Right Wing Populism

**Decker** · 10-24-2007, 02:06 PM

This is a reduction of the work done by Thomas Frank who wrote What's the Matter with Kansas?

The Republican Party has learned to play the common man through a perversion of populist sentiments. First, there is market populism where the free market is an undeniable necessity of democracy. Everyone is equal in opportunity in the market place and the market is always right. It’s portrayed as a truth of existence itself.

But when there’s an economic downturn that hurts the common man, the Second type of populism kicks in: the populism of Backlash. Backlash refers to the common people’s response to the collection of gripes leveled at leftists b/c of the cultural monstrosities they impose on America: Abortion, gay marriage, removing school prayer, etc.

These liberal elites are intellectuals who are so arrogant that they think they know better than the common man. It is this caricature of the upper class: the effete, latte drinking, sushi eating, Volvo driving, Ivy League educated liberal elite that has given the Republican Party its leverage with the common man.

The real man drinks beer and drives a truck. Liberals are snobs and republicans, well they are not. Real Americans don’t vote for elitist snobs, they vote for plain-spoken men they could drink a beer with like George W. Bush. Hollywood and the Liberal Media are the Liberal elite safe harbors where all these nutty liberal ideas are pushed on to the common man through movies, TV and the news.

The distortions and contradictions should be obvious to anyone looking:

*The upper class is a collection of leftists??? Who owns GE, Clear Channel media, Disney or WalMart? Is Corporate America left-wing?

*The First populism celebrates sushi eating, Volvo driving consumers as true individuals that don’t have boundaries or compromise with anything especially the mass-produced goods they buy. The Second populism detests those elites for their purchases.

*The First populism celebrates Hollywood for creative genius and giving the public just what it wants. The Second populism hates Will & Grace and Hollywood for shoving that leftwing crap down real America’s throat.

*Politically, the First populism is pro-business, anti-regulation, anti-environment, anti-union and in effect, constantly undermining the economic well-being of the common man. It always gets its tax cuts and deregulation. The Second populism wants prayer in school, an end to affirmative action, abortion to end, etc., but it never gets what it wants in the form of legislation.

Conclusion: The free market capitalism that’s idolized permits vested big money interests to run Hollywood and mass consumption to cater to public demand. The free market gives America healthy doses of Will & Grace and Brokeback Mountain. It’s not some small group of all-powerful liberal elites ruining America’s moral fiber, it’s the current form of capitalism. Republican politicians play both sides of the populist fence and are using the average republican voter to improve the lot of the wealthy, even at the middle class’s expense, while zero is done about the cultural issues of the Second form of populism.
Source: The America that will vote for Bush, by Tom Frank

The democratic party carries much of the blame for this. When Clinton/Gore gave up on the working class/unions and courted corporations as their financial base, the political rug was pulled from under the working class person.

The republicans pounced with brilliant efficacy and results.

**bio-chem** · 10-24-2007, 02:52 PM

im sorry. your point was?

**MCx2** · 10-24-2007, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by bio-chem

im sorry. your point was?

I wasn't quite sure where that was going either.

**bio-chem** · 10-24-2007, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by ReproMan

I wasn't quite sure where that was going either.

i even re-read it. i then realised my first impression was the right one and all i had accomplished was wasting time

**ZECH** · 10-24-2007, 10:21 PM

I've got a good post I'll post tomorrow. I'm off to bed!

**bio-chem** · 10-24-2007, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by dg806

I've got a good post I'll post tomorrow. I'm off to bed!

tease

**Decker** · 10-25-2007, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by bio-chem

im sorry. your point was?

Conclusion: ... It’s not some small group of all-powerful liberal elites ruining America’s moral fiber, it’s the current form of capitalism. Republican politicians play both sides of the populist fence and are using the average republican voter to improve the lot of the wealthy, even at the middle class’s expense, while zero is done about the cultural issues of the Second form of populism.

**bio-chem** · 10-25-2007, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by Decker

Conclusion: ... It’s not some small group of all-powerful liberal elites ruining America’s moral fiber, it’s the current form of capitalism. Republican politicians play both sides of the populist fence and are using the average republican voter to improve the lot of the wealthy, even at the middle class’s expense, while zero is done about the cultural issues of the Second form of populism.

.................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ...........im sorry, reading that for a third time made me black out for a bit

**NordicNacho** · 10-25-2007, 09:22 AM

I think it was the butt plug and not the reading that did it. Be carefull man

**bio-chem** · 10-25-2007, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by NordicNacho

I think it was the butt plug and not the reading that did it. Be carefull man

ive really got to stop with the stranglebation

**Decker** · 10-25-2007, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by bio-chem

.................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ...........im sorry, reading that for a third time made me black out for a bit

That's too bad. I think Thomas Frank is spot on with his analysis. I could break it down into soundbites for you but that would further degrade the content of the piece.

**bio-chem** · 10-25-2007, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Decker

That's too bad. I think Thomas Frank is spot on with his analysis. I could break it down into soundbites for you but that would further degrade the content of the piece.

the point was i totally disagree with the premise

**Decker** · 10-25-2007, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by bio-chem

the point was i totally disagree with the premise

Oh. Why? It looks right to me.

How's that battle with abortion rights, affirmative action, or prayer in school? Is government any smaller? Are the entitlement programs being eliminated? How about the airwaves, with each passing year is television getting better in its content or more coarse and disgusting? Is there progress being made on any of these fronts?

No.

But tax rates on dividends, capital gains, and the top marginal rates are at record lows or gone. Unions in this country are headed toward extinction. The Estate (death tax) tax is dead. And there's a lot more.

What exactly are conservatives doing or have done for this country?

**NordicNacho** · 10-25-2007, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by Decker

What exactly are conservatives doing or have done for this country?

Spend, Borrow Spend, Borrow Spend, Borrow Spend, Borrow

and then blame it on the mexicans

**DOMS** · 10-25-2007, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by NordicNacho

Spend, Borrow Spend, Borrow Spend, Borrow Spend, Borrow

and then blame it on the mexicans

Hey dumb shit, few, if any, are claiming that Mexicans are to blame for the deficit. However, they are to blame for the lowered quality of (more poverty and more crime).

**NordicNacho** · 10-25-2007, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by DOMS

Hey dumb shit, few, if any, are claiming that Mexicans are to blame for the deficit. However, they are to blame for the lowered quality of (more poverty and more crime).

In California everything is booming except for housing and crime rates are at a all time low. Look at the Mid-West it has become the rust belt, no jobs, no hope of jobs, with 3-4 million jobs have gone to China its just a fact. Im not blaming it all on Bush but our economy is changing at a rapid pace and some people will get left behind.

Mexicans don't make you shop at wal-mart the low prices do

**DOMS** · 10-25-2007, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by NordicNacho

In California everything is booming except for housing and crime rates are at a all time low. Look at the Mid-West it has become the rust belt, no jobs, no hope of jobs, with 3-4 million jobs have gone to China its just a fact. Im not blaming it all on Bush but our economy is changing at a rapid pace and some people will get left behind.

Booming? Do you have the facts to back that up?

The economy isn't booming, it's steadily growing. Like it did before the major influx of Mexicans.

I see that you're trying to somehow, idiotically, equate the presence of Mexicans with prosperity. Why don't you break down the wealth of LA by city and compare it to the percentage of Mexicans living in those same cities.

Also, Mexicans have had Mexico and long as Americans have possessed America, and what have they done with it? Absolutely dick. Their greatest exports are drugs and people.

Mexico is a shit hole, the people that live there are shit, and the people that come from there bring shit with them.

**NordicNacho** · 10-25-2007, 12:59 PM

"Also, Mexicans have had Mexico and long as Americans have possessed America, and what have they done with it? Absolutely dick. Their greatest exports are drugs and people."

Crude Oil and Total Petroleum Imports Top 15 Countries

Only thing california has to worry about is fresh water for growth.

**DOMS** · 10-25-2007, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by NordicNacho

"Also, Mexicans have had Mexico and long as Americans have possessed America, and what have they done with it? Absolutely dick. Their greatest exports are drugs and people."

Crude Oil and Total Petroleum Imports Top 15 Countries

Only thing california has to worry about is fresh water for growth.

You seem to have missed the part about Mexicans are wealth having an inverted relationship...

Look at the GDP of Mexico: 1.149 trillion. The US? 13.06 trillion. It's not even close.

Hey genius, California has the water shortage problem because it's the largest city in the US located in a desert.

**NordicNacho** · 10-25-2007, 01:21 PM

80% of our water goes to agriculture

You are a true water and mexican expert. Keep the misinformation rolling out your doing a great job.

Have you ever thought about working at Fox News?

Agricultural Water Use Program

**bio-chem** · 10-25-2007, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by DOMS

You seem to have missed the part about Mexicans are wealth having an inverted relationship...

Look at the GDP of Mexico: 1.149 trillion. The US? 13.06 trillion. It's not even close.

Hey genius, California has the water shortage problem because it's the largest city in the US located in a desert.

that and we have damned up the colorado river so much for electricity and irrigation in other areas that it doesnt reach the pacific anymore.

**DOMS** · 10-25-2007, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by NordicNacho

80% of our water goes to agriculture

You are a true water and mexican expert. Keep the misinformation rolling out your doing a great job.

Have you ever thought about working at Fox News?

Agricultural Water Use Program

Did I say how the water was used? No dumb shit, I pointed out that Los Angeles resides primarily in a desert. Have you ever heard of William Mulholland? I doubt it.

Keep in mind that you're the dumb ass that brought up the water issue for no good reason. I was talking about how shitty Mexicans are, and you felt the need to talk about water.

**DOMS** · 10-25-2007, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by bio-chem

that and we have damned up the colorado river so much for electricity and irrigation in other areas that it doesnt reach the pacific anymore.

Nevada is considering cutting off, or curtailing, California from the Colorado river if they don't start looking for alternative sources of water or start cutting their usage.

**bio-chem** · 10-25-2007, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by DOMS

Nevada is considering cutting off, or curtailing, California from the Colorado river if they don't start looking for alternative sources of water or start cutting their usage.

about time something was done

**DOMS** · 10-25-2007, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by bio-chem

about time something was done

The question is what? What can be done? Like NordicChewie pointed out, most of that goes to agriculture. And most farms are already pretty water efficient. It cuts down on their costs.

I wonder is desalinization is cost effective yet?

**bio-chem** · 10-25-2007, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by DOMS

The question is what? What can be done? Like NordicChewie pointed out, most of that goes to agriculture. And most farms are already pretty water efficient. It cuts down on their costs.

I wonder is desalinization is cost effective yet?

here in america. not so much. though you have to wonder how long it will be before california is forced to bite the bullet and move in that direction

**maniclion** · 10-25-2007, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by DOMS

The question is what? What can be done? Like NordicChewie pointed out, most of that goes to agriculture. And most farms are already pretty water efficient. It cuts down on their costs.

I wonder is desalinization is cost effective yet?

Pumping chilled water from deep in the ocean and then letting the condensation from black pipes trickle down troughs that feed rows of vegetation is a pretty good idea!!!

Or!!!

"Pipes draw warm water from the ocean surface and cold water from the seabed. The warm water enters a vacuum chamber and is evaporated into steam that drives an electricity-producing turbine. The cold water condenses the steam back into water for drinking and irrigation."

**Dale Mabry** · 10-25-2007, 07:04 PM

Unions should be abolished. What was once a way for the common man to ensure proper treatment has become a breeding ground for waste. Union workers are overpaid, Union leaders are far overpaid, and when the little guy who owns a small store attempts to hire qualified non-union workers because he can't afford a worker with a salary that is 2x what he is worth, he gets a big stuffed rat in his yard and harassment. Unions have outgrown their usefulness, IMO, at least in Philly. They are essentially just another group of lobbyists.

**bio-chem** · 10-25-2007, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

Unions should be abolished. What was once a way for the common man to ensure proper treatment has become a breeding ground for waste. Union workers are overpaid, Union leaders are far overpaid, and when the little guy who owns a small store attempts to hire qualified non-union workers because he can't afford a worker with a salary that is 2x what he is worth, he gets a big stuffed rat in his yard and harassment. Unions have outgrown their usefulness, IMO, at least in Philly. They are essentially just another group of lobbyists.

im all for a man getting as much money as he possibly can from the system. milk it says i. my concern is level of work. union guys are lasy bastards that expect more than they put out for. if they guys have a desire to work hard an earn their pay im for unions. when they hide behind the union and expect that they cant get fired for shity work is when i draw the line

**ZECH** · 10-25-2007, 07:54 PM

The problem with Unions is that nowadays, they want to make money from people paying dues, but they they get the workers nothing in return. You would be better off keeping your money and negotiating yourself.

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