cover of episode What's The Matter With Kansas?

What's The Matter With Kansas?

2024/12/6

If Books Could Kill

M

Michael Hobbs

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Peter Shamsheri

Peter Shamsheri详细分析了托马斯·弗兰克的《堪萨斯怎么了》一书，探讨了白人工薪阶层转向共和党的原因。他认为弗兰克的观点有一定道理，但并非完全正确。弗兰克认为共和党利用文化议题欺骗白人工薪阶层，民主党的新自由主义政策也让劳动人民落后。Shamsheri同意共和党政策对白人工薪阶层没有好处，但对保守派精英利用文化议题欺骗白人工薪阶层的说法持保留态度，认为许多人对边缘群体的仇恨是真实的。他还指出，弗兰克低估了保守派在文化战争中取得的实际成果，以及民主党在经济问题上的立场模糊。Shamsheri还讨论了选民的理性程度，以及媒体对选民的影响。他认为，选民的投票行为更多地基于党派忠诚度和社会认同感，而不是基于理性的政策考量。他还指出，种族主义是白人工薪阶层转向共和党的一个重要因素，但经济因素和种族因素之间存在复杂的关系，难以区分两者。最后，Shamsheri总结道，弗兰克的观点有一定洞察力，但其解决方案不够现实。 Michael Hobbs对堪萨斯州的政治现状提出了一个简单的解决办法，即让全国政治评论员在那里待上24小时，得出全面的结论。

Deep Dive

Why did Thomas Frank's book 'What's the Matter with Kansas?' spark a significant debate in academia?

Frank's book proposed that conservative elites manipulate the white working class through cultural issues to divert attention from economic issues, a theory that contradicted prevailing views and sparked extensive debate among political scientists.

How did Larry Bartels challenge Frank's thesis in 'What's the Matter with What's the Matter with Kansas?'

Bartels argued that white working-class people were not moving to the Democratic Party and were not prioritizing religious and moral issues over economic ones, contrary to Frank's claims.

What demographic shift did Roy Teixeira identify that influenced voting patterns among the white working class?

Teixeira found that the introduction of a college degree variable showed a dramatic shift, with the white working class steadily moving away from Democrats since the 1960s, especially among those without college degrees.

Why did Frank argue that using income as a metric for the white working class was deceptive?

Frank pointed out that many low-income individuals, such as students and retirees, might have temporary or past higher incomes, making income a less accurate measure of the demographic he was discussing.

How did the 2016 election narrative about Trump's support among the white working class differ from the actual data?

The narrative suggested Trump corralled the white working class, but data showed a steady trend of this group moving to the Republican Party since 1992, with Trump capturing slightly more support than previous candidates but following the same trend.

What significant shift in voter preferences did Pew survey data reveal between 1994 and 2004?

Pew data showed that voters with college degrees shifted from favoring Republicans by a 10-point margin in 1994 to being evenly split by 2004, reflecting a growing diploma divide.

Why did Frank believe that conservative elites were successful in manipulating the white working class?

Frank argued that conservative elites successfully manipulated the white working class by focusing on cultural issues that couldn't be resolved by state power, allowing them to grandstand without delivering on their promises while maintaining support.

How did the retrospective theory of voting challenge the idea of voter rationality?

The retrospective theory posited that voters don't vote based on policy preferences but on their experience of the incumbent administration, suggesting a directional logic but not necessarily rational decision-making.

What did John Zaller's research reveal about the predictability of presidential election outcomes?

Zaller found that two variables—the state of the economy and the political climate—predicted the outcome of nearly every presidential election, suggesting that voters' decisions are more predictable than rational.

How did Thomas Frank respond to criticisms of his focus on the white working class in 'What's the Matter with Kansas?'

Frank acknowledged that his focus on the white working class was due to the specific phenomenon of white people leaving the Democratic Party, which was more pronounced than shifts among other racial groups at the time.

The episode begins by introducing Thomas Frank's 2004 book, "What's the Matter with Kansas?", which explores the rightward shift of the white working class. The hosts discuss the political climate of 2002 and the prevailing belief among Democrats that demographic changes would favor them. They introduce counterarguments and the complexities of defining the "white working class."

Introduction of Thomas Frank's book and its central thesis.
The political landscape of 2002 and the Democratic Party's outlook.
The debate surrounding the definition of the white working class and its political leanings.

Shownotes Transcript

In 2004, historian Thomas Frank proposed a theory about the rightward drift of the white working class. Was he a prescient king whose work presaged the rise of Trump — or a bumbling fool with a broken thesis? Unfortunately it turns out he is a secret third thing that takes one hour and six minutes to explain.Special thanks to Julia Valdés for her help with this episode!**Where to find us: **

Peter's other podcast, 5-4)
Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase)

Sources:

The Thesis That Drove American Politics Crazy: The Emerging Democratic Majority )
What’s the Matter with What’s the Matter with Kansas?)
Class is Dismissed)
The White Working Class and the Democratic Party)
It’s time to bust the myth: Most Trump voters were not working class.)
How the diploma divide came to dominate American politics)
The 'Diploma Divide': Does It Exist for Racial and Ethnic Minorities?)
Blind Retrospection: Why Shark Attacks Are Bad For Democracy)
Nationally poor, locally rich: Income and local context in the 2016 presidential election)
Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government)
Identity Crisis: The 2016 Presidential Campaign and the Battle for the Meaning of America)
Political Landscapes of Donald Trump)
The White Working Class and the 2016 Election)
Partisanship by family income, home ownership, union membership and veteran status)
The Elites Had It Coming)
What Explains Educational Realignment Among White Americans?)

Thanks to Mindseye) for our theme song!