11.13.2004
"Kansas" and the 2004 Election (DemocraticUnderground.com)
November 12, 2004
By Carolyn Winter and Roger Bybee
The disaster of Kerry's loss and the widespread gains of Republicans have left many of us as bewildered by the continuing popularity of Bush and his narrow right-wing agenda as we are anguished over the implications of the results.
How can it be that an agenda that works against the interests of the overwhelming majority of the working people of this country attracts some 58 million votes? For example, the overwhelming economic reality of 230,000 lost jobs did not prevent George W. Bush from recapturing a majority of Ohio's electorate (if the official count is to be believed).
How is it that this regressive whirlwind has been fueled by the votes of the very people it most cruelly victimizes? How have Americans been persuaded to align themselves with their economic overseers and ignore their own most fundamental needs for decent jobs, quality health care and education, and an effective voice in society?
In his stunningly prescient book published earlier this year What's the Matter with Kansas? Thomas Frank addresses these questions with great insight into the cultural forces animating America. While Frank writes about Kansas, his insights contribute immensely to comprehending Kerry's narrow defeat.
(More ... Frankly Speaking: "Kansas" and the 2004 Election, by Carolyn Winter and Roger Bybee - Democratic Underground) ¶ 14:06
By Carolyn Winter and Roger Bybee
The disaster of Kerry's loss and the widespread gains of Republicans have left many of us as bewildered by the continuing popularity of Bush and his narrow right-wing agenda as we are anguished over the implications of the results.
How can it be that an agenda that works against the interests of the overwhelming majority of the working people of this country attracts some 58 million votes? For example, the overwhelming economic reality of 230,000 lost jobs did not prevent George W. Bush from recapturing a majority of Ohio's electorate (if the official count is to be believed).
How is it that this regressive whirlwind has been fueled by the votes of the very people it most cruelly victimizes? How have Americans been persuaded to align themselves with their economic overseers and ignore their own most fundamental needs for decent jobs, quality health care and education, and an effective voice in society?
In his stunningly prescient book published earlier this year What's the Matter with Kansas? Thomas Frank addresses these questions with great insight into the cultural forces animating America. While Frank writes about Kansas, his insights contribute immensely to comprehending Kerry's narrow defeat.
(More ... Frankly Speaking: "Kansas" and the 2004 Election, by Carolyn Winter and Roger Bybee - Democratic Underground) ¶ 14:06
