Having grown up in the small town of Mahopac, N.Y., some of my closest friends are blue-collar rural whites. They’re hard-working folks who love their kids, (generally) dislike their jobs and go about life focussed on family, faith and weekends.
They all vote Republican.
This kills me, because they’re voting against themselves. I’m certainly not saying Democrats have all the answers. Or most of the answers. But when rural whites fall for the Republican stratgegy (wave the flag, play Lee Greenwood’s Proud to be an American, talk about gays and guns), it makes me incredibly, incredibly sad.
Republican leadership wants to crush unions—which most of the rural whites I know depend on. Republican leadership wants to give enormous tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans—the rural whites I know don’t come close. Republican leadership wants to stop spending on social programs that benefit the needy—many rural whites depend on these programs, whether they acknowledge such or not. Republican leadership has fought tooth and nail to stop progressive health coverage—I know not one rural white who would be hurt by Obama’s plan.
But rural whites, for whatever reason, are the dumbest voting block in America. They go for this shit, over and over and over and over again.
It’s happening again.
PS: One of the people I know, in defending Republicanism, posted this on her Facebook page. Says it all:
Well guys, I guess you must be right. Our country has always sucked. It sucks so bad that I cannot figure out WHY all these people from other countries fight so hard to get here? It must be a reason that we will never understand…I cann…ot figure out why it ISN’T OUR citizitens that are trying to escape into their countries? Their leadership has always been so much better!? I mean REALLY…what has ever been so great about this country after all Jeff? What have we ever done good? These people that come in droves to this land of ours must be crazy to leave such countries that are historically good to their people! The opportunities! The freedoms they all have in their countries are second to none! WHY do they come here and work for so little money? You would think they would want to stay in their homeland and enjoy the benefits of what their countries offer them!!! You win.
PPS: On a side note, this guy is outstanding. Seriously:
