Change of pace from the VP debate chatter: Here's part of a speech given at the Steelworkers Convention, 1 July 2008, by AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka.
Powerful stuff.
(alt. video link | alt. video link 2)
(h/t: TC, via email)
Friday, October 03, 2008
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3 comments:
I can think of four "Christians" I'd like to have watch this speech.
Few are those who simultaneously have the passion and street cred to pull off a speech like that.
It is strange that slavery was supported so ardently by poor southern white yeoman farmers, too poor to ever own slaves of their own, and whose own labors were being undercut by cheaper slave labor. I guess the humiliating resentment of languishing near the bottom of the heap is somehow overcome by the thrill of having someone even lower than you on the manure pile.
How else to explain why working class heartlanders are so willing to embrace John McCain's tax plan that is less progressive than Obama's. When I hear that under Obama's plan, 95% of Americans will pay less tax, I think (1) I hope I'm one of the lucky 5% that's so rich I wouldn't notice the difference; followed quickly by (2) damn, I'm not one of those 5%, oh well, at least I get the lower tax. Bizarrely, Walmart shoppers in Dallas find this redistribution of wealth "unfair". What if one day they should get so rich?
The triumph of hope over experience seems to be a fundamental Darwinian imperative in our psychology, stopping us from killing off the more successful in favor of attacking the least fortunate. Though homo sapiens benefits from this "advantage", humanity is the worse off.
Obviously, anyone blogging has about zero chance to convince racists, so I am thrilled that union officials are taking this up.
Well said, Dan. I do think there is something to the idea of being happier about your lot in life if you can identify someone lower than you, and there may be something to the hope over experience idea, but really, I think there are better explanations here, for poor whites not preferring Obama because of the difference in tax plans.
First, of course, is exactly what Trumka is speaking to.
Second is the set of other reasons that, say, Thomas Frank has identified; i.e., other concerns outweigh consideration of one's own economic self-interest.
Third is low information: I just think there are a lot of people who hear "Democrat" and think "tax and spend liberal." This prejudice has doubtless been aggravated by the McCain continuous outright lying about Obama's tax plan, not to mention the reinforcement that I'm sure is provided by the sort of radio these people are likely to listen to.
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