Here’s the sentence that sums up what was wrong with election coverage ’10, courtesy of the New York Times‘ Peter Baker (11/3/10):
Was this the natural and unavoidable backlash in a time of historic economic distress, or was it a repudiation of a big-spending activist government?
Clearly, the economy was the main thing on the minds of American citizens, and we needed the media to lead a serious discussion of what to do about it. Instead, we got a bogus debate in which the left-wing pole was that nothing could be done to improve the situation–when the actual progressive view was that a great deal more could have been done–and the right offered an attack on federal spendingbut was never required to offer a coherent explanation of how this eliminated jobs. This is a framing that the right could not help but win by default.
The answer to the NYT question is, No. This was the result of the old Republican Southern Strategy run wild across the nation, channelling all of the anger of threatened privilege under the old code language of defunding programs for the undeserving, (Yankee) tyranny, nullification, secession, Taking Our Country Back (to the white-bread 1950s and Jim Crow, or to the 18th century, possibly even to the Articles of Confederation in which the central government had no taxing power).
We know that the US will become a “majority minority” country fairly soon. If you count Feminism (where women form a slight majority of the population) the dinosaur of old rich White male privilege is on the verge of extinction, but first the young, blue collar and middle class, rainbow, human majority still have to pry the levers of power from the cold, dead hands of their elders, or in some fortunate cases merely vote the rascals out in some election cycle to come.
The US Constitution is designed to slow down and delay such major social changes to a degree that is infuriating to those who have to wait for their turn. The archaic Senate filibuster rule is designed to slow the process further. But we know that in long-term politics, even though it may take 50 years for a new idea like women’s suffrage to take over, the trend is inexorable.
Gay rights have reached the tipping point in public opinion and in the courts, even if not in Congress. Who and what will be next? You can’t tell by political debates. Watch for what becomes accepted and normal on TV and in the movies. For gays, it was Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Ellen de Generes, Rachel Maddow. Bill Cosby and Redd Foxx both did a lot for Blacks, as did Oprah, Morgan Freeman, Will Smith, but more remains to be done before the nation as a whole says, as in The Heat of the Night, “Hey! You’re just like us!”
Myself, I am working on education and a few other things for up to a billion children, with a view toward getting them jobs, ending poverty, and helping them get organized to take over the world. That’s what children are for, you know. The question is whether they can get it together this time to take over before becoming as ossified, intolerant, and greedy as so many in the previous generation in so many corrupt governments around the world.
More in my Daily Kos Diary, http://www.dailykos.com/user/Mokurai
A mainstream media that filters everything through the prism of the rightwing narrative, combined with an unabashed Republican propaganda network(Fox) played a major role in last night’s results. It’s not the sole factor however:
“The electoral debacle is a devastating indictment of the Obama administration and the Democratic Party. Two years after an overwhelming victory in the presidential election, four years after the Republicans lost control of both the House and the Senate, the right-wing policies of the Democrats have created the conditions for a massive comeback by the Republicans.”
“…Exit polls demonstrate that, far from a surge of popular support for the Republicans, the outcome was determined by a collapse in the vote among those who voted most heavily for Obama and the Democrats in 2006 and 2008. While young voters, those 18 to 29, comprised 18 percent of the vote in 2008, they made up only 10 percent of those who turned out at the polls on Tuesday. Those over 65 comprised 15 percent of the vote in 2008, but 24 percent of the vote in 2010.”
“The elderly shifted sharply against the Democratic Party in large measure because of the reactionary character of the Obama health care â┚¬Ã…“reform.â┚¬Ã‚ Far from being a progressive measure to extend health care to the uninsured, the Obama plan was primarily a cost-cutting measure that many of the elderly regarded, quite correctly, as a threat to Medicare benefits. While 48 percent of the elderly voted Republican in 2008, this figure jumped to 58 percent in 2010, one of the largest swings among any demographic group.”— Patrick Martin
http://wsws.org/articles/2010/nov2010/elec-n03.shtml
Even more fundamentally, the problem is a poorly-educated electorate. Despite the mainstream media’s inept and wrong-headed coverage of many important stories, millions of us were able to figure in real time that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the Bush II had legitimately lost the 2000 election, that BP was underestimating the size of the Gulf oil spill, that Palin was not qualified to be President, etc etc etc.
So the information is available, if you want it and are willing to go get it.
Our schools, however, are geared toward turning out drones who take others’ opinions at face value and rarely think for themselves. When the media are fully celebrity affairs, that’s what they think about. When the media report on “death panels,” that’s what they expect from healthcare reform.
If we improve our schools and gear them toward turning out people who are interested in the world, and who know how to find facts and evaluate them without help from “leaders,” then no amount of money or spin will turn the electorate against the politicians who lower taxes and improve the quality of life in America.
In the absence of such an educational system, American voters will always be voting in a popularity contest being held in the grand ballroom of the Titanic.
Sorry to say, this sentence is neither a summation nor accurate. Idon’t agree with his assumptions.
In times like these manufactured “news” plays an important part of occupying the airwaves, regurgitating talking points manufactured, again, and no two things can occupy the same air at the same time (one of those laws of physics) which makes it even more critical when and where the public’s attention is directed. 1984 only hints at what we are now doing to our world population. We cannot expect the media to bite the hand that feeds it (election advertising) nor can we trust the airwaves (TV and Radio) to be fair or unbiased. We must mature in our abilities to smell a rat, follow the money, and replace propaganda with policies benefiting the common good. For crying out loud, let’s get with it@!!&))!
Two reasons the elections turned out as they did: First, President Obama abandoned the Progressives who gave him a victory in 2008, favoring war and Wall Street. Second, the Supreme Court gave the billionaires the “right” to buy the air-waves and the text media in favor of the party that always moves the money from the 95% of the population to the richest 5% of the population.
Let us see:
1. News media uncritically report as news demonstrably false partisan talking points.
2. Most people get their election information from TV ads.
3. Corporations were allowed to spend whatever they wanted for the first time since 1906 (remember the Gilded Age form history class?).
4. The administration demobilized its base.
5. The administration attacked its base.
6. The Democratic Party failed to advance any agenda that went beyond protecting their most conservative members.
7. The administration failed to advance any agenda coherent to non-corporate elites.
8. The administration voluntarily gave up on most of its easy wins that could have been accomplished through executive decisions (DADT, for example).
9. The Democrats in the Senate pander to the Republicans through enforcing the fantasy filibuster where anyone can block virtually anything by announcing an intent to filibuster without actually doing anything.
The result? The biggest Republican sweep in my lifetime.
Our country will not change until both parties stop their “I win, you lose” attitudes. This requires an understanding of “WE”, which I do not see coming! We will continue to be subjected to a Hatfield/McCoy type of government. The media is mostly responsible for what the majority of American citizens know, and subsequently that’s where we have become puppets in our decisions. The education system does not even teach civics any longer, and consequently the young people learn nothing about what it means to be an American. What a shame!
Stupid people will be the death of us all.
Well, gee, all of the above, and then some.
One more thing everybody missed……….Obama has handled the reins of power with the intelligence of a block of wood.He and his regime have stunk up the place on a level never before seen(and that is saying a hell of a lot)They did a lousy job, and deserved to be fired as many in the last administrations sphere did.And it will continue first left, than right and center until we get in people who are accountable to the people who elected them and the values and constitution that built this land.
Walter Carpus: The second half of your post was right on. The first part “Our country will not change until both parties stop their “I win, you lose” attitudes. This requires an understanding of “WE”, which I do not see coming! We will continue to be subjected to a Hatfield/McCoy type of government.” echo’s the common wisdom, the result of which is the level to which political discourse has droppped today. The progressive mantra, in my opinion, might better be described as “you win, we all loose, …eventually”. The right wing has just received what it believes to be a “mandate” to return to the policies it sees as best. You know them all: less government, lower taxes, more religeon (Christian only, of course), no regulations, no science or education based on it, blow everything “not US” to dust, etc. etc.. There’s always a simple solution to a complex problem, and it’s always wrong. But Mitch McConnell has, even before the votes have all been counted, started setting the stage for 2012. Knowing that their policies will only make the economy worse by then, he has stated that they won’t be successful in their endeavour because President Obama’s veto power and the senate filibuster won’t let them get’er done. When, in 2011, nothing’s better, and most likely worse, they’ll blame it all on Democratic obstructionism and ask for the whole enchilada…..again. Well, I’ve got a simple solution to this complex problem that even Michael e (Mikey) should agree with.
The current Administration should stand down and step aside, as in resign as of innoguration day. This would elevate Speaker Bohner to President Bohner, with a clear majority in the House, and near parity (especially if Harry Reid resigns as well) in the Senate. the Republicans would probably blow up the filabuster and have the whole ball of……….wax. I really want to see what great things they will accomplish for the American people by the summer of 11′ which is as much (actually much more) than they gave President Obama before blaming him for the state of the economy. If we as progressives are confident that the Republican policies will lead to a significant worsening of the economic picture we will be in a far superior position to take controll for more than two or four years at a time. Sacrifice the Queen to capture the King. If, in the unlikely event that the Repubs are able to improve the economy by then (without capitulating on all of their policies) then they deserve to retake the reigns. I know this seems a terribly unfair thing to do to America if the damage we forsee results, but it’s the ignorance of millions of Americans that has caused this dilemma, and they may have to learn this hard lesson to understand that Progressives have their long term best interests as their goal, not Wall Streets, or Trans-National corporations. I’m not toally ignorant, and know this comment hasn’t a snowballs chance in hell of being noticed, or that the ego’s involved would let it go forward even if it’s recognized as not being as whacky as it might at first seem. I’d just like to get some response to see if I’m totally insane or not. I just think it’s time for something REALLY BOLD.
Sorry natural dave- cant agree.First, your view of the right is hyperbole,and rhetoric based propaganda to inspire fear.No one is buying it as shown by the massive election wave.It is important for Obama and his regime to finnish his term,though the damage will be catastrophic.It is the system we have agreed to.The Republicans have hopefully heard the tea party and will find a way back to American values and constitutional principles.If so I belief the healing will begin.If not their asses will be the next on the chopping block.In many ways they are a bad choice……..though no where near as bad as this rabble.
As usual, Mikey, you make no sense. If my view of the right is Hyperbole and rhetoric, and the admin. steps aside, you can fix the economy in less time than is needed b/4 the next election (same as you gave Obama). You should love it, or are you afraid of total failure? It is important for Obama to finish his term so you can blame him and not your own already thrice (or more, i’m only counting the last century and this one) failed policies for the next two years. Put up or Shut up. This should be an offer you couldn’t refuse, but apparently (though it will never be offered) you would. Chicken. It’s only a fantisy game and you’re afraid to leave the bench and play.