Anonymous blogger "Xymphora" answers the question "How could Kerry possibly lose"?
People aren't entirely prepared to admit it, but there really is an underclass of very unhappy white people in the United States who are still fighting the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and the Civil War. The dissatisfaction in their lives is caused by the powerlessness they feel in the face of the fact that they fall further behind with each generation. The Republicans manage these people with great skill, and use the full force of the media to direct all their anger and hatred to liberalism. The fact that many of them are evangelical Christians is more a symptom of the same malaise that it is the cause of their hatreds. Nutty religion is their opium. While many of them are terribly misinformed and stupid, I don't think it is entirely fair to say that they misunderstand their class interests. They have come to the conclusion that they are going to be screwed regardless of which party is in power, and they prefer to be screwed by a group that doesn't appear to hold them in contempt. Indeed, you get the impression that their hatred is so great that they are taunting the liberal attempts at policy solutions to their problems, almost saying we hate your contempt for us so much we'll prove it by voting against our own interests.My wish as a Republican is for Hillary Clinton to give this person a job on her 2008 campaign team.
[hat tip: Pacific Views]
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at November 04, 2004 05:31 PMShark,
You sure that you aren't quoting the Madame herself?
Posted by: Bob R on November 4, 2004 06:49 PMEvangelical Christian=Nutty religion. One wonders whether she'd be comfortable referring to Baha'i, Muslims, or even Moonies as "nutty religion" (the latter especially during the 1980s, apart from its sponsorship of the Washington Times).
Posted by: Dean on November 5, 2004 08:16 AMThis stuff cracks me up. Voting sure is a messy nuisance when the "people" are too stupid to "vote the right way." There's always been these pint-sized would-be dictators in either party, but why are the ones on the left so much more vocal? (or simply numerous?)
Posted by: xire138 on November 5, 2004 11:22 AMFrankly, I tip my hat to the Republicans... You guys know how to frame an issue and how to stay on-message.
I wouldn't go so far as to call the American people too stupid to vote the right way, but one does wonder why so many Americans would vote for a President and a Party which so clearly fails to represent them.
The answer is simple. Republicans offered voters something (and someone) to believe in. The Democrats offered... a "plan"? "anybody but bush"? wonky details instead of what OUR moral values are?
Once again, Democrats failed because our candidate sucked. Unfortunately, our leadership lives on another planet. They blamed Nader four years ago, instead of Al Gore. And this year it looks like they're going to blame gay people or "the gay agenda." Or perhaps they'll just blame Gavin Newsom. Instead of the idiots who pushed John Kerry.
*SIGH*
Congrats to all of you for actually knowing how to be political!
Posted by: Michael on November 5, 2004 02:19 PMMichael:
I think you sorta, kinda missed the point.
What is the point of politics? When the first JFK was around, he suggested that politics was about living a vision. "Camelot," "We choose to go to the Moon," "Ask not what your country can do for you," "New Frontier." Politics is both being for something, as well as against something.
So, while you're right that the Dems lacked a message, where there IS a message, you still have to wonder what the Democratic Party's own lines have come to represent.
An America where things are fairer by raising taxes on the rich (w/ rich defined so far down that many a two-income family would suddenly be counted as "rich")?
An America which places higher import on being loved by foreigners than keeping its own citizens secure?
An America which believes that, at base, it is such a horrible place it should minimize its footprint abroad and busy itself paying reparations at home?
An America where Moonies and Muslims should have their religious rights and beliefs respected, but those of evangelicals should not?
Yes, Al Gore and John Kerry were poor candidates. So was Dubya. So was Bob Dole. I'd venture that there's more to it than simply tactical missteps and poor candidate presence.