http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/11/why-ohio-upheld-collective-bargaining-rights.html
Jon Chait explains why the GOP's success in elections is not representative of people liking their ideas. Shorter version: People like the government to spend money on PLUs (People Like Us). Social Security and Medicare goes to PLUs. Welfare goes to Cadillac driving cheats and big bucks eating t-bones. With more and more PLUs getting unemployment insurance, it's tough to cut that, too.
As Chait notes, the GOP made ADA seem to be the giving of money to "others". Which is true to a certain extent with the subsidies for the working poor. As soon as ADA actually kicks in, people might notice that ADA benefits PLU.
The GOP engaged in ideological overreach - Walker, Kasich, Scott, Ryan's budget - because they forgot the lessons of Richard Nixon and Lee Atwater. That when you divide in order to conquer, you have to make sure you don't piss off the white people whom you have divided from other working class people. You have to remember that Americans aren't craven assholes like you, they are simply narrow minded and ethnocentric.
Hell, last night I voted for all the town council members who weren't Italian. I don't hate Italians, I'm just tired of "them" running my town. I want some PLUs to run the town for a change.
As many people said back in 2010, the GOP hasn't wandered in the wilderness enough after the Bush Debacle. They have forgotten that ultimately the American electorate is not ideological. They think the fact that the Tea Party helped them win in 2010 means that they will win in 2012.
Last night was an emphatic reminder that this is not necessarily so.
No comments:
Post a Comment