The problem is in the suburbs

[mrgorth]

It was mentioned in a post on here about Minnesota politics that suburbanites run the show now. Bad news, they run the show everywhere. This is the problem. I'm glad Dean is bringing race into this election but I hope he does it right because it's way deeper than some rednecks voting against welfare. This country is not the one it was in the 50s. For the most part we are an every man for yourself, dog eat dog society now and as much as reich wing radio has fueled this the Clinton years didn't help. Your average suburbanite is a white dude with 2 SUVs and the requisite McMansion. He isn't racist. Thus, because he isn't racist and all his white 'burb friends talk to the black family down the street he summizes that racism doesn't exist anymore and black people should not expect handout 1 from him. This guy doesn't account for the fact that his parents put him through school or even if he put himself through school that he likley grew up with the assumption that he could and should. This guy doesn't realize how blacks were largely locked out of the suburbs post WWII and trapped in the rotting inner cities. This guy doesn't think for a second that, in historical terms, Rosa Parks happened like, yesterday. All this guy cares about is himself and his family. He doesn't think about the country as his community. He doesn't want his money going to help anyone for any reason. He wants everyone to live and die with their decision so even if your mom was 15 when she had you you'd better make good decision every goddamned bit of the way because anything else is YOUR fault and YOU have to live with it. No more bail outs he says. No more welfare mothers. He wants the hummer and the HDTV like Steve and he is not going to let the ciphening of his funds by your lazy ass stop him.

Yes, the redneck vote is important and we need to work on that but the real race issue is in the suburbs especially since THESE people are definitely fucking voting and they can afford to send the pugs more money. Until a sense of community is restored in this country I don't see this attitude ending.

[leftyandproud]

1. since the redneck vote is important..

we need to stop calling them rednecks!
no more talking down to the south...unless we want to keep losing elections

[On the Road]

2. I Don't Agree That We Need the Voter You Described

buy the Democrats do need a bigger range of working class people, including those in the South.

All this guy cares about is himself and his family. He doesn't think about the country as his community. He doesn't want his money going to help anyone for any reason.

I think the Democratic candidate has to inspire a sense of national community. But you can do this without proposing a program of redistribution.

I believe the Democratic agenda has to be redefined as one that's good for everyone rather than directed towards helping the less fortunate. That's why non-means-tested programs are more popular. Social Security. Medicare. Everyone puts in. Everyone qualifies to take out. If social security were restricted to those making less than $50,000, its days would be numbered.

This can be done. It just takes political skill.