BBC-WS: Virginians at mall speak out on WS bailout. They think it's for those lazy you-know-whats.

[bushmeister0]

The BBC World Service's Jamie Coomarasamy "asks the average American for their two cents on the deal." (The deal being the Wall Street fat cat bail out.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/worldservice/meta/dps/2008/09/080922_main_street_db?nbram=1&nbwm=1&bbram=1&bbwm=1&size=au&lang=en-ws&bgc=003399&ls=16021

(It's only five minutes. Listen and quake!)

Here's what's scary about his interview with normal people at the Springfild, VA, mall.

They don't have any idea what the "deal" is.

The three people he talks to -- a mother and her daughter and a plumber -- all take great umbrage at people who took mortgages they couldn't afford asking for a bail out.

The plumber says something like 'I work hard. Why should people who want to sit around and not work get bailed out?'

The two women basically say the same thing, compaining about how they always did right, so why should they have to bail out people who bit off more than can chew?

And when they talk about people who don't want to work, you know who they mean.

They think the Gov. wants to bail out all those lazy negros who drive around in cadillacs, even though Coomarasamy makes it quite clear he's talking about the Wall Street bail out. (It's like telling people Obama isn't a Muslim, they just don't hear it.)

This could all turn around to hurt Obama in the end. If these "Sarah Palin moms" and white blue collar working types don't even grasp what's going on here, some devious fucker like Karl Rove could once again convince the people most hurt by this mess to vote against their best interests.

The Dems in congress better be careful, McLame & Co. will try to turn this around and make it sound like it was Obama's idea all along. Based on the ignorance of the general populous in suburban Washington DC, for Christ's sake, they might get away with it.

[Duer 157099]

1. "And when they talk about people who don't want to work, you know who they mean."

Republicans, of course. They are the laziest greediest people on the planet.

[bushmeister0]

2. If only that were what they meant! How dumb are us?

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Read DU recently? We have a lot of that going on

hell, go to DKOS, same story...

People are ignorant, and proud of it...

[rockymountaindem]

4. Yeah, anybody who thinks this bailout is for commoners who made bad decisions

is totally disconnected.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. I'd say ignorant, and not realizing that this does not work

we are going to be up a creek... well you know what I mean.

Even if it works, we will still have hard times ahead

[sandnsea]

5. Which is why they're still voting for McCain

Dems better get the right story out there on this mortgage crisis. It's got very little to do with the mortgages and everything to do with what was done after the mortgages were bundled and sold.

[bushmeister0]

6. Good luck with getting that across. Maybe, if Obama just rattled his car keys

for a few minutes . . .

[VAliberal]

8. I generally try to avoid politics in polite conversation

but during this election season, as important as it is, I've been talking with folks a bit more about the issues and campaigns.

I have been astounded by the level of ignorance on basic issues. Maybe ignorance is too strong - but gravely ill-informed might be more on the mark.

I suppose I take it for granted that everyone is focused on politics and government - but that's just not the case. DU and other political forums can be echo chambers. We assume everyone has some basic grasp on what's happening in Washington, at Wall Street, in their state capitol.

This first debate Friday, if it is watched by 100 million folks - the figure thrown out on Hardball I think - may be part 2 of likely voters figuring out who the candidates are (if part 1 was the conventions).

If the average relatively apolitical person is becoming aware of some sort of large-scale 'bailout' and simultaneously hearing RW propaganda about the 'poor' and people of color being the cause of the loan crisis/wall street meltdown - team Obama should roll out some ads to define this thing before the Repubs define it for us.

The financial crisis, oil prices, the proposed bailout, should be tied to the Repubs and deregulation - hammer it home.

[bushmeister0]

9. "gravely ill-informed" is a good way of putting it.

It's like what I imagine the average Russian must be thinking about the Russia/Georgia situation based on just watching Putin's media machine.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Today I splained this crisis to an older man

who was listening to our local right winger.

He lost color once I splained to him about loans, bank and not being able to get them since bank has no money

I find myself splaining this as if I was talking to three year olds any more

On the bright side, he was PISSED, turned right winger off and asked me some more details

I don't guarantee it, but I might have gotten another person to vote dem...

That depends on whether he starts listening to gasbags again.

[melody]

11. Their choice of "average American" is questionable

As always, it's the dumb, white middle-of-the-country ones. The "average" is clearly shown by the poll -- nearly half of
Americans blame the GOP for the whole matter. THAT is more the average than not.