Class war over, Democrats lose
Posted by Richard on June 1, 2005
Today’s Washington Times reports on a study of voting patterns by a Democratic advocacy group whose goal is "modernizing the progressive cause." It seems that the self-proclaimed "party of the middle class," which routinely bashes "the rich" and attempts to incite class envy, has completely lost the middle class (emphasis added):
A report released yesterday by Third Way says support for Republicans begins at much lower income levels than researchers had expected: Among white voters, President Bush got a majority of support beginning at an income threshold of $23,300 — about $5,000 above the poverty level for a family of four.
That’s an astonishingly low number, and I find it heartening. Not because I’m a Republican — I’m not — or because I think the Dems deserve to be spanked for their increasingly shrill descent into left-wing moonbattery — although I do.
This is heartening because of what it says about people making $25-30k a year. Don’t be confused by the obligatory reference to the poverty level for a family of four. Sure, there are families of four in this income range. But a sizeable chunk of this income range is people in their early twenties, single or recently married, no kids or maybe one on the way. These are people who are "getting started" in life, and here’s what’s heartening: they’re optimistic about their own future, they’re ambitious, and they intend to "move on up."
How do I know this? Well, ask yourself why people making $25k would reject appeals to class envy and promises of "more benefits," and instead vote for the candidate who supports "tax cuts for the rich." I can think of two reasons: (1) they are economically sophisticated enough to understand that those tax cuts helped create their jobs; (2) they expect to benefit directly from those tax cuts in the not-too-distant future. I think reason (2) is much more likely.
The middle-class numbers don’t look good for the Dems, and only their strong support among black voters (for now) saved them from a complete rout (emphasis added):
Although Mr. Bush’s popular-vote margin of victory over Sen. John Kerry in 2004 was less than three percentage points, the Massachusetts Democrat lost the middle class — defined by the report as voters living in households with incomes between $30,000 and $75,000 — by six percentage points. Among white middle-class voters, the gap was 22 percentage points.
Other studies apparently have found similar bad news for the Dems (emphasis added):
This month’s issue of Blueprint, a magazine published by the centrist Democratic Leadership Council, has several articles looking at statistics similar to Third Way’s income data, such as Mr. Kerry’s losing married parents of young children by 19 percentage points, taking 40 percent of the group compared with Mr. Bush’s 59 percent. Those parents made up 28 percent of the electorate.
So what do party leaders have to say about this grim situation?
A spokesman for the Democratic National Committee didn’t return calls for comment. Sarah Feinberg, spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said House Democrats plan to push for middle-class voters in the 2006 election cycle.
Insert typical class-envy, "Republicans only care about businesses and the rich, we care about you little people" blather here.
Many in the Democratic Party, particularly among those on the left, say there are no policy lessons to be learned from the 2004 election, that the party failed to get out its message and that it was overshadowed by a strong president at war.
Oh, yeah, right. The brilliant, brainy JFKerry, who trounced that ignorant stumblebum Bush in the debates, aided by the best and brightest in the Democratic Party, their countless allies in the media, and bazillions of dollars in 527 money couldn’t get out their message. Besides, they just lost because of the war. The one they insisted most Americans were against. Yeah, keep thinking that way, folks.
But centrist Democrats have continued to argue that the party may be in bigger danger than many loyalists think.
Ya think?
I can’t imagine the US becoming effectively a one-party state, can you? I wonder what the new party that replaces the Dems will look like.
GHC said
I am one of those guys with the family of four and a modest yearly income and I foud Kerry and the rest of the Left to be so full of crap that it was comong out their ears. I love the rich, and they are the one who do the most good for us lower income middle class folks. They spend their money or put it ina bank for someone to borrow so they can buy a house or start a business. I wish they didn’t pay any taxes. They’d do a better job of spreading the wealth than the Democrats who only want to enslave everyone with their hand outs. Nice post
reverse_vampyr said
The Dems may be losing the class war. But they won’t give up. They will continue their “suicide attacks” (look at the pics of the anti-war protesters at the recent Washington rally to see how frantic they are) and other desperate al Qaeda-style tactics in the hopes of wearing away the resolve of the Repubs as well as terrorizing the lower & middle classes into joining them.
Anonymous said
Combs:
I can find little in your Post with which to disagree.
However, in spite of all the Truths you state, there is one fact you omitted: Bush would not have won either election if he had not cheated in Florida and Ohio. He actually lost both states – the Exit Polls proved that. No, the Exit Polls were not Wrong! That is more disingenuous propaganda by Right-Wingers. Unfortunately too many Democrats and Independents have bought into the “Sour Grapes” cover story.
The Democrats stand to lose again in 2006 and 2008 unless we stop the Voting Machines, which can be programmed to favor the Republican candidates. In case you did not know: ChoicePoint and other Voting Machine Companies supplying our most cherished electronic apparatus are all owned by Christian Right-Wingers:
“Purging voter lists is just the beginning: the U.S. has embraced a form of electronic voting that is unreliable, unverifiable and funded by the radical Christian right.”
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0307/S00147.htm
Incidentally are you familiar with VNRs (Video News Releases) wherein paid advertisements are made to look like Network News stories. Some are for products, but many are made by George W. Bush and paid for by our tax dollars.
The Class War may have been lost, but most people don’t realize it began in U.S. in 1492.
Tabacco
Anonymous said
I don’t suppose there’s really any point in arguing with someone who has unshakeable faith in exit polls — who believes talking only with voters who are willing to tell a stranger how they voted and what they think can actually “prove” who won the election. Enjoy your Kool-Aid, Tabacco! 😉
That being said, I’d like to return to paper ballots and far, far more polling places. Then, have the poll workers count the paper ballots right in the polling places as soon as the polls close and phone in the results. Keep it simple and low-tech.
And require positive identification of voters — either by documents or by a neighbor vouching for them. IMHO, fraudulent votes cast are the biggest threat to fair elections.
Anonymous said
I love your idea about Paper Ballots! Sometimes the best way to go forward is to go backwards. Not everything NEW is also GOOD!
As to your comment “who believes talking only with voters who are willing to tell a stranger how they voted and what they think can actually “prove” who won the election.” – These polls are done scientifically and non-votes are included in the “Margin of Error” (New term for you to research). I would love to hear your rationale on why ANYONE would lie about his or her vote after the fact. Why would anyone want to add numbers on an Exit Poll for the person you DIDN’T VOTE FOR! That makes no sense at All!
Those, who wish to remain incognito, simply decline to answer the pollster. You write a Great Blog, but that concept is uninformed and RIDICULOUS!
Fraudulent votes have long ago ceased to be “the biggest threat to fair elections.” That is ancient history – the greatest threat in the 21st Century is Voter Fraud of a different kind: 2000 and 2004 proved that. If you doubt it, I suggest you start with:
http://tabacco.blog-city.com/george_w_bush_via_choice_point_remember_florida_intervenes_i.htm
http://tabacco.blog-city.com/httptabaccoblogcitycomclass_war_in_america__the_only_war_in_.htm
Unfortunately, I am a day or so away from publishing my next Article about ChoicePoint, Diebold, ES&S, and Sequoia (The Major Voting Machine Companies with no paper trail – Each one owned and run by Right-Wing Christians, who favor Bush and vote for and donate to Republican candidates) Give me until Friday to complete my research on these guys.
Incidentally, I reference ALL MY SOURCES IN POSTS!
Ignorance of the Facts is No Virtue!
Tabacco
Anonymous said
GHC!
Please supply data re where you get your information. I would love to see your sources. I won’t prejudice your response, if any, but I bet I could name them.
I await your answer.
“I love the rich, and they are the one who do the most good for us lower income middle class folks. They spend their money or put it ina bank for someone to borrow so they can buy a house or start a business. I wish they didn’t pay any taxes. They’d do a better job of spreading the wealth than the Democrats who only want to enslave everyone with their hand outs.” – I do NOT doubt your sincerity; but your knowledge of the facts is pointedly inverted. It is you, with whom I would dearly love to debate.
You remind me of a true story, which I will relate.
When they were testing Warfram, the anticoagulant rat poison that causes internal hemorrhaging (active ingredient in Decon), rats crawled over to the Warfram and with their dying gasps ate more of the stuff that was killing them.
If you, GHC, cannot see the similarity between those rats and yourself, I can only recommend you make an immediate trip to Pearle Vision.
Tabacco
Anonymous said
Tabacco: “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing” — and you have very little knowledge.
Re exit polls: I’m guessing I’ve forgotten more about margin of error than you ever knew, and you know almost nothing about exit polling. People who dislike and distrust the liberal media are ”’much”’ more likely to “simply decline to answer the pollster” than those who are neutral or positive toward the liberal media — ergo, instant sampling bias (new term for you to research). And there’s been a grass-roots campaign to lie to pollsters for quite a while. You know nothing but the nonsense fed to you by a handful of pseudo-scientific conspiracy theorists.
Re your “true story” about “Warfram”: the correct name is “Warfarin” — that’s {{{w-a-r-f-a-r-i-n}}}. It’s also sold under the brand name “Coumadin.” My dad takes it, as do millions of other people with heart disease. There’s no reason a dying rat would seek it out, unless it’s spiked with something the rat’s really hooked on, like coke or refined sugar. 😉 Your story rings hollow and sounds like one of the urban legends debunked on Snopes — I’d check, but I don’t really care.
Tabacco, it’s nice that your teachers filled you with so much self-esteem, but they left you woefully lacking in knowledge. I suggest a good does of humility and a much broader reading list.
Anonymous said
“MedlinePlus Drug Information: Warfarin
Warfarin is used to prevent blood clots from forming or growing larger. … Take warfarin exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it …
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682277.html – 24k – Cached – Similar pages”
RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Folding Trailers: Mouse damage!
FYI the active ingredient in Decon is warfram, An anti coagulant. The mice bleed to death internally. And it may not be effective as I found out in my first …
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/15612488/gotomsg/15650216.cfm – 39k – Supplemental Result – Cached – Similar pages
It is 12:54am and I’m going to bed. I will deal with you tomorrow. However, Warfram seems to be acceptable and is not recommended for human consumption as is Warfarin. I noticed this about six months ago the first time I researched it; so I selected “Warfram” instead of “Warfarin”. But then I do research and YOU already know everything!
I have yet to see you reference ANYTHING! You make statements without doing 2 minutes worth of research. it must be nice to be You: often WRONG but never in DOUBT! I know a few cliches too! I learned the Pyrrhean Spring (don’t bother correcting my spelling – I know it’s probably wrong but it’s too late to check) my first year in college 1960 (Drink not of the….) and I only went to Howard U.
“There’s no reason a dying rat would seek it out, unless it’s spiked with something the rat’s really hooked on, like coke or refined sugar” – I wasn’t involved with the tests, so I don’t know. Again I see no references on you part, just an assumption. I’m sure you know the “ass-u-me” breakdown already.
Anyway, I was talking to GHC re Rats. I know it’s your Blog, but by implication you suggest that GHC is incapable of defending him or herself. While that may be true, it is also very insulting. Neat trick: defend one of your Readers while insulting him or her at the same time. You must be a joy at a party. In any event, I was talking to GHC, not YOU! You must have a hard time finding a Hat store that sells chapeaus in your size!
See you tomorrow. Nighty night.
Tabacco
Anonymous said
Google “warfram” — 15 matches, and the only ones dealing with rat poison are several copies of your RVer’s post (like that’s a credible source!) and a couple of posts at bondage.net.
Google “decon rat poison warfarin” — you’ll see 655 matches, some of which have are ”’actually credible,”’ such as the Wisconsin Poison Control Center.
“Warfram” is an ignorant misreading/misspelling of “warfarin.” Your “research” reveals merely your lack of good judgment about what represents a credible source or a persuasive argument.
I’m astonished that you’re older than me. I’d have guessed from your comments that you’re no more than in your early twenties. You exhibit — how shall I put this? — a childlike naivete and simplicity of thought.
As for your “talking to GHC”: You do realize you’re commenting on a post more than a year old, don’t you? As blog owner, I’m notified of your comments, but I doubt if GHC will ever see them.
In any case, you’re growing tiresome. I’m done with you.
Anonymous said
GOOD! Trivial Pursuit is not on my agenda.
I see you went to my Profile! I reciprocated.
Since we’re checking on each other, I checked your PR Rating: 5..pretty good
http://www.awesome-possum.com/cgi-bin/pagerank.php
Mine is 6.
Goodbye and good luck,
Tabacco