A Defining Moment - New York Times -- This is a great piece by David Brooks contrasting the old political order embodied in the Clintons with the new one emerging with Obama. Brooks talks about the defining moment as being November 10, 2007. Last night, in Ohio, we slid back into the Old Politics.
Our input from people at the polls was that the Ohio vote should not be misconstrued as a vote for Clinton; it was a racially biased vote against Obama, aided to a small degree by the hot-shot-too-clever-for-words Republican crossover vote espoused by our buddy Rush Limbaugh.
The Ohio vote was not about an America where everybody lives together and strives for common goals, or at least has parallel purpose. It was about fear, and racial bias, and being divided, and being at the mercy of the Old Politics.
I am ashamed of all of us.
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When Dick Russ was going over WKYC's polling, I couldn't help but think this election boils down to baby boomers voting for their healthcare. How can all the other issues (to your point) be brushed aside? Also, if it comes down to Clinton and McCain, is that old versus older?
ReplyDeleteI think that we as a community have some really ugly, monstrous dynamics in play here. As I mentioned about the fear, there's the racism, and also as you point out, the fear of not being taken care of in one's dotage. We're being played by fear-mongers who bring out the worst in all of us: selfishness, hate, wilful ignorance, climbing over our brothers to take care of ourselves. A community with these values is ignoble, to say the least, and cannot hope for a very good or productive life.
ReplyDeleteI think the healthcare panic applies to boomers but even more to their elders. They have turned into a very self-centered, entitlement-driven crew, and it's not at all dignified. These politicians have jerked us all around and stolen people's dignity, hijacked their basic goodness, perverted the truth, and introduced ugliness to every dialogue and transaction.
There is a cure. I feel it's on it's way.
I don't know. On one hand, I agree - I think Strickland was voted in because Ohio was in general too racist for a black governor. But I think too that Hillary's "will Obama REALLY do anything about NAFTA?" went a long, long way. Maybe the anger about NAFTA has just calcified into a blind bitterness.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tim on the fear mongering. What I hear in my neighborhood, from the over 40 set, is "I's m afraid ...." They follow with race or healthcare. The debates only served to fuel their fear - and shame on Hillary for that middle of the night phone call ad.
ReplyDeleteI do think the media missed a HUGE opportunity to educate within the debates and associated coverage.
For most Ohioan's NAFTA is shorthand for globalization and the massive changes brought about by technology. Most baby boomers do not comprehend the exponential changes the internet is bringing to their living rooms. This election offers an opportunity to educate - but that education needs to come from all sources, including the mainstream media.
Tim Russert would have served us better by asking questions about the complexity of the issues rather than Louis Farrakan.
Race is obviously the elephant in the room issue. I'm sure it played a part. The question is, what percentage of ballots cast were affected by it? NAFTA, healtcare, religion, experience....I just don't know. But the final percentages seem amazing to me because while I expected it by election day, I don't know how Ohio could be a Hillary State. It never seemed to be true in the past. If it comes down to Clinton and McCain, I don't see McCain losing.
ReplyDeleteChristine,
ReplyDeleteBlackwell lost because he was bat-turd crazy and he was seen as giving Ohio to Bush. That's why he lost. He was not a good candidate...and black folks REALLY didn't like him.
I do agree with your assessment, Tim. Especially this part:
I think the healthcare panic applies to boomers but even more to their elders. They have turned into a very self-centered, entitlement-driven crew, and it's not at all dignified. These politicians have jerked us all around and stolen people's dignity, hijacked their basic goodness, perverted the truth, and introduced ugliness to every dialogue and transaction.
Amen, brother. We need a change because this country will rip apart at the seams if it doesn't.
Hey Carole,
ReplyDeleteIt's also interesting to note that in Ohio, 1-in-5 Democratic voters said race was an important factor in making their decision. In that group, 8-in-10 voted for Hillary Clinton.
Ohio Dems divided...
Derek, no argument here on Blackwell's unfitness for public office. What got me about Strickland's election was that all of these "red" counties in the south voted Democrat instead of for their own party, despite the fact that Blackwell (and you can argue with this) is no crazier than Bush. Except Miami County, which is so die-hard Republican that the only elected Democrat is the coroner. They went Republican as if to say, "see? we're NOT racist enough to vote for a Democrat." (My husband grew up there, so I feel entitled if not obligated to make fun of it.)
ReplyDeletesome guy on bridge, the more first hand stories I have heard in the last day convince me those figures are right on. How sad is that!
ReplyDeleteDerek I like that phrase bat turd crazy and it seems fitting. And I also love Tim's 'boomers have turned into a self-centered enttlement driven crew' - the Me Generation grows old. I truly think racism was the true factor state wide.
ReplyDelete