Sirotablog

David Sirota is a political journalist and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist at Creators Syndicate. David writes about political corruption, globalization and working-class economic issues often ignored by both of America's political parties.

  • October 24, 2007 10:16 AM

    The Substitution of Identity Politics for Class Politics

    Per my ongoing posts about the blogosphere and netroots' lack of class-based politics in favor of more of a bourgeois focus, note this excerpt from the recent In These Times article on labor history:

    "Others contend that the study of racial and gender struggles in schools, while necessary and valuable, has shifted the focus away from an analysis of class. 'My freshman students at college come out of California high schools with the language of race, ethnicity, and identity, and they have great facility with that,' says Nelson Lichtenstein, a labor historian at the University of California, Santa Barbara. 'Issues of class and trade unions are often alien to them.' He cites César Chávez as a prime example of a progressive labor organizer whose history as a trade unionist is overshadowed by his legacy as an ethnic leader."

    This is a very interesting and important point, and suggests that the blogosphere/netroots' lack of class-based politics is a reflection of the downplaying of economic class in society at large. Though America is highly stratified along class lines, and though social mobility between classes in this country is less than in many other industrialized countries, there is a pernicious effort by the Establishment to downplay class viewpoints through everything - pop culture, politics, everything. The motive for this is obvious: Class viewpoints threaten the Establishment.

    And so while the netroots/blogosphere likens itself to being antiestablishment - and though it is on some issues - its lack of a class-based focus certainly raises the possibility that the netroots is, in fact, a reflection of bourgeois class-blindness that helps sustain the status quo.

    Posted by David Sirota
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    Tags: war on the middle class

Discussion

  • waltc [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    What did the labor professor expect? His ilk and liberals outside of academia actively promoted racial and gender issues while excluding labor and economic issues since the 1960's.

    And for the last 30 years this focus on gender, racial and identity wedge issues was the mainstay of Democratic party politics while ignoring economic issues. Even now many Democratic politicos are very uncomfortable with promoting economic issues that help people.

    As for the netroots/liberal blogosphere its not a matter of class blindness IMO but of economic superiority. Most of the netroots seem to be composed of upper class whites who live very comfortable lives unconcerned with the trials and tribulations that others beneath them contend with on a daily basis.

    Another thing as 3rdOption has written they only care about "sexy" issues and bashing Republicans not about healing the country. Healing the country and bringing folks together doesn't seem to be on their agenda at all.

    So whatever the netroots are they aren't part of the solution to the mess we're in. They are very much part of the status-quo.

    Posted on October 24, 2007 11:06 AM
  • Chris V [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    I hear discussions on class all the time.

    There were a lot of discussions around Paris Hilton and preferential treatment of the wealthy earlier this year.

    Free Trade is always a hot topic, as well as it's benefits for the wealthy while gutting poor and middle-income jobs.

    The H1-B program is often discussed, at least on technical websites. That's another class issue where CEOs like Bill Gates want unlimited H1-Bs, but the IT workers in the middle class don't want foreign competition for wages.

    Immigration goes along the same lines as the H1-B discussion. There, the discussion pits poor and middle class Americans versus rich Americans teamed up with poor foreigners. The CEOs of Wendy's, McDonald's, Tyson Chicken and construction companies across the US want foreign workers regardless of legality so they can undercut American labor.

    Social Security is another class issue, as long as contributions are capped at $90,000 in income.

    Health care is a huge class issue. The rich people are happy and don't care about everyone else. The poor people go without coverage. And the middle class are covered, but still uneasy given the malfeasance of their insurance companies.

    The State Children's Health Insurance Program has recently been in the news promoting health care for poor children.

    These class issues are all around us. And the net is talking about these things. I've certainly seen all these issues in the mainstream media as well.

    However, not everyone pays attention to arguments on the internet. And not everyone pays attention to arguments in the mainstream media. That's especially true for highschool students. So, judging anything like this on their perceptions is questionable. At best, it tells you what history classes and history books are currently talking about.

    Posted on October 24, 2007 11:35 AM
  • waltc [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    And the net is talking about these things. I've certainly seen all these issues in the mainstream media as well.

    Well you can certainly discount the netroots and the top liberal blogs because they don't give a shit. As far the the MSM goes only Lou Dobbs covers the economic aspects.

    Overall the coverage is very, very limited.

    Posted on October 24, 2007 2:10 PM

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