Monday, September 03, 2012
Good day for Democrats to remember that class & economic division & warfare (99% versus 1%) has never succeeded in America as a national movement. It had some notable regional successes long ago. A number of Presidents have tapped into what amounts to class resentment. But America overall doesn't buy into the concept of economic classes. It's not just a hard sell - it's an impossible sell.
I am in favor of the redistribution of wealth from the few to the many. That's my ideology. Also that we must expand the "many" through extension of human rights. But the political battles have to be waged culturally. Politics in America is cultural. President Obama it's clear to see is detested more for his various "cultures" than for his political actions. He's African-American, or not American at all. He's a Muslim. He's a product of corrupt Chicago ward politics (that is, "ethnic" & Black).. & so on. The goal of his enemies has been to tear him out of the "middle class," the large, rather indistinct category representing the average American's level of comfort, particularly white Americans. Wealthy politicians have to act not wealthy. George W. Bush largely succeeded. Romney is having problems connecting. He just seems "different."
I have frequent disputes with people propping up Progressive Jesus to oppose Conservative Jesus for some titanic battle of the Messiahs. Progressive Jesus always loses. Why? FIrst, he's part of the secular progressive culture. Conservative Jesus has his own culture all to himself. Second, Jesus is basically conservative even when he's overturning the tables of the money-changers in the Temple. It was only incidentally a political act. For Jesus it was the purifying of a debased holy space, not a condemnation of capitalism. The politically progressive Christians I really respect live as Christians: they're moderate in their habits, charitable, kind, not overly materialistic or acquisitive, have warm, loving homes. None of them claim to be better Christians than their right wing counterparts. & there's the difference. Sometimes.
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." Thomas Jefferson
I am in favor of the redistribution of wealth from the few to the many. That's my ideology. Also that we must expand the "many" through extension of human rights. But the political battles have to be waged culturally. Politics in America is cultural. President Obama it's clear to see is detested more for his various "cultures" than for his political actions. He's African-American, or not American at all. He's a Muslim. He's a product of corrupt Chicago ward politics (that is, "ethnic" & Black).. & so on. The goal of his enemies has been to tear him out of the "middle class," the large, rather indistinct category representing the average American's level of comfort, particularly white Americans. Wealthy politicians have to act not wealthy. George W. Bush largely succeeded. Romney is having problems connecting. He just seems "different."
I have frequent disputes with people propping up Progressive Jesus to oppose Conservative Jesus for some titanic battle of the Messiahs. Progressive Jesus always loses. Why? FIrst, he's part of the secular progressive culture. Conservative Jesus has his own culture all to himself. Second, Jesus is basically conservative even when he's overturning the tables of the money-changers in the Temple. It was only incidentally a political act. For Jesus it was the purifying of a debased holy space, not a condemnation of capitalism. The politically progressive Christians I really respect live as Christians: they're moderate in their habits, charitable, kind, not overly materialistic or acquisitive, have warm, loving homes. None of them claim to be better Christians than their right wing counterparts. & there's the difference. Sometimes.
