New US chattering class rises

[Adux]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 83,00.html (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24289420-7583,00.html)


New US chattering class rises


Daniel Finkelstein | September 04, 2008





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Daniel Finkelstein | September 04, 2008


WHEN sheriff L. O. Davis began his campaign for re-election as the head of the police force in St Augustine, Florida, he strapped on his gun. He might need it, he explained, to fire at civil rights workers.
One of his early campaign visits was to inform African-American inhabitants of America's oldest city that he didn't want their votes. He would rather do without the support of ******s, he said. It wasn't much of a political sacrifice, given that non-whites were beaten or jailed if they tried to register.
Davis promptly won an overwhelming 70 per cent of the vote and, emboldened, proceeded to appoint the local Ku Klux Klan as his deputies. The leader of Davis's gang was a convicted felon named "Hoss", who told the press that his business was "raisin' pigs and shootin' ******s".

The year was 1964 and the election that Davis won was a Democratic primary. Read Taylor Branch's magisterial history of the civil rights movement (America in the King Years) and one of its most striking features is that the segregationists were all Democrats.
If you want to understand what is happening in this presidential election, start here. governor Ross Barnett, who believed that God made men black to punish them and who came to court to shake the hand of the man who, in 1963, murdered the civil rights hero Medgar Evers: Democrat. Governor George Wallace, who stood in the schoolhouse door to prevent black students from entering a whites-only college: Democrat. Senator James Eastland, who dismissed the murder of civil rights workers in Mississippi as a publicity stunt by African-Americans and who personally blocked more than 100 civil rights measures in the Senate: Democrat.

There are many bright shining moments in the history of the Democratic Party, but there is also this terrible stain. Even read about now, more than 40 years later and on another continent, the conduct of these party stalwarts repels and angers. And illuminates.
Ask yourself this: how could the great heroes of the American Left - Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson - have been in alliance with such men? It is simple: they needed them, they needed the votes of the segregationists. The poor, the ignorant, the isolated and dispossessed, these were their voters. And these people were damned if they were going to share their lunch counters with the kith and kin of Martin Luther King.

The tension between liberal instinct and electoral base is a recurring feature of the politics of the Left. Historical myth tends to unite great acts of liberal reform with those of social amelioration in a seamless story of progressive change. Most of the time it isn't like that. The political liberals and the mass of poor voters fight each other.

In the US in the '60s the Democrats realised that supporting equality for African-Americans would cost them dearly and it has. As he put down his pen from signing the great Civil Rights Bill, president Johnson sighed to an aide that "we have lost the South for a generation". He was wrong. It has taken longer than that.

Civil rights split the Democratic Party. A part of the Democrat base, the poor South, split off to support the Republicans, who had been more or less non-combatants in the war over civil rights. Since the day of LBJ's lament on the White House lawn there has not been a successful Democratic presidential candidate from the North, and the Republicans have won almost twice as often as their opponents. Only once in the past 10 elections has a Democrat polled more than 50 per cent of the vote (Georgia's Jimmy Carter received 50.08 per cent in 1976). The long period of ascendancy for the Right in the US was an uncovenanted bonus from a bitter bout of political infighting.

And now the advantages of that bonus are coming to an end. The US is changing and the Democratic liberals might be able (just) to win a national election without the overwhelming support of the alienated white working class. If such a victory doesn't happen this time, it will soon. The US, like Britain, is seeing the rise of what one might call a mass chattering class.
The US census shows that a record number of Americans - more than 80 per cent - now complete high school or go to college. There is also, for the first time, a mass class of millionaires: 7.3 million Americans belong to this group, with more than a million dollars of assets. If you include their primary residence in the calculation there are many millions more. More than half of the country now considers itself middle class and is working less and enjoying more leisure time. Johnson's voters in the poor part of Texas did not have electricity. Last year more than 80 per cent of Americans went online.
With this change in economic fortunes has come a revolution in social attitudes: a mass class that is more tolerant, broadminded, socially concerned. And Democratic.
It is common to write of the present strength of the Democrats as if it were a passing phase caused by the unpopularity of George W. Bush. But it is the rise of the mass chattering class, rather than the temporary problems of the present White House incumbent, that really threatens the Republicans.

Republican reformers note with dismay that the less educated you are, the more likely you are to vote conservative. Once upon a time this might have been an electoral advantage. Now it is anything but. The poorly educated are a declining market sector.
What is significant about Barack Obama's candidacy is not simply that he is an African-American, it is that as a Northern liberal, he is still a viable candidate.
I doubt that L.O. Davis would like that very much.
Daniel Finkelstein is comment editor of The Times





I see this as a very negative and serious development! A New Europe, maybe!

[seraosha]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chattering_classes

I had to look it up, thought I'd share.

[Ordie]

What is significant about Barack Obama's candidacy is not simply that he is an African-American, it is that as a Northern liberal, he is still a viable candidate.

Obama was born and raised in Hawaii and Indonesia.

McCain is no Southerner, he was born in Panama and raised as a Navy Brat.

[Adux]

Ordie,

I dont think they are talking about birth place rather his political ideology can be related to that particular area. I am more concerned about America loosing its founding ideals to convert itself into some liberal social soft state, like some examples in Europe. That just wont be Kosher to me!

[Dragonscript]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chattering_classes

I had to look it up, thought I'd share.

Thanks, i've never heard that term before.

[2Sheds_Jackson]

Obama was born and raised in Hawaii and Indonesia.

McCain is no Southerner, he was born in Panama and raised as a Navy Brat.

Obama's formative years as a young adult and politician were at Columbia (NYC), Chicago and Harvard - you can't get a whole lot more Northern liberal than that.

Frankly, I don't see what purpose this story serves - news flash - the Democrats party is full of wealthy elitists. The richest members of congress have been limousine liberals (Democrats) for many years - academia is infested with leftists - I don't really see where this is anything new.

[Adux]

academia is infested with leftists -

This such a travesty, I wish there were more centrist in academia! But then running a nation state is not bed of roses or utopia! There are way too many leftist in media now. It is creating a national security issue if you ask me.


I don't really see where this is anything new.

The 'new' part is that they are getting into power, in a place they would have never gotten into. America. Its not about Democrats, Its about Leftist and Liberals. Welcome to the New Europe. USA

[Merfeller]

This such a travesty, I wish there were more centrist in academia! But then running a nation state is not bed of roses or utopia! There are way too many leftist in media now. It is creating a national security issue if you ask me.



The 'new' part is that they are getting into power, in a place they would have never gotten into. America. Its not about Democrats, Its about Leftist and Liberals. Welcome to the New Europe. USA

On a local level, in the south, southwest, and midwest, things are at status quo and that's not gonna be changing. Break down this ludicrous red state/blue state bull**** by county and you'll see something that might change your mind.

[Ordie]

Obama's formative years as a young adult and politician were at Columbia (NYC), Chicago and Harvard - you can't get a whole lot more Northern liberal than that.

If the Northeast is liberal, how can you explain Guiliani, Bloomberg, Romney and Arlen Spector?

[2Sheds_Jackson]

The 'new' part is that they are getting into power, in a place they would have never gotten into. America. Its not about Democrats, Its about Leftist and Liberals. Welcome to the New Europe. USA

Well, I don't see too much change in the status quo. There have always been leftist kooks here and there -but they've never been successful at the national level. It remains to be seen just how successful even Obama may be - I'm sure a good deal of the Republican strategy will be to try to pull back the big fluffy comforter that says "HOPE" on it, and take a look at the rotting carcass of liberalism that's under the covers. I'm already regretting making that analogy...eeeew.

[2Sheds_Jackson]

If the Northeast is liberal, how can you explain Guiliani, Bloomberg, Romney and Arlen Spector?

Good gravy - you're not going to try to argue that the Northeast isn't liberal are ya? Those guys could have been elected anywhere...and none are particularly conservative anyway (and Spector is from PA - a battleground state, outside the ivy-encrusted liberal refuge). People like Ted Kennedy, Barney Frank, Tip O'Neill, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton - the only places they could possibly hold office is the NE...unless they hopped a flight for Berkeley p-).

[Ordie]

The 'new' part is that they are getting into power, in a place they would have never gotten into. America. Its not about Democrats, Its about Leftist and Liberals. Welcome to the New Europe. USA

Adux you're just as clueless about American politics as I am in figuring what's good to eat at an Indian restaurant. It's all curry to me.

The country as whole is neither Red (republican) or Blue (democrat) but purple.

The United States is a highly mobile country where the typical household moves at least 4 times and an individual will have about 10 jobs before he/she settles on a career. So regional political differences are less important than 40 years ago.

Regardless of the highly charged issues, Americans are more moderate than one would think. So much so that both parties are courting the middle vs. thier base in the previous two elections.

Traditionally Americans have voted a President of one party and a congress of the opposing party. And policies are made through concensus and compromise. Unfortunately we had four years of the excesses and abuses of a single party rubber stamp with a do nothing government. And a president who vetos everything during the past four years.

What is lacking in the status quo in today's White House is vision. Unfortunately the GOP has no vision beyond Iraq, the gas pump, and dealing with the economic situation.

All I hear is victory in Iraq, more drilling, and cut taxes.

While at the same time Russia invades Georgia, oil companies are making record profits, and our bridges are falling becuase there are no investments (taxes).

Given that Palin has connections with Alaskan Indpendence Party, don't you wonder what her views are on issues of identical movements in Kashmir, Tibet and Assam? What does she think about the United States-India Energy Security Cooperation Act?

Joe Biden was the driving force behind the United States-India Energy Security Cooperation Act. And yet you are hoping for a Palin presidency?

[Ordie]

outside the ivy-encrusted liberal refuge.



Yale's "Liberal" Alumni: George Bush Sr., George W. Bush, **** Cheney, Justice Thomas, Justice Alito

[TheBelgian]

I see this as a very negative and serious development! A New Europe, maybe!

A New Europe!? Oh NOOOOOES!!!111!!!! You should be so lucky...

[Gunbird]

This such a travesty, I wish there were more centrist in academia! But then running a nation state is not bed of roses or utopia! There are way too many leftist in media now. It is creating a national security issue if you ask me.

Intelligence makes you lean left.

Universities are filled with left leaning people for that very reason.

Left leaning people are more wealthy and prosperous because they are intelligent, work hard and are efficient at what they do. That's why the left controls the media, technology trade and progress.

The poorest, least educated regions of America all go Republican. Metropolitan, wealthy, educated cities all go democrat, because they lean left. It's not elitism, it's facts.

http://i34.tinypic.com/2vlruih.jpg

[Eztyga]

Guess the governments of the world would like the 'chattering classes' to, um, shut-up.

Ezy

[Ordie]

The poorest, least educated regions of America all go Republican. Metropolitan, wealthy, educated cities all go democrat, because they lean left. It's not elitism, it's facts.

Given that poverty levels went up by 15% and state college tuition went up by 39% in the past 8 years.

The GOP has a good chance of winning.

[iLikeFlickerstick]

Guess the governments of the world would like the 'chattering classes' to, um, shut-up.

Ezy

Yeah no kidding. Critics call them the "chattering" class because it evokes naivety so you get the message that these people often blindly speak against their own interests, and do so quite convincingly sometimes.
Hmmmmm... don't know if I buy it. but maybe. Maybe..

[brainplay]

Intelligence makes you lean left.

Universities are filled with left leaning people for that very reason.

Left leaning people are more wealthy and prosperous because they are intelligent, work hard and are efficient at what they do. That's why the left controls the media, technology trade and progress.

The poorest, least educated regions of America all go Republican. Metropolitan, wealthy, educated cities all go democrat, because they lean left. It's not elitism, it's facts.

http://i34.tinypic.com/2vlruih.jpg

Popular idealism but still misinformation. Polls taken at universities often show a majority of students are heavy conservatives. I believe this misconception stems from the fact that many of these regular students are more worried about finishing school and getting good high paying jobs than playing "dress up" at a protest rally. My own opinion there but its fairly sound. Professors on the other hand have to live and work in "lala land" which is all theoritical based instead of practical making it more suceptible to heavy left leaning to the point that socialism and communism is almost a utopia.

Likewise the "poor" vary in their support as well. Welfare and nanny state beneficiaries lean to the left as the left supports these programs heavily. Middle class used to swing center right but as entitlements continue growing and welfare style programs are becoming more of the norm we're seeing a change in perceptions.

[LaoSexMachine]

Stupid ass article.

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

academia is infested with leftists - I don't .

So whats your point?

Have you ever thought that the people have finally decided to wake up and realise that all the problems in this world are caused by the centre/right and the multi-national cronies?

[Calanen]

Intelligence makes you lean left.



What a silly and arrogant thing to say. This paradigm is the best one, because all the smart people believe it.

[Calanen]

So whats your point?

Have you ever thought that the people have finally decided to wake up and realise that all the problems in this world are caused by the centre/right and the multi-national cronies?

All the problems in the world huh? Wow, the secret to life the universe and everything.

Yet the left didnt do a very good job with its Soviet Empire and so on.

Never fear, you still have North Korea and Cuba to carry the flag.

[Adux]

So whats your point?

Have you ever thought that the people have finally decided to wake up and realise that all the problems in this world are caused by the centre/right and the multi-national cronies?

I live in a left leaning Society, and not mention I live in a democratically elected Commie State(Refer Kerala), The above is not correct and cannot be further from the truth, to put it lightly. Even if the West becomes Left, There will others who will take up the Right positions. Like it or not, Utopia is not possible, Might is Right is how humans function.

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

All the problems in the world huh? Wow, the secret to life the universe and everything.

Yet the left didnt do a very good job with its Soviet Empire and so on.

Never fear, you still have North Korea and Cuba to carry the flag.

Hay man the Liberal have ****ed this country something fierce. Not one single significant reform in 11 years. Not one.

Yeah sure the economy went to **** under Hawk and Keating but the reforms they introduced whilst in power is what is powering this nations economy along. Not what Howard did.

Our infrastructure is now a joke, people can't even afford to rent a house. Thats even if they can find a house to rent. Forget about buying a house.

Griener ****ed the NSW rail system not the ALP

Conservatives have not got a good memory. When was the last time a conservative government in this country implemented significant reform not for short term political gain but for the long term prosperity of this nation?

[Calanen]

Hay man the Liberal have ****ed this country something fierce. Not one single significant reform in 11 years. Not one.

The economy is fine.


Yeah sure the economy went to **** under Hawk and Keating but the reforms they introduced whilst in power is what is powering this nations economy along. Not what Howard did.

Ok, so, anything good was Labor, anything bad was Liberal. Got it.


Our infrastructure is now a joke, people can't even afford to rent a house. Thats even if they can find a house to rent. Forget about buying a house

That's mostly a state issue. I say mostly. So what are your buddies doing to fix things? Precisely nothing at the moment.


Griener ****ed the NSW rail system not the ALP

You are reaching now. Greiner was in, what for 1 term like 20 years ago or something?


Conservatives have not got a good memory. When was the last time a conservative government in this country implemented significant reform not for short term political gain but for the long term prosperity of this nation?

When was the last time anyone did.

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

Fact is it is the ALP in conjunction with the union movement that his introduced practically every single piece of major reform and legislation. It was the ALP that introduced tax reform to shifted economic responsability from the states to the federal government.

It was the ALP who introduced things like workers compensation, old age pensions and other benefits for people with the misfortune of not being able to work.

It was the ALP who built a national rail road linking each state capitol by a single gauge.

It was the ALP who introduced the superannuation scheme which in 40 years will mean the government will not have to worry about paying for an aging population. A scheme which at present has over 1 trillion in investments scattered a across the globe.

It was the ALP who floated the Australian dollar, relaxed foreign investment restrictions and opened up the Australian economy.

Yeah sure blame the left for everything. It's been the left that has built this country.

[Calanen]

Yeah sure blame the left for everything. It's been the left that has built this country.


And Menzies. Dont forget Menzies. Best years this country ever had.

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

Yeah good old pig iron bob.

He done **** all.

[Lokos]

Of course you can be intelligent and lean right. I, myself, tend to vacillate - sometimes according to mood or bare impulse. But, ideally speaking, the left stands on some very attractive premises. For example, equality/egalitarianism, social justice, shared values, state interventionism, state protection for high-risk persons etc. etc. Whilst the right tends to emphasize pragmatism, individualism, capitalism and the political monopoly of the propertied meritocracy. Australia, to its credit, currently utilizes a system that straddles the middle ground between these extremes - to the betterment of the country as a whole. Both extremes - taken to their logical endpoints - are pitted with danger. It's their synergy that makes our Federated state viable.

So, when we speak of right and left, in truth we are speaking of degrees. Australia's political bedrock is made up of both political perspectives. In fact, both the Liberals and Labor are politically centrist with variable left/right leanings. Which is why my voting tradition hitherto has been based on campaign issues, rather than ideological sentiment.

For what all that's worth.

L.

[Adux]

The Left somehow has hijacked the word 'Liberal'! Its like West having the complete control on the words 'Freedom, Human Rights and Democracy'
I see the right as more Liberal except in some nonsensical issues such as abortion, which in my opinion has nothing to do with Government!

[Ordie]

The big differences between Australia and USA

1) Parlamentary system where people tend to vote for the party not the person.
2) Small population (less than California)
3) Voting is mandatory (or pay a fine)

[Adux]

3) Voting is mandatory (or pay a fine)

That is a brilliant idea, and I agree to it.

What if a person is not happy with any of the candidates?

[Ordie]

The Left somehow has hijacked the word 'Liberal'! Its like West having the complete control on the words 'Freedom, Human Rights and Democracy'
I see the right as more Liberal except in some nonsensical issues such as abortion, which in my opinion has nothing to do with Government!

Your getting into framing.

May I recommend "Don't Think of an Elephant" by George Lakoff. It's an excellent book about the use of language in the political arena.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lakoff

[Ordie]

That is a brilliant idea, and I agree to it.

What if a person is not happy with any of the candidates?

Write in your dog's name.

[Wall]

and cut taxes.

Good joke. In reality when does it happen?

[Calanen]

The big differences between Australia and USA

1) Parlamentary system where people tend to vote for the party not the person.
2) Small population (less than California)
3) Voting is mandatory (or pay a fine)

I only think No 2 is a big difference. The other things are not that important. There are many more big differences.

[Kilgor]

"chattering classes"

Well.. I think the entrenched terms are....

Latte Liberal
Chardonnay socialist
Salon communist

etc... the list goes on.

[Mackie]

Very strange. I wonder why all discuss about left or right wingers. What's in the middle?
About education: My experience is that intelligent people are objective.
Don't care about red or blue but about facts.
It's also about what you study. Some Universities are a bit more left some a bit more right.

[Wall]

It's also about what you study. Some Universities are a bit more left some a bit more right.
Yes, thats true... I wonder why people (atleast here in Finland) who study economics are usually right-wingers.

[Kilgor]

"If you're not a liberal when you're 25, you have no heart. If you're not a conservative by the time you're 35, you have no brain."

[Wall]

"If you're not a liberal when you're 25, you have no heart. If you're not a conservative by the time you're 35, you have no brain."
Problem is, that people who are 25 year old can vote :)

[Mackie]

Yes, thats true... I wonder why people (atleast here in Finland) who study economics are usually right-wingers.

Here in Germany they drill some of those those economics pussies at private schools. I would not say they are generally right winged but they are arrogant and don't know the word "social".
At the end they fail because of bad investment products and bank fusions.^^

[RSone]

I see this as a very negative and serious development! A New Europe, maybe!

:bash::roll:

Seriously............ OH NOEZ THEM EUROPEONZ ARE CLOSET COMMUNISTZ!!!! GIT EM!!!

[Adux]

:bash::roll:

Seriously............ OH NOEZ THEM EUROPEONZ ARE CLOSET COMMUNISTZ!!!! GIT EM!!!

lolwoot.............

[Adux]

A private a person is an entity while a society or community is not a well defined entity! Therefore cant be used as a basis of any decision making!
A private person has no 'serious' role, and it is his duty at to follow laws,morality and ethics! Nobody Else's has any right on his hard work!

I would recommend Ayn Rands books on Objectivism. She could explain it far better than I could

[RSone]

Here we go, Ayn Rand and politics....... Oh Lawdyp-)

[Winger]

If the Northeast is liberal, how can you explain Guiliani, Bloomberg, Romney and Arlen Spector?

Morsels of more moderate thought and common sense.

[Gunbird]

A private a person is an entity while a society or community is not a well defined entity! Therefore cant be used as a basis of any decision making!
A private person has no 'serious' role, and it is his duty at to follow laws,morality and ethics! Nobody Else's has any right on his hard work!

I would recommend Ayn Rands books on Objectivism. She could explain it far better than I could
Ayan Rand isn't taken serious by anyone for a reason, she lived in Neverland. I guess I shouldn't be surprised she still has legions of worshippers, since her ideas appealed to peoples religious sensibilities. The Cult of Rand sure is a strong one, it's embarrasing.

Ironically, I would recommend Richard Dawkins - The Selfish Gene for a refutation of Rands retardism. (Cooperation, Altruism)

Science shows she's a fool!

Oh, and if you don't feel like reading, you can watch a video that explains why.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFj0caNX1s0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP6rSCVsP8M&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNQ5Tlh-eDA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDcyc9rwegs&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXrJnEl6vmQ&feature=related

[Ordie]

Ayan Rand isn't taken serious by anyone for a reason

Except for Alan Greenspan. Check his bio and interviews.

[Adux]

Except for Alan Greenspan. Check his bio and interviews.

He has written quite few pages in her books!

If I am not wrong, The Philosophy of Objectivism and The Virtue of Selfishness!

[Adux]

Gunbird,

I will definitly take a look, I have never felt Ayn Rand has something to do with religious sensbilities, actually quite the opposite! And I am myself not a religious man!

[Adux]

Ok, I left him!
I have enough of them in my home here, which is truely a welfare, socialist, mixed economy, and it wasnt pretty. I just cant stand people who believe in some utopian world of brotherhood and cooperation! The Human Race isnt going to do that, unless until we have some enemies from outer-space attacking us!


PS: Ordie,

I have ordered the book you suggested!

[Wall]

I just cant stand people who believe in some utopian world of brotherhood and cooperation!
.... The real brotherhood and cooperation is when people do it voluntarily, which means for example economic freedom etc.