Name:   copperline - Subject:   Den of Thieves Date:   4/20/2016 10:29:22 AM

I think you may be over-reacting to the political fluff that’s on display during primary season.   In contrast to here in Alabama, you were seeing a lot of ads in support of Democratic Party ideas that just don’t get the same air-time around here.   Not because those ideas aren’t relevant,  but because the Republicans are firmly in charge in Alabama.     I have the same reaction to seeing all those hyper-conservative ads during election season around here.

My first reaction to what you said is that it reminded me of  a dispatch from behind enemy lines,  a warning to us about the threats that those ideas (and people) pose to our way of life.   I disagree.   I also think that part of our problem is that we are prone to see stark divisions between “us and them”,  imagining that there are 2 easily defined sides in the US today:   Makers & Takers.     Thing is, that is just a blunt & inexact concept that works best to keep us angry at “the others” … and not coincidentally tends to rally people around defensive,  sometimes hostile, points of view.   Encouraging that POV is straight out of the think tanks of Conservative policy makers,  and not an idea that can ever lead to positive political change in my opinion.    

My explanation for what you saw:   Demographically, the DC area is a stronghold of the Democratic party.   It’s an international city with more foreign born people than average, but if they aren’t US citizens they are not eligible for  any social welfare programs.     It also has the largest concentration of Black people, I believe.   (I recently read that Maryland has the largest percentage of Black people of any “northern” state).   Ads about gun control,  reproductive rights, and income disparities are just what we Progressives believe in… not a call to arms so that we can destroy anybody’s way of life.

When we make that distinction between Makers & Takers, we should be aware that as Alabamians, we are the Takers.    Alabama receives more federal dollars than we contribute in tax revenue, and those federal dollars are what we use to build our roads,  protect the quality of our air & water, run our schools, & provide basic medical care to elderly and poor people.    

To your last point, I don’t know the politician you are referring to, but it does please me to hear when people become successful in this economy and then  make it a point to continue to be sensitive to and aware of all those people who have not been as fortunate.   I think of that as a really good example of citizenship.