by itself. The "den" meaning then broadened to include "hut." This gave Old English "cofa," meaning, "den, closet, room." "Cofa" then became "cove," with the "e" pronounced "eh," before the modern pronunciation. The meaning, "small opening along a coastline, a small bay," didn't develop until the mid 1500s. Relatives in the other Germanic languages: German "Koben," meaning, "hutch, pigpen, animal stall," but also, "hollow;" Low German Saxon "Kaven," meaning, "animal stall;" Dutch "koof," meaning, "cove;" West Frisian "kouwe," meaning, "cage;" Icelandic "kofi," meaning, "hut."