A few months ago I wrote about the possible death of the Democratic Party due to the divisive nature of the primary campaign. However, the party seems to have coalesced nicely and any animosity has been marginalized. While watching this campaign play out, it has become increasingly apparent to me that the Democrats, in fact, can achieve Jesse Jackson's dream of a rainbow coalition. They have a broad appeal and an inclusive culture that seemingly fights for the everyman, instead of pretending to be the everyman. The latter of which is what the Republicans do.
The McCain campaign this past week has decided to intensify its attacks on Senator Obama by bringing up his relationship with radical domestic terrorist William Ayers. Apparently Ayers held a housewarming party for Obama when the latter was running for state senate. They live in the same neighborhood and have been involved on some educational committees within that community. Ayer's last bombing, or bombing by his group the Weather Underground, occurred when Obama was eight years old.
So the connection is pretty tenuous. Ayers has since become a professor at the University of Chicago and Chicago citizen of the year. Apparently the entire city of Chicago are terrorist sympathizers. However, none of this stops the Republicans from attacking Senator Obama for the association. And in turn, they risk unleashing a culture clash that may ultimately destroy their party.
If you noticed the television during the Republican convention, there was an abundance of one thing. Old white people. And, conversly, the lack of another - minorities and young people. Maybe the young people there looked older because they wore khakis and old man shirts. Anyway, what became apparent is that the GOP is a dying breed. Minorities will outnumber the white majority by 2030 or so. But party association by racial lines is not the Republican Party's direst threat.
This culture war that the Republicans have played since the era of Nixon is finally beginning to catch up with them. The GOP has, for the past 40 years, prospered on the disdain of the elite intellectual class, aka the college educated bunch. They have espoused "small town values" (whatever that means) at the cost of appealing to the educated person. By making smart people look stupid, the GOP has alienated a good portion of its base. Lawyers now donate to the Democrats at a 4 to 1 ratio over the GOP. Doctors and bankers are at 2 to 1. Yes, bankers! How the GOP managed to do that, well I'll tell you.
Every time Sarah Palin talks about Senator Obama hating American because he "palls around with terrorists", she gets an standing ovation from her crowd (along with yells of "Kill Him!" and racial epithets thrown at black members of the press corps). Sure, this may fire up the base and get a positive response from the people who vote Republican because its the party of Jesus, but it makes the GOP the party of the redneck. And that has as much appeal to professional people as going to college has to rednecks. It is self defeating. The GOP has aliented the educated regions of the United States. But they are also alienating another branch of American society.
Whatever populist rhetoric the GOP puts out there this campaign season, it is completely countered by their history and policies. They speak fighting for the common family but only cut taxes for the very wealthy. They talk about providing jobs for "Joe Six Pack" (whoever that is) yet provide tax incentives for outsourcing (which I agree with as sound macroeconomic principle but is still a valid example of hypocrisy). The truth is that the GOP is held hostage to the principles of big business. They adhere to the failed Reagan policy of "trickle down economics" where tax cuts and benefits to the very wealthy somehow will translate into more opportunities for the middle class. With economics such a huge issue in this election, the middle class are paying more attention to these policies and are moving away from the GOP.
The GOP basically disdains the culture of the educated class yet provides policies that are tailored to those same people. They espouse the values of small town America in election years but fail to support their needs when in office. They appeal to prejudice and fear to fire up their base, yet do nothing to allay fears from minorities and "liberals". This is a very dangerous path the GOP and the McCain camp are choosing to walk. By unleashing the tide of a culture war, they not only threaten their very existence, but threaten any racial and civil harmony this country has built during the latter half of the 20th century.
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