Not Enough Angry White Men

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Fnord
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24 Sep 2012, 2:53 pm

Tequila wrote:

I'm amazed that people still go in for that kind of ultra-tribal politics in the U.S. - it just seems so pathetic and zero-sum in many ways.

That's how it is with reli ... er ... politics. Pathetic because people keep believing that the same old promises will eventually come true, and zero-sum because there are only so many people willing to go to chur ... um ... the voting booth.

Tequila
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24 Sep 2012, 3:02 pm

Fnord wrote:

Tequila wrote:

I'm amazed that people still go in for that kind of ultra-tribal politics in the U.S. - it just seems so pathetic and zero-sum in many ways.

It's the same in Britain - politics seems utterly empty and tribal. What's the bloody point?

Fnord
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24 Sep 2012, 3:05 pm

Tequila wrote:

Fnord wrote:

Tequila wrote:

I'm amazed that people still go in for that kind of ultra-tribal politics in the U.S. - it just seems so pathetic and zero-sum in many ways.

It's the same in Britain - politics seems utterly empty and tribal. What's the bloody point?

To give people the illusion that they have some determination in how they will be taken advantage of ... ?

At least you blokes have Her Royal Family to keep you amused. What do we have ... a clown act that gets new makeup every four years (if we're lucky)?

Tequila
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24 Sep 2012, 3:16 pm

Fnord wrote:

At least you blokes have Her Royal Family to keep you amused.

Mainly for the Southern England Daily Mail-reading class.

Hopper
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24 Sep 2012, 7:18 pm

Parliamentary politics is a waste. Now even the vaguest hint of economic reform is out of the question, all we have are the culture wars. Growing up, my Nan was old labour, and my Grandad one nation Conservative (he loathed Thatcher). Oh, for those days. Now you can choose your level of neoliberal bastardry - 'hard', 'harder', and 'f**k you'. That's inevitable - if they can't take your vote from you, they diminish what you can do with your vote.

Of course, there's lots of politics proper outside parliament. Which is something.

ShamelessGit
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24 Sep 2012, 9:36 pm

visagrunt wrote:

I think there's an important question underlying all of this.

Why is it a race race?

It seems clear that some voters--not just in the United States, but the world over--make electoral choices that are grounded in their demography. Whether it is the votes of women, GLBTs, religious groups or racial groups, people see a personal stake in the outcome of a vote, because at least one of the parties is viewed as inimical to the interests of their tribe.

The rhetoric of "special rights," "the 99%," "war on women," all serve to polarize the electorate. We are sliced and diced a hundred different ways, but we can only make one choice on our ballot.

And ultimately, I think it is insulting. It supposes that voters are too ill-informed, too stupid or too lazy to make a choice based on a complex of national interests, and are confined to voting only on their individual interests.

Voters are too ill-informed, stupid, and lazy, otherwise they wouldn't be influenced by these catchphrases and elect these buffoons.

ArrantPariah
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30 Sep 2012, 9:55 am

The Repugnican Primaries were all about who could appeal most to the prototypical Angry White Man. Women who try to sell themselves to that demographic end up being just plain repugnant. Herman Cain with his electrified border fence: a strong appeal to Angry White Men.

Now, Romney has to lighten up just a little bit, to get himself to 50.001% of the vote, but not to the extent that he starts looking like a wussy.

Fnord
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30 Sep 2012, 4:17 pm

Mr. Romney has to start appealing to the average working-class Jane or Joe who is facing another round of "downsizing" due to American jobs being "outsourced" overseas.

He has no understanding of what it's like to have to perform manual labor for 10 hours a day, six days a week, only to see one's wages being eaten up by taxes, medical costs, tuition, and rising fuel and utility bills.

He just does not care.

thomas81
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