Insulting the Electorate

Outis figured Barack Obama lost the election at the moment when he said he was "embarrassed" that most Americans, unlike Europeans, couldn't speak a second language, and that instead of obsessing about immigrants learning English, we should make sure our kids learn Spanish.

But it turns out two parties can play the game of "Insult the Electorate."

. . . Right, why don't you folks just pull yourselves together and go out and get rich?  It's the American dream!  Yours for the taking!  If you're struggling, you have only yourself to blame! 

Those signs at the last Republican convention that said "Annoy a Liberal. Work Hard. Succeed. Be Happy" -- these days you might not even have to be a liberal to be annoyed by them.

Not a pretty picture of America, painted in red and blue by its would-be leaders:  a nation of whiners, wallowing in a mental recession, clinging to guns and religion, stubbornly proud of our nativist ignorance of the cultural riches beyond our shores.

Comments

[david]

Are you channeling Phil Gramm?

[amba]

Rush Limbaugh.

[Pastor_Jeff]

Gramm may have spoken in politically incorrect terms, but is what he said factually wrong?

The individual worker wants statis -- guaranteed employment and annual raises. But we live and work in a dynamic, fast-paced global economy where jobs go to whoever can produce the best value for their employer. High wage manufacturing jobs at the numbers we've had in the past are gone and are not coming back. Nobody can pay auto assembly workers $75/hour in wages and benefits. And while that realization is both painful and personal for the workers, there is indeed an element of whining in people's responses.

Of course, the Democrats want to portray the economy as badly as possible for political gain, but bashing free trade as the enemy is both dishonest and unhelpful.

The example of the auto industry is instructive. The Big 3 are justifiably suffering for years of infighting, mismanagement, overconfidence, and inertia. Japan's been in their rear view mirror for 35+ years. But the auto industry in America isn't hurting so much as the Big 3 are. Toyota is expanding production in the US.

One can argue that it's not fair the losses hit the average worker more than management types, but Detroit has no one to blame but itself.

Of course, no one gets elected saying things like that. But it's disturbing to see McCain throw Gramm under the bus and go into full pander mode.

[Ally]

I dunno. Sounds like a succinct summation of the current American mindset to me.

[RW Rogers]

Phil Gramm and Rush Limbaugh may not be the messengers, but I think there is some merit to the argument that it is about time we put an end to the constant whining. (See: lawsuits, frivolous; lawsuits, deep pockets; ADA compliance regulations run amok; the so-called mortgage crisis; the so-called crisis in education; and a host of other demands that someone rescue us from our own actions without cost or inconvenience to ourselves.)

[amba]

Well, certainly the idea that someone else should do something about our problems, that we're entitled to that, is unproductive at best. Our inalienable rights do not include being taken care of from cradle to grave and sheltered from the vicissitudes of life (not to mention from our own unwise overborrowing, overspending, etc., which of course we are urged to do by everyone from the credit card companies to the President because it's the engine of the economy).

Those on the left act like it's unfair that some people are successful. Those on the right act like anybody could be that successful if they just worked harder. America is a great place for anyone with an entrepreneurial temperament. But not everybody is made that way. There's a big gap there that used to be filled by manufacturing jobs. What fills it now? (Selling real estate.)

[wj]

Am I the only one who feels (the sign at the last Republican convention notwithstanding) that a lot of the far right are really, really opposed to anyone doing things that make them happy? Even if those things don't do any harm to anyone else?

[amba]

Making money is OK, making love is not. The former is a force for civilization, the later a force for anarchy.

[wj]

Well, I suppose that balances the far left view that making love is OK, but making money is not.

Maybe that's how we define moderates: both are OK with us! :-)

[Pastor_Jeff]

Those on the left act like it's unfair that some people are successful. Those on the right act like anybody could be that successful if they just worked harder.

Those are good insights, Amba. I of course lean more to the right, but I recognize that there's an inherent greedy sinfulness in man that wants to take advantage of others. We need government to act as a referee and assure equality of opportunity. But it seems that the left wants to guarantee (or enforce) equality of outcome. The angry part of the "Two Americas" message that assumes anyone's success is either unfair or dishonest is off-putting, hypocrticial, and ultimately destructive.

[amba]

Maybe that's how we define moderates: both are OK with us! :-)

I like that definition a lot.

[Outis]

Amba, I finally got around to posting about this. (In the interests of fairness, don't you know. Plus bovine flatulence!) Sorry it took so long but it was a busy day: I had to change a light bulb! (No, really!)

I love your last paragraph. I'm glad you did this post so others got to see that bit.

[Outis]

Sorry for the excessive use of exclamation points in my last post. I blame beer. Especially the beer I've had to drink tonight. Bad beer, bad!

[Outis]

Okay, okay, I shouldn't have blamed beer in my last comment for the excessive amount of exclamation points in my comment prior to THAT. Clearly it isn't beer's fault. It's more of a user error. I must have forgotten to read the instruction manual.

[Outis]

I should also apologize for spamming this comment thread. That, however, has nothing to do with beer. It just seems to be the mood I'm in.

[Outis]

But I'll stop now. Honest! Unless I have more beer. In which case all bets are off.

[amba]

Aw go on, have another. I'll hoist one to you from here.

Mere repetition is not "spamming."

[RW Rogers]

Bookcasing the one he links to, Outis has two very good posts, I think. I'd offer to hoist one to him from here, but although I do subscribe to the belief that a man's reach should extend his grasp, I'm not sure cross-continental hoisting would accomplish much.

[Peter Hoh]

I thought Phil Gramm was channelling Pauline Kael: None of my friends are suffering in this economy.

[jason]

Although I disagree with Obama on a great many things, I fully support this premise: Americans need to move beyond their egocentric, English-only mentality. I have plenty of friends from other countries, some of whom couldn't graduate from high school unless they were fluent in at least three languages. I wish we had that here in the U.S. so our children could see there's more to the world than what they find on their own suburban street.

I see his view on this as both appropriate and challenging. Typical as I expected, citizens of our country found it insulting. That's representative of the whole lot of demanding, childish, self-centered, culturally oafish idiots infesting what should be a more diverse, accepting, superior citizenry.

Call me what you will, but at least I can see beyond this country's borders.

And I do so love that last paragraph, Annie. I doubt it could be said any better. You've regrettably hit the nail on the head for what we are as a nation.