The racializing of American politics
In 2008′s election, many Republicans and independents voted for Mr. Obama to put a final nail in the coffin of Justice O’Connor’s racial anxieties. The millions of them who then cast votes against Mr. Obama in 2012 did so almost wholly because of the status of the economy after four years of his presidency. No matter. They lost in 2012 because they’re “too white.”
This country’s historic antidote to racial and ethnic obsessing is assimilation into the middle class, no matter what foreign country or continent sits in front of your hyphen. To this end the Republican candidate offered a solution led by private enterprise, and the Democrat said government should create the path forward. Mr. Obama won and has the four years he asked for to finally make good on his economics. But even this common goal degrades into a cudgel in the president’s politics by category: tax cuts for the middle class but not for “the well-off.”
The Democrats’ insistence on pandering to political categories is a dead end for the country. Rather than spinning their own Rubik’s Cube of race, gender and ethnicity, Republicans should start growing their share of the electorate by doing a better job of telling people how to succeed in the American melting pot, a wonderful organizing idea now mocked as a “myth” by progressive Democrats.
Blowback
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People like davidk, right2bright and schadenfreude make that difficult to do. They are so spiteful toward minorities. Voices like theirs are loud and often get heard OVER the sensible ideals held by most conservatives and Republicans.
Until we purge the outright bigots we will not appeal to and will continue to hemorrhage independents (real independents not TPers calling themselves indie.)
Capitalist Hog on November 29, 2012 at 5:48 PM
Da comrade! When shall we start the purge? We must all speak with one voice … like the left! Da?
darwin on November 29, 2012 at 5:50 PM
white fright, white flight – devil in the brighest pitch of night
Jeddite on November 29, 2012 at 5:51 PM
It would be helpful if conservatives did not
eschewreject college-education.Capitalist Hog on November 29, 2012 at 5:52 PM
Sorry I forgot about ya buddy. Feel free to add yourself to the list. Then you can work on preserving extremism.
Jon Meade Huntsman 2016
not
Capitalist Hog on November 29, 2012 at 5:54 PM
Who’s rejecting it?
darwin on November 29, 2012 at 5:55 PM
You sure you’re at the right blog? I think you clicked the wrong link.
darwin on November 29, 2012 at 5:58 PM
Are you being serious? Start with Dennis Prager. Pan out from there.
Capitalist Hog on November 29, 2012 at 5:59 PM
I think you’re drunk.
Too much vodka comrade?
darwin on November 29, 2012 at 6:01 PM
I don’t reject the concept, but I’m sure as heck not going to send my kids to some 4 year progressive indoctrination camp just because it’s become the expected thing to do after high school. I still don’t know why I got a degree, and yes, I had some outright communist professors whose purpose in life was to try to propagandize young minds (and get paid well doing it). Some of the others were just hard-lefties looking for easy TAs to do.
forest on November 29, 2012 at 6:04 PM
Define college education, bro. Because from where I’m sitting, a whole lot of kids are going into debt up to their eyeballs to get some crap degree that qualifies them for the local Starbuck’s or as a community organizer.
Sekhmet on November 29, 2012 at 6:11 PM
I don’t think the animosity against minorities in the GOP is as great as the animosity against the GOP in minorities. That’s what you and the establishment just don’t get. They aren’t pissed that you don’t like them. They just don’t like you period, and throwing over every value that you have probably isn’t going to change that. They don’t like white Democrats any better, but at least they are grovelling and offering minorities free stuff.
Don’t believe me? Just wait till they feel comfortable in their victory, and watch the different groups that make up the Democratic coalition start going at each others throats. That’s because the even uglier truth is that while they don’t like whites, they like the other groups that make up this coalition only a bit less.
DFCtomm on November 29, 2012 at 6:12 PM
Believe it or not, a lot of these Americans you disparage as “minorities” actually like the idea of universal healthcare; more progressive taxation/redistribution; Affirmative Action policies; a living wage for all; and a laxer, more fairer immigration policy that will allow for their extended families — like grandma! — enjoy the bounties of the American Dream.
And who could be against the special loan programs to help start small businesses set aside for these new Americans through the government and private corporations?
I’m sorry, Capitalist Hog, but you’re going to have to pony up the $$$ for all of the above to reach out to those underprivileged communities. Are you strong enough to ditch the “capitalism” and become “Fairness and Equality Hog”?
Punchenko on November 29, 2012 at 6:17 PM
It’s too expensive for what you can expect to get out of it, and done in a top-heavy, bureaucratic, PC and fundamentally unrepresentative of society atmosphere. There are a few exceptions, but the coming debt bubble implosion of these administrator heavy institutions will require something BETTER and CHEAPER to replace them that actually demonstrates that individuals get some SKILLS they can use out of them.
Or, perhaps, the idea of a college education may just die off and we will go to a totally skills and knowledge demonstrable set of certifications about things you can demonstrate that you know and can properly utilize…
And, of course, there is no denigration of those who love manual skills and contribute to our common environment via its maintenance and improvement. Actually we now need millions of THOSE jobs that require skills that unskilled undocumenteds don’t have… when you’re missing a half million welders because they were told to go broke by going through college and not supported in wanting to get a trade…
You know, it would help if conservatives supported alternatives to college that still lead to a good life and a prosperous basis for a family. I could get behind that and abandon the idea that cookie-cutter colleges are a boon to all. One size fits all, fits none well… choose better adornments as skills to suit yourself and you will do better than that shapeless robe made in red.
ajacksonian on November 29, 2012 at 6:24 PM
BS.
Outreach is an attitude. Don’t believe me go to your local church and learn something. How much does a Christian get paid to go out and witness?
Nope. We must do the work. But most people are unwilling. Why?
Either you embrace outreach or your write off minorities. If you write somebody off why should they listen? You could say the same thing about the GOP. That is we should write-off Latinos, et al.
Problem is that Latinos and minorities are a growing demo. Republicans are not.
Capitalist Hog on November 29, 2012 at 6:47 PM
Lets say that today you’re convicted of a crime and you’re taken to federal prison. Suddenly you’re surrounded by 10 inmates who find you quiet attractive. We as cheerleaders can yell fight, fight, fight all day long, but the odds are pretty good that you’re going to be having sex. This is the situation in which the GOP finds itself.
They are victims of their own actions. They chose to turn a blind eye to the illegal alien problem. They chose not to enforce the laws on the books. So now it looks like they are metaphorically going to have sex today, whether they want to or not. Pandering isn’t going to change this fact, but I fully expect them to embrace your point of view. The result will be an alienated conservative base and very few new minority voters. Enjoy the sex!
DFCtomm on November 29, 2012 at 6:57 PM
@Capitalist Hog: Might it be that minorities tend to be statists because they feel collectively self-conscious and vulnerable and thus especially in need of government protection , for which the only possible solution is to stop patronizing them with collective political “outreach” until they get used to viewing themselves as individuals? And that otherwise Republicans are just carrying water for Democrats?
Seth Halpern on November 29, 2012 at 7:07 PM
@DFCtomm: I assume that’s an all male prison. Because otherwise I might warm to this Republican idea of yours.
Seth Halpern on November 29, 2012 at 7:11 PM
I like this game!
Does this “outreach” you’re selling come with universal healthcare; Affirmative Action policies; special loan programs; Obamaphones; cash; or any other type of social and economic justice that is due to underprivileged communities?
Believe it or not, but some churches preach social and economic justice while some cultures are marinated in a Christianity that is more about social and economic justice.
Wait and hold the Obamaphone: Do you mean to tell me Republicans will go out into the community and preach social and economic justice alongside Rev. Jeremiah Wright and others who speak for the community? OR… are you going to send “tokens” like Alan Keyes, Michael Steele, and others to pander and then be mocked on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart?
If you chose the former, I think that would count as one of those moments where you’ve evolved, Mr. Capitalist Hog.
Because limited government and a reduced welfare state — and the special preferences that comes with it — doesn’t sell in certain quarters. You can’t reach poor people with tax cuts for the rich, supply-side economics, or that business about the Constitution which some are told is racist and in need of some revisions.
I’m all for outreach, Mr. Capitalist Hog — but sadly, you’re going have to part with the limited government/no welfare state message.
To win over the New America, you’re going to have to understand the patron/client relationship and perfect it much like the Democrats have. You’re going to have to go in there, say you’ve changed, and promise the moon while hoping the media doesn’t call you a “liar” or worse.
Essentially do what Ryan did with Medicare promises but for other programs like, well, whatever the Democrats are offering… and then some.
We’re going to need a bigger red bag.
Yup, it’s bye-bye Republicans unless you and your “life-partner” (better get used to saying that!) start having more kids like, uh, 4+ maybe 5+?
Don’t expect to appeal to your base by caving on gay marriage, abortion, limited government, strong defense, etc. etc. etc. There is simply no easy way out of this corner since most of those issues matter to the shrinking GOP base and matters little elsewhere.
With that said, the Democrats have won — unless, of course, you take from one side of their coalition and give to another and play their patron/client game more effectively.
Basically, the GOP has to play Santa now, like the Dems, but has to have a different naughty and nice list, if you get my drift. I think some, like Douthat and others, are hinting at this with a message and economic platform geared more towards the working/middle classes.
Punchenko on November 29, 2012 at 7:49 PM