They know, only too well, if you’ll pardon that good ‘ole Suthern expression; “the jig is up”.

Freedom from the tyranny of governments and aristocracy is the most liberal of ideas. It was the very foundation of the American Revolution. Ironic how the right has dishonestly tried to coopt the principle and tar us liberals as believers in its opposite.

We need a new term, one that doesn’t rely on cliches and generalizations like “southerner”, or “racist”, or even “rightist” to specify this class. Because that’s what it is, a historically recognized social and economic class, a subset of society that sees itself as distinct and separate (even superior!) from the rest because of shared values and interests. We need a technical term with no built-in values, connotations or stereotypes loading it.

I propose we use the traditional term that has been in use since the 18th century to denote the semi-prosperous, moving-on-up, terrified of the poor, simultaneously emulating and envying the elite, always threatened and continuously whining middle class.

(From Wikipedia)

Bourgeoisie (Eng.: /bʊərʒwɑːˈziː/; French pronunciation: ​[buʁʒwazi]) is a word from the French language, used in the fields of political economy, political philosophy, sociology, and history, which originally denoted the wealthy stratum of the middle class that originated during the latter part of the Middle Ages (AD 500–1500). The utilization and specific application of the word is from the realm of the social sciences. In sociology and in political science, the noun bourgeoisie and the adjective bourgeois are terms that describe a historical range of socio-economic classes. As such, in the Western world, since the late 18th century, the bourgeoisie describes a social class “characterized by their ownership of capital, and their related culture”; hence, the personal terms bourgeois (masculine) and bourgeoise (feminine) culturally identify the man or woman who is a member of the wealthiest social class of a given society, and their materialistic worldview (Weltanschauung). In Marxist philosophy, the term bourgeoisie denotes the social class who owns the means of production and whose societal concerns are the value of property and the preservation of capital, in order to ensure the perdurance of their economic supremacy in society.

Don’t worry, Conservatives. Just because the commies used this word, doesn’t mean they invented it. Its OK to utter it without fear of being labeled a Communist. Besides, whether we like it or not, you and I both belong to this class. The difference between you and me is that I know that, and you don’t.

You will note that even though he is satirically (and perhaps unfairly) depicted by the artist as an ineffectual, effeminate fop, he is still armed, not necessarily for a duel with one of his own class, but primarily against the rabble that might want to loot his well-lined purse (note it hanging right below his sword). He is not just narcissistic, he’s paranoid, too.

plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose

But I think you’re right about the lack of self-consciousness–they’re in the bubble, its inner surface is mirrored, and as far as they can see, it’s just us chickens in here.

This sounds to me like a textbook example of something we were talking about over on the OT thread: the existential angst of the centuries-old Southern white domination culture. (That phrase sounds awkward to my ear, yet unlike “white supremacy”, “white domination” captures the emphasis on power rather than base racism. You don’t have to dislike somebody to want to remain superior to them.)

The racism, while over-the-top despicable in the video, isn’t really the dominant emotion among the southern branch of conservatism. What’s eating them is the loss of white privilege and power. It’s measured against other races, true, but, except for people like this individual perhaps, it’s not overtly animus toward other races. This, I think, is why so many southerners can vehemently deny racism while speaking and behaving in ways we recognize as undeniably racist. The racism can be displaced nicely by blaming the Federal government for the diminution of their status.

During the last the Presidential election, two Pennsylvania GOP officials bragged openly how their voter suppression efforts were going to hamstring the Democrats, not as strategists maneuvering to engineer a tactical coup in secret, but as if everyone knew this was the only obvious thing to do, and would applaud and support these actions. Its as if they don’t realize that there are other people listening, and that not everyone within earshot will instantly agree with them. For this mentality, the barbarians are at the gates, and anything is fair game because their opponents are subhuman homunculi who deserve extermination, not representation, and everyone who doesn’t accept that is not only contemptible and powerless, but irrelevant.

In their universe, the Democrats are buying the votes of the rabble to get power, so Republicans are therefore morally justified in perverting the electoral process itself. They are the true Americans, the rest of us have no business being here. Their enemies don’t count, aren’t really human.

This is Master Race stuff. Narcissism and paranoia. I’ve seen this movie before, and I don’t like how it turns out.

Texas Judge Almost Blocked From Voting Because Of New Voter ID Law

A Texas district judge who has been voting for the past five decades was almost barred from the polls Tuesday, thanks to the state’s newly implemented, stricter voter ID law. The law kicked in on Tuesday as early voting in Texas’ November 5 election began.

As she told local channel Kiii News, 117th District Court Judge Sandra Watts was flagged for possible voter fraud because her driver’s license lists her maiden name as her middle name, while her voter registration form has her real middle name. This was the first time she has ever had a problem voting in 49 years. “What I have used for voter registration and for identification for the last 52 years was not sufficient yesterday when I went to vote,” she said.

Watts worried that women who use maiden names or hyphenated names may be surprised at the polls. “I don’t think most women know that this is going to create a problem,” the judge said. “That their maiden name is on their driver’s license, which was mandated in 1964 when I got married, and this. And so why would I want to use a provisional ballot when I’ve been voting regular ballot for the last 49 years?”

Many married women do not update their IDs after taking their spouse’s surnames, as the process is arduous and costly. Women must present original documents verifying their name change, such as a marriage license, or pay $20 to obtain new copies. Under the new voter ID law, these women are potential voter fraud risks.

Watts is hardly the only woman who has encountered problems. ThinkProgress’ Scott Keyes interviewed 84-year-old Dorothy Card, who was denied a voter ID three times even though she has voted for more than 60 years and provided extensive proof of identity.

While Watts, as an experienced judge, is familiar with the intricacies of election law, the people most likely to be stopped at the polls will be less informed about their rights. Low-income voters, minorities, students and seniors disproportionately lack the required identification — a fact that prompted the Justice Department and several federal judges to block the law under now-defunct provisions in the Voting Rights Act. After public outcry, Texas officials said they would distribute a free voter ID to eligible recipients who applied for one. As of this week, however, just 41 people received free IDs, out of the 1.4 million Texas voters who lack the required documents.

I saw this woman interviewed on TV this morning. You would not believe the run-around she got at her polling place (the court house where whe presides as a judge), from poll workers who knew her personally. It is pretty clear that poll workers are being pressured to apply these regulations very strictly. Although I suspect that they are not being enforced with the same rigor in all precincts.

If you can’t stop those PEEPLE from running for office, you can always stop them from voting.

“All societies limit the franchise”. Our founding fathers limited it to white Gentlemen Of Property. I guess that’s good enough for Texas.

If I were a resident of Texas, I probably would be ineligible to vote, because my driver’s license has a middle initial, but my voter registration card doesn’t. And of course, I look Mexican and speak standard, Midwestern Broadcast English. In Texas, I couldn’t pass for a REAL Amurrcan.