Sunday, December 29, 2024

Natural Constituencies

I’m playing with some ideas here, seeing if they fit together. It’s a first cut at redefining the two major parties’ natural constituencies.

I view modern Democrats as representing everyone in our society who feels him- or herself a victim. Plus those who enable the self-identified victims, or utilize others’ claimed victimhood for their own selfish purposes - DEI staff, for example.

I view modern (aka MAGA) Republicans as representing everyone who doesn’t view themself as a victim (aka “normies) and who is parsimonious with granting victimhood to others whose supposed victimhood is the result of choices they made.

Perhaps that last concept needs explaining. If an individual is truly handicapped by birth defects, sickness, injury or serious mental disorder such that they cannot function independently, their victimhood is a given. 

OTOH, too many people declare themselves victims because it excuses their lack of effort to succeed, their substance abuse, or laziness or other self-defeating behaviors. Such folk are slackers in the eyes of modern Republicans. 

They truly are discriminated against in the sense they do not get the sympathy and aid from us to which they believe their chosen victimhood entitles them. The result: petulance and whining.