It's called scapegoating.

[coti]

The race-baiting and spin you see from Fox News and the Republicans is actually part of a broader campaign to pit the middle and lower classes against themselves and each other instead of against the rich.

The proles are hurting right now and are looking for someone to blame. Those running Fox News, as well as other organizations, know this. As a result, we are not only seeing the usual "blame welfare minorities" as a (very effective) focus-shifting tool, but also stories about city and county workers or officials who have been able to breach the low six-figures in salary. Stories like those are supposed to play on jealousy ("Hey, that guy does the same job as me, but makes twice as much1") as well as imply responsibility for our financial problems ("He's stealing all the money!")

In other words, it's scapegoating. That's what the Southern Strategy was- racism is just one of the most easily accessible psychological tendencies to be made use of when one is looking deflect blame. There are plenty of ways to do it, though.

[ejpoeta]

1. makes sense. as long as my family and i are arguing over democrat or republican

and welfare queens, then the rich and corporations just skate by and do what they want. like a magic trick. while we are looking at the cards, the magicians assistant is swiping our wallets.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. makes sense...

[pampango]

3. The ol' "us vs them" distraction. Got to watch out for those minorities, gays, and immigrants

who are out to get "our" (not "their") stuff. "I want my country back!" ;)

The more the PTB can keep us fighting with scapegoats for the scraps, the safer it is for these PTB to hold on to the disproportionate power and wealth that they have.

[coti]

4. Exactly. You said it better than I did. nt

[whathehell]

5. Yes..."The rich have convinced the middle class that the poor are stealing from them". Mario Cuomo

[coti]

6. Great quote. nt

[whathehell]

7. Thanks...I think so too. n/t