Has "It's the Culture, Stupid" replaced "It's the Economy, Stupid"?

[Harry Dresden]

At that point I don't care. It's their ability to effect others with the force of law that I'm concerned about not their internal ignorance.

in congress they will have many voting against them....but a minority will still have to put up with them in real life....thats reality....

 

[Tommy Tainant]

Fareed Zakaria has a new book out that proposes a fundamental change in Americans' priorities, and (I don't know if he meant to do this) also goes a long way in explaining the rise and staying power of the MAGA movement.

In short, he believes that the cultural issues -- particularly (a) immigration/the border and (b) gender, are now more primary political movers than the economy used to be.

He also uses a very important term to describe this: "Backlash". I couldn't agree more, and I think it's key. I spent my first few years on this board concentrating on the tactics of the Left and how they'd create a -- wait for it -- backlash, and sure as hell, here we are.

I hadn't really thought about how the cultural issues have replaced the economy as #1, but I think he may be right.

Our economy is in a dreadful shape and the govt is about to be punished for it. All they have are these "cultural" issues so they endlessly talk about immigration, net zero and gender politics.

But people who cant pay their bills or feed their kids are not interested.. They have had enough.

Im not saying cultural issues cant make a difference but they dont mean anything to folk who struggle to keep a roof over their heads.

Maybe America is doing so well that folk can worry about nonsense ?

 

[Hellokitty]

I doubt the parties can really legitimately sell “we’re better on the economy than the other guys” when its all witch craft involving worldwide variables. Prices always go up; they never go down. Its easier to try to paint the other guys as evil.

Except prices did go down under TRUMP.

 

[candycorn]

Except prices did go down under TRUMP.

When you could find something on the shelves....maybe.

 

[Hellokitty]

When you could find something on the shelves....maybe.

In TRUMP's 4 years I never had a problem finding stuff on the shelves, but I don't live in a democrat run city.

 

[candycorn]

In TRUMP's 4 years I never had a problem finding stuff on the shelves, but I don't live in a democrat run city.

Wow...the dishonesty. You should know better.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Wow...the dishonesty. You should know better.

you calling someone dishonest?....wait a sec....

 

[Curried Goats]

in congress they will have many voting against them....but a minority will still have to put up with them in real life....thats reality....

What do mean a minority will still have to put up with them? They are the minority and growing more as a minority every day.

 

[Harry Dresden]

What do mean a minority will still have to put up with them? They are the minority and growing more as a minority every day.

you have never met one or seen one in action?....come on CG.....i know you know what i mean....

 

[Mac1958]

The problem is the "Culture of stupidity" among the MAGA fanatics caused by trump's leadership. The trump Nazis are so accustomed to their beloved cult leader's bullsh!t, they wouldn't recognize the truth if it smacked them in the face.






.

I have some agreements with them in general, and I agree the problem is their ignorant, paranoid, caveman approach to pretty much everything. Talking to them, they say things that are simply, demonstrably, factually wrong, but you can't point it out to them. My concern is they'll so over-react to everything that they'll cause the very same kind of backlash in the opposite direction.

That's one of the primary characteristics shared by the two ends of the spectrum. The Left vastly overcompensated on the cultural issues by weaponizing PC and Identity Politics, and that led to the backlash. The Left went from being sincere and passionate advocates to being judge and jury, and that's when the backlash began to build on the Right. And the Left still won't admit it.

I say it to both ends: It's not the goal that is the problem. It's the way the goal is addressed.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Except prices did go down under TRUMP.

 

[Mac1958]

Maybe America is doing so well that folk can worry about nonsense ?

To them it's not nonsense. Different people have different priorities. And they vote.

 

[Curried Goats]

you have never met one or seen one in action?....come on CG.....i know you know what i mean....

I've met plenty. The only ones to ever give me any real concern where the ones with the authority of the law. Beyond that I couldn't give a shit how some ignorant fuckwad feels.

 

[JoeB131]

The Democratic leadership doesn't do themselves any favors by being shitty at politics but the answer certainly isn't to roll over and appease bigots.

The problem with the Democrats is that they are afraid to have the discussion with white people about how the Republicans are screwing them.

 

[Curried Goats]

To them it's not nonsense. Different people have different priorities. And they vote.

No shit Mac. That includes people who's vote frightens the MAGAts and by extension, you.

 

[postman]

In short, he believes that the cultural issues -- particularly (a) immigration/the border and (b) gender, are now more primary political movers than the economy used to be.

America leads with the strongest economy in the world. And the economy keeps getting better every day.
So they have to make up "culture wars" instead. Remember the "war on Christmas".

 

[postman]

Im not saying cultural issues cant make a difference but they dont mean anything to folk who struggle to keep a roof over their heads.

Maybe America is doing so well that folk can worry about nonsense ?

Why do you think in 1992 it was about "It's the economy stupid!"

It drove every political shift. From Hoover to FDR, from Carter to Reagan and from Bush sr. to Clinton.

 

[JoeB131]

So for the edification for all involved.

1) Republicans fuck up the economy and the people vote in a Democrat.
2) Republicans whine that the Democrats haven't fixed what Republicans fucked up fast enough.
3) When Democrats fix what Republicans screwed up, Republicans move on to Culture war issues.

Contrary to what Vichy Mac claims, this isn't new. This has pretty much been the Republican playbook since Tricky Dick and his Southern Strategy.

 

[Curried Goats]

The problem with the Democrats is that they are afraid to have the discussion with white people about how the Republicans are screwing them.

Well it's hard to have that discussion when the Democratic leadership is in on the orgy. What Mac1958 gets wrong about identity and the politics of political correctness is that white people love that shit, on the left and the right and no one more so than the whites on the right. They eat that shit up. White replacement theory, Don't Say Gay, they love identity politics and political correctness. So do white liberals and that shit worked for the Democratic party when that was the vast majority of their base in the 90s. Their base has changed though and fighting racism as well as economic inequality can't just be theater and show anymore. You actually have to accomplish some shit and that's where Democrats in politics are having trouble. They don't know how to fight.

 

[JoeB131]

In TRUMP's 4 years I never had a problem finding stuff on the shelves, but I don't live in a democrat run city.

really, I seem to remember shelves being stripped at the local store during the lockdown..that is if you could find a store that was open.