The Real Insult to Working Class America: Politics As Usual

Here's your morning pro-Obama blast, this time from Philadelphia Daily News political columnist John Baer:

As a native-born, small-town Pennsylvanian, a son of native-born, small-town Pennsylvania parents - one from the coal region, one from Lancaster County - let me assure you that the so-called offensive, condescending things Barack Obama said about the people I come from are basically right on target.

"Bitter" perhaps best describes my late mother, an angry Irish Catholic who absolutely clung to her religion.

Dad, also a journalist, wasn't really bitter as far as I know, but he sure liked to hunt... [John Baer, "Decades of Working-Class Neglect -- Now That's Insulting," Philladelphia Daily News, 2008.04.14].

Baer says the real condescension lies in thinking that the mere words of a politician could hurt his working-class family and friends. He proceeds to indict politics as usual as the source of much more real injury to small-town America (and does it with style):

They've been injured from decades of neglect by political cultures in Washington and Harrisburg driven by special interests.

They're injured by a system of isolated, insulated political leadership that protects itself and the status quo above all else.

They've been harmed by a lack of political guts to fix a health-care system that works against the poor and forces middle-class families to pay more for less, while at the same time giving politicians the best coverage taxpayer money can buy.

They've been taken for granted by political parties and candidates who stay in power by -- and this was the apparent gist of Obama's remarks -- forcing attention and debate on issues tied to guns, religion and race (precisely because such issues resonate) rather than real problems such as health care and the economy [emphasis mine; words Baer's]

Gee, whatever happened to the Clintons who told us "It's the economy, stupid?"

Baer sees that Obama was critiquing not the values voters cling to but the politicians and special interests who manipulate those values to protect the status quo that serves them so well. Clinton, McCain, and the vested interests will attack Obama or any candidate who challenges that status quo. Obama has insulted politics as usual, says Baer:

Just don't tell me that he insulted a state or, given his background, that he's an out-of-touch elitist.

And I especially don't want to hear such arguments from a candidate who spent decades in the bubble of a governor's mansion, the White House and the U.S. Senate, and under the blanket of $109 million income during the last eight years.

Pennsylvanians might cling to religion and guns. I hope they don't cling to stupidity [Baer].

Neither Baer, Obama, nor I think stupidity is carrying a gun or going to church. Stupidity is falling for Clinton doublespeak.