The Southern Strategy Reloaded

Republicans are becoming increasingly brazen with their partisan attacks upon their bourgeois 'rivals', the Democrats. Apparently, they are increasing their appeals to the xenophobic tendencies of their constituents. Their hope is that this will in turn obscure the fact that the Republicans are determined to essentially reduce a plurality of them — those unfortunate enough to be working class — to poverty status, in order to reward their wealthy masters with even less of a tax burden.

The following video shows how far conservatives are willing to go with this strategy:


Do you think they will be successful in this?

Republicans are becoming increasingly brazen with their partisan attacks upon their bourgeois 'rivals', the Democrats.

This is largely for show, but the crowd is not in on the fix. However given the circumstances: the perfect storm of economic collapse; de-industrialization; and the 'benefits' of being the worlds banker coming home to rest upon the 'lower orders' -- to use a old euphemism -- there is great potential for a movement from the bottom that topples the top, soon, very soon.

Apparently, they are increasing their appeals to the xenophobic tendencies of their constituents.

This is not entirely nor necessarily a bad thing as nationalism 'ethno-exclusionarism' is exactly the first step in liberation and if 'xenophobia' -- a made up term meaning 'hatred for sane people with a normal rational healthy dislike of foreign barbarians living in and on Their Peoples lands' -- gets it done; Good enough for me.

Their hope is that this will in turn obscure the fact that the Republicans are determined to essentially reduce a plurality of them — those unfortunate enough to be working class — to poverty status, in order to reward their wealthy masters with even less of a tax burden.

But on the other hand what you say here also has a great grain of truth to it as well; it is a knifes edge, but then without risk there is NO gain. The fact is the Republicans will attempt to control the well but, in doing so they will bring such a multitude of thirsty, tired, anger people that, in a tumult, they will be sweep aside as well.

Do you think they will be successful in this?

Short term? Perhaps -- a year maybe a decade...but not two decades I don't think. Long Term? No way. The time of the duopoly and the political drama is coming to an end about the time the oil/dollar/empire -- they are one after all -- fall out from under the US of A. The Republicans have NO deep loyalty, but then neither do the Dems, so this will necessitate new leadership and or means of arriving at consensus are needed to ensure the ends of the People that constitute the state in the final throw.

I'm not quite sure what your "xenophobia" refers to, unless it's the culturally repellant (in fact, to me) nature of the piece. There's several apparent factors working here: a blatant invocation of stormfront-style surficial racism, a teabag-tinged broadside against all things percieved as "liberal", a even a smattering of probable accuracy, in that unctious officials have actually invoked that sort of thinking- gang "Specialists" et al.

I don't know this official or the filmmakers. The only ones it may sway are those inclined to swallow this sort of thing- teabags and cruder stormfronters. As for xenophobia- that's a two edgd sword with a positive as well as negative and manipulative potential. For those of us who see the constant importation of dirt cheap foreign labor as a pillar of internationalist capitalism the racial aspect need not predominate, but the undermining nature of the practice to all groups.

Mojave wrote:I'm not quite sure what your "xenophobia" refers to, unless it's the culturally repellant (in fact, to me) nature of the piece.

The video caters to the xenophobic tendencies of the target audience — middle age-to-elderly White Americans.

There's several apparent factors working here: a blatant invocation of stormfront-style surficial racism, a teabag-tinged broadside against all things percieved as "liberal", a even a smattering of probable accuracy, in that unctious officials have actually invoked that sort of thinking- gang "Specialists" et al.

I agree with the first two factors, but disagree with the third. I don't see why it's particularly harmful to attempt to reduce gang violence and crime through that sort of outreach. The individuals in question are, after all, former gang members. They can therefore truly relate to the backgrounds and experiences of such individuals.

I don't know this official or the filmmakers. The only ones it may sway are those inclined to swallow this sort of thing- teabags and cruder stormfronters.

I think you underestimate the extent by which such propaganda resonates with a decisive portion of middle age and elderly White Americans. It's not as simple as the sort of blatant racism one encounters amongst WNs; rather, it's the sort of fear many White Americans have towards these sorts of people and issues they don't fully understand. Hence, it's their xenophobia.

Any reasonable person could look at the policy this video is criticizing and understand the reasoning behind it. The whole purpose of effective propaganda is to convince people to view the policy (and in this case, the politician behind it) in the way the interests against said policy/politician want you to.

As for xenophobia- that's a two edgd sword with a positive as well as negative and manipulative potential.

Appeals to the xenophobic tendencies of a given demographic generally has a dubious agenda attached to it.

For those of us who see the constant importation of dirt cheap foreign labor as a pillar of internationalist capitalism the racial aspect need not predominate, but the undermining nature of the practice to all groups.

I agree. I would further add that those who fixate on the racial and/or cultural nature of the question are the ones who primarily end up complicating the process of adequately solving the problem.