Why do some conservatives insist that Elena Kagan is 'from Chicago' when she only spent a few years there?

Question

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgGKY2Pa4AAV1RA7bfo8gETsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20100511045929AAWPnXu&show=7#profile-info-FzL67dkmaa

She was born and raised in New York, then went to Princeton, Oxford, Harvard, and then DC. She was at the University of Chicago in the early to mid nineties.

Opinion aside, facts are hard to dispute

Answer 1

She's from New York, we'll happily claim her. To conservatives, Chicago denotes political corruption and shady individuals in their eyes. As the previous answerer noted, it brings up the notion of the 19th century 'political machine' though that carried well into the 20th century - plus it gives Beck and Limbaugh talking points - they can tie her to Chicago and use references to 'Al Capone style' problem-solving or 'Chicago Shakedown' style politics, and use phrases they particularly enjoy like "South-side thug". It's very convenient for the majority of conservatives not in or around Chicago - they can alienate a small handful for the benefit of identifying with the larger majority in their 'Heartland'.



A lot of conservatives are more than happy to run with a stereotype or play on fears. They dismiss anyone who's spent time abroad as an elitist (they throw out all of Europe as misguided Socialists). You've heard their comments about California or "East Coast liberals" in the Northeast. They can be pretty indemnifying of Democratic strongholds such as bigger cities in the Midwest and Northwest.. it seems a very, very tired tactic but one by one they pit themselves against whoever the "other" best works out to be. If Europeans take a stance in support of one of their beliefs (Brits agreeing to aid in the invasion of Iraq) they are very supportive. As soon as that country is thrown into the limelight for a stance against a conservative view, they're thrown under the bus, as has been the case with universal health care. They do this abroad and with Americans at home - us vs. them, all the time. Cons vs uneducated youths and blacks who ushered in Obama and had no right to vote - Cons vs illegal immigrants and the liberal lawbreakers who don't support rounding them up by police force and kicking them out. Cons vs unionized manufacturers. Cons vs college-educated elites. Cons vs college professors. Cons vs the media. Pick your group, there is surely some argument and stereotype against them that conservatives will play against in their scenario that they stand with the American people against this less-than-American group. Only after a while you notice, there isn't much of a group left standing who conservatives will think of as real Americans.

Answer 2

Roberts v Alito is an easy one. Who would you pick between Thomas and Scalia? I think I might prefer Kagan, but really I dont know enough about either one to give an informed answer ADD: Wow Sarah! I think we have finally found one thing we have in common. I would pick Thomas over Alito too. However, I dont know why you think Scalia and Alito are the 2 most bigoted. I think Sotomayor has said a lot more bigoted things than the 2 of those men combined

Answer 3

Conservatives are people and people make mistakes. However, based on what I have seen on here many of them are eager to believe what they want to believe and don't bother to verify if something being said - especially if it is something negative being said about liberals - is true or not. To be fair I'm sure there are plenty of people on the other side who are just as likely to do this. In addition, many of the people who post here won't believe the truth no matter what and I find this a very disturbing phenomenon as I don't see how you can reason with someone who isn't concerned with any version of events that contradicts what they believe even if it is false and has no basis in reality or isn't reasonable - case in point: the "birthers". The birthers claim that Obama has no birth certificate, and that he wasn't born in the USA and "conveniently forget" that his mother was a U.S. citizen and that automatically makes him a U.S. citizen. I'm a moderate but I do find this to be a rather scary phenomenon as I find willful ignorance frightening and that is what this boils down to. The last thing any country needs is to put people who are ill informed in the electoral majority because it means liars will be in a position of power over us.

Answer 4

Because Chicago is known for corrupt politics. And the "machine," is most closely associated with the first Mayor Daley and he was mayor in the 1960's until his death in 1979. There have never been more corrupt politics in any major American City. We have had three Governor's go to jail, and a fourth one (Blagoeiveich) is going on trial in the beginning of June.

We have a corrupt history here, and the right is trying to infer that she is corrupt too, by playing up the fact she went to school there. It's nonsense.

Answer 5

Sorry, I haven't seen folks insisting that Elema Kagan is from anywhere. However, the Chicago link would be interesting to explore. She has not produced a great deal of work product from which to discern much about her core principles and character (this is a Democrat argument, by the way).

Answer 6

I spent 5 days in Chicago, so to them I'm probably "from Chicago".

Answer 7

They want to demonstrate that she is part of the "Chicago political machine" even though the corrupt political machine was something that was prevalent in the 19th century.

Answer 8

I haven't heard that mentioned; just her QUOTES about defending The Constitution being an abhorrent thing to do.

Answer 9

If you've spent more than a year in that hellhole, your brain could already be fried.

Answer 10

Who cares? There is no way she gets confirmed. Even liberals question this choice.

Answer 11

she also has ties to goldman sachs, did you miss that in your investigation?