To the Senators from the Deep South who decided that clinging to a dying ideology was more important than thousands of middle class jobs:
I couldn't help but notice that many of your home states receive much more federal revenue than you pay in taxes. Hardly the model of self-sufficient, pull yourself up by your bootstraps-tuitiveness, eh? Yet somehow you manage to pony up massive subsidies in order to lure automotive manufacturers from overseas into your states. In other words, the hippy-dippy West Coast, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, and yes, Michigan - the very people you just completely fucked over - are making it possible for your state governments to give massive handouts to automotive companies (some based in "socialist," big gummint countries with free shriek! health care) that are directly competing with the domestic industry.
Let's say we withhold highway dollars, medicare funds, and social security payments until your states "restructure" those sweetheart deals. What's that? That will hurt people whose jobs and livelihoods depend on the flow of those federal dollars? That didn't seem to keep you from fucking anyone over, now did it?
thank you kindly
ReplyDeletei had a conversation with a respected acquaintance of ours today about how the regional frame needed to be brought out more. it seemed like the public come around to our side of the debate when it becomes clear that the senators from right-to-work states are pursuing regional "special interests" of their own, in this case on behalf of foreign auto companies.
ReplyDeletei wonder if somebody more, uh, dynamic than Ron G could've introduced that line of argument earlier or more decisively in the congressional hearings? or maybe the Big 3 just so totally merited their pounding that there was nothing labor could do to steal center stage?
alas, that frame must be deployed again on another day if we are to approach some kind of postmodern restoration of even Hubert Humphrey liberalism, let alone a "new New Deal." a lot of other kinds of things'll need to be deployed, too.
I think pointing out that on any number of issues it's been the plantation mentality of the Southern GOP that for the last 14 years has driven this country into the ditch. But it's a tough tightrope to walk. It has to be done in a way where the attack is clearly aimed at Southern elites and makes the Southern middle class and workers understand that the interests of their elected leaders are in conflict with their own interests. And we both know that's a tough road to hoe.
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