Barack, the Lumpen and Me

The other night on one of those cable news channels I watched a GOP operative urge that, while Hillary Clinton might secure the votes of the great white male working class, "there is no way on God's green earth (an admittedly nice acknowledgment) that they would vote for Obama." Then I pick up my Times and Susan Faludi is opining that Hillary "has converted (!) white males by coming in to the tavern not to smash bottles but to join in the brawl."

Time to take a collective breath. As a labor lawyer, I've spent my share of time with plenty of teamsters, carpenters, plumbers and others in the American proletariat. I've never smashed a bottle or joined in a brawl. We have even on occasion sipped a latte.

The "group think" ascribed to these white male Democrats (WMD's) is a fiction. And despite Hillary Clinton reinventing herself now as Mother Jones, many recall that the Clinton years were not always so kind. Some watched as Clinton trade policies left too many of their factories empty, jobs offshore and lives in tatters. They watched too as Wall Street was set "free," Enron collapsed, as did their pensions, and now their homes are at risk from the sub prime meltdown.

Yet the McCain forces should draw little comfort from all of this. It is true that with cultural fear mongering about guns and flags, you can fool some working people some of the time. But not this time. It does not matter that McCain may be tired or old but it does matter that his policies are -- more for the rich, less for the rest. So I'm confident of a Democratic victory in November. I may give up lattes though.

Comments

[nsiah7]

I can't believe the level of ignorant and dumbness in some part of America. For people to allow themselves to be labelled as those who would vote for anybody no matter his policies as far as he is like them and would protect their guns begets believe. Do these people know that serious economic problems can bring down the america they want to be part of? The Dems for too long have been cowering and have allowed the GOP to label them as unpatriotic. Why would't they fight vigorouly against this label and rather potray the GOPs as the unpatriotic ones? Patriotism is not sending about being tough and hawkis and sending young men and women into a war. Patriotism is not destroying the country's economy and rendring a lot people homeless. The DEMS should fight for America and it should start now.

[hopeless277]

John McCain is a war hero because he was captured, tortured, and confessed. The Corporate Media has crowned him king and NOTHING he can say or do will change that. As long as a portion of the populiation still trusts the Corporate Media, Republicans will win. This country will be EXTREMELY lucky if McCain is not allowed to steal the presidency. EXTREMELY LUCKY.