Dave Lindorff: Notes from the "Bitter and Frustrated" Heartland

[marmar]

Notes from the "Bitter and Frustrated" Heartland
Wed, 04/16/2008 - 13:53 — dlindorff


I find it interesting that among the responses to my recent column about Obama’s “bitterness and frustration” comments regarding rural Americans, those that came from rural folks—including from the two towns I mentioned in Upstate New York—backed him up.

I don’t know how this will all play out in Pennsylvania’s primary next Tuesday. I’m terrible at predicting these things. But I have a suspicion that the people who are in a snit over Obama’s comments are either rabid Republicans or are already firmly committed Hillary Clinton fans (who seem perfectly happy to have this $100-million net worth child of wealth and privilege pretend, Bush-like, to be a good 'ol gal). Those who support Obama are unlikely to change their views, and may even become more committed to making it to the polls. In the end, it all could be a ratings-driven media dust-up. But meanwhile. It’s worth reading what some country folk have to say about it all.

Here’s one from observation from a guy in Spencer, NY, where I lived in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and about which I wrote in my piece:

“I have lived in Spencer for the past 20 years, and I have found that your sentiments match my experience. Folks who live in places like Spencer vote for Republicans and conservatives. However, when they when engaged on the issues and how policy affects them, they seem to realize that voting as they have is against their interests. Yet, they don't change their voting habits due to false images from the media, particularly from political advertising.

“I believe that one solution to the problem of people voting against their interests can come through public financing of elections. The issues are taxes (i.e., they vote for tax cuts that hurt them but help those with much higher incomes), health care ("socialized" medicine would help most rural people), and war (that hurts Americans and Iraqis).

“It might take a complete collapse of our economy on par with the 1930's coupled with an increasingly disastrous war in Iraq (and/or Iran, and/or Venezuela) to bring about real change and a movement back to a republic from an imperial empire.”

From Hancock, NY, where my wife and I own a summer house—actually a neutered old Methodist church and rectory we bought back in the mid ‘80s for $16,500—and which I also cited in my column, comes this comment:

“Since I'm an Obama Mama, can I be dismissed from the description of upstate New Yorkers? I so agree with you though. When our son (now grown) was a little tyke and he tanned so easily, I would sometimes get funny looks from the `good old boys’...the sad part was, many of them were related to us!” ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thiscantbehappening.net/?q=node/133