What I don't understand is how people could still vote against their own economic interests. I can understand how religious mentality would work -- it's clear now that, in some states, the gay marriage ban was a bigger draw for voters than the war on Iraq -- but to vote for a party that has screwed the working class every single time boggles the mind.
Take Ohio, which lost more than a third of the country's jobs since 2000, for instance:
Eight counties had unemployment rates above 9.0 percent during September. The counties with the highest rates, other than Morgan, were: Coshocton, 13.5; Meigs, 12.7; Muskingum, 12.6; Perry, 10.8; Monroe, 10.3, Vinton, 9.8; and Adams, 9.5 percent.Morgan County, with a whopping 15.8% unemployment rate, voted for Bush 56-43. And so on: Meigs (59-41), Muskingum (58-42), Perry (52-48); Monroe (55-44 for Kerry), Vinton (55-45), and Adams (64-36).
At least Cuyahoga County, which lost 63,000 jobs in the last four years, voted for Kerry 67-33.
Somewhere along the way, the left forgot class. I'm a professor of Asian American studies, but I can't help thinking that identity politics may have played some part in this: a focus on identity that had, alas, little to do with the white, Christian conservative population -- an alliance with whom may have been more easily accomplished by turning the spotlight onto class inequalities. The big size of the left's umbrella is certainly one of its virtues, but tactically, this year it may have been its undoing -- especially galling with a president who has been so brazenly pro-corporate power. (Though what kind of alliance one can make with supporters of, say, new senators Tom "death penalty for abortion doctors" Coburn or Jim "no gay teachers" DeMint is hard to say.)
Oh well. Yesterday Romeo was telling me about the parents of a former classmate of ours, who apparently voted for Bush because (they believed) he would grant amnesty to all illegal immigrants. As I said, my mind is still boggled. But then I live in a city that voted 83-15 for Kerry.
(I fully apologize for my earlier "fucking morons" comment, though ignorance clearly was a factor in Bush's win. But enough about "moron;" how about "asshole?")
Posted by the wily filipino at November 4, 2004 12:08 AMI live in Cuyahoga County, and I'm still so confused as to how the rest of the state could vote for Bush. It's as if people aren't thinking at all. I keep thinking about the Civil War, and how the South managed to get all those poor white non-slave-owners to fight to the death for the few rich slaveowners. What exactly is it about Bush that they identify so closely with that they are willing to suffer economically for it?
My head hurts.
Posted by: ladygoat on November 4, 2004 06:23 AMyou forget, the american working class in the midwest usually makes mnore money than an SF State instructor.
Posted by: onejap on November 4, 2004 09:58 AMI don't know if it's that left forgot class or that the right knows that racism, fear of queers or other craftily mis-used identity politicking can always trump class interests. It's like Derrick Bell's space invader parable come to life.
I'm afraid of 4 more years of W--and I'm particularly fearful of the strategic hate mongering and particulary queer bashing that the republicans tacticians will use to maintain their God Given Mandate.
Posted by: Luna on November 4, 2004 10:11 AM