Party of Wealthy & White Lefty Ladies
[guest post by JVW]
Kevin Williamson of National Review Online has an interesting post on the degree to which today’s Democrat party has a curious power structure. As he writes:
There is an ugly and seldom-acknowledged racial dynamic animating the politics of the Left: The ranks of the Democratic party swell with black, Hispanic, and immigrant voters, but the party is run by wealthy liberal white ladies: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, Randi Weingarten, Bernie Sanders (honorary liberal white lady), Nancy Pelosi, etc. The message: “You people provide the votes, we’ll make the decisions.” The Democrats are a kind of perverse Master Blaster, with Debbie Wasserman Schultz mounted piggyback upon the shoulders of millions of black and Hispanic families.
It’s a point I had never stopped to consider. Sure President Obama remains the formal head of the party, but at this point in his career it is pretty clear that his agenda is exhausted and out-of-favor, even among the rank-and-file of his own party. Nancy Pelosi remains the undisputed capo di tutti cap in the House, and though nominally outranked by Reid, Durbin, and Schumer, is there any doubt that Elizabeth Warren is right now the most influential Democrat in the Senate?
[Interesting note: Only three of the current eighteen Democrat governors are women, which comports with the general idea that the party has been decimated at the statewide level under Obama. All three incumbent women, naturally, are wealthy, progressive, and white.]
A bit more from Williamson:
The challenge for the Left is that while the Republican party is mainly a coalition of ideologies, the Democratic party is mainly a coalition of interest groups, and the current model of Democratic politics — poor and largely non-white people providing the muscle and rich white liberals calling the shots — is unsustainable. The social attitudes of non-white voters are pretty plainly not those of white liberals, and, at the same time — and probably more significant — the economic interests of white liberals are pulling away from those of the people in whose interest they purport to act. . . . If you’re wondering why Democrats lean so deeply into the racial rhetoric — Joe Biden’s shameful “They want to put y’all back in chains!” etc. — that’s a big part of your answer.
Last night was mostly a good night for the GOP, but it is clear that a lot of work remains to be done over the next year to avoid the calamity of President Rodham Clinton (or even President Sanders). Reminding all voters that there remains a huge gulf between the priorities of working-class minorities (jobs, education, safe streets) and the priorities of the people leading their party (abortion on demand, bathroom choice for transgenders, trendy environmentalism) will be an important way to determine which party is worthy of their support.
– JVW
I like the part where Bernard Sanders is designated “an honorary liberal white lady.”
JVW (aa050c) — 11/4/2015 @ 3:47 pmThe ascendancy of the matriarchy began with Woodrow Wilson. A Democrat. He shipped off all the young men to the war in France, and the women nagged the old, married men into giving them the vote, the income tax and prohibition. Now the women run the country on money taken off working men’s paychecks (don’t believe all that faux complaining about income inequality, that’s how they like it), and the men are grateful if they can have a beer after work. And you better not complain if you know what’s good for you. The only males who have been able to raise some resistance are the gays. No, not that way. By taking over the fashion industry and putting them in ridiculous clothes and shoes that hurt their feet (the drawback being that men pay for them).
nk (9faaca) — 11/4/2015 @ 4:04 pmwell the income tax came before the war, there’s a degree of truth in the latter,
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/06/24/qatar-s-foundation-for-hypocrisy.html
the war on women, children, and another living things proceeds apiece,
narciso (ee1f88) — 11/4/2015 @ 4:12 pmRead Fred Siegel’s “Revolt Against the Masses.” It is a history of Progressive violence in this country going back to the Prohibition era. He points out that all the prison radical gangs, like “Black Liberation Family” were organized by white women who were volunteering in prisons. They teamed up with black prisoners and provided a lot of the motivation. Symbioses Liberation Army was just one example.
Mike K (90dfdc) — 11/4/2015 @ 4:21 pmI’m not quarreling with the major premise of Mr. Williamson’s piece or JVV’s follow-up comments about it in the post above. It’s a provocative and interesting assertion.
I do think it’s important, though, to distinguish among various sorts of political power, which have different purposes and uses in different contexts. Elizabeth Warren is indeed the most influential Democrat in the Senate in terms of mobilizing media, advancing Leftie memes, fanning faux outrage, and (thereby) raising money. Let’s call that “star power.”
I don’t think Warren’s particularly powerful, however, nor probably even of average power, in terms of influencing or motivating or threatening or otherwise collaborating powerfully with her Senate colleagues on either side of the aisle, though. For that sort of power, Reid still has some perverse zombie spell keeping him standing upright and pretending to be Minority Leader; and Schumer does indeed call, or influence, a huge number of shots behind the scenes. Call that “deal power.”
Robert Caro’s wonderful book about LJB’s Senate days, “Master of the Senate,” explains these different types of power magnificently, because LBJ was the master of deal power, and Jack Kennedy (whom he and most other senators despised as a lightweight) became a master of star power. And while Kennedy couldn’t get a resolution saluting moms & apple pie through the Senate, he could get the Democratic nomination in 1960.
Beldar (fa637a) — 11/4/2015 @ 4:29 pmYour point is well taken, Beldar. But I think that at this point the Democrats’ major strength resides not in their ability to cut a deal (even though they still seem to be able to get over on feckless Republicans), but to control the media narrative and to organize the hordes of social justice warriors to act on their behalf. The GOP caved on the budget last week precisely because they knew that no matter how hard they tried to counteract media claims to the contrary, they would be seen as shutting down government yet again for their own little hissy fits while the Democrats would be portrayed as the sensible people who were just trying to make sure that government services were not interrupted. That’s why Democrats from the President on down do most of their dirty work in front of microphones and news cameras rather than by actually crafting legislation.
JVW (aa050c) — 11/4/2015 @ 4:37 pmWilliamson is a little too optimistic here. The GOP does have interests, it has often chosen to ignore them.Quite odd we ave a political party choosing to annoy the very people who’s support it requires to win. Simply that hasn’t worked all that well since Reagan retired. The Left’s majority is in fact sustainable because they will have 40+% of the electorate show up like clockwork (may be even a few undead will appear), along with a good chuck of states and Electoral vote the GOP has not contested in 3 decades. .The GOP candidate needs to have white working and middle class people show up en masse to win to overcome that. And frankly spare when the GOP has run against a crazy liberal Masshole it has not won a popular vote vs. Clinton nor Obama .
And worse-the GOP has abided by a court order not to complain about voter fraud. Please, beat us off the head with a hard object until we cease breathing, no problem.
The candidate needs to grasp certain issues that might go against the donor class can no longer be massaged if he wants town-immigration, trade, the deficit, war and foreign policy. If putative candidate does some nation of immigrants/more war/more spending nonsense forget it. KNEW Romney was a goner when Paul Ryan spent his debate whiffing on low fat hanging curveballs and instead spent the evening clamoring for more war everywhere. In fact, must be a requirement forbid candidate to go to school on what McCain, Romney and the Bushes have done and NOT DO THAT AT ALL. Worry is said candidate will listen to the likes of NRO and try to rerun some Buh playbook from 1992 or 2000. We need to grasp Bush Jr.’s presidency destroyed the assumptions that the GOP was good for business and smart about defense. That is GONE.
Bugg (fa64ec) — 11/4/2015 @ 5:06 pmnk,
And yet, isn’t it remarkable how unhappy modern women are with their strongly fought for lot in life?
Dana (86e864) — 11/4/2015 @ 6:08 pmThe Democrats have been very sharp and shrewd in grasping that the true power comes from controlling the media. They have been equally shrewd in wielding that power at every turn to their advantage.
Frankly, I’m not sure it’s even possible for Republicans to ever gain that advantage.
Dana (86e864) — 11/4/2015 @ 6:16 pmMostly OT:
seeRpea (c8d379) — 11/4/2015 @ 7:26 pmJust cancelled my ESPNMagazine subscription that i had for many years. Felt good.
for those who don’t know, the last issue which is in the midst of College and Pro Football season, start of Hockey and Basketball and during World Series was a very special issue – on homosexuals in sports coming out etc.
it’s even more messed up then that,
http://thefederalist.com/2015/11/04/hillary-clintons-newest-spin-doctor-was-busted-for-meth-in-2013/
narciso (ee1f88) — 11/4/2015 @ 8:02 pmI think if Trump wins the nomination he will have the votes of the Reagan democrats. The democrat demographic will be split.
Trump’s “Make America great again” and “Put America back to work.” resonates.
Jim (defd88) — 11/5/2015 @ 4:48 amNice. Let’s get into a demographic breakdown of the Republican party’s upper echelon, while we’re at it.
Leviticus Channeling Mark (f9a067) — 11/5/2015 @ 7:36 amA poll shows Donald Trump doing worse than (anyone mentioned) of the other Republicans. The same people were asked about each of them. Of course, opinions about many haven’t stablized, and they can change.
Sammy Finkelman (3a0a59) — 11/5/2015 @ 9:06 amSorry, didn’t mean to channel Mark anymore.
Leviticus (f9a067) — 11/5/2015 @ 9:32 amNice. Let’s get into a demographic breakdown of the Republican party’s upper echelon, while we’re at it.‘
I understand your point, but only one of the parties worships at the altar of diversity and it’s not the GOP.
JVW (738b08) — 11/5/2015 @ 10:44 amRacism–real racism, not the imaginary “everybody & everything is racist except me” racism of the left–hasn’t been a problem in this country since Sammy Davis Jr. couldn’t get a room on the Las Vegas strip while filming Ocean’s 11 in 1960. But liberals keep the threat alive because it makes them feel morally superior in spite of their homosexual-worshiping, child-murdering, freedom-hating ways.
CrustyB (69f730) — 11/5/2015 @ 11:10 amYou should move to Detroit, Leviticus.
JD (34f761) — 11/5/2015 @ 11:18 amRight? I am ashamed of my falsity, not living in Detroit.
In my defense, I do live near my city’s Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.! Bona fides!!1!
Leviticus (f9a067) — 11/5/2015 @ 1:05 pmYou misspelled “cultural appropriation”. You h8y racist. HTH.
PCachu (5376c0) — 11/5/2015 @ 1:20 pmMelissa Harris-Perry and I work hard to avoid cultural appropriation in all things.
Leviticus (f9a067) — 11/5/2015 @ 1:24 pmHow would she do that, being born of a black and white parent?
JD (74ff80) — 11/5/2015 @ 3:37 pmIs hanging tampons from your earlobes a form of cultural appropriation ?
JD (74ff80) — 11/5/2015 @ 3:40 pmHow would she do that, being born of a black and white parent?
To Melissa Harris-Perry’s credit, I have never seen her wearing a sombrero. Or one of those conical Vietnamese-peasant farming hats.
JVW (738b08) — 11/5/2015 @ 3:56 pmSorry, didn’t mean to channel Mark anymore.
Leviticus, JVW took the words right out of my mouth:
You should move to Detroit, Leviticus.
Heck yea, JD. Liberals aren’t able to graduate beyond the “limousine liberal” phase (and one doesn’t have to be wealthy to be guilty of such two-faced, phony-baloney behavior) if they don’t live the experience of liberalism run amok — and few places are as monolithically pro-liberal, pro-Democrat-Party as Michigan’s Motor City, etc, etc. (ie, where over 90-plus percent of people in a community vote and think pretty much the same way, in terms of ideological biases — on a full-time basis.
Mark (f713e4) — 11/5/2015 @ 7:58 pmwhy would they, modern media, education, reinforces the liberal bubble, they have put themselves apart from traditional religion, so they have to find meaning in something else,
narciso (ee1f88) — 11/5/2015 @ 8:01 pmHillary! Clinton… can’t remember passwords or how to get around a paywall, but wants the nuclear codes.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 11/5/2015 @ 9:55 pmDetroit is neither the failure nor the by-product of liberalism. It is the LITERAL failure of capitalism, industrialism, mercantilism, and corporate patriotism. What was left after that big sucking sound Ross Perot heard of American jobs and American industry going overseas. The proof that “What’s good for General Motors is good for America” was a lie.
But never change, Mark.
nk (dbc370) — 11/5/2015 @ 10:05 pmIt is the LITERAL failure of capitalism, industrialism, mercantilism, and corporate patriotism.
nk, your populist-do-gooder side is getting the better of you because even though the city of Detroit has been hammered by changes in the automobile industry, if most of the citizens of that city had nurtured a strongly moderate to rightwing approach to life and governance, their community probably — likely — wouldn’t have become such a trash heap as it is today and as it has been for decades.
Even a liberal research group (don’t recall its name), when studying what socio-cultural characteristics best guaranteed a better future for children, said that raising them in a socially stable environment was crucial, and that such youngsters, in turn, would be more likely to grow up and help ensure a stronger economy in the future.
Of course, that theory, in the case of Detroit, could only be tested if the residents of the Motor City suddenly, miraculously, amazingly became 90-plus percent moderate/conservative and staunchly Republican instead of 90-plus percent blindly liberal and nonsensically Democrat. But I’m willing to bet that if such a socio-political transformation were to occur — with the auto industry remaining exactly as it is — that while Detroit wouldn’t blossom into a nirvana, it at least wouldn’t be one of America’s foremost dystopias.
Mark (f713e4) — 11/6/2015 @ 8:04 pm