The right wingers are losing some of their base

[Bozvotros]

My neighbor is 78 years old. He is a Korean War vet and a retired bricklayer and mason. He was a tried and true union man his whole life who nonetheless defected to the Republicans under Reagan. Since then he has been listening to non stop right wing radio. He knows me to be a progressive, socialist, far leftie who non the less helps him till his garden, clean his gutters and watch his house when he is gone. He also knows I am always good for a little political sparring. We have had some big ones over the last ten years, but despite our huge political differences we get along well. But until today I have never, ever heard him criticize or question the nonsense he hears on the radio or ever let facts interfere with his core beliefs.

But today I called out to him and asked him what he thought of what was happening in Madison. At first he made a token defense about how the government couldn't afford to pay high wages and benefits. I reminded him that the unions had conceded that and he nodded slowly. He knew that. Then I asked "What about trying to take away collective bargaining?" He was quiet for a moment, nodded again and said "They shouldn't do that. If they take that away, they can take anything they want away. And it won't be just the unions who are affected. It will be everyone." I pointed out that this might have been the first time we had ever agreed on anything political and he agreed. We chatted about it a bit more and then wished each other a good day and I left. I looked back to see him still standing there thinking.I flashed him a solidarity fist from across the lawn and he almost, almost gave it back but then just waved.

For years, the Republicans have been stealing our blue collar and labor constituents, appealing to racism, religiosity, xenophobia and patriotism. But they have overplayed their hand this time. When even someone who listens to their propaganda eight hours a day doesn't buy their spin on this, they are in real trouble. No matter what they manage to ram through now, they have been exposed as anti working man. And that is a big big part of their base.

[tabatha]

1. Yes, I'm am glad the unions are making a big noise

about this - so it has to be covered in the press.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Praise the goddesses, everywhere...

[Ikonoklast]

3. If the unions get crushed, this democracy is finished.

I'd give it twenty more years before totalitarianism, and the collapse of any pretense of representation;, total corporate control.

[Celtic Raven]

6. I think 20 years is far too long

The Corps have been moving behind the scenes for decades, at the rate of speed they're moving now, I'll be surprised if there's any pretense of democracy left in 5-7 years.

:evilfrown:

[Initech]

4. I think this is finally what America needs to wake up.

The assholes can spout their talking points all they want but when they go after everything we take for granted, that's when we catch them with their proverbial pants on fire.

[Raksha]

5. K & R - this is one of the most hopeful stories I've heard in a long time.

Re "If they take that away, they can take anything they want away. And it won't be just the unions who are affected. It will be everyone."

And this despite all the kool-aid he's been drinking! I think you're right--they have finally overplayed their hand.

[Bozvotros]

7. That was almost a direct quote.

(First he said, "They shouldn't be doing that.") He knew what Walker was doing was wrong and bad for all workers. And he didn't try to defend it at all after his first weak defense. That never happens with him and I mean never in 10 years has he capitulated a point to me like that.

The right wing shills on radio are trying to be careful not to attack laborers and focus on union leaders but union membership is clearly not buying it this time. I think the old timers all know what this is as they have been through it before. The newer members not so much but they are getting up to speed fast. It's clear the police and firefighters in Wisconsin who were spared this attack, still understand what is at stake and realize they will be next.

I have a hunch there are some fairly intense union meetings going on all around the country.

Every history and social studies school teacher should be devoting at least a few weeks to covering the labor movement in this country so this kind of attack can't be so easily spun as just a fiscal austerity measure.

[vssmith]

8. Divide and conquer is their way

Instead of bringing public worker benefits down to Private worker benefits, we should be working to get the private up to the public level.

[eleny]

9. From your narrative I got the impression that your neighbor sounded kind of scared

There was no force or bravado. So I found my impression of him was that of a thoughtful and frightened man. Am I off base?

[Bozvotros]

11. He is usually full of distortions from Rush and Hannity

but basically he is a good guy. He seemed a bit stunned by what is going on since obviously his radio heros have been attacking the protestors as deadbeats and sponges. I suspect he is having some painful cognitive dissonance after investing so much time listening to the crap he does. He never questioned any of it (that I could see) until now.

He is in his 70's, long retired with a bad back and knees and does remember the bad old days when he started bricklaying and when businesses (sometimes with the help of the state) tried to break up his union or hire scabs (often illegal aliens) to avoid paying them a fair wage. He knows that the union helped him to make a decent living and take care of his family and that collective bargaining was their main tool. As more and more unions join or support this protest, I think it is going to peel off a lot of the Reagan Democrats that have helped elect these fools and I think when they do most will never go back.

[CrispyQ]

10. "...they have overplayed their hand this time."

I hope you are right.

[ClassWarrior]

12. Maybe it's just my perspective, being so close to the center of the hurricane...

...but it's felt like the Rape-Publicans have overplayed their hands this time from the very beginning.

NGU.

[PurityOfEssence]

13. I hope our counter-offensive isn't a bit premature

Of course, caving to such atavistic primitiveness like Walker's would be a horrible thing, but the Republicans are their own worst enemies when they truly think they have momentum, and I think blunting their offensive at this point may cool them off a bit. People need to really see their true colors, and they may be less emboldened if they get off to a rough start.

Still, the only thing that matters is success, so even though I'd love to see them exposed like in "They Live", it's better that they just be stopped.

Interesting times, non?