It's the poor white trash that put these ruling elite into office

[LynneSin]

Someone please help me to understand why they do it? This is why Mississippi and South Dakota are about to go back to the dark ages - the poor, white trash in their state.

Now mind you, I was born poor & white and I know many folks here at DU either have been in that position or maybe still are. Nothing wrong with being poor & white. But the trash part simply describes someone too stupid to figure out what might happen when they vote for certain candidates. Thus these are the poor, white, trash.

I've come to conclusion about poor, white, trash and why they do it.

First and foremost is guns. Hunting is a popular past-time in rural states (my family enjoyed hunting) and the republicans know this and have used this issue in order to convince poor, white, trash that if they elected democrats, those democrats will go door-to-door, take away their guns and melt them all. Personally, I don't know too many democrats who believe this and you'll find that most rural democrats are also accomplished hunters/gun-owners. But that concept has been pounded into their brains for decades and we lose votes that way.

Secondly it's God. Personally, I don't think the poor, white, trash have the corner on godly living, but Republicans have been pounding into their brains for decades at how voting democrat is like a one-way ticket to hell. And then they find all sorts of abominable horrors such as gay marriages & abortion and equate those to democrats and that after-life in hell. So what if democrats might work to help improve your quality of life, it's about this imaginary afterlife that make poor, white, trash vote republican and continue living in poverty conditions.

Third would be country. Even I cried everytime in the Olympics our national anthem was played for a gold medal winner. But the pride I have in my country I have also includes respect for other nations and a sense pride that our country has (for the most part) been leaders in reaching out and helping other countries (I realize right now we pretty much suck at it). Republicans have wrapped that flag around them so tightly and just like with Guns & Gods, painted a picture that democrats are weak on American Pride.

And finally, and this is a :popcorn: one. It's race. I grew up around these people and there is still the perception out there that democrats are the party of African-Americans and there are still white people in this country that refuse to vote for a candidate that supports civil rights. I'll listen to a white person call an African-American every name in the book include welfare, child-popping, crackhead thugs and yet that white person is standing there in their kitchen drinking the soda they bought with food stamps while cooking meth with the help of their 6 kids. There's a bit of exaggeration but the point is that the poor, white, trash have the same exact problems as every other community out there but they'll deny it. If anything, a few years ago a study was done about how much money each state gives to the government and how much they take from the government. In a nutshell - blue states are subsidizing the red states. Blue states pay much more into the government and red states top the list on the receiving end.

I don't have a solution for this problem. Poor, white, trash have been brainwashed for the past several decades and with the way they are breeding we are definitely moving into the minority (we meaning educated voters regardless of race).

Maybe the poor, white trash want to go back to a feudal society where they live on the land of their feudal lord and do his/her work. If they're good maybe they'll get a little bonus here in there but other than that it's 'hand-to-mouth' existance. I want better than that and I know everyone else here wants that too. But we're becoming out-numbered and we're losing states left and right. The revolution has started - be prepared!

[NMDemDist2]

1. oh Lordy Lynn

hope you donned your asbestos suit

:popcorn:

[meganmonkey]

11. Mmm hmmmm...

:popcorn:

[LynneSin]

43. I'm a woman and my rights are about to be taken away

and I'm pissed. And I think about the idiots where I use to live that fed me a line of shit of how democrats were such a bad party because of issues relating to guns, gods & race. Of course I was smart enough even by age 10 to realize this was a crock of shit but it's still happening today

[we can do it]

53. I Am Pissed - Too

The typical bigot only sees women as property, too.

[meganmonkey]

67. My question for you, then, is this

Which is more important - knowing you are right, or helping fix the problems and make our country better?

Because you sound righteous, but I can't see you taking that spirit out into the world and actually changing anyone's mind.

I truly hope this comes across okay, because I am not trying to be petty, I just really think we need to work on solutions, and blaming and belittling a huge number of people isn't going to get us anywhere.

Peace.

[SammyWinstonJack]

32. No flames from me. I agree.

[thinkingwoman]

poor white trash sit on the supreme court?

Are you sure? ;-)

That being said, I will agree with you that poor white trash vote heavily republican. Like you, I grew up around these people and many of them are indeed racists, but that's not the entire story. Brainwashing is the key to the problem, and it occurs mainly through word of mouth and talk radio.

[Clark2008]

51. Actually, they're rich, white trash

But white trash is white trash, no matter now much money is thrown at it.

I mean, look at Paris Hilton, for God's sake. She's the poster child for rich, white trash!

:)

[MichiganVote]

Its about identity, the repub's gave them a name and badge

and they think they belong to the elite. The elite laugh their ass off at them every single day.

[RaleighNCDUer]

13. And suddenly I understand why they are so angry.

We laugh at them.
Their leaders laugh at them.
The world laughs at them.

Hell, I'd be pissed too.

[DemBones DemBones]

40. Amen to that. nt

[LynneSin]

18. A name and a badge don't pay for the mortgage, gas and food on the table

Democrats have historically been the party that has wanted to reach out to get these people out of poverty. Wasn't that the whole reason behind FDR's New Deal and eventually brought us out of the Great Depression?

Neo-Conservative started the day that FDR got that New Deal through congress because FDR took away the one thing that made them money - cheap, expendable labor.

[HamdenRice]

2. Uh oh ...

:popcorn:

[Lerkfish]

3. ah...elitism.

Wouldn't that doubly underscore how the DLC is wrongheaded in their thinking: they are chasing millionaires and corporations but its the poor white trash that determines elections.


:crazy:

[Raydawg1234]

68. Am I wrong, or didn't Diebold determine the election???

[madaboutharry]

4. My Goodness!

An asbestos suit may not be enough. Lynnesin may need that foam stuff the fire dept. sprays all over houses during wildfires!

[LynneSin]

7. But what am I saying that deserves flaming

There are people who are brainwashed into thinking that republicans are the better option for them. And the bulk of these people are coming from the rural areas and predominently white. I recognize that not everyone who is from rural american and is white is buying into this. I grew up in this region of the country and I sure as hell didn't.

But what is the one thing that Mississippi & South Dakota have in common - large rural populations, in fact most red states you'll find the same exact thing.

If we are to turn this around we need to figure out how to reach out to these voters and help educate them because we have basically SUCKED at it for the past 2-3 decades

[Stephanie]

you're about to learn that the term "white trash" is considered racist

by both whites and blacks.

[Drum]

35. I agree, it's very pejorative,

and undercuts what may be an underlying argument-with-merit. Name-calling is never a way to win over people, but it certainly does reveal kindred prejudices in your "audience."

[madaboutharry]

25. I think it is the "trash" thing.

I don't necessarily disagree with your premise that poor whites have been fooled by the republican party. I read all your posts LynneSin and find what you have to say interesting. But, I somehow don't think it is productive to refer to anyone as "trash." That's all.

[LynneSin]

30. I use to think that way

and then I realized that they have totally fucked this country. And maybe I'm just damn angry that after 20 years they are the ones responsible for putting this asshole in power and stealing our supreme court.

Because the one thing that I am first and foremost is a woman and my rights are being taken away by some dumb hick who has this perception that democrats might take away Guns & God if he/she votes for them!

[VelmaD]

34. You better blame some educated...

suburban soccer moms and dads too. Suburban areas tend to vote more republican than rural areas do. That's why they redistricted in Texas...they folded a bunch of ornery, independent rural voters in with enough suburbanites to ensure the rethugs would win.

[Stephanie]

55. don't forget those "trashy" SoCal megachurches

with their middle class suburban evangelical congregants -

[dchill]

61. "help educate them" - good luck.

The success of the Republican philosophy is based on keeping them as uneducated as possible. They need basically retarded people to vote for their insanely greedy and selfish ideas (aka lies.) And I think most of us know what a lock the GOP has on at least half of this country. Once you've raised a crop of idiots to "adulthood", the only way to get rid of them is to kill them. You can't wake up people who have no consciousness to return to.

Sorry, feeling a little pessimistic today, with the Patriot Act being renewed and the Dubai Port deal about to close - despite all the opposition to both.

[MadMaddie]

5. You are absolutely right but you missed one category...

3 Gs 1 R
Guns
God
Gays
(Racism)

The repugs have exploited this group horribly.....

I am not so sure we are losing states....I think the states like Mississippi, ND were never really blue.....

The revolution is going to backfire in their faces.....because when the repug masses.. are in the soup lines..... and when their rights have been so restricted that they can't take a shit without permission....they can pat themselves on the back for their decisions....

I wouldn't be surprised to see the US split into two countries if it comes to a revolution..

[thinkingwoman]

6. poor white trash sit on the supreme court?

Are you sure? ;-)

That being said, I will agree with you that poor white trash vote heavily republican. Like you, I grew up around these people and many of them are indeed racists, but that's not the entire story. Brainwashing is the key to the problem, and it occurs mainly through word of mouth and talk radio.

[LynneSin]

8. Poor White Trash voted for the rich elite republican

who in turn puts his rich elite republican friends on the supreme court

[thinkingwoman]

15. aha

well, that is a stretch...but I do love the cowbell.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

36. How is that a stretch?

Please, explain that one to me. The middle class has typically voted Democratic. It's the white upper and lower classes that have voted Republican. The rich people certainly don't have the numbers to do it on their own.

[LynneSin]

47. Absol-fucking-lutely

Thank you!

[thinkingwoman]

62. sorry, I should have explained myself better

I don't believe Bush won either election. I think the votes were purposely miscounted by Diebold machines. Therefore, I do not believe poor white trash (or anyone else for that matter) elected the boy who would be king.

However, as I posted above, I do agree with you that poor white trash vote republican most of the time, and I think it's because of the brainwashing. And you are correct that past elections of republicans (helped by the pwt vote) put those yahoos on the supreme court.

I don't think we're really disagreeing.

[Swede]

9. Compare the Dow Jones index re:Republican or Democratic presidents.

It's always good under the D,and not always good under the R. So the greedy rich also vote against their own self interest.

[Burma Jones]

27. You can make money on a falling market too.....

[LynneSin]

38. And most extremely wealthy people have their money in other areas

that are free from the suffering of the Dow Jones numbers

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

41. Not really...

it's just that they're shortsighted. They see the bottom line instead of the long haul. They see that Republicans add money DIRECTLY to their bottom lines in the form of tax breaks. They don't see that Democrats add to their bottom lines by adding healthy and educated workers to their factories.

[Ishoutandscream2]

10. Call it elitist if you want. But it really is very, very true

I wish to God it wasn't, but it is.

[ceile]

12. I agree.

The white trash I knew growing up blamed the blacks for all the problems-crime, welfare moms, etc.(and liberals by extension)-while committing crimes themselves and living on food stamps. I just let their rants go because I knew they were raised that way (uneducated) and only an education and moving out of such downtrodden areas would ever open their eyes. They really did have a fear of a socialized society and no matter what I said they would never vote for a democrat for fear of losing their "way of life".

[AValdoux]

14. I disagree with the poor description

"White trash" can have money. By "white trash" I mean close minded, against anything new or foreign, my way or the highway types. They like things just the way they are. "Status Quo" makes them think they are in charge. For them to admit they they are not as successful as the ruling elite running this country would be a surprise to them. I'm talking about people with a 100,000 - 300,000 income with the mentality of the cable guy. They've made their money and are spending it as fast as they can to maintain the appearance they are successful.


AValdoux

[LynneSin]

23. Then I stand corrected

But for the richer people it is more about greed then some sort of 'bill-of-goods' being sold to them. But all the same - you are absolutely correct!

[flamin lib]

16. Ya' jus' gotta' laugh.

When I grew up on a dirt farm in south Texas there was a hierarchy of status. From top to bottom it was:

Us--whoever Us is.

Po'white trash.

nigras (southern genteel for polite blacks).

meskins.

niggers.

nigger lovers.

and lastly, them goddam Yankees.

[wtbymark]

49. Go Jeeter!

i grew up in CNY

[AnneD]

52. We farmed dirt in North Texas and OK...

Yup....that's the social ranking.... Times have changed though. My family loves my Hindu Indian Hubby and we have other colours and cultures in the family (lots of American Indian so we may have been slanted from the begining).

[meganmonkey]

17. Just keep calling them "trash"

That'll be sure to win them over :shrug:

[VelmaD]

24. excellent point

But about that I've come to expect over the last couple of days. Seems like Lynne has written everyone off who isn't lucky enough to live in a "blue" state.

I also think a history lesson is in order on exactly what kind of people have bemoaned in the past the fact that edumacated people were being outbred by the riffraff.

[anarch]

19. don't you know, God, Guns, and Guts made America...Let's Keep All Three

I guess you have sort of a point...there is that perception, especially in rural areas, that the Democrats are basically gun-melting namby-pamby communists. I dunno. Speaking as a poor white person, I don't get it either. It's a mental block among the die-hard rural Republican voters...like, "well I've always voted Republican, and always will," despite the fact that the current administration seems hell-bent on ruining all our lives, but especially us less-than-well-off people. You can only push people so far, though. I hope that, when it comes down to it, people will realize where they stand in the view of the kleptocrats.

[mitchtv]

20. I like the solid Republican farmers

feeding at the public trough screaming "welfare Queen" at everyone else but them.

[Ksec]

21. I pretty much agree with you Lynn

Its in this order. Race, guns and then ignorance on both those subjects....

Its mainly ignorance of issues and who represents their best interests.

[in_cog_ni_to]

22. No they didn't. The HACKABLE evoting machines did.

IMCPO.

[LynneSin]

26. That explains the presidental election

but how do you explain the slide from blue state to red in areas that use to be solidly blue?

I remember about two decades ago Texas was a safer "D" state then Massachusetts

[VelmaD]

29. Do you really believe...

they only rig the machines for the presidential election. My best friend's sister just lost a State House race two days ago where the results don't pass the smell test. She won the election day vote - which was done on paper ballots. But she lost the early voting in a landslide...and early voting was all on electronic voting machines.

[LynneSin]

33. I'm talking about the erosion from the past 20-30 years

Come on, even you remember when Texas was a safe blue state.

But sorry to hear about your friend's race

And btw, poor, white trash exist nationwide - trust me, this was just as bad in rural pennsylvania

[VelmaD]

39. Lynne, you know little to nothing...

about what Texas was like. Texas was a Dem state back then because the parties hadn't completely reversed their positions on race. The DEmocrats down here for the most part were extremely conservative and not people you'd want to vote for now.

[in_cog_ni_to]

56. GERRYMANDERING and probably voter rolls being purged.

It's the BFEE way. Remember FLORIDA? 50,000 people purged from their rolls. I just saw a post on the Greatest page about OHIO purging voters too. I'm SURE its been going on for YEARS. Palast just happened to catch them in 2000.

[LynneSin]

59. They have parts of Philadelphia lumped in with rural Bucks/Montgo

:wtf:

It makes no sense but they need to weaken Philadelphia to control Pennsylvania

[justicewanted]

28. MadMaddie summed it up for the most part.

Religion and Racism are two of the most common traits that people who vote republican in the south seem to have.

[LynneSin]

31. I'm from rural Pennsylvania - same thing there too

This is not a 'southern' thing. It's across the country this vile message has been said

[dogday]

37. Poor White Trash and they way they breed?

:wtf:

[jeffrey_X]

42. Poor whites would rather align themselves with rich whites

rather than poor minorities. Race is more an issue with them than class is.

RACE > CLASS

[mainer]

44. Around here, all the BUSH signs were on the poorest homes

I live in a pretty nice area. The KERRY signs were in front yards of people who clearly had money. The BUSH signs seemed to be mostly in the front yards of trailer homes and rundown houses. I never could figure out why the poorest among us in this town were voting for Bush.

There was a peace march I joined, just before the Iraq War started, and the only people who harassed us about being commies were poor-looking guys in pickup trucks.

[we can do it]

45. White Trash with Low Self Esteem, Afraid of Anyone Different Than Them

They bought Ronnie Raygun's "welfare queen" lie hook lie and sinker.....bigots who blame everyone else for their lot in life. Notice they also resent anyone with a decent education. Science? who needs it. Too lazy to think for themselves, they listen to liars like hannity and rush and regurgitate their venom. Too dumb to realize it was their repubs who shipped the garment industry, and most heavy manufacturing out of here for more profits for the ruling class....Hope your bigotry was worth it - selling out our country for hate, its just pathetic.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

46. No flames here

Just nodding in agreement. :thumbsup:

[jus_the_facts]

48. about 70% of people in this country do not vote....

....THAT is the biggest problem...regardless of *trashy ignorance*...classism and racism and sexism is the standard reason about 15% will always vote...sigh. :nopity:

[newportdadde]

50. Because we are no longer the party of economic populism.

We have shifted away from the strong pro-worker party of economic populism to a shadowy version of Republican pro-corporate economics. Check out "Whats the Matter with Kansas?" To sum it up if both Parties have the appearance of being nearly identical in issues of the wallet, voters will move to social issues so they feel that they won at least something(like no gay marriage).

[Kansas Wyatt]

If Democrats addressed poverty and the destruction of working America

In a fundamental restructuring way, instead of a band-aid approach that still pleases the wealthy elite and corporate America, the Democratic Party would take back this country and never lose it again.

Introducing racial language into a poverty issue, kills the poverty issue from the start. The party that claims to represent people in poverty makes no gain, when those in poverty see no change and are always caught in a cycle of poverty. Racial language is the neutralizer for the poverty issue, and the way the wealthy elite keep their grip of power over the masses.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

54. Maybe "trash" is a poor choice of words - uninformed/uneducated

is a big problem with these voters. Not only that, but they don't WANT to be informed. Scary. I really think, too, that the biases about guns, gays, race and religion outweigh any consideration that otherwise the Democratic Party is the party that would help them economically and protect their civil liberties.

[bluestateguy]

57. Much of what you say is true

In the Philadelphia area, the rich suburban towns around the city either voted for Kerry or split about evenly. Poorer counties in the center of the state (Pennsyltucky) voted solidly for Bush.

Most of the wealthy towns in the SF Bay area voted for Kerry too. So did Beverly Hills, CA.

[BamaLefty]

58. I Agree 100%

I'm live in rural Alabama in a county that gave Bush 76% of the vote in 2004. I know exactly what you are talking about. . .

Yet, I love this place. Sure, the people misguided politically, but other than that, they're okay. They just get caught up in wedge issues.

P.S. They're coming around though. Yesterday, the town newspaper did a poll of the residents on the Iraq war, and 55% said that "they no longer supported it." There is positive news coming out of Covington County, Alabama... just give us time. We'll turn her blue.

[Burma Jones]

60. Well Lynne

Since the undereducated are out-breeding us, how many kids have you had? 10 at least, I hope......

Elites have always had fewer Kids than the riff-raff, that's why we can educate them better and make sure that there's 10 Serfs for every member of a Lord's family. Of course, we're getting our serfs from overseas these days because being a serf here is still better than what they've got now....So, the Poor White Trash are joining the Minutemen because they can't figure out why they aren't the House Niggas anymore.

So, I would say, why don't you shut up, get Pregnant, and go in the Kitchen and Make me some Pie Goddammit.....:sarcasm:


You know though, I love ya......

[LynneSin]

63. I'm a non-breeder so I guess I'm part of the problem

:cry:

[watrwefitinfor]

64. Most of the poor white trash I know

are equally disgusted with republicans and democrats alike. They will quickly tell you they are all the same and ALL politicians just want to screw over them and the world.

And they do not vote.

Maybe I just know a different type of white trash than Lynn. The ones I know are poor, white, and trashy, but they ain't necessarily stoopid.

Wat

[leveymg]

65. This strategy of divide and conquer the poor whites and blacks goes back

to the 1870s. Read Eric Foner, the great historian of US class relations, the politics of racism, and the failure of Reconstruction. His "A Short History of Reconstruction" is a classic.

NOTHING has changed about the basic divide and conquer strategy of America's wealthy.

[SmokingJacket]

66. I'm really not a fan of calling anyone "trash."

And I don't think the truly poor, white segment of the population is more to blame for Bush and company than, say, the mini-mansioned, SUV-driving segment -- check out the voting habits of the wealthy suburbs of any city.

[Odin2005]

69. Common right-wing tactic, divide the working class.

The Republicans took advantage of the social conservative backlash after the protests of the 60's and 70's. Ever since then we lost a steady stream of socially conservative left-wingers to the Republicans. We are a fairly left-wing country on economic issues, but the party purists that are too stubborn to realize that the US is more socially conservative than most other Western countries and so we loose many communitarians (people who are left-wing on economic issues but are socially conservative) to the Repukes.

[Moderator]

70. Locking

Broad brush and flamebait.