I believe one source of the present political division in the United States is resentment over the perceived elitism of political minorities. In the 1930’s when Roosevelt came into office ushering in the heydey of liberalism most Americans did not embrace liberal values. It was not a majority value that the larger society had responsibility through its government to take care of those in need. It was not thought that government had a role in social justice. It certainly was not thought that we should be mixing in the affairs of Europe. We were isolationist. We were not in favor of public works. How, then, did we end up with all the changes that took place throughout 30’s and 40’s? How did we end up with the new deal?
In the 30’s the great depression started with the stock market crash of 1929. The country was in chaos with banks failing, paper fortunes diminishing and massive unemployment and hardship. The Republican administration of Herbert Hoover seemed to offer no answers. The American people voted for change. They weren’t asking about ideology. The democrats came into power with a mandate for that change. The democrat that became President was the former Governor of New York, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It was this liberal eastern establishment that took over. There was money in the treasury and they spent it on public works to put people to work. They declared a bank holiday and then imposed regulations on the banks and the various trading markets. All kinds of regulatory agencies were born. It was the birth of so-called the modern welfare state.
America was determined to stay out of the war in Europe. President Roosevelt believed America needed to help Britain survive and did everything he could to help, but isolationist America would not have tolerated direct intervention. It all changed in 1941 with the attack on Pearl Harbor. America declared war on Japan and within days were also at war with Germany and Italy.
America would not have voted for liberalism if it had not been for the twin crises of the great depression and WWII. Events conspired to give the liberalism power that it could never have achieved otherwise. That power lasted long after the crisis had passed, culminating in the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, Medicaid and Medicare and eventually ending with Lyndon Johnson’s "Great Society". All of this was done against the instincts of many Americans. Even though many prominent liberals came from other areas it seems to be a perception that liberalism is a Northeastern phenomenon. It seems that a small segment of America thinks it knows what is good for everyone else. Over the years since the Great Society a conservative movement has expanded across the land. Much of the popularity of conservatism is fueled by the resentment of perceived liberal elitism.
Today we are ruled by the most conservative government in our history. Much of its agenda is cultural. Although much has been said about a supposed rightward trend in American moral values it doesn’t appear that a majority really wish to change things. While most would not describe themselves as liberal there are still more registered Democrats than Republicans. While everybody criticizes Hollywood and the entertainment business for its preponderance of salaciousness and over the top violence. The entertainment industry continues to grow ever more successful, meaning that the vast majority of Americans are attending these films and TV shows that are so reviled by the radical right.
On abortion, probably the most divisive internal issue in America, an Associated press poll, this year, indicates that 61% of those polled believe Roe V. Wade should be upheld.
How did we get a government, executive, legislative and probably soon to be judicial branches of which are all committed to an agenda more conservative than the rest of the country? Again crisis. As the President says "9/11 changed everything". People are genuinely fearful of terrorism. The majority of Americans think George Bush is doing a good job in that effort. I have seen so much punditry and opinion polls that did not ask the direct question, "Did you vote for George Bush because you think he will be better in the war on terrorism?" So I can only give my opinion. People gave John Kerry a look. They found him wanting. They knew about all the mistakes in Iraq and before 9/11, but they voted for the most aggressive sounding man.
That man is the most conservative President we have ever had. He is likely to create a tyranny of minority rule far more onerous to most of America than that of the liberals. He is likely to muddle the separation of Church and State as desired by the Christian right. He is likely to continue to lower taxes on the wealthy and business. He is likely to continue to use war as the instrument of his desire to reshape the world in his vision of America.
The rest of us will fight some battles with this tyranny. I already hear some rumblings about a fight in the Senate against the confirmation of Alberto Gonzalez as Attorney-General. Gonzalez is the Author of memos advising that loosening of the definition of torture and the deminishing of U.S. adherence to the Geneva Convention. We may win some battles we will certainly lose some others. Hope for rational government will wait until the majority can see past its fear to once against concern itself with what kind of country we want.
Melvyn Polatchek
