Pops On Race - from Alternate Brain

Pops On Race

There are at least two larger national lessons to be learned from what is likely to be the last gasp of Allen-McCain-Palin politics in 2008. The first, and easy one, is that Republican leaders have no idea what “real America” is. In the eight years since the first Bush-Cheney convention pledged inclusiveness and showcased Colin Powell as its opening-night speaker, the G.O.P. has terminally alienated black Americans (Powell himself now included), immigrant Americans (including the Hispanics who once gave Bush-Cheney as much as 44 percent of their votes) and the extended families of gay Americans (Palin has now revived a constitutional crusade against same-sex marriage). Subtract all those players from the actual America, and you don’t have enough of a bench to field a junior varsity volleyball team, let alone a serious campaign for the Electoral College.

The good folks at Alternate Brain have a great post up dealing with racism in the upcoming election. Their view is a little rosier than mine and I thought it should be included in any discussion of the subject. I hope that they are right. I hope that there will be a "reverse Bradley effect", where-in white middle-class folks, who would never admit it to each other in their local taprooms, will actually pull the lever for the best candidate for America after all. I hope that I am totally wrong in my fears of latent racism affecting the outcome of this election. I hope that I have "misunderestimated" my own race. Time will tell.

While you are at Alternate Brain take a look around. They cover a lot more ground than I do and they do a damn good job of it too. So head on over and give them a look. You won't be sorry.

Alternate Brain

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