The Truth Is That It’s Republicans Who Have Been Waging War On Poor Whites

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A sure sign of fear mongering is putting words in other people’s mouths to incite suspicion and hatred against a certain group through the use of propaganda. It is nearly guaranteed that when fear mongering with racial propaganda comes to light, it is certain that Republicans are investing in racial divisiveness for political expediency.

The racial divisiveness was particularly evident in the Republican primary in 2012, and during the general election campaign of Willard Romney, when Republicans accused President Obama of stealing from white people to give to, as Rick Santorum said, “blaaah…people.” Indeed, anyone with a pulse, or cognitive abilities of an amoeba, did not need a commentator to inform them Republicans were waging a war on minorities, because everywhere one turned a Republican was defaming people of color as “moochers,” a drain on the country, and guilty of stealing from white people.

Earlier in the week, Republican Representative Mo Brooks (Ala) decided to take a different approach to Republican divisive politics and accuse Democrats, particularly President Obama, of waging a war on white people because there is a midterm election in the offing and immigration is once again rearing its xenophobic head. Brooks said the immigration “issue” is “part of the war on whites that’s being launched by the Democratic Party. And the way in which they’re launching this war is by claiming that whites hate everybody else.”

Now, if Brooks had any proof Democrats were claiming that “whites hate everybody else,” he failed to present any evidence, but that is the primary feature of blatant mendacity according to Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels; “tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” Likely, many “whites” already believe the lie that President Obama is waging war on whites in the same manner they believe the lie he is waging a war on Christianity, democracy, the Constitution, and whichever target du jour Republicans can dream up.

Brooks was not finished, he continued that “It’s part of the strategy that Barack Obama implemented in 2008, continued in 2012, where he divides us all on race, on sex, greed, envy, class warfare, all those kinds of things.” Brooks took the typical Republican approach of projecting Republican tactics on Democrats and the President, and if one examines the actions of Republicans, particularly in deep red states, there is a war on white people being waged, but it is not President Obama or Democrats; it is Republicans.

First, nothing this President has proposed since he has been in office singles out any particular demographic for greater benefits or a racial assault. Whether it was the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid expansion, calls to raise the minimum wage, extend unemployment benefits, bringing manufacturing jobs back to America, or creating job opportunities for Veterans; those propositions were for all Americans regardless of color and Brooks knows it. However, although Republicans have targeted people of color for decades, House Republicans have particularly targeted poor white people in Southern red states with Draconian budget cuts to social programs including food stamps, housing assistance, and healthcare. At the state level, Republicans in Southern states perpetuate near-slave wages, refuse to accept free Medicaid expansion, and transfer public school funding to private religious schools poor whites can hardly afford.

It is hardly mentioned in mainstream media, or Republican circles, but statistics reveal that what is typical across the South the most beneficiaries of the SNAP (food stamp) program is a Kentucky county that is 99.22% white and 95% Republican. Slashing food stamps is a favorite ploy of Republicans claiming it is their way to save white people’s tax dollars from going to minorities. It is fairly common knowledge that red Southern states are the most prolific government-takers in U.S. existence and leading the war on “government takers” are Republicans in Congress; not Democrats and not President Obama. In fact, according to the Census Bureau, the highest percentage of Americans in poverty belong to the white race (42%) and they are taking the brunt of Republicans’ attack on anti-poverty programs like SNAP, heating and housing assistance, healthcare, Medicaid, and particularly anti-poverty measures affecting children; very poor white children in Republican Southern states.

Republicans are not only waging war on poor whites in southern states, they are religiously attacking middle class whites. Beginning in 2011, Republican-led states assailed public sector unions, particularly teacher unions, where 83% of the workforce is white according to a Harvard Educational Review study. Besides cutting teacher salaries and banning collective bargaining agreements, Republicans have went on a tear to rob all public sector employees’ pensions to make room for greater tax cuts for corporations. Republican states have also slashed their public sector workforces since the Republican recession, and although it adversely affect Blacks, they only make up14.5% of the workforce; whites took the brunt of the Republicans’ jobs killed, pay cuts, and pension thefts.

There is no more a Democratic or Obama war on whites than there is a war on Christmas, religious freedom, heterosexual marriage, or a propaganda campaign telling minorities that whites “hate everyone else.” There is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, a high percentage of white Republicans that hate minorities as evidenced by men like Paul Ryan who use racist dog whistles Republicans know garners support from their older, whiter, and racist base. It is still a mystery why poor white voters support Republicans when their heroes are waging a very substantial war on them, unless one factors in their deep racial animus toward President Barack Obama.

President Obama has consistently spoke out for all Americans in spite of the fierce racism against him that erupted before he was sworn in as President. There is a war on whites, especially the predominately poor whites in Southern states with Republicans in charge whether they pass right-to-work (for less) laws, reject Medicaid expansion, or in Congress where Republicans make drastic cuts to social programs that affects the disproportionally high rate of poor white people in Southern red states.

It is true that Republicans are waging a war on all Americans that are not part of the wealthy elite class, but like their poor Southern white base, they have targeted middle class whites for their wrath and Representative Mo Brooks knows because he dependably votes to cut domestic programs, kill job programs, cut food stamps, healthcare, opposes raising the minimum wage, or extending unemployment benefits that affects white people at a higher rate than minorities.

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Rmuse

Audio engineer and instructor for SAE. Writes op/ed commentary supporting Secular Humanist causes, and exposing suppression of women, the poor, and minorities. An advocate for freedom of religion and particularly, freedom of NO religion.

Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn't look good.

Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.