The Resentment Strategy (Krugman)

[struggle4progress]

By PAUL KRUGMAN
Published: September 4, 2008

... Thus Mr. Giuliani asserted that Wasilla, Alaska, isn’t “flashy enough” for Mr. Obama, who never said any such thing. And Ms. Palin asserted that Democrats “look down” on small-town mayors — again, without any evidence.

What the G.O.P. is selling, in other words, is the pure politics of resentment; you’re supposed to vote Republican to stick it to an elite that thinks it’s better than you. Or to put it another way, the G.O.P. is still the party of Nixon.

One of the key insights in “Nixonland,” the new book by the historian Rick Perlstein, is that Nixon’s political strategy throughout his career was inspired by his college experience, in which he got himself elected student body president by exploiting his classmates’ resentment against the Franklins, the school’s elite social club. There’s a direct line from that student election to Spiro Agnew’s attacks on the “nattering nabobs of negativism” as “an effete corps of impudent snobs,” and from there to the peculiar cult of personality that not long ago surrounded George W. Bush — a cult that celebrated his anti-intellectualism and made much of the supposed fact that the “misunderestimated” C-average student had proved himself smarter than all the fancy-pants experts.

And when Mr. Bush turned out not to be that smart after all, and his presidency crashed and burned, the angry right — the raging rajas of resentment? — became, if anything, even angrier. Humiliation will do that ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/05/opinion/05krugman.html?hp

[skooooo]

1. .

:kick:

[Demeter]

2. Glad to See Krugman Has Regained His Form

[Senator]

3. Trouble Is, With Impeachophobic Elitism Rampant In Insider DC...

...it has every chance of working.

There's no more nattering a nabob out there than Nancy Nosee on her http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/15/us/politics/15web-hulse.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin">Why-Haven’t-You Impeached-the-President Tour.

Failure To Impeach is http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3917527&mesg_id=3923459">making the election virtually meaningless.

----

[groovedaddy]

4. Let's see, since 2001, 75% of new wealth has gone to 1% of the population...

So the Republicans idea of "sticking it to the elite" is to give them more and more money!?!

[Martin Eden]

5. Outstanding commentary, and spot-on

"And when Mr. Bush turned out not to be that smart after all, and his presidency crashed and burned, the angry right — the raging rajas of resentment? — became, if anything, even angrier. Humiliation will do that."

[Burma Jones]

6. My response - as yet not approved by the Editors

Resentment of Liberal Elites. THAT is how just plain folks are going to get back at those they perceive as snobs?

Speaking as a perceived Liberal Elite, I say, go ahead, elect more Republicans. It won't be my kid going off to fight in ill-conceived wars. It will be my kid profiting from investments in defense industries, your kids' blood pays for my kids' vacations. If you want to keep that going just to spite me, go ahead.

My Inheritance is now going to be even larger, and my Wife's will be large enough to dwarf mine. My kids will enjoy millions and millions of unearned dollars, just as my wife and I do. Thanks for electing Republicans that consistently favor Liberal Elites like myself where it matters most - the Pocketbook. It's no mere coincidence that the wealthiest states are Blue.......

Thanks for electing Republicans that nominate and approve a Federal Judiciary that consistently favors my investments over your interests, again, thanks very much.

Health Care? Don't you wish. You know your Life Expectancy is lower than ours. If you got the money, you go to the front of the line.

OK, so I think what I like on TV is better than what you like on TV, that Classical Music is better than Country, that Gay people getting married is no skin off my tuchus and that a hybrid car is a good idea - is that really any reason to shoot yourself in the foot time and time again?

You don't like Illegal Immigrants coming in to work? Then why did you consistently elect politicians that gutted the Unions that prevented this sort of thing? Now, we Liberal Elites get to pay lower wages to our Domestics and watch our investments grow because labor costs have plummeted - yet again I say Thank You.

How's that Socially Conservative agenda coming along? Roe v. Wade overturned yet? I don't know why not, you've had a majority on the Supreme Court for years now, maybe their political masters know that without Roe v. Wade, a lot of you just plain folks out there would start thinking about other things, and deep thinking is anathema to the Republican Party - just ask Karl Rove, he knows.

So, we Liberal Elites will continue to rage against the Right Wing, producing a sound and fury signifying nothing - while continuing to shift our wealth overseas and enjoy the benefits of a cheaper and cheaper labor force.

While you may squirm at the hypocrisy and underlying cynicism of this state of affairs, we're still voting against our own interests by voting Democrat and you are doing us a huge - if unasked for - favor by voting against yours.

[Hestia]

7. Excellent Excellent!

:toast:

[Joanne98]

8. It's a pity party.