I'm writing this on tenterhooks on Tuesday, without knowing the election results. But whether John Kerry's supporters are now celebrating or seeking asylum abroad, they should be feeling wretched about the millions of farmers, factory workers and waitresses who ended up voting - utterly against their own interests - for Republican candidates.
This says a lot about why Democrats are losing ground. First, the column is incredibly condescending. A columnist living in New York City knows more about what is best for a factory worker or farmer in the midwest? Please!
I've seen this before. Demcrats are convinced that they have won the high bid for votes but Karl Rove keeps distracting the poor dumies with non-issues like gay marriage.
When they talk about workers' interests, they mean free medical coverage, trade protection. They also add in minimum wage rates.
What they never consider is that any of their policies hurt these workers. The green wing of the Democrats is against housing construction both through "smart growth" policies and through anti-logging policies which raise the costs of housing construction.
Trade protection tends to be a two-edged sword. Put a tarrif on steel (something that Bush shouldn't have done) and you make American cars more expensive. Some car production is moved off-shore in order to get around the tarrifs. Ao one industry is helped and another hurt.
Farmers are hurt by the Green/Democrat dislike for genetically modified crops. They also hate pesticides and furtalizer.
Plus a big factor in the rise of health care costs is lawsuits. We need tort reform but this will not happen under Democrats. Trial lawyers rank with teachers as major contributors. John Edwards said that tort reform would happen over his dead body.
The point here is that Democrats do no have a monopoly on helping the average worker and they should not fool themselves that they do.
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