Rachel’s Musings

Obama’s Assessment of Working Class America

Obama’s remarks about what is going on in working class America have created a wild-fire that the Clinton camp is trying to use to derail Obama’s campaign. I hope that someone is working on looking at the data that I would expect support his assessment. Michael Moore’s Roger and Me already showed the depressing Flint, Michigan that was left behind after General Motors closed plants there. Why do we think that people who had their jobs moved or downsized are not bitter? I’d be bitter! Well, angry, too.

There is some data that I want to look at in this context: the correlation between income and religion. The Pew Forum on Religion has published data of income by religious affiliation. Except for Jews and Hindus, religious affiliation decreases with income. Nationally, 50% of people who are affiliated with a religion make less than the median U.S. household income (or about $48,000 in 2006). But, apparently, it is not okay to talk about relationships like that. Instead of lambasting Obama, it is time to start a national dialog about how to ensure that we’re not loosing the middle class. Part of that discussion needs to include understanding why people are religious, think guns are important, and, most importantly, why they are antipathetic.

There’s now a blog devoted to Bitter Voters for Obama. Arianna Huffington has also weight in with the sad recommendation that McCain can go on vacation since Hillary is doing his work for him.

April 12, 2008 at 4:09 pm Pacific Time
Filed under Activism, Politics
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