The last segment of "All In with Chris Hayes" on MSNBC tonight struck an important chord that I hope progressives are paying attention to. Truth is irrelevant. Debunking lies is only marginally effective because the voters care more about leverage than truth. It all comes down to a fight for supremacy born out of existential fear associated with the emergence of greater racial diversity. Therefore the most effective way to win in 2014 is to diffuse the primal fear. And, replace the cultural existential fear with the actual existential threat we all face from wide spread fracking, and other environmental calamities. Global warming is obvious but too heavily linked to the liberal base to be effective. The threat of fracking is closer to the historical interests of the heartland where cause and effect are already painfully evident.
First, demonstrate that their expectations that lead to bias are wrong. There are no clear cut divisions because there is a diversity of attitudes and opinions within every community. No one can be pigeon-holed. This is best illustrated by the two jurors that spoke out after the Michael Dunn mistrial. The white woman fought hard for a First degree Murder conviction and the black woman thought that Dunn seemed like a "nice guy" who "made a bad" decision and fought hard for the lesser charge of Second Degree Murder. This is an eye opening outcome that helps to smash preconceived notions and therefore fear.
Second, emphasize the real threat. In a few short years, if fracking is allowed to continue unregulated, there will be no place in this country you can go where the air and water are not thoroughly polluted with volatile toxic compounds. This is where we are headed and it is why these poor souls are being manipulated. No-one likes being manipulated, but we must get passed the irrational existential fear so they can see what's really going on. How hard is it to show linkage between the promotion of racial division and the interests of the Koch brothers?
Clearly there are other wedge issues, but I believe that the racial divide is being exploited with greatest effect by the Koch brothers. The damage they can do with their enormous pile of disposable cash cannot be over estimated. We are thus informed to make our shots count.
9:35 AM PT: The oil, gas, mineral business is the force
behind the politics of division. Obviously all of these issues are important. But there is a linkage between the promotion of racial and religious division and the exploitation of mineral assets.
The U.S. is being turned into the gas station and grocery store for china. The assholes who are the middle men in that deal are creating a civil war in this country to get these assets at a lower price than they would otherwise have to pay. Which, directly translates into a shitty economy, and civil unrest.
11:35 PM PT: Exploitation of "identity politics" is probably a more accurate way to say it than "racial division" because the wedges are being driven along many different lines of identification.
See also:
http://www.dailykos.com/...