Liberals: Always right
From Clive Crook in this mornings Financial Times
This article is not the first to note the cultural contradiction in American liberalism, but just now the point bears restating. The election may turn on it.
Democrats speak up for the less prosperous; they have well-intentioned policies to help them; they are disturbed by inequality, and want to do something about it. Their concern is real and admirable. The trouble is, they lack respect for the objects of their solicitude. Their sympathy comes mixed with disdain, and even contempt.
Democrats regard their policies as self-evidently in the interests of the US working and middle classes. Yet those wide segments of US society keep helping to elect Republican presidents. How is one to account for this? Are those people idiots? Frankly, yes – or so many liberals are driven to conclude. Either that or bigots, clinging to guns, God and white supremacy; or else pathetic dupes, ever at the disposal of Republican strategists. If they only had the brains to vote in their interests, Democrats think, the party would never be out of power. But again and again, the Republicans tell their lies, and those stupid damned voters buy it.
It is an attitude that a good part of the US media share. The country has conservative media (Fox News, talk radio) as well as liberal media (most of the rest). Curiously, whereas the conservative media know they are conservative, much of the liberal media believe themselves to be neutral.
Their constant support for Democratic views has nothing to do with bias, in their minds, but reflects the fact that Democrats just happen to be right about everything. The result is the same: for much of the media, the fact that Republicans keep winning can only be due to the backwardness of much of the country.
Comments
"Communisim works, the Russians just didn't do it right."
"Communisim works, the North Koreans, just aren't doing it right."
"Socialim works! It's just that [insert name of country/party here] aren't doing it right."
Posted by: toad | September 8, 2008 5:37 AM
Goebbels never died...he just moved to America
and signed a contract with CNN.
Posted by: Mark Gleason | September 8, 2008 6:40 AM
Republicans keep winning because the Dim primary system guarantees the ascendancy of the likes of Gore, Karry, and Obama...elitist leftoid tools.
Abortion assures that their ranks dwindle each year. They energize the young who don't vote, and pander to illegals who can't vote.
They write off those huge sections of the country which bitterly cling to God and guns.
They pander to victim groups and then forget them immediately after the election. They can't help pissing of one victim group in their attempt to attract another.
They blame all of their failings on Republicans. That they hate America is shown in everything they do...despite everything they say.
Palin in '12 and '16. Jindal in '20 and '24.
If the Dims can't win this year in a walkover, they never will unless they kick out the insane clown posse which controls the DNC.
Posted by: trainer | September 9, 2008 12:52 AM
Can we borrow Palin?
Posted by: thud | September 9, 2008 1:54 PM
Hey, we RethugliKKKans have a rough job. There are only two or three truly conservative media outlets, if you count Rush Limbaugh, Faux News and Hannity and Colmes. So, that should tell you why the Democrats get into raging snits, complete with hissy fits, spittle-flecked rants and panty knots the size of Australia whenever there is a 'fairness doctrine' type bill coming up in Congress or the Senate. It is because there are only the few conservative voices and we keep re-electing Republicans in spite of the plethora of 'other' news.
We resist being brainwashed. We keep voting in Rethugs just to see if Alex Baldwin and Bawbwa Stweisand really will leave the US and join up with Madonna somewhere on the Continent.
A parting shot: Most counties in the south will only allow registration of Democrats, and while many do vote Democrat, many vote the Republican ticket. Even though they are allowed to change their party once they are registered.
Go figger.
Posted by: Cricket | September 12, 2008 1:02 AM