Letters to the Editor
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It is FACT, not "snobbery"
Sorry, but the fact is that "small town" people ARE largely ignored/left behind economically. They are trotted out each and every campaign as the heart and soul of Merika and then ignored or screwed over come legislation time (in favor of Wall Street, big business, and other big city monied interests).
After decades of this crap, with absolutely NOTHING changing for them, they DO become bitter, disenchanted, turned off, angry. What's left at that point? Guns, fundi religion, etc, the things that can give meaning and SOME comfort where the government and all its representatives offer shit. Or is it your theory that fundi Islamic radicals are NOT drawn to that particular religion/outlook/vent because they are marginalized, ignored, powerless, etc? Shaft small-town Merika the way the dumped-on in the ME are shafted and they would also adopt radical outlets to feel some control and power.
Fundi religion IS an escape. Guns CAN be (the stereotypic "culture" of guns, that is, not the guns themselves). Grouping up with other disaffected individuals into various arenas is how screwed over regular, small-town people obtain some feeling of control of their lives. Big city asswipes get that from going to "counselers" or taking up some latest fad, but then, their method of feeling "in control" is relatively harmless, even laughable. Small-town methods, on the other hand, have long-lasting effects: GOP dominance because they not only shit on small-town Merika, on purpose, to enrich themselves and their corporate buddies, but also because it keeps small-town Merika primed and ready to jump onto hot-button social non-issues as if they are the end-all, be-all of existence.
Obama spoke FACT. Like it or not, it is objectively true.
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Divisive headline and article
...and, of course, it ignores Obama's actual meaning and instead parrots the HRC campaign's talking points.
I'm an Obama supporter, and I like Hillary well enough, but I expect Salon to post journalism rather than Hillary's campaign propaganda.
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Wallowing
I don't think I have EVER seen as much foaming at the mouth and hatefulness as I have seen between Obama and Clinton supporters. I really don't know where it's coming from, but it is absolutely, depressingly, disgustingly ugly.
If this is an indication of what is happening generally in the Democratic party, I think we're in for a world of hurt come November. I am fully preparing myself for at least four more years of Republican rule. More war, more torture, more spying on Americans, and less health care, worse economy, less of a future.
I thought the goal was to get a Democrat in the White House this year. Focus, people!
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What are the real issues?
Obama said that people feel they are "left behind" (I think he meant economically, not post rapture). Lind says that these voters who don't vote for Obama are not racists (and Obama also says they are not racists) but they are voting on economic issues. So, it seems to me Obama understands what matters to working class voters. It seems to me that he was addressing why so many people whose economic interests have been so badly served the the Republicans nevertheless continue to vote Republican. It is, after all, the economic issues that, for good or ill, the Government really addresses. The Republicans distract attention from their elitist economic policies by running on abortion and guns, but then doing nothing about these issues once elected. This seems to be what Obama was talking about. He probably could have said it better, but people (including, apparently, Lind) would umbrage if Obama had the temerity to say that working class voters are voting against their own interests by voting Republican. How dare he tell voters that whether they have a job, or health insurance is more important than whether some politician claims to have been born with a gun in his hand!
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@tbrandel
You write:
"I'm special. I'm always right. It's someone else's fault. I didn't do it. My opinion is correct. There are no valid viewpoints other than my own. I will only vote for someone who's like me. Anyone who's not like me can't understand me. Don't insult me. Tell me what I want to hear. I distrust people smarter than me. I don't want to feel dumb. But I also don't want to read and learn and understand - I already know everything I need to know. The good book tells me. Foreigners are shady. USA is #1. Wooooo! The truth is what I want it to be, and anyone who disagrees is lying. I like people who are like me. I like people who agree with me. I don't like to be challenged. I never change my mind. You're either with me or against me. I have morals. My morals are the only valid morals. People should be forced to live their lives like I live mine - then America would be a better place."
Ironic. This kind of "with us or against us", "if you don't interpret a candidates words or moral compass exactly as I do, you are stupid and do not deserve to vote" mentality is exactly what we see in the letters threads from partisans of BO and HRC daily. And it ain't from the "rubes", it's from supposedly erudite liberals...
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And so the right-wing propognadists continue
Get them and destroy their weak concepts and gothca politics. Sad and pathetic but expected. When they have nothing but bowling scores, something someone he knows said years ago, and one line gaffes, you have to expect their old tired attempts. They have nothing else. Don't hate them for this garbage nonsense, independant thinekrs. Pity them. This gop garbage is all they got. No issues. no policies. Nothing to do with the past. One line gaffes and bowling scores. Sad and pathetic. But expected.
I don't have the energy today. Keep them on their toes lady and gentlemen. Don't allow the gop's, I mean clinton supporters, to whine cry and complain their way to victory. Don't let clitnon turn the democratic party into the gop, with only lie spin and discredit as their only means of staying close. Get em. Don't allow the joan walsh's and rush limbaugh's to cloud the debate. Don't let them win. They create these false narratives for a reason. They try and wear you down doing it everyday. Only works if you don't know. don't give this garbage credibility. Laugh at them. THIS IS ALL THEY GOT? The gop, I mean clinton supproters have nada. Pity the fascist terrorist propogandists. Don't fear or give them credibility. But don't back down. Don't have the energy today. I'm sure I'll get another chance tomorrow. Salon has turned into sean hannity garbage. I'm sure they will do this on and on and on, until nov. The coward propogandists. GEt em, ladies and gentlemen. Pity them but do not back down. They whien daily and create false narratives. The bright side is they show their fascist gop faces. And salon will join them in irrelevance.