Mittens Appeals to White Tribalism in Ohio
/Author Thomas Frank calls this brand of politics "Pity the Billionaire ... a revival crusade preaching the old-time religion of the free market." Frank argues the post-Obama resurgence of the right is not about racism or culture wars, but a populist politics of resentment. The right, he explains, has effectively defined the economic crisis as "a conspiracy of the big guys against the little," and their solution is "to work even more energetically for the laissez-faire utopia."
It's not either-or as Frank contends, however. The right is invoking "producerism," telling Americans bruised by the downturn that your pain is due to social factors, which are presented as coded racial categories.
Political Research Associates, a group of scholars who study right-wing movements, defines producerism as a call to "rally the virtuous 'producing classes' against evil 'parasites' at both the top and bottom of society." The concept stretches back to the Andrew Jackson era, and weaves "together intra-elite factionalism and lower-class whites' double-edged resentments." Today, the parasites at the top are liberals, bureaucrats, bankers, and union "bosses"; the ones below are "welfare queens," teachers, Muslims, and "illegal aliens." They are all taking money from the hard-working Americans in the middle.
By historical standards Romney should be a Walter Mondale, a candidate who has lost even before the race begins. But he is effectively utilizing the politics of white resentment because of Obama's dismal economic record. Tens of millions of low-wage workers feel their world is coming apart and they don't know whom to blame. To them, change may mean lower wages, fewer hours, no health care, or a lost home. Romney plays on fear by linking it to Obama. In Sidney he said, "The president seems to be changing America in ways we don't recognize," which elicited chants of "USA! USA! USA!"
It's not that the United States is inherently right wing, as many commentators claim. In Ohio, autoworkers say there is almost universal support among their co-workers for Obama because the auto bailout saved their jobs. But the bailout affected less than 1 percent of all U.S. jobs. In a recent poll the president has the support of only 35 percent of white working-class voters compared to Romney's 48 percent.
The Romney rally was stunningly white. Among the estimated 9,000 people, it was hard to find more than a handful who looked to be Black, Latino or Asian. Attendees complained about welfare and high taxes destroying the country. Romney fed the resentment by claiming Obama was going to "raise the tax on savings," "put in place a more expensive death tax," and raise taxes on "a million" small businesses.
Democrats dismiss Romney as a snake-oil salesman. Joe Biden pointed out in the debate against Paul Ryan that the GOP counts billion-dollar hedge funds as small businesses. That's true, but it doesn't account for the popularity of their ideas. You see, the Republicans have turned small business into a catch-all group the way "working class" once served that function for the left.
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, the number of self-employed and employer firms – those with employees other than the owner – numbered 15.7 million in 2009. It's likely that most are kitchen table, garage or laptop operations, but that's beside the point. Republicans are courting millions of Americans whose livelihood depends on unswerving faith in the market.
Of the five people we talked to who told us their profession, four said they were a small-business owner. They did not seem to think of themselves as workers, but as frustrated entrepreneurs. When Romney says he's going to help small business expand and stop Obama from increasing taxes on small businesses they think he's speaking to them. They hope Romney will return the nation to its natural free-market state – free from regulations, bureaucrats and welfare – in which hard-working Americans like them achieve the success they deserve.
Why shouldn't they believe this rhetoric? The Democrats mimic the right even when they control all of Washington. Obama says he will make business more competitive, cut taxes, sign trade deals, bomb the world into democracy and drill, frack and mine for energy. The Democrats' dilemma is they are in the pocket of Wall Street, but need votes from groups that want the economic pie to be sliced more evenly. The result is liberals worship the same free-market god as conservatives, but have no conviction about it.
Absent an alternative, many voters veer right because they are reaching for the only lifeline they see. "Energy independence" and "a military second to none" are not just catch phrases. They provide millions of decent-paying jobs for the white working class.
This is not to say Romney voters always understand what they are voting for. Talking to some was like walking Through the Looking Glass, where backwards is forwards. Supporters repeatedly ascribed to Romney positions that are the exact opposite of what he advocates. Or they swallow lies about Obama that contradict their own experience. This suggests that racial identity often outweighs rational self-interest. Romney again made this a direct appeal, capping his speech by saying, "We're taking back America."
