fronkis

Alexandra Pelosi, talking about her new documentary, “Right America: Feeling Wronged”

There is a notion, popularized perhaps by Thomas Frank, that working class Republicans crazily vote against their self-interest.  Can’t you see, Democrats seem to implore, our tax policies and entitlement programs benefit you and fleece the rich?  Be selfish when you vote!—they urge.  This is a bit of a confusing message from Democrats, however, since people like Barack Obama decry those who would claim selfishness as a virtue.

What’s strange about Pelosi’s quote is her seemingly implicit acceptance of the notion that rich Manhattanites are voting against their own self-interests, presumably as a matter of conscience.  She doesn’t allow for the possibility that Republicans might choose conscience over wallet too.  But what’s worse, I would argue, is that she doesn’t allow for the possibility that she may be miscalculating everyone’s interests.  If blue states seem to vote against their own interests and red states seem to do the same, then hardly anyone seems to be voting selfishly at all.  And though there are many conclusions we might draw from this, I’d argue that the most likely is that our identification of the voters’ interests is fundamentally flawed.

(via jeffmiller)

All good points by Jeff.  The other thing that I would point out is that Manhattan is, if not the most expensive place in the US, damn close to it.  Maybe the rest of us in lower tax brackets don’t mind it because where we live, our money goes further.  I live in a house that by square footage, would probably cost at least $5 Million in Manhattan I sure as hell didn’t pay anywhere near that.  I guess that makes me stupid for spending less and getting more.  

And maybe the reasons I think he’s an idiot is because I don’t believe in his policies and it’s not founded on some racist hick attitude that you seem to want to pin on everyone who doesn’t like him.