A Conservative Answer to the Problems of Poor and Working Class White Americans: MOVE!

[AthenaAwakened]

From the National Review, authored by Kevin Williamson, roving correspondent for National Review.

Nothing happened to them. There wasn’t some awful disaster. There wasn’t a war or a famine or a plague or a foreign occupation. Even the economic changes of the past few decades do very little to explain the dysfunction and negligence — and the incomprehensible malice — of poor white America. So the gypsum business in Garbutt ain’t what it used to be. There is more to life in the 21st century than wallboard and cheap sentimentality about how the Man closed the factories down. The truth about these dysfunctional, downscale communities is that they deserve to die. Economically, they are negative assets. Morally, they are indefensible. Forget all your cheap theatrical Bruce Springsteen crap. Forget your sanctimony about struggling Rust Belt factory towns and your conspiracy theories about the wily Orientals stealing our jobs. Forget your goddamned gypsum, and, if he has a problem with that, forget Ed Burke, too. The white American underclass is in thrall to a vicious, selfish culture whose main products are misery and used heroin needles. Donald Trump’s speeches make them feel good. So does OxyContin. What they need isn’t analgesics, literal or political. They need real opportunity, which means that they need real change, which means that they need U-Haul.

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/artic...dysfunction-real-opportunity-needed-not-trump

Is Williamson right? Is the answer for the millions of white Americans who are struggling and voting for Trump simply to, in the words of Erykah Badu, "Call Tyrone?"

 

[whichphilosophy]

From the National Review, authored by Kevin Williamson, roving correspondent for National Review.

Nothing happened to them. There wasn’t some awful disaster. There wasn’t a war or a famine or a plague or a foreign occupation. Even the economic changes of the past few decades do very little to explain the dysfunction and negligence — and the incomprehensible malice — of poor white America. So the gypsum business in Garbutt ain’t what it used to be. There is more to life in the 21st century than wallboard and cheap sentimentality about how the Man closed the factories down. The truth about these dysfunctional, downscale communities is that they deserve to die. Economically, they are negative assets. Morally, they are indefensible. Forget all your cheap theatrical Bruce Springsteen crap. Forget your sanctimony about struggling Rust Belt factory towns and your conspiracy theories about the wily Orientals stealing our jobs. Forget your goddamned gypsum, and, if he has a problem with that, forget Ed Burke, too. The white American underclass is in thrall to a vicious, selfish culture whose main products are misery and used heroin needles. Donald Trump’s speeches make them feel good. So does OxyContin. What they need isn’t analgesics, literal or political. They need real opportunity, which means that they need real change, which means that they need U-Haul.

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/artic...dysfunction-real-opportunity-needed-not-trump

Is Williamson right? Is the answer for the millions of white Americans who are struggling and voting for Trump simply to, in the words of Erykah Badu, "Call Tyrone?"

At election time, all the parties claim to find solutions to the problems of poor and working class Americans as in 'Vote for Me.'

 

[Nice Squirrel]

From the National Review, authored by Kevin Williamson, roving correspondent for National Review.

Nothing happened to them. There wasn’t some awful disaster. There wasn’t a war or a famine or a plague or a foreign occupation. Even the economic changes of the past few decades do very little to explain the dysfunction and negligence — and the incomprehensible malice — of poor white America. So the gypsum business in Garbutt ain’t what it used to be. There is more to life in the 21st century than wallboard and cheap sentimentality about how the Man closed the factories down. The truth about these dysfunctional, downscale communities is that they deserve to die. Economically, they are negative assets. Morally, they are indefensible. Forget all your cheap theatrical Bruce Springsteen crap. Forget your sanctimony about struggling Rust Belt factory towns and your conspiracy theories about the wily Orientals stealing our jobs. Forget your goddamned gypsum, and, if he has a problem with that, forget Ed Burke, too. The white American underclass is in thrall to a vicious, selfish culture whose main products are misery and used heroin needles. Donald Trump’s speeches make them feel good. So does OxyContin. What they need isn’t analgesics, literal or political. They need real opportunity, which means that they need real change, which means that they need U-Haul.

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/artic...dysfunction-real-opportunity-needed-not-trump

Is Williamson right? Is the answer for the millions of white Americans who are struggling and voting for Trump simply to, in the words of Erykah Badu, "Call Tyrone?"

Interesting, we were talking about this in the context of the Minnesota-Wisconsin divide. Minnesota's big manufacturing economy slowly left by the 1990s and Wisconsin's hung in there until the Great Recession. Now there is nothing to do in rural communities but low-paying odd jobs. With less people and counties needing to take care of an aging population, taxes are high and people are stressed. Meanwhile, in the Twin Cities, companies are flying in low-wage workers to fill positions no one is applying for.

 

[dismal]

Answer to the Problems of Poor and Working Class White Americans

Why wouldn't they just play their White Privilege card?

 

[Nice Squirrel]

Answer to the Problems of Poor and Working Class White Americans

Why wouldn't they just play their White Privilege card?

No table to play it at.

 

[dismal]

Why wouldn't they just play their White Privilege card?

No table to play it at.

Your White Privilege card can get you a table. Try Nebraska Furniture Mart.

 

[AthenaAwakened]

Before we derail completely, the OP once again.

From the National Review, authored by Kevin Williamson, roving correspondent for National Review.

Nothing happened to them. There wasn’t some awful disaster. There wasn’t a war or a famine or a plague or a foreign occupation. Even the economic changes of the past few decades do very little to explain the dysfunction and negligence — and the incomprehensible malice — of poor white America. So the gypsum business in Garbutt ain’t what it used to be. There is more to life in the 21st century than wallboard and cheap sentimentality about how the Man closed the factories down. The truth about these dysfunctional, downscale communities is that they deserve to die. Economically, they are negative assets. Morally, they are indefensible. Forget all your cheap theatrical Bruce Springsteen crap. Forget your sanctimony about struggling Rust Belt factory towns and your conspiracy theories about the wily Orientals stealing our jobs. Forget your goddamned gypsum, and, if he has a problem with that, forget Ed Burke, too. The white American underclass is in thrall to a vicious, selfish culture whose main products are misery and used heroin needles. Donald Trump’s speeches make them feel good. So does OxyContin. What they need isn’t analgesics, literal or political. They need real opportunity, which means that they need real change, which means that they need U-Haul.

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/artic...dysfunction-real-opportunity-needed-not-trump

Is Williamson right? Is the answer for the millions of white Americans who are struggling and voting for Trump simply to, in the words of Erykah Badu, "Call Tyrone?"

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

They can't move now. Trump is bringing the factories back. He'll change how capitalism works.

But if he isn't elected, if you live in an area with no jobs, you may want to pack up.

No table to play it at.

Your White Privilege card can get you a table. Try Nebraska Furniture Mart.

Of course, those white people who are on welfare and getting government assistance aren't being called out as leeches on the government.

 

[AthenaAwakened]

They can't move now. Trump is bringing the factories back. He'll change how capitalism works.

But if he isn't elected, if you live in an area with no jobs, you may want to pack up.

Your White Privilege card can get you a table. Try Nebraska Furniture Mart.

Of course, those white people who are on welfare and getting government assistance aren't being called out as leeches on the government.

Just picturing millions of white people, all their belongings strapped to the top of '94 Bronco, treking ... I don't know where.

The New migrant workers, The Grapes of Wrath for the new millennium, Tom Joad for a casualized and Uber-ized America.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

They can't move now. Trump is bringing the factories back. He'll change how capitalism works.

But if he isn't elected, if you live in an area with no jobs, you may want to pack up.

Of course, those white people who are on welfare and getting government assistance aren't being called out as leeches on the government.

Just picturing millions of white people, all their belongings strapped to the top of '94 Bronco, treking ... I don't know where.

The New migrant workers, The Grapes of Wrath for the new millennium, Tom Joad for a casualized and Uber-ized America.

Populations are always migrating in the US. Ohio and Michigan have been losing population for quite a while now. You can't quickly replace the lost jobs from a factory closing. Granted, a lot of these closings happened a long while ago. And it seems so utterly stupid to be complaining about it now. Might as well start whining about the Soviet Union.

 

[RVonse]

[
Just picturing millions of white people, all their belongings strapped to the top of '94 Bronco, treking ... I don't know where.

Thats easy. They should move to the booming areas of this country......silicon valley and/or the Charleston, Raleigh tech corridor. Get out of the rust belt and let that land return to farming again.

 

[jonatha]

[
Just picturing millions of white people, all their belongings strapped to the top of '94 Bronco, treking ... I don't know where.

Thats easy. They should move to the booming areas of this country......silicon valley and/or the Charleston, Raleigh tech corridor. Get out of the rust belt and let that land return to farming again.

Some of these places, they could sell the entire county and not have enough to buy a two bedroom bungalow in Silicon Valley...

 

[AthenaAwakened]

[
Just picturing millions of white people, all their belongings strapped to the top of '94 Bronco, treking ... I don't know where.

Thats easy. They should move to the booming areas of this country......silicon valley and/or the Charleston, Raleigh tech corridor. Get out of the rust belt and let that land return to farming again.

And do what when they get there? Go to school to retrain for a job market that in two to four years will be markedly different? And what about when those jobs saturate or become obsolete?

Are we looking at a perpetual population of people moving and retraining and moving and retraining and moving and retraining? And as more jobs go over seas or are automated, does that population grow or should there be a mass exodus of workers to whatever foreign lands the jobs are?

 

[ksen]

From the National Review, authored by Kevin Williamson, roving correspondent for National Review.

Nothing happened to them. There wasn’t some awful disaster. There wasn’t a war or a famine or a plague or a foreign occupation. Even the economic changes of the past few decades do very little to explain the dysfunction and negligence — and the incomprehensible malice — of poor white America. So the gypsum business in Garbutt ain’t what it used to be. There is more to life in the 21st century than wallboard and cheap sentimentality about how the Man closed the factories down. The truth about these dysfunctional, downscale communities is that they deserve to die. Economically, they are negative assets. Morally, they are indefensible. Forget all your cheap theatrical Bruce Springsteen crap. Forget your sanctimony about struggling Rust Belt factory towns and your conspiracy theories about the wily Orientals stealing our jobs. Forget your goddamned gypsum, and, if he has a problem with that, forget Ed Burke, too. The white American underclass is in thrall to a vicious, selfish culture whose main products are misery and used heroin needles. Donald Trump’s speeches make them feel good. So does OxyContin. What they need isn’t analgesics, literal or political. They need real opportunity, which means that they need real change, which means that they need U-Haul.

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/artic...dysfunction-real-opportunity-needed-not-trump

Is Williamson right? Is the answer for the millions of white Americans who are struggling and voting for Trump simply to, in the words of Erykah Badu, "Call Tyrone?"

I thought NR was against economic refugeeism?

- - - Updated - - -

Thats easy. They should move to the booming areas of this country......silicon valley and/or the Charleston, Raleigh tech corridor. Get out of the rust belt and let that land return to farming again.

And do what when they get there? Go to school to retrain for a job market that in two to four years will be markedly different? And what about when those jobs saturate or become obsolete?

Are we looking at a perpetual population of people moving and retraining and moving and retraining and moving and retraining? And as more jobs go over seas or are automated, does that population grow or should there be a mass exodus of workers to whatever foreign lands the jobs are?

Yeah, just picturing a bunch of ex-coal workers from West Virginia showing up on Google's front step looking for work. I'm sure they'd get hired!

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

Thats easy. They should move to the booming areas of this country......silicon valley and/or the Charleston, Raleigh tech corridor. Get out of the rust belt and let that land return to farming again.

And do what when they get there? Go to school to retrain for a job market that in two to four years will be markedly different? And what about when those jobs saturate or become obsolete?

Are we looking at a perpetual population of people moving and retraining and moving and retraining and moving and retraining? And as more jobs go over seas or are automated, does that population grow or should there be a mass exodus of workers to whatever foreign lands the jobs are?

Not so very long ago most of us were plain old subsistence farmers. Brutally hard work. I'll take 40 acres and a mule.

 

[prideandfall]

And do what when they get there? Go to school to retrain for a job market that in two to four years will be markedly different? And what about when those jobs saturate or become obsolete?

Are we looking at a perpetual population of people moving and retraining and moving and retraining and moving and retraining? And as more jobs go over seas or are automated, does that population grow or should there be a mass exodus of workers to whatever foreign lands the jobs are?

i know this won't be a popular opinion, especially around here, but i think this is the inevitable end result of the "babies. make babies. lots of babies. ALL THE BABIES" mentality that has been thrumming through US culture for the last... forever.
these small rural towns that basically were sprung up in order to support a factory and then perpetuated themselves via human nature... there really is a point at which you have to acknowledge that there is no viable economic, cultural, or structural means by which to justify the continued existence of a population center that can't support itself.

now of course the problem is that poor people with no job skills and no financial resources can't pack up a truck and move to the city en masse, there's no way that works out logistically, so while the article in the OP managed to correctly identify a problem that exists, the "solution" offered is staggeringly naive.

 

[RavenSky]

[
Just picturing millions of white people, all their belongings strapped to the top of '94 Bronco, treking ... I don't know where.

Thats easy. They should move to the booming areas of this country......silicon valley and/or the Charleston, Raleigh tech corridor. Get out of the rust belt and let that land return to farming again.

And do what?

Live where?

Those "booming areas" are going to be more expensive to live in, and will not necessarily have comparably paying jobs... most likely won't. Unless the person also gets additional training/education (which costs money), if they find a job at all it will be in a lower paying service industry. And their living expenses will be higher.

 

[RavenSky]

i know this won't be a popular opinion, especially around here, but i think this is the inevitable end result of the "babies. make babies. lots of babies. ALL THE BABIES" mentality that has been thrumming through US culture for the last... forever.
these small rural towns that basically were sprung up in order to support a factory and then perpetuated themselves via human nature... there really is a point at which you have to acknowledge that there is no viable economic, cultural, or structural means by which to justify the continued existence of a population center that can't support itself.

now of course the problem is that poor people with no job skills and no financial resources can't pack up a truck and move to the city en masse, there's no way that works out logistically, so while the article in the OP managed to correctly identify a problem that exists, the "solution" offered is staggeringly naive.

I think you have a good point, but have slightly missed the real mark. This isn't on the people having the big families - which pre-dates the U.S. by thousands of years, and was/is a world-wide necessity in the days of farms and higher mortality rates.

The problem is that our economy (in much of the world) relies on an ever expanding customer base - i.e. "babies. make babies. lots of babies. ALL THE BABIES" - and that is unsustainable.

 

[prideandfall]

This isn't on the people having the big families - which pre-dates the U.S. by thousands of years, and was/is a world-wide necessity in the days of farms and higher mortality rates.

oh i'm not blaming the families, i'm just saying that the "squirt out the biggest litter of spawn you can" attitude that is still prevalent in the human race (and notice i said it had been going on pretty much forever) will eventually and inevitably run up against a wall of economic logistics wherein a region simply can't support a theoretically unlimited number of people.

The problem is that our economy (in much of the world) relies on an ever expanding customer base - i.e. "babies. make babies. lots of babies. ALL THE BABIES" - and that is unsustainable.

but what "the economy" relies on and what "realistic logistics for a given region" can sustain are two very different things.

 

[Horatio Parker]

Society is much easier without people mucking it up.