Wednesday, November 24, 2004
What's the Matter with Kansas?
I love this passage. It's from the second to the last page of What's the Matter with Kansas? by Thomas Frank. I think it succinctly summarizes the actions of so many of the Republicans that voted their morals in the last election.
"The state watches impotently as its culture, beamed in from the coasts, becomes coarser and more offensive by the year. Kansas aches for revenge. Kansas gloats when celebrities say stupid things; it cheers when movie starts go to jail. And when two female rock stars exchange a lascivious kiss on national TV, Kansas goes haywire. Kansas screams for the heads of the liberal elite. Kansas comes running to the polling place. And Kansas cuts those rock stars' taxes."
pg 249
Lets take this line by line.
"The state watches impotently as its culture, beamed in from the coasts, becomes coarser and more offensive by the year." This is big business operating under the FCC which is appointed by Republicans.
"Kansas aches for revenge." Because they are told this isn't about money, it's about liberals degrading your values. And they believe them.
"Kansas gloats when celebrities say stupid things; it cheers when movie starts go to jail." Never mind all the Enron type scandals going on and the caught executives asking for leniency so that they can take care of their children.
"And when two female rock stars exchange a lascivious kiss on national TV, Kansas goes haywire." Now how much money do the networks make and all those virtuous middle America stock holders?
"Kansas screams for the heads of the liberal elite." So which has a bigger influence over the networks, money or the liberal elite? And what about Arnold?
"Kansas comes running to the polling place." Thank goodness, otherwise they might make their displeasure known by voting with their money.
"And Kansas cuts those rock stars' taxes." What the Republicans really do for their voters.
Thank you Thomas Frank.
"The state watches impotently as its culture, beamed in from the coasts, becomes coarser and more offensive by the year. Kansas aches for revenge. Kansas gloats when celebrities say stupid things; it cheers when movie starts go to jail. And when two female rock stars exchange a lascivious kiss on national TV, Kansas goes haywire. Kansas screams for the heads of the liberal elite. Kansas comes running to the polling place. And Kansas cuts those rock stars' taxes."
pg 249
Lets take this line by line.
"The state watches impotently as its culture, beamed in from the coasts, becomes coarser and more offensive by the year." This is big business operating under the FCC which is appointed by Republicans.
"Kansas aches for revenge." Because they are told this isn't about money, it's about liberals degrading your values. And they believe them.
"Kansas gloats when celebrities say stupid things; it cheers when movie starts go to jail." Never mind all the Enron type scandals going on and the caught executives asking for leniency so that they can take care of their children.
"And when two female rock stars exchange a lascivious kiss on national TV, Kansas goes haywire." Now how much money do the networks make and all those virtuous middle America stock holders?
"Kansas screams for the heads of the liberal elite." So which has a bigger influence over the networks, money or the liberal elite? And what about Arnold?
"Kansas comes running to the polling place." Thank goodness, otherwise they might make their displeasure known by voting with their money.
"And Kansas cuts those rock stars' taxes." What the Republicans really do for their voters.
Thank you Thomas Frank.
