On September 3, he posted a culture-war-based strategy for McCain-Palin to follow. He wasn't recommending it, only saying it makes sense for them to do it. They've stuck to script uncannily. Jay thinks my outrage is phony, or at least that I've cynically played my part in the plan. That's where he's wrong. I may be a fool for writing what I've written, but I'm not cynical. I know what's going on with Palin and the GOP base. I know how we social conservatives are being played. But none of that erases the fact that class conflict, of which resentment of the mainstream media is a significant part, comes from somewhere, and somewhere real. It's not a figment of Karl Rove's imagination.
Still, massive props to Jay for having plotted this thing out, and foreseen how the Republicans were going to handle this thing.
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Funny how both sides are voting against an "elite." Class? I don't see any. ;) All I know is that Obama won't be raising MY taxes! I don't make nearly enough! So yeah, maybe it is about class.
But I can tell you, Palin has really stirred up the base ... of the Democratic party.
"Drudge has linked to a Jonah Goldberg post on NRO regarding today's Obama ad mocking McCain's non-use of the internet.
"It turns out that as far back as the year 2000 both The Boston Globe and Slate had reported that injuries which McCain sustained during his POW experience make it difficult and painful (if not practically impossible) for the man to deftly work a keyboard."
On the one hand, the computer geek in me says, "So what? Hasn't he or any of his staff heard of voice-actuation? It's not perfect, but it works! It's not like he couldn't afford it."
On the other hand, there are so many better things to be doing with your day than farting around on a keyboard. Look at me -- I've children, books to read, dogs to play with, papers to grade, lectures to prepare... but what am I doing? Reading and posting to flippin' blogs!
Understanding you've being played may be a step toward some kind of recovery.
Maybe not though, if it's just about resentment.
One of the first commenters here brought up school teachers as an example of the way Democrats also play on their constituencies. But school teachers have actually something (mainly, increases in my taxes) for their participation in the Democratic coalition.
Tax haters have gotten their tax cuts (and have gotten them no matter what other policies are being pursued). Libertarian have gotten regulations repealed. Neocons have gotten their wars. Big businesses have gotten their loopholes and their subsidies.
What have social conservatives gotten?
I'm not asking what you want. I think we all know what you want.
You might say you've gotten the right judges appointed. Great--if you can tell me what rulings they've made that have gotten you what you want.
I'm asking this seriously.
Anyone?
Rod: Thanks for your kind words.
At the same time, the real loathing I've seen for people like me from liberals cannot be denied. I've seen it. I've heard it. I've felt it. I'm not whining about it, but I'm just saying that it's not a figment of my imagination, or something invented by the Republicans
True enough and fair enough; but as many others besides myself have pointed out here, the loathing that many conservatives feel for people like us is not a figment of our imaginations, either. We, too, have seen, heard, and felt it. Likewise, just as segments of the Left are willing to whip up resentment against conservatives, segments of the Right are quite willing to do the opposite, in spades.
But what choice to social conservatives have but to vote for [Republicans], and hope for the best? But what choice did an ardent anti-war voter have [in 2006 but to vote Democratic]?
There's the rub. We need to have a truly viable third-party movement in this country, one wherein a vote for a third party is not just a symbolic or wasteful act (e.g. voting Green or Libertarian). How we get something like that going, I have no clue. Meanwhile, I guess the options are: hold your nose and grit your teeth and vote for the lesser of two evils; vote third-party or write-in on the theory that symbolic resistance is better than nothing; or just opt out. I've done options one and two at various times; I haven't opted out yet. None are good options; which is why election years in this country are often so discouraging. Oh, well...maybe some day.
On a totally lighter note, that we can all hopefully get a kick (and a free fuzzy thing) out of:
http://www.michaelpalinforpresident.com/
Pythons of the world, unite! :)
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