isany1listening

The bailout for the auto industry failed this week.  The blame appears to be focused on the GOP—big surprise.  The GOP blames the UAW and Democrats for allying with the union—again, big surprise.  So what does this defeat tell us about our government and our unions?  Is it white collar vs. blue collar?  Is it a matter of class warfare?

For me this question begins long before the economy began to tank.  The question really does date back to Pat Buchanan and the “Culture Wars”.  But class warfare became a hot button issue, front and center, in this Presidential campaign cycle, with the help of Sarah Palin.  When she decided to declare that there were parts of America that were “more American” than other parts of the country, the line was drawn.  But we cannot hold Sarah Palin to the fire by herself, because many people bought into the line she was selling.  Small town Americans, thinking that there small town values, were more American and more patriotic.  Cosmopolitan and big city dwelling Americans, looking down on the red-neck hillbillies for believing they were more American than them who are far more sophisticated.  Every American, no matter where they lived, had something to say about Palin’s comments, and everyone chose a side, including myself.  I don’t care where you live—big city or small town—it does not make you more or less of an American, but what the hell do I know?

After the election and with the economic crisis increasing, it appeared that we were all equal and in this country together.  No one was more patriotic and we would all suffer as one nation.  But alas, that is not what has come to pass.  After bailing out Wall Street and trying to restore confidence to the credit markets, the auto industry is now facing huge job losses.  And now that the white collar workers have been given a life line, the blue collar workers are looking to the government to do the same for them.  Except this time, it is tough luck.  And now what are we left to ponder: class warfare.

I know this is a sticky issue.  And I am in graduate school, so automatically people lump me in the “elite” category.  But let me say, I belong to a union and I have to work two jobs, and take out loans just to scrape by every month.  I don’t know what is “elite” about that, but whatever, I get it.  But I do come from a family of proud card carrying union members and have been raised with the idea that unions are good.  I still hold that opinion, and while I see that there are problems with unions, and ways in which things could be done better, at the end of the day, I could not cross the line.  It just wouldn’t be right.  My working class background is embedded in my soul.

So for me, I do see a bit of class warfare in the decision by Congress.  Of course, I am not surprised by the GOP’s actions.  Why would any of them want to help any working class person?  But here is my bigger question for our representatives: if you bailout Wall Street hoping to restore confidence in the markets, and help Americans get credit and keep their homes, but you deny the auto industry the same advantage, which results in huge job losses and unemployment rates skyrocketing, which apparently defeats the purpose of the initial bailout in the first place, are you not declaring class warfare?  Are you not saying that you will only help out the white collared Americans, while screwing the blue collared Americans at the same time?  Have you not just undid whatever you were trying to do with Wall Street by denying Main Street?  How can people keep their homes, purchase food and goods, if they have no job to earn money?  And who will help those people then when they hit rock bottom?

How did we get here?  This is a real question and not rhetorical in the slightest.  How did we get here?

Class warfare has resurfaced and things will get ugly.  There is no doubt.  Questions will be raised and not many answers will be given.  Unfortunately, we are circling the drain and there is little hope that we can avoid slipping down it.  I don’t know how we can survive if the auto industry tanks, and not just economically, but the symbolic and psychological hit the average American will take.  I just hope the GOP sleeps at night.  I am sure they sleep like babies since they do not feel any hit to their wallets.  Like I said, the working class part of me is embedded in my soul.

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