This piece suggests that working class Americans abandoned liberalism, because liberals are smug. Honestly, I couldn't finish it.
Look, the working class abandoned liberalism because of race, though there were other factors. Yes, style probably had something to do with it, but a certain intellectual smugness has been a part of liberalism since it was invented. Liberalism as a movement relies on informed reason. What does the evidence say? What does precedent show?
Once working class whites began to leave the Democratic party over issues of race and culture, that may have removed some ballast from the party that represents liberals, but just because the Daily Show is smug does not account for why Kansas is dark red despite poor governance.
Whatever truth exists in the argument that coastal liberals look down on heartland conservatives, that argument can also be precisely reversed. The conservative movement has nothing but contempt for liberals. They rode to power on the backs of guys like Jerry Falwell and Rush Limbaugh and have now coalesced in Fox News.
And to argue that today's polarization is a product of liberals is to me the ultimate Slate-Pitch.
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