Obama and Charges of Elitism - Again
President Obama's most enduring political weakness has been his relative difficulty connecting with working class, white Americans. He won the Democratic nomination in 2008 by building a coalition based around African Americans and white liberals. The economic collapse and the widespread anger at President Bush pushed a lot of working class white voters towards Obama in November of 2008, but this was a brief alliance rather than a strong gesture of support.
It is, therefore, to be expected that the charge of elitism continues to dog President Obama and will likely to do so throughout his presidency. Apparently, Obama's education, belief in the import of education, his understated and often intellectual verbal style, his comfort in academic settings and his fluency on issues ranging from alternate energy to healthier eating make him suspect in the eyes of some. People like Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh and others who are seeking to build a party based on resentment and frustration are wise to exploit Obama's style and to suggest that it indicates he does not care about real Americans. This is an unavoidable part of politics and is certainly not a new Republican approach.
There is, however, something strangely appealing about this argument, even for people who should know better. The temptation to attribute Obama's, and the Democratic Party's, failings to this elitism and lack of concern for working class, white voters is strong, even among some progressives. Hillary Clinton's ill conceived effort to reposition herself as the voice of these voters late in the 2008 primary season was just one example of this, but there are others as well. The problem with this view is not that white working class voters should not be represented, particularly by a Democratic president. They should. It is that too often characteristics are attributed to these voters that are condescending and insulting.
Creating policies that meet the needs of white, working class voters who are being hit very hard by the economic crisis, struggling to keep or find jobs, and are concerned about health care and how to pay for the children's education should be a top priority of any president, and are among the issues upon which Obama has focused on most during his presidency. Creating policies, or political appeals, that assume these voters are intolerant, angry and will quickly abandon the Democratic Party if it supports gay marriage or talks too much about alternate energy or the need to use more fuel efficient cars not only is counter-productive for the party, but supports ugly stereotypes about working class, white voters as angry and intolerant. There certainly are voters in this group that fit this description, but as the last several decades of American history has shown us, they aren't voting Democratic. There are also white, working class voters that are gay or lesbian, or have gay or lesbian friends and family, who see the environmental damage around them and who are worried about the future and who otherwise share the same concerns and priorities of many more educated or affluent Americans. Talking down to white, working class voters and indulging their anger and, at times, intolerance is not the way forward for President Obama or the Democratic Party.
There is also an implied racism in this argument because it often makes assertions about all working class people, or even union members, which ignore the views of non-white workers, thus implying that the American working class is all white. This is obviously false as the American working class and the union movement are racially diverse. African American union members, for example, seem to have no problem relating to President Obama, so if an assertion is made that Obama is not doing well among union members, the qualifier "white" is assumed, as if the speaker is suggesting that white union members somehow matter more.
Supporters of Obama, and progressives more broadly, should push back against this critique for two main reasons. First, educated liberals played a central role in the election of President Obama so it should be okay for him to make policy with those voters in mind. Ironically, appearances and style aside, Obama has not done much for this constituency. The Afghanistan policy, the foot dragging on gay marriage and the constant attempts at bipartisanship are examples of where Obama's educated liberal base has not gotten what it wants. Second, many of Obama's biggest legislative priorities, such as the stimulus package and the health care reform, seek to address the needs of working class voters very directly. Similarly, his failures to, for example, influence the economy enough to generate needed jobs hits Obama's base, African American voters, at least as hard as the white working class.
The right wing will continue to call Obama elitist and seek to drive a wedge between him and angry voters of all demographic groups until the day he leaves office, and probably beyond that. The elitist card is very powerful, but ultimately reveals more about how the right wing elite (there's that word again) feels about a politician than anything about that politician.
Chris Weigant: Friday Talking Points [99] -- Misdirection
The real head-scratcher for serious media-watchers right now is what the "war" between the White House and Fox News was meant to distract us from this week. The "war" itself is laughable, for a number of reasons.
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I think the word everyone is searching for is "detached" not elite. You have to admit, Obama is not making the connections at a lot of levels. It's sad ... his words seem to have become rhetoric and his style more like bling bling!
I find it very ironic that the Republicans--the most elite of the elitists pontificate and call Democrats names which are more applicable to the Republicans themselves. All the JD's, PhD's and MD's in the GOP decry intellectuals and the rich of the party taunt the affluent of the other party while doing everything possible to further enrich themselves. What amazes and saddens me most about all this, though, is that so many Americans can be so gullible as to buy into the bull and hypocrisy. Now THAT is scary!
And the wealthy who push this agenda of ignorance are not elite? Come on, people!
Simply said, Washington (President Obama included) has done absolutely nothing to help the economy and 15 millions out of work find a job. Some states have over 20% unemployment and while the national average is over 10%. I am not sure if it's elitism or if just nobody cares about us in Washington or the media. . It's very sad and very scary.
Yes, it is the worst unemployment and economy since Reagan. At least the President is TRYING to do things to better the situation. If he did not and followed the laissez faire ideals of the Republicans, I have now doubt that things would be far worse.
When the democratic party became more diverse, tolerant of differences and women's rights, the
"white working class" began to feel that they couldn't connect w/ the party. As a result, their resentment has nothing to do w/ elitism. All politicians are elitist. The "white working class" are the ones who embraced and perpetuated the stereotypes against them. So they will have to be the ones to work and shedd these stereotypes, else they will always vote for ignorant conservatives like Palin and Bush.
When exactly did mediocrity become the goal rather than a motivational/cautionary tale?
Damned good question!
I might note a third perfectly viable reason to 'push back' against conservative distain for intellectualism:
Knowing things: Actually a Good Thing. (You could even say 'Knowledge is Power')
We should not stand for a cultural movement that denies such a ludicrously obvious fact.
The elitism Mitchell is describing is academic elitism, the idea that people of education and position look down upon the working class, and believe that they know best for the nation, and the workers themselves. I believe that those in academia that really are concerned about the working class do not look down on them at all, people like Noam Chomsky who understand that most people just want to take care of their family and get by in this ever-increasing hostile environment.
The real elitie in this country is the robber class of financiers and corporatists that run the nation, which of course, are supported by their own brand of academia. This true elite has both political parties squarely in their pockets. This is the elite that Obama serves, to the detriment of the working class, because the elite that I speak of has no concern about the welfare of workers. They view them as necessary to exploit to ensure their positions of power and prestige. If Obama had not already pledged allegiance to this robber class during his campaign, he would not be president today.
yes yes yes, Jeff, you hit the nail on the head...all else is nonsense or bait and switch
There is a strong sense among workers that the educational system is rigged against them: if you want a decent job you are required to get a college degree that most workers can't afford. Even though they are paying for most of it with their taxes, most workers cannot afford the tuition to send their kids to college. College has come to be regarded by many workers as much like the Masons: a club that is not useful in its own but necessary to a decent living. There is also a sense that the trades, working with ones hands etc, are not valued. Now, you can dismiss the anti-intellectualism, but I can tell you from experience (my father was a union truck driver) that very few workers find their way into college, certainly not as a percentage (working class people are more than 80% of the population but I would guess less than 10% of college students). And in upper level degrees close to none at all: in the years I was working on my MA and PhD the only other working class students I met were from Europe. Workers perception of the way the US system works is that it benefits only a small, connected minority. I agree with someone who said this resentment is somewhat misplaced, it is actually the capitalists who control everything, but everyone needs to understand why workers do not see the educated elite as allies.
I agree these people are going after the wrong people. But why is that? My guess would be the media. If you listen to Bec,Limbaugh,etc go on about the biggest problem is acorn,unions,etc.Then you're probably brainwashed already. Banks bring a nation down to its knees and receives billions in taxpayer funds to save themselves. Then they pay themselves massive bonuses. And the only thing the government does is say they should instead be paying $5 million on some bonuses instead of $10 million.There is still nothing to stop them from destroying the country again. But people allow themeselves to be brainwashed into some crap about how socialist Obama is. I wish he was socialist then maybe this nation wouldn't be the banks pets.
It seems to me that if anyone is making a fool out of the middle class, its the people who have hoodwinked the "hard working white Americans" that k1lling healthcare reform and opposing climate change and taxes for social programs somehow benefits them. That's not only elitist, its self-serving and manipulative. They'll carry the blood-stained banner for the true elitist all the way to the poorhouse.
Since I've been paying close attention, It isn't elitism, but sheer and blatant bribery that drives the actions of both parties. You can call bribes political contributions or information seminars, but taking something of value in exchange for favorable legislative action is bribery by any other name.
What are we going to do to change it?
Since the people who CAN change it are the ones doing it.................................Not until we stand up with one voice and scream ENOUGH!
I agree Mike, its not elitism its called bribery ..As long as they conntinues to push conservative dems or republicans in congress we will have this..Notice how they made liberals a bad name because they dont want us to mess up their system. Its both parties..Solution, dont just vote party, and what they say they will do, (Obama)............ investigate what actions they have done already to get to the real truth.
I wish we had more acknowledgment that "elitism" is an inane concept. From Tolstoy's "What Is Art" to the charges against Obama, the problem is always the same: any hint that complexity is a given is treated as a betrayal of the "common sense" and "inherent goodness" of the peasant workers. Would could be simpler than being human?
You completely ignore the bailouts. You ignore the fact that Obama is using H-1B regulations to dismantle the middle class. And you ignore that Obama is now talking about amnesty for all illegals.
On every issue Obama takes the side of the Wall Street elite. Obama constantly sides with and only meets with billionaires and CEOs.
So how is Obama NOT an elitist?
Amnesty has always been a part of our political system. That's how all of those rich Cubans and "elite" Europeans ended up here. You just want amnesty for certain people, people that are like you and to he!! with everyone else.
The bailouts started under Bush and were necessary during the beginning of the Obama presidency to stave off what have been a depression of monumental proportions. Just because we dodged a nuclear bomb in our economy doesn't mean that we should ignore the necessity of our actions.
The middle class was dismantled with Reagan and that ridiculous trickle down philosophy espoused by Friedman and the Chicago School of Economics. Those are the Wall Street elite, which, by the way, are overwhelmingly Republican.
He's not cutting taxes for the rich.
Oh, and the consumer protection stuff. And the health care stuff. And the tax evasion stuff.
The fact that the wealthy in America are so powerful that they can basically stonewall him on almost all of these things does not make Obama elitist. It makes him less powerful than the elite.
"The Christian Right always throws around this term 'the liberal elite.' I keep thinking to myself.....What's more elite than believing that only YOU will go to heaven?" ~ Jon Stewart
Oh, how the left loves self-flagellation. (Why oh why do they hate us?)
"who are seeking to build a party based on resentment and frustration"
wow, you are adept at the twisting.
more like 'a party based on the constitution'
and that's all it's about.
I fail to see how arresting people and sending them to jail with no trial, starting a war without a declaration, and lying before congress is viewed as a party that follows (or even respects) the Constitution.
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