I now know what it is like to be "a yokel."

[susankh4]

I wrote about it here, in response to an interesting article by James Carville.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=357468&mesg_id=357468

Note that, despite a couple of rabid responses from the Clinton haters, Mr. Carville is actually being unbiased. He is simply talking about the constituencies that support either of our remaining candidates. Politics makes strange bedfellows, you know. The liberal, educated segment of the party now lines up with African Americans. While many white, educated, older women are siding with the working class arm of the Dems.

I, myself, am one of the "cross-overs." One of the educated white women who crossed over to support the candidate of the working class. First time in my life, to be honest. And boy... did I learn something! I learned that there are some serious reasons why the working class folk in swing states frequently jump ship and vote against their own interests.... by voting red in the fall. First and foremost, the attitude among the educated... yes I'll say it... "elite" in the Dem party is maddening to working class folk. No one can talk to the "ivory tower educated." They know what is best for us all. No amount of reasoning will change that. They simply will not hear... don't want to hear... the concerns of regular ole poor people in the heartland.

To be honest... I am ashamed to admit that I was once one of these smug a**holes. It won't happen again. Believe me.

[Qanisqineq]

1. it's maddening

I'm one of those educated white women, too. I've never really felt like part of the "elite" though. Maybe because I grew up around poorer white working class people, mostly farmers.

I am so tired of seeing the working class being degraded on DU the past few months. It isn't progressive at all if you ask me. I didn't like seeing these people degraded after the 2004 election and I don't like seeing it now. It really does alienate people and hurt the chances of democrats during elections. Just because a person does not have an undergraduate degree or higher does not make them stupid or less of a person. Some of the smartest people I know have little or no college and some of the dumbest people I know have a PhD.

[susankh4]

2. I sincerely apologize to ANY working class person

I may have offended in the past. I really do.

And I vow to work alongside them again, in elections to come.

[Two Americas]

9. hard to see through someone else's eyes

City folk can't imagine how it looks from the farm. I was involved in a two year project with farmers, the goal being to turn Michigan's rural counties Democratic for the first time in decades. We got nothing but opposition from the suburban activists. I tried to explain to them that politics was not a hobby activity for farmers, and that politics were discussed from the seat of the tractor, at the greasy spoons, at the coop, waiting in line at the processor - all day every day - and that it was about real things, not about "positions" on "issues" nor about personal stances nor who was or who was not "a true believer" in some cause or the other. Farmers have a cause - feed the people and live free. The activists blow in with a haughty and condescending attitude and lecture and scold people and just reek of "city slicker" - not to mention insufferable flaming you-know-whats. They forget that even in the reddest counties, 40% or more of the people vote Democratic, and they are solid old school New Deal Democrats, not the modern pale imitations we find in the suburbs.

[susankh4]

10. "solid old school New Deal Democrats, not the modern pale imitations we find in the suburbs."

I love that... what you said here.

I guess that age, and experience have made me weary of those pale imitations.

[NashVegas]

3. Take Heart

What the fools writing the "Hillary supporters are less likely to be college educated," don't even stop to consider is that most people who are 45 and over are part of a generation where having a four year degree wasn't the only route to a decent, and decent-paying, job.

[susankh4]

15. Another, s/w humorous, article on the "yokel" problem.

http://nymag.com/news/imperialcity/46658/

I think he is mostly making fun of himself... for his crush on Obama. But he gets into what the liberal elite really think of the working class.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

[Maribelle]

16. Donna Brazile has indicated 'her' Democratic party does not need the white working class anymore.

She is saying the party has changed. Why this hate monger still has a voice today can only be explained away by her duplicitous claim that she is 'undeclared' - - as if her overt biased talk has not given her away long ago. In 2004 she started with this "Obama factor" and has not let up. She is perhaps the most dishonest analyst on network news.

[theHandpuppet]

4. As another educated woman who has chosen the working class candidate...

... and who happens to live in West Virginia, it was so nice to hear Donna Brazile describe us (West Virginians) as a bunch of tobacco chewers.

And Donna wonders why West Virginia will be voting for Hillary. That's all right Donna. Just keep getting incensed that anyone dare call Obama's base "elitists" and show us your true colors. The snobbery of the Obama camp is as transparent as it is repulsive.

[susankh4]

5. OMG! Really? Tobacco chewers?

That just sucks.

And it spells out one of the reasons that this Obama candidacy could very well go down to defeat.

Ouch.

[theHandpuppet]

6. Yep... and frankly, that comment was both elitist AND racist

But I guess no one is supposed to actually point that out, as her asinine and bigoted comments passed without even an eye blink from the other commentators.

[susankh4]

7. I am simply flaberghasted at what they can get away with.

And then they call us "race baiters.'

Gads.

[barb162]

12. Geez, Brazile said that?

You're right. I hope WV will vote BIG for HRC. I saw a post on DU yesterday that said HRC would win WV because it was a "bigot state."

[Two Americas]

8. wow

That is so great to hear. Powerful insights there.

There is no doubt in my mind that most people in rural areas who vote Republican do not subscribe to a right wing political philosophy, nor are they opposed to the traditional principles and ideals of the Democratic party. They are voting against the arrogance and self-righteousness of modern liberals.

[Jamastiene]

11. I got an error message

when I tried to recommend this thread.

"Error: You can't recommend threads from this forum"

Great thread, btw! :thumsbup:

[susankh4]

14. We can't rec threads from this list. Cuz it is private.

I would like to post this out in GD... but I really don't want to deal with the rancor. What do you think? Should I?

[theHandpuppet]

17. No, it's against the rules

You can't post anything to do with the primary on GD. It would be locked. You would have to post to GDP but I expect all you would receive are a lot of flames and denials.

[barb162]

13. Very nice post.

:)

There's a fair amount of looking down on working class, blue collar, rural, etal people on DU. I've found it repulsive to put it mildly. A lot of my family is so-called working class and they're good people so I grew up never looking down on others because of the work they do, where they live, etc. I also know a fair number of people who didn't go to college but are way smarter and kinder in almost every way than a lot of college grads.