On the 12 July 2007 podcast of the Slate Gabfest, I heard this phrase (from either John Dickerson or David Plotz): "good old fashioned green pants Republicans."
I'm guessing it's a variant of "blue collar," in the sense of people who wear that sort of khaki work pants. Google returns zero matches for "green pants republican[s]," however.
Anyone know what it means? Anyone ever heard it before?
BTW, at the end of this podcast during the "Cocktail Chatter" segment, Emily Bazelon gives a great argument for why we should keep expressing outrage about things like the revelations recently made by the last Surgeon General, despite the fact that it feels like we've heard this sort of thing about the Bush Administration a thousand times before. Go listen.
4 comments:
Seems to me you quizzed us on this awhile back but maybe I've misremembered. I hadn't heard it before and don't really know what it means, but here's my opinion on the meaning. The way I took it when I read it was that it was referring to the type of salesman that you run into at the used car lot. He's wearing white shoes, green pants and probably also a pink or yellow jacket. He comes out with a big handshake and a how you folks doing tonight sort of attitude. I've got a beauty for sale over here only driven on Sundays to church by a little old widow and tragically she just had an illness and has to get rid of this perfect auto. You may not know that Car and Driver voted this the best car ever made. This scarce one just went on the lot 5 minutes ago and you've got a unique opportunity to steal little little beauty before the rush starts but you have to decide in the next two minutes.
In other words a slick talking phony who is cutting all the corners to push through a deal. I have no idea if I'm right, but no one else has had an opinion so far so my guess is as good as all the previous ones combined. LOL
TC: I think what you were remembering was my query about white shoe law firms.
Your speculation about the green pants doesn't sound right from the context in which it was used, but it does make me think that perhaps the green pants refer to the sartorial nightmare that is most men's golf wear.
The way I heard "green pants Republicans" used was in discussion of potential matchups in the 2008 presidential election. The commentator was saying that many Republicans don't much like any of their potential nominees, which could suppress turnout, no matter who gets nominated. On the other hand, he continued, if Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee, then "the good old green pants Republican" would go out on Election Day, just to vote against her.
Therefore, I am guessing that a "green pants Republican" is the sort of country club type of guy who self-identifies as a Republican, mostly because he wants to pay lower taxes, and not so much because he agrees with the Christianist social agenda.
Given that context I think you're right. Probably someone who wears the colors but isn't truly committed to the fraternity. Doesn't normally come out to support the cause, but given enough provocation will don the colors and show up for the party. Sort of like moderate Democrats who usually aren't engaged, but will hoist the red flag and show up to vote against Bush and the Christianists.
A "Christianist social agenda," I take it, is slightly different from a "Christian social agenda?" The former implying the people who have such an agenda rather than the agenda itself? Or is it "different than?" :-)
Yes, I do use "Christianist" to mean something different from ;^) "Christian."
I picked up this notion from Andrew Sullivan. The use implies more than a slight difference; it connotes the disbelief that we feel at the vicious and intolerant attitudes that characterize so many people who call themselves "Christians."
Another intent behind using "Christianist" is to throw their favorite trope, "Islamist," back in their faces.
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