Palin complaining about "class bias": Since when did Republicans care about class?

Question

I hear Republicans around me and Republican pundits constantly mocking the idea of "class inequality" and "class warfare" and refusing to acknowledge inequalities in treatment as a result of class. It's a favorite Republican talking point that "class" does not exist, that lower classes have no good reasons to be angry with the upper classes. Why is Palin now leaning on it as an excuse?

Answer 1

As usual, the hypocritical Republicans like Palin use whatever concept is convenient as an excuse while ranting and railing against the proper use of the concept by liberals and Democrats.



Palin is also describing herself as the victim of all of these mean forces that conspired against her. Victimization is another concept that Republicans attribute to Democrats but use constantly to excuse their own inadequacies.



Edit: Palin was using the "class" concept to describe her perception that Caroline Kennedy was getting better treatment than she was. When I heard that I laughed because while Palin was trying to refer to socioeconomic class, I immediately thought of class, as in Palin has no class.

Answer 2

that's a very interesting point and a keen observation. words matter!



Palin is young enough to have unconsciously incorporated the language accompanying Marxist doctrine. However, this does not mean that she is a Marxist or even using the word in the way Marxists do. As other posters said, pre-Marxist America used terms like "classy" as in "high-falooting."





We must remember that Fat Albert's friend Russell dismissed many things as being "no class." As a classless state is considered by Marxists as ideal, Russell's use of this phrase as a slur strongly indicates that he either used the phrase in another context, or was a strong opponent of Marxist doctrine.







Palin could have said cultural bias, or regional bias, or something else;



However, when she used this expression, I believe that she was thinking like the Kennedys do. I guar-an-tee that most Kennedy family members and those in their circles would consider themselves to be in a "better class" than, say, one of Sarah Palin's children even if that child were to emerge as a genius and/or achieve the financial success of a Howard Hughes.....there is a scene in the movie The Aviator that expresses the different worldviews I address here.



you may also enjoy learning about the Southern Agrarians

Answer 3

I suspect what you're actually hearing (as opposed to what you perceive you're hearing) is the Republicans making fun of your class envy and belief in class warfare.



Yes, if you go by monetary gradients, you can create different classes to label people, but the fact is that the US has the highest mobility between the classes, based on earnings.



I've never seen a Republican say that class doesn't exist. If you can link any, I'd appreciate it. But the truth is that there is high social mobility between the classes in the US, moreso than anywhere else. Classes are not permanent locations that people can't move out of.



And people who irrationally choose to hate the upper class and blame them for all their ills only perpetuate their own misery, and the energy they use in such vain pursuits is wasted, when they could (and should) be using it to improve themselves.



They have no valid gripes against the upper classes.



And Palin wasn't attacking Kennedy - she was attacking the bias of the media.

Answer 4

Palin will not accept the fact that it was her own words and obvious ignorance that caused her downfall. She apparently hasn't been watching TV when they've continuously shown the clip of Carolyn Kennedy repeatedly saying "you know" just like they showed clips of her. The "meany liberal media picks on me" mantra is another case of the conservative victim mentality.

Answer 5

She'll use any excuse that floats to the top of her brain fluid.

In General, Republicans don't care about class, otherwise, they'd try and get some.

They don't appreciate science or higher education... don't need it because God smiles on them and he will reward them for being so wonderful.

They don't get God's message that they are supposed to be accountable for all their breathern, not just the elite...famous bushism

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blbushism-elite.htm

"This is an impressive crowd — the haves and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite. I call you my base." —Presidential candidate George W. Bush, at the annual Al Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, Oct. 19, 2000

He had another that I didn't take time to find.

Sometimes....heh heh.sometimes money trumps peace.

How classy is that.

Answer 6

You are comparing apples & oranges.



When a Republican says "class doesn't exist in America" they are saying that our culture allows people to rise above their beginnings. Our culture, generally admires peolple who started at the bottom & rise to the top.



What Sarah Palin was talking about was 'liberal elitism" where the look down on those who are rural.



If a reporter likes the politics of a politician that started at the bottom, they applaud the rags to riches story.

But if they don't like the politics of that politicain, then they treat him as a rube. How many questions have you seen hear calling the Palins Red necks & white trash!

Answer 7

Sarah Palin is just saying her side of the story now. She should have her time to air her views. Katie Couric and all the media was on the Obama wagon, trying to trip her up and/or taking things out of context. The media is still bashing her daughter. At least she knows her Baby Daddy is!!! The pure ignorance that the media portrayed her as was a disgrace to our election process. She has a lot of class yet down home. A classic American citizen. Has done a good job in Alaska. For you idiots out there.she said you can see Russia from Alaska .Tina Fey said she could see it from her house.

Answer 8

Ever since the Democrats started to care about the middle-class.

Answer 9

She is referring to the wealthy and elite Caroline Kennedy, who has no experience in governing, being given the Senate seat, just because she is a member of the Democrat elite class. However, Palin feels that she was subject to ridicule by the elites in the media, because she was a working class woman. She certainly has more experience than Kennedy has.



Of course, she is partly correct. She did not perform very well in interviews, but she is a much better public speaker than Caroline Kennedy.



Video: Sarah Palin Strikes Back At Biased Media

http://www.gopusa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56733



NewsBusters



Documentarian John Ziegler has posted at Andrew Breitbart's new website Big Hollywood a fabulous video of an interview he did Monday with Gov. Sarah Palin (embedded right).



In it, Palin answers -- with her characteristically delicious candor! -- how she felt about the media's coverage of her family, as well as the Katie Couric interview and Tina Fey's parodies.



In his article about his meeting with Palin, Ziegler offered his own castigation of the press's abysmal performance during the 2008 presidential campaign:



video here http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/01/08/video-sarah-palin-strikes-back-biased-media

Answer 10

You have to realize that what a party proper represents is not always in tune with what the individuals within the party represent.



I mean I could say "you always talk about class warfare, but now you say its nothing to worry about because Palin is the one griping"



She is right and more on target than ever on this one.

Answer 11

She's not talking about rich or poor, lower, middle, or upper class - she is talking about the classes in politics. There is the class that rises from the bottom up, and there is the class that has the single qualification of a famous last name [such as Kennedy.]

That is what she is talking about.

Answer 12

You're correct. Republicans have wanted to avoid the issue of "class" for decades, and they could count on Palin to resubmit the off-limits topic.

Answer 13

Since they picked a low class hill billy family like the Palin's to represent them.



Unwed pregnant teen, high school drop out baby daddy and crack head in laws.



How much lower class can you get?

Answer 14

The class issue Palin is referring to is that of the ivory tower, latte slurping, elitist, hypocrite, liberals and democrats who look down on average white people.

Answer 15

She's talking about the class system of "old Washington" and "new Washington" - not about the class of monetary access which is what most Republican pundits disagree with.

Answer 16

Palin is showing, yet again, that she is still stupider than we all thought.



Also, considering that Bush is the current President, very rich, and the son of a former President, the media, according to Palin, should be soft on him too.

Answer 17

Since they realized they ain't got none. The little guys er embarrassed over the way their President done shamed em, so their just a might touchy. Hahaa!

Answer 18

I guess for the same reason you give a pass to the Democrats then they whine.



When are you going to give equal whine to both parties?

Answer 19

We have heard for years from Dems, "Character" does not matter and Repubs. say it does. So Repubs. have cared about class (not social or economic), character, for years just the Dems do not want it to matter.

Answer 20

Oh! I forgot that only dems were allowed to talk about certain things. Sorry for thinking otherwise.

Answer 21

They don't it's the Democrats who classify voters and people like

astronomers classify stars.



It's Democrats who demonize those not of their ilk,

Answer 22

they started worrying about it when they found out they had none

Answer 23

Republicans don't give A crap about Class as long as they are getting Rich and keeping the poor slaving for them they don't give a ****!

Answer 24

Because she's an idiot!

Answer 25

Rich, white people saying everyone is equal and having a persecution complex? Color me surprised.

Answer 26

Since when did Palin have any??

Answer 27

Do not know you need to be specific you are ramling off your point.

Answer 28

she doesn't know whether she's coming or going...but it's certainly entertaining.