False Consciousness

Driving through some of the poorest neighborhoods in Carbon County before the election last November I noticed many Barletta and Corbett yard signs.  Did these voters think that Republicans represented their interests?

In What’s the Matter with Kansas, Thomas Frank noted that in 2004 some of the poorest counties in Kansas voted overwhelmingly for Bush.  White non-union men in rural and suburban areas were strongly Republican.  Frank looked at the reasons why such voters would support candidates who are willing to pollute their environment, reward the very rich, oppose health care reform, and fight every policy geared to helping people on the bottom.  

One label for this type of behavior is “false consciousness.”  Voters are convinced that the Republicans are indeed their friends, in spite of obvious evidence to the contrary. 

“I could have a beer with him,” people said of George Bush.  It didn’t matter that Bush supported tax cuts for the rich, that his daddy had been president, or that he never had to do an honest day’s work in his life.  He appeared to be regular guy.

Here are three ways this scam is perpetuated:

1.  Republicans play the common man card.  They accuse Democrats of being latte-sipping liberals who read the New Yorker and would rather attend an opera than a NASCAR race.  Remember Heffley’s campaign slogan--”he’s one of us.”  Sure Heffley’s policy positions will aid the upper class, but voters identified with him.

2.  Republicans scapegoat.  The current baying about illegal immigrants is a way to divert attention to the real culprits in the financial meltdown.  Blame Mexicans or Muslims--they’re the problem.  Who defends them?  Liberals.

3.  Republicans divert attention.  Candidate Obama never ever supported confiscating guns, yet I heard many NRA types swear that the Democrats would do just that.  I was not able to convince them otherwise.  Look at the non-issues in the November election--gay marriage, the World Trade Center mosque, death panels.  And it worked!

How do we overcome false consciousness?  I wish I knew.