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sufrommich

(22,871 posts)
Mon May 11, 2015, 09:32 AM May 2015

How Republicans have made a science out of white working-class resentment

But let’s not kid ourselves about what the term most commonly means in our current political discourse. When a conservative derides “identity politics” he’s saying that white people are getting the short end of the stick. It’s not an academic critique or even more anodyne call for melting-pot solidarity. It’s racist coding, plain and simple. Even if “identity politics” is open for interpretation, there is no mistaking the meaning of Dog-whistle politics:

Dog-whistle politics is political messaging employing coded language that appears to mean one thing to the general population but has an additional, different or more specific resonance for a targeted subgroup. The phrase is used only as a pejorative, because of the inherently deceptive nature of the practice and because the dog-whistle messages are frequently themselves distasteful, for example by empathising with racist or revolutionary attitudes. The analogy is to a dog whistle, whose high-frequency whistle is heard by dogs but inaudible to humans.

That conservatives use “identity politics” as a dogwhistle is not well understood by the mainstream media. Or, if they do understand it, they ignore it. Here is a perfect example from a story this past Friday in the New York Times about Marco Rubio:

“The identity politics people in the party want a champion who looks like him to mitigate accusations of racism,” said Ben Domenech, a conservative writer. “And the classical conservatives look at him and say, ‘This is somebody who can sell our ideas to the public.’ ”


http://www.salon.com/2015/05/11/how_republicans_have_made_a_science_out_of_white_working_class_resentment/

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How Republicans have made a science out of white working-class resentment (Original Post) sufrommich May 2015 OP
K&R..... daleanime May 2015 #1
Check out comments on any AOL or Yahoo board.... Historic NY May 2015 #2
Yep. Actually they're on any News website that allows comments. nt sufrommich May 2015 #3
Working class whites should vote for us. lumberjack_jeff May 2015 #4
Buying non union made foriegn cars had a much sufrommich May 2015 #5
I see you support UglyGreed May 2015 #6
And Bernie Sanders voted against the GM bailout. sufrommich May 2015 #11
Bernie's interview with Thom Hartman UglyGreed May 2015 #12
Michigan would have tanked DownriverDem May 2015 #23
Didn't Michigan tank anyway? GummyBearz May 2015 #37
So, your solution is for us to kick immigrants and Latinos in order to pander to them. geek tragedy May 2015 #7
In a "democracy", the government is supposed to be responsive to citizens. Hope that helps! nt Romulox May 2015 #14
Not all citizens are conservative white guys. Hope that helps! nt geek tragedy May 2015 #16
Illegal immigrants aren't, by definition, citizens. The needs and wants and citizens are supposed Romulox May 2015 #17
1. 17% of CITIZENS are Latinos. 2. not all working class white men are xenopobic a-holes nt geek tragedy May 2015 #19
Latino doesn't mean "illegal immigrant". I'm not sure what your point is. nt Romulox May 2015 #38
Have you seen polling on immigration amongst Latinos? geek tragedy May 2015 #39
There's no reason why polls of a specific subset should be controlling. Romulox May 2015 #40
A percentage of the workforce are undocumentated ismnotwasm May 2015 #59
Latino citizens are not illegal aliens. lumberjack_jeff May 2015 #43
Latino citizens overwhelmingly support a path to legalization lunamagica May 2015 #61
And now it's about guys. Focus, dude. n/t lumberjack_jeff May 2015 #47
I think that is their solution. Anything to make sure white, male protestants are at the front NoJusticeNoPeace May 2015 #27
The first rule of pandering is to pander to people who can vote. n/t lumberjack_jeff May 2015 #41
Latinos can't vote? nt geek tragedy May 2015 #42
Why are you talking about latino citizens? lumberjack_jeff May 2015 #45
Because the former have many family members in the latter category. geek tragedy May 2015 #48
So . . . Depaysement May 2015 #66
People who are conservative will vote Republican. geek tragedy May 2015 #69
The effort to attract conservative voters by going 'republican-lite' has never and will never work. pampango May 2015 #70
Its's not that simple Depaysement May 2015 #74
The only way to move conservative opinion is via emotional appeal hootinholler May 2015 #9
I know someone who went to apply for help and discovered there is no "welfare".... Spitfire of ATJ May 2015 #26
My ex Brother in law hootinholler May 2015 #31
I bet he's also convinced of his superiority. Spitfire of ATJ May 2015 #32
Dogwhistle! "the special welfare just for black people" daredtowork May 2015 #36
There are people who get mad when they see a homeless white person.... Spitfire of ATJ May 2015 #49
The homeless white person is always presumed a "vet" daredtowork May 2015 #73
What really confuses the assholes is when there's crossover. The homeless black veteran. Spitfire of ATJ May 2015 #75
That's why economic populism is important. lumberjack_jeff May 2015 #46
Yep, white guys are themselves engage in 'identity politics' as much as anyone. geek tragedy May 2015 #8
Democrats need to counter this dog-whistle politics by exposing it as the deception it is meow2u3 May 2015 #10
I get the sense that a lot of educated, middle class whites blame working class whites for bigotry YoungDemCA May 2015 #13
It's more subtle. Upper class whites want to defend their own privilege via scapegoating. nt Romulox May 2015 #18
+1 Depaysement May 2015 #68
Um, NAFTA, MFN for China, Korean Free Trade, and now, TPP. All Democratic efforts. Romulox May 2015 #15
I had to pause at this point ... 1StrongBlackMan May 2015 #20
I notice you are paying attention, wonder who else is. NoJusticeNoPeace May 2015 #28
Well, the whole concept of "pandering" is curious... malthaussen May 2015 #53
But when that regular ol politician ... 1StrongBlackMan May 2015 #55
Yeah, they get you coming and going there, notice? malthaussen May 2015 #57
But thankfully ... 1StrongBlackMan May 2015 #58
Republicans have enumerated pessimistic narcissism, sociopathy and psychopathy into an ideology AgingAmerican May 2015 #21
It is remarkable that so many psychological pathologies hifiguy May 2015 #56
Right-wing parties in Europe also play the "us vs them" resentment game aimed at minorities and pampango May 2015 #22
Conservatives have made "working-class resentment" an artform Iliyah May 2015 #24
They've redirected it Depaysement May 2015 #67
I know a lot of older white affluent Americans who are incredibly resentful, too. Arugula Latte May 2015 #25
I can assure you that if you are in a work environment or starbucks or grocery store NoJusticeNoPeace May 2015 #29
+1 Enthusiast May 2015 #35
The ones that get me are the ones who refuse to accept the idea that anyone can make it.... Spitfire of ATJ May 2015 #30
Yep. Arugula Latte May 2015 #54
I can't tell you how many yuppies I met with top of the line VCRs blinking "12:00". Spitfire of ATJ May 2015 #60
+1 Enthusiast May 2015 #34
There is no question that Republicans have made a science out of white working-class resentment. Enthusiast May 2015 #33
naw, they LOVE napalm, nukes, and a lot of chemistry MisterP May 2015 #50
The RW GOPers speak to them; Democrats don't. Many Democrats want white voters... Eleanors38 May 2015 #44
The GOP class wareful meme is simply sad Gothmog May 2015 #51
The white working and middle classes ARE getting screwed. hifiguy May 2015 #52
Wonderful graphic on "Voting Republican". Thanks for posting it. pampango May 2015 #71
Lynton Crosby pioneered the technique in Australia in the 1990s shaayecanaan May 2015 #62
Divide and conquer is an ancient strategy hifiguy May 2015 #63
MSM understands it... awoke_in_2003 May 2015 #64
That's pretty much the same thing Turbineguy May 2015 #65
And so have Democrats! Even right here on Democratic Underground! Liberal_Stalwart71 May 2015 #72
 

lumberjack_jeff

(33,224 posts)
4. Working class whites should vote for us.
Mon May 11, 2015, 10:06 AM
May 2015

The OP is a problem statement that should be fixed.

We should start by considering how our full-throated support of amnesty for illegal workers sounds to them.

We have no problem recognizing how H1B visas impact the workforce, but it at least has the merit of being regulated; we know exactly how many H1B workers are here taking jobs.

sufrommich

(22,871 posts)
5. Buying non union made foriegn cars had a much
Mon May 11, 2015, 10:12 AM
May 2015

bigger impact on blue collar workers than H1B visas ever will.And yet you'll see lots of DUers explain why that's different.

UglyGreed

(7,661 posts)
12. Bernie's interview with Thom Hartman
Mon May 11, 2015, 10:54 AM
May 2015

[Thom Hartmann]: I remember it well, Bernie. In fact I miss it. It's beautiful, I'm looking out--we live in a house boat on the river and I'm looking out across the water at the shore and it's all covered--it's just beautiful. It's a winter wonderland. But you can't move a car in the city. It just shuts down the city. Anyhow, Bush said he is going to loan the automakers some money but he is going to attach some strings to it. Your thoughts?

[Bernie Sanders]: well--before we jump into that, and that's certainly a very important issue--you know what, I'm hearing in my state of Vermont, and I think it's true all over this country, Thom, and we can't underestimate it, there is an enormous amount of fear and apprehension about what's happening in the economy. And the degree to which things are moving so rapidly that a year or two years ago, a year ago, the Bush Administration was talking about how – you remember this? – “the fundamentals of the economy are sound. The economy is robust, everything is wonderful” and now we're looking into the abyss and what we are seeing, and we can’t forget about this, is right now I know people, you know people, people are losing their jobs. 500,000 people lost their jobs just last month. Unemployment is soaring. People are losing their homes and when people lose their homes and their jobs, they're losing their health insurance. People are putting money into savings accounts and investment accounts for their retirement and that's gone. Or a substantial part of that has gone as the stock market has gone down. People trying to save up money for their kids to get a college education. That's going down. This is a real, real tragedy.

And nobody really knows exactly what's going to happen tomorrow. So I think clearly what we have to do as a nation is understand how we got to where we are. Make sure we never repeat this again and then figure out in a very bold way of how we revitalize this economy, how we create good-paying jobs and we don't repeat the mistakes of the past. How we get rid of--once and for all--this extreme right wing Alan Greenspan, George Bush type of ideology which has essentially said that if you do everything that the rich and large corporations want, suddenly somehow it's all going to trickle down to ordinary people and the economy will be prosperous and clearly that's a crock. It hasn't worked and we have to learn that lesson very profoundly.

The immediate concerns that I have, Thom, is that I voted-- I think as many of the listeners know--against this bailout for a dozen different reasons. But one of them was—

[Thom Hartmann]: The bail out the banks.

[Bernie Sanders]: The bail out the banks, and one of them was that I didn't think the middle class and working families who have seen a decline in their income under Bush should have to bail out Wall Street when those guys have made huge increases in their income and wealth. But more importantly right now the Bush people have spent -- I think the last count something like 335 billion of the first tranche and it's amazing, amazing, how little oversight or accountability we have from these financial institutions that we're bailing out. You know, if you came to me, and you said, "Bernie, I need some money", I'd say, "Okay Thom, I'll give you some money but this is what you got to do with it, A, B, C and D, and I'm going to watch you. But apparently ABC did something last week.

They asked all of the banks that had received this bailout and they said, "tell me the loans that you're making, tell me what are doing with the money". Only one of the banks responded, so we really don't know whether they're giving out--or continuing to give out--outrageous bonuses, paying dividends. We don't know if they're making loans to small businesses, if they're dealing with foreclosures. If they're really trying to get our economy stimulated and create jobs, doing the things that this bailout was supposed to do! We don't even know that. And the idea of the Bush administration, perhaps asking for another $350 billion, is totally incomprehensible.

To my mind to add insult to injury, as you may have seen in the papers today, the Fed came out dealing with this horrendous situation with credit cards. And I was on the House financial services committee for many years and we dealt with this issue--I raised this issue, I should say, we didn't deal with it--and what you have is credit card companies ripping off people in the most unbelievable ways. Through bait and switch tactics, saying "sign up and will give you zero interest, 2% interest", then of course they end up changing the interest rates anytime they wanted, late fees are extraordinarily high. Coming up with all kinds of ways to raise money from unsuspecting consumers.

And then the Fed comes out and says, okay we should do A,B,C, and D, all of which are fine ideas, but then they say that they shouldn't go into effect until July 2010, which is basically absurd. We have to deal with the credit card crisis and the ripping off of people, especially from many of the same institutions that are receiving bailouts from taxpayers who are now getting money from the Fed at almost 0 interest and are now charging in some cases consumers on their credit cards 25 or 30%. So that's an issue that has got to be dealt with.

The other concern and major issue that people are going to see a lot of action on in January before Obama becomes president, but certainly immediately after, is this stimulus package which I strongly, strongly support. I am not in favor of bailing out Wall Street with no strings attached but I am in favor of rebuilding our infrastructure to create millions, creating millions of good jobs, dealing with the crumbling of our bridges, our roads, our water systems. And also to a significant degree -- and this is one of the great challenges that the Obama administration and all of us are going to face--breaking our dependency on fossil fuel and foreign oil, moving to energy efficiency and wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and other sustainable energies. And doing that, in the process, creating millions of good paying jobs.

We also have to be mindful in this economic downturn that we don't want to forget about people falling--the most vulnerable people in our society; the kids, the elderly, and the sick--falling through the cracks and so we have to make sure that nobody in America goes cold, nobody in America is sleeping out on the street. We have to worry about the cities and towns.

But bottom line here, I think, in this moment of great economic uncertainty, the time is now for the American people, for the president of the United States, the new president, for the Congress to start rethinking this trickle down ideology of tax breaks for billionaires, unfettered free trade, anti-trade-unionism, and all of the other aspects of a right wing ideology which has clearly failed.

[Thom Hartmann]: Yeah. Even their approach to the auto bailout is--you know--we need to drive down wages to make this -- it's a race to the bottom.

[Bernie Sanders]: Thom, that is exactly right and anyone who thinks that a lot of the Republican opposition to this automobile bailout -- when the Republicans defeated it a couple of weeks ago -- didn't have a lot to do with trying to destroy the United Automobile Workers and to in fact drive down wages--which are already plummeting in the automobile industry -- is sorely mistaken.

Now some listeners may say, "Well you know, frankly I don't live in Detroit, I don't make cars -- why should I worry about it?" Here's why you should worry about it. Historically the gold standard for manufacturing workers was the automobile industry. Workers there earned good wages. They had good benefits. They had a strong union. They had a pension program, and so forth. And by raising that standard, it meant that in non-union manufacturing in the state of Vermont, or the state of Arizona, you had a standard by which people had to respond to. And if in your gold standard area wages go down, so that people are entering the automobile industry now making 14 bucks an hour with lower benefits, how do you think people are going to make a living wage working in a non-union shop elsewhere in this country?

And you're quite right--what we're talking about here is a collapse of the middle class. A race to the bottom.

Our big money interests tell us that in China they only make $.50 an hour, how dare you ask for a living wage for your family? So what we have seen under Bush is that race to the bottom, a growing gap between the rich and the poor, an increase in poverty, and those are the kind of, kinds of trends that we really have got to reverse if we're going to save the middle class of this country.

- See more at: http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2008/12/transcript-bernie-sanders-economy-bailouts-19-december-2008#sthash.ycCZOEUK.dpuf

DownriverDem

(6,228 posts)
23. Michigan would have tanked
Mon May 11, 2015, 12:00 PM
May 2015

I live in a suburb of Detroit and work Downtown. Without the auto bailout/loans Michigan would have tanked. Not only Michigan, but all the other auto manufacturing states. We have a repub gov and legislature. They have been screwing us ever since they gained control.

 

GummyBearz

(2,931 posts)
37. Didn't Michigan tank anyway?
Mon May 11, 2015, 01:20 PM
May 2015

I mean, $500 properties in Detroit doesn't exactly conjure up images of a healthy economy...

Buyer beware of Detroit’s $500 foreclosed properties

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2015/03/16/detroit-foreclosed-properties-auction/24829395/

 

geek tragedy

(68,868 posts)
7. So, your solution is for us to kick immigrants and Latinos in order to pander to them.
Mon May 11, 2015, 10:21 AM
May 2015

How about abortion, GBLT rights, same-sex marriage, equal pay, while we're at it?

Police brutality and civil rights for African-Americans? Working class white voters don't wanna hear about that either.

"Full-throated support for amnesty for illegal workers"

Steve King couldn't have turned the phrase better. Shall we count you as a member of the "Deport Deport Deport" caucus?

Romulox

(25,960 posts)
17. Illegal immigrants aren't, by definition, citizens. The needs and wants and citizens are supposed
Mon May 11, 2015, 11:21 AM
May 2015

to supercede those of non-citizens. Again, this is definitional in a "democracy".

 

geek tragedy

(68,868 posts)
39. Have you seen polling on immigration amongst Latinos?
Mon May 11, 2015, 01:23 PM
May 2015

Here's a hint: bashing "amnesty for illegals" is what Mitt Romney did.

Romulox

(25,960 posts)
40. There's no reason why polls of a specific subset should be controlling.
Mon May 11, 2015, 01:25 PM
May 2015

Again, could you more explicitly articulate what you are trying to say?

ismnotwasm

(41,976 posts)
59. A percentage of the workforce are undocumentated
Mon May 11, 2015, 04:26 PM
May 2015

Of these, many are Latino. They are used and exploited and underpaid--yet believe enough in America to work here, to have children here. The countries they come from are controlled by drug cartels, corrupt governments, have horrible human rights records. They are a diaspora.

Outside of almost any Home Depot, you can find them lining up, hopeful for work. A sea of brown faces being picked up by a mostly white hirer, often in expensive work trucks.

Is your solution to deport all undocumented? All? Root out the sweat shops here in America, the trafficking of souls for sex and labour? Or just the ones outside of Home Depot?

And families? Send them back? All? No matter how long they've been here or what they've accomplished?

How do you propose to do that?

lunamagica

(9,967 posts)
61. Latino citizens overwhelmingly support a path to legalization
Mon May 11, 2015, 05:11 PM
May 2015

for undocumented immigrants. That is a fact.

And without the Latino vote, there's no way to win the White House.

Romney learned this the hard way...

NoJusticeNoPeace

(5,018 posts)
27. I think that is their solution. Anything to make sure white, male protestants are at the front
Mon May 11, 2015, 12:27 PM
May 2015

of the line, even if we committed mass murder to get there.

Even if we enslaved people to get there.

Why the Japanese, Chinese and most of all African Americans dont lose patience with white Americans, is amazing to me

 

geek tragedy

(68,868 posts)
48. Because the former have many family members in the latter category.
Mon May 11, 2015, 02:04 PM
May 2015

Though, those of us who hold the Democratic position on immigration refer to them as "undocumented workers" not "illegal aliens."

Also, for those who care about votes and elections:

http://nbclatino.com/2013/03/05/poll-immigration-reform-now-top-issue-for-latinos-path-to-citizenship-vital-to-winning-their-support/

Interestingly, 63 percent of Latinos would back a Republican presidential candidate who supports a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, over a Democratic candidate who does not, if a general election would be held today. Seventy-two percent would support a Democrat over 18 percent for a Republican if the Democrat supported a pathway to citizenship instead of a Republican candidate.


So, no, telling the fastest growing segment of voters to screw off in order to pander to low information xenophobes is not a good idea.

Depaysement

(1,835 posts)
66. So . . .
Tue May 12, 2015, 06:27 AM
May 2015

. . . a litany of working class white sins. That's why many don't vote for Dems. After the Charter School teacher is done scolding us for our illiberal views, which many working class whites don't hold, why are we going to vote for the Corporate Democratic Party? We might as well vote Republican.

 

geek tragedy

(68,868 posts)
69. People who are conservative will vote Republican.
Tue May 12, 2015, 08:10 AM
May 2015

It is a waste of time to chase conservative voters by pandering to them.

Actually, it's worse since that turns off members of the Democratic base, e.g. Latinos, women.

pampango

(24,692 posts)
70. The effort to attract conservative voters by going 'republican-lite' has never and will never work.
Tue May 12, 2015, 08:14 AM
May 2015

Not only does it not work to attract their votes, it does - as you say - alienate liberal voters in the process.

Depaysement

(1,835 posts)
74. Its's not that simple
Tue May 12, 2015, 04:45 PM
May 2015

The Dems espouse or enact a conservative economic agenda. If that were more geared toward working clas voters we might win more seats in Congress.

hootinholler

(26,449 posts)
9. The only way to move conservative opinion is via emotional appeal
Mon May 11, 2015, 10:24 AM
May 2015

They do not respond to fact. For 40 years they've bought into the myth that the welfare recipients are eating their lunch and living high on the hog. Even though they are poor they understand from experience that someone is eating their lunch but somehow do not connect it to tax cuts for the 1%. This is an emotional response and is connected to nascent racism.

Until we can convince them that they've been taken, made fools of, conned out of their livelihood, they will not change who they support.

 

Spitfire of ATJ

(32,723 posts)
26. I know someone who went to apply for help and discovered there is no "welfare"....
Mon May 11, 2015, 12:26 PM
May 2015

You can't just decide to not work and have the government give you free money.

He said there must be a special welfare just for black people.

hootinholler

(26,449 posts)
31. My ex Brother in law
Mon May 11, 2015, 12:34 PM
May 2015

Spent a few years on assistance back in the early 70's. Then he got a job in a coal mine.

Today he's anti union anti welfare and laps up the tea bagger coolaid.

daredtowork

(3,732 posts)
36. Dogwhistle! "the special welfare just for black people"
Mon May 11, 2015, 01:17 PM
May 2015

Both Democrats and Republicans relentlessly send this message that there is a class of people "living on welfare" to justify what they are going to "get tough on". And when white people discover that's not the case when they need it...of course there must be "special welfare for black people". So many advocates for the poor work so hard to fight this myth - because the lies result in harm to the weakest and most vulnerable members of society. Not only are the remaining forms of assistance continually cut (food stamps), but recipients are treated with indignity and once they are rendered homeless they are subject to all sorts of physical ills, indignities, and the general hostility of society. Yet the truth can't break through the perpetual barrage of lies told by politicians. It's just in their interest to tell them, or at least hint at them, and they can get away with it.

There is no "special welfare for black people".

Blacks are not even the majority recipients of welfare programs.

 

Spitfire of ATJ

(32,723 posts)
49. There are people who get mad when they see a homeless white person....
Mon May 11, 2015, 02:19 PM
May 2015

Their first thought is that black people are taking away their benefits.

All of this got amplified to 11 when Obama became President.

daredtowork

(3,732 posts)
73. The homeless white person is always presumed a "vet"
Tue May 12, 2015, 04:19 PM
May 2015

And it makes me mad that "housing the vets" is presumed to be equivalent to solving homelessness problems in Utah and New Orleans and other places. Sure, vets deserve to be housed - but there are other people who became homeless after contributing to society in various ways (working taxpayers, active in churches, perhaps known for helping little old ladies crossing the street...) - and they are simply excluded because only "homeless vets" seem to be a mark of shame for the American people.

IMHO, there is a lot of subconscious *angling* to make poor black men homeless to punish them for "not working" - even though while they are working they are harassed for competing for jobs with white men.

 

lumberjack_jeff

(33,224 posts)
46. That's why economic populism is important.
Mon May 11, 2015, 02:00 PM
May 2015

Economic populism which embraces unregulated immigration is nothing but a head fake. Cheap labor requires poverty.

 

geek tragedy

(68,868 posts)
8. Yep, white guys are themselves engage in 'identity politics' as much as anyone.
Mon May 11, 2015, 10:23 AM
May 2015

Ditto the rightwing evangelicals who constantly whine about being victimized.

meow2u3

(24,761 posts)
10. Democrats need to counter this dog-whistle politics by exposing it as the deception it is
Mon May 11, 2015, 10:29 AM
May 2015

While they're at it, Dems should call out repukes and teahadists when they use it.

Dems need to learn to counter repuke dog whistles by pointing them out and give the translation in plain English. For instance, when repukes go on with their rhetoric about "religous freedom, " Dems need to say something like this: "'Religious freedom' is nothing but a dog whistle. You really mean that you want to discriminate against (insert minority here) and hide behind religion to justify it."

 

YoungDemCA

(5,714 posts)
13. I get the sense that a lot of educated, middle class whites blame working class whites for bigotry
Mon May 11, 2015, 11:17 AM
May 2015

As if racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia, and contempt for the poor were not structural and systemic in American society, but were rather, some individual moral failing that lower-status whites are more susceptible to (because of "lack of education". )

Notice that, in all this attention on people (skin color none-withstanding) with less wealth, power, and status, those whites with more of all of those things are utterly let off the hook in this discussion.

Why aren't we talking about how educated, affluent middle-class whites participate in (and perpetuate) the hierarchies of power and domination in American society?

Romulox

(25,960 posts)
15. Um, NAFTA, MFN for China, Korean Free Trade, and now, TPP. All Democratic efforts.
Mon May 11, 2015, 11:20 AM
May 2015

But I guess the real problem is just racist white guys.

 

1StrongBlackMan

(31,849 posts)
20. I had to pause at this point ...
Mon May 11, 2015, 11:28 AM
May 2015
“Identity politics” is seen as a scam to dupe racial and ethnic minorities, gays and women into voting for Democrats who pander to their personal concerns, letting their economic interest and the nation’s best interest as a whole be obscured in the process.

...

So, in these lefties minds, it’s an equal opportunity duping. Still one cannot help but notice that most of the people on both sides who complain about their fellow citizens being duped by politicians pandering to their narrow concerns have rarely walked in the shoes of those to whom the pols are allegedly pandering. It undoubtedly looks a little different from that perspective.




And,

When a conservative derides “identity politics” he’s saying that white people are getting the short end of the stick.


When the phrase shows up in liberal spaces, it is saying ... "I feel I am getting the short end of the stick."

malthaussen

(17,193 posts)
53. Well, the whole concept of "pandering" is curious...
Mon May 11, 2015, 03:16 PM
May 2015

... pretty sure when regular ol politicians do it for their costituents it's called "representation."

-- Mal

malthaussen

(17,193 posts)
57. Yeah, they get you coming and going there, notice?
Mon May 11, 2015, 04:12 PM
May 2015

You're too ignorant to know you're being duped, while craftily advancing your exceptionalist agenda. Terry Pratchett actually did a bit on that in one of his books.

-- Mal

 

AgingAmerican

(12,958 posts)
21. Republicans have enumerated pessimistic narcissism, sociopathy and psychopathy into an ideology
Mon May 11, 2015, 11:40 AM
May 2015
They have codified cluster B personality disorders as the basis for their beliefs:

Cluster B personality disorders are a categorization of personality disorders as defined in the DSM-IV and DSM-5.[1] There are four recognized Cluster B personality disorders:

Antisocial personality disorder (DSM-IV code 301.7): a pervasive disregard for the law and the rights of others.

Borderline personality disorder (DSM-IV code 301.83): extreme "black and white" thinking, instability in relationships, self-image, identity and behavior often leading to self-harm and impulsivity.

Histrionic personality disorder (DSM-IV code 301.50): pervasive attention-seeking behavior including inappropriately seductive behavior and shallow or exaggerated emotions.

Narcissistic personality disorder (DSM-IV code 301.81): a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and a lack of empathy
...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_B_personality_disorders

I have been realizing this lately. Their ideology is psychopathic, when observed from a psychological standpoint.

Empathy and compassion are signs of weakness, in the Republican world. Empathy is what separates humans from animals. Point this out to a Republican and they will shrivel like a worm in the sun.
 

hifiguy

(33,688 posts)
56. It is remarkable that so many psychological pathologies
Mon May 11, 2015, 04:10 PM
May 2015

could be turned into an actual, and successful, political platform.

It does not bode well for the future, especially when combined with the ignorance/stupidity and xenophobia of so many white people. Ignorant and stupid people are incredibly easy to brainwash/propagandize. Germany in the early 20th century was the best-educated nation in Europe, probably in the world, and we all know what happened there with considerably less sophisticated and nuanced propaganda.

pampango

(24,692 posts)
22. Right-wing parties in Europe also play the "us vs them" resentment game aimed at minorities and
Mon May 11, 2015, 11:50 AM
May 2015

immigrants.

In Europe the right has been quite successful playing the "us vs them" card. It not only is effective politically but it serves the further right-wing purpose of diverting attention from the 99% against the 1% to "us" workers against "them" workers.

As the world becomes more interconnected, diversity will increase. While liberals are comfortable with diversity and multiculturalism, conservatives prefer to maintain the dominance of one cultural/racial group ("us&quot against minorities/immigrants ("them&quot .

Iliyah

(25,111 posts)
24. Conservatives have made "working-class resentment" an artform
Mon May 11, 2015, 12:04 PM
May 2015

Keeping people divided helps conservatives win.

Depaysement

(1,835 posts)
67. They've redirected it
Tue May 12, 2015, 06:28 AM
May 2015

Away from class and toward race, sex, gender. We don't do enough to counter that. So they win.

 

Arugula Latte

(50,566 posts)
25. I know a lot of older white affluent Americans who are incredibly resentful, too.
Mon May 11, 2015, 12:09 PM
May 2015

They've been given every advantage and they think they deserve more.

NoJusticeNoPeace

(5,018 posts)
29. I can assure you that if you are in a work environment or starbucks or grocery store
Mon May 11, 2015, 12:31 PM
May 2015

and you walk up to 10 random white people, at least 7 will assure you that while corps may not pay enough taxes, sure, and rich people may not either, sure, the REAL PROBLEM is all those people on welfare.

Guaranteed

I wonder what a question and answer session would look like here on DU

 

Spitfire of ATJ

(32,723 posts)
30. The ones that get me are the ones who refuse to accept the idea that anyone can make it....
Mon May 11, 2015, 12:33 PM
May 2015

You know the types. They became rich and it was EASY for them. It practically fell into their lap.

They're often not too bright either. They know it too. They know lots of people that are smarter than them. Every so often they meet one and it just doesn't compute to them how someone smarter than them with more talent isn't rich.

The really ANNOYING ones then credit it to their faith in Jesus.

 

Arugula Latte

(50,566 posts)
54. Yep.
Mon May 11, 2015, 03:46 PM
May 2015

I know one who got into a very good public sector union job in the 50s. So, of course, as a retiree, he has fantastic benefits, a great pension, etc. to this day.

Yet of course he's a big fan of Ronnie Reagan, the Union Buster, and he thinks those dern Mexicans are the ones who are collecting all the benefits.

"Not too bright" describes him to a T. Oh, and of course he believes in Jeeeezus.

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)
33. There is no question that Republicans have made a science out of white working-class resentment.
Mon May 11, 2015, 01:11 PM
May 2015

They have also made a science out of promoting ignorance. Unfortunately it's the only science they will embrace.

 

hifiguy

(33,688 posts)
52. The white working and middle classes ARE getting screwed.
Mon May 11, 2015, 03:11 PM
May 2015

Along with the non-white working and middle classes. The problem is that the whites are blaming all the wrong people for the situation in which they find themselves. And they have been endlessly propagandized to be willfully blind to the people who are actually inflicting their suffering upon them. They have also been given a vast number of scapegoats.

pampango

(24,692 posts)
71. Wonderful graphic on "Voting Republican". Thanks for posting it.
Tue May 12, 2015, 08:17 AM
May 2015
The problem is that the whites are blaming all the wrong people for the situation in which they find themselves. And they have been endlessly propagandized to be willfully blind to the people who are actually inflicting their suffering upon them. They have also been given a vast number of scapegoats.

Well said, hifiguy.

shaayecanaan

(6,068 posts)
62. Lynton Crosby pioneered the technique in Australia in the 1990s
Mon May 11, 2015, 07:58 PM
May 2015

he was the guy who just won the election for David Cameron in the UK. The Labour Party on the other hand spent $300 million engaging the services of David Axelrod, which turned out to be a waste of money and time.

John Howard was a master of wedge politics. He would use environmental issues to drive a wedge between forestry workers and green voters (normally both Labor constituencies). He managed to obtain two seats in electorates formerly regarded as unassailable, which was hugely humiliating for the Labor party.

Part of the success lies in the reaction (such as the OP). If the left spends its time endlessly parsing utterances for racism and discussing semantics then it merely succeeds in (further) alienating the working class.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog-whistle_politics

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