Of all of the many, many articles on the failed attempt to recall Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, this piece by Dean Bakopoulos over at Salon is probably the most insightful because he has hit on the major reason why the Wisconsin recall campaign failed: working Americans (that is, the vast majority of Americans who depend on earned paychecks to survive) are increasingly at war with each other instead of neoliberal capitalism. In order to get low-wage laborers, struggling small businessmen, and the increasingly squeezed white-collar middle class to vote for their own impoverishment, you have to find a suitable villain. In the period following the beginning of the Great Recession, unionized workers and public employees have made convenient targets, with the usual stereotypes about lazy, overpaid teachers and bureaucrats making the rounds of television, talk radio, and the Internet.
Of course, the idea of destroying labor unions in order to save the American Dream makes no sense given the fact that the time period most people associate with the golden age of the American middle class was made possible because of the efforts of organized labor. Furthermore, it is not necessary to have a doctorate degree in economic history to know that workers worked more hours, for less pay, and under worse conditions when organized labor had little or no power.
The serious disconnect between reality and right-wing talking points can only partially be explained by the wealth and pervasiveness of the Right's propaganda apparatus. I find it odd that so many Americans cannot look into their own family's history and arrive at the conclusion that perhaps Dad's or Grandpa's union membership may explain why Dad or Grandpa had health insurance, paid vacation, and a pension, as opposed to one's own demolished or non-existent benefit scheme, longer hours, and more onerous workplace. Sometimes I really do think Americans get the government they deserve.
Good find Mr. John. I can't say I'm surprised by the result of the recall election; it makes perfect sense with the reasons given about finding a "villain". Mass politics is easily manipulated by the Power Elite when they give voters a scapegoat to blame their woes on. European fascism ring a bell? Socialists, trade unionists, and Jews all became the source of economic hardships in Germany and Italy and the people at it up. Not a critical step in this direction, but it is still a step.
ReplyDeleteHello CA,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. I am also not very surprised by the recall election results, and I am now wondering if it might have been a mistake now that the GOP can use the results to claim they have a mandate in favor of their anti-union policies. I also agree with you regarding the ability of organized money to manipulate voters. It is quite scary.
John,
ReplyDeletewhile the points you make are valid, and probably had much to do with the failure of the recall, one other factor is also operative. The fact that state governments have to balance their budget, and they must rely upon taxation in a deflating economy. This means in isolation, state governments have to rely either upon increased taxation, or cuts in spending. The Federal Government is not bound by such constraints, and Democrats have been most unwilling to use Federal largesse to help out the states. The excuse that the Republicans are obstructive does not cut it. They did nothing much beyond what had already been proposed by Bush Jr in 2008 - and this was when they had majorities in both houses. The filibuster excuse also does not cut it, for they could always have gotten rid of that rule, particularly in the dire circumstances. The Democrats did not deliver on any promise of significance in 2009 and 2010. 2010 was the payback for broken promises.
By striving for a "Big Tent," the Democrats have made themselves impotent. The vote in Wisconsin, was as much a slap at the Democrats, as it was a victory for "big money."
Hello Clonal,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, the Democrats have certainly not helped matters, and it is very true that too little has been done by the Federal Government to help states and local governments to avoid cuts. In fact, the United States has been experiencing austerity on the state and local levels for some time now. We need a return to the old system of revenue sharing.