[lbo-talk] What's the matter with Kansas this time?

Michael Pollak mpollak at panix.com
Sun Oct 1 23:36:20 PDT 2006


URL: http://select.nytimes.com/2006/10/02/opinion/02krugman.html

The New York Times

October 2, 2006

Op-Ed Columnist

Things Fall Apart

By PAUL KRUGMAN

Right after the 2004 election, it seemed as if Thomas Frank had been

completely vindicated. In his book Whats the Matter With Kansas? How

Conservatives Won the Heart of America, Mr. Frank argued that Americas

right wing had developed a permanent winning strategy based on the use

of values issues to mobilize white working-class voters against a

largely mythical cultural elite, while actually pursuing policies

designed to benefit a small economic elite.

It was and is a brilliant analysis. But the political strategy Mr.

Frank described may have less staying power than he feared.

<snip>

So the right-wing coalition is showing signs of coming apart. It seems

that were not in Kansas anymore. In fact, Kansas itself doesn't seem to

be in Kansas anymore. Kathleen Sebelius, the state's Democratic

governor, has achieved a sky-high favorability rating by focusing on

good governance rather than culture wars, and her party believes it

will win big this year.

And nine former Kansas Republicans, including Mark Parkinson, the

former state G.O.P. chairman, are now running for state office as

Democrats. Why did Mr. Parkinson change parties? Because he got tired

of the theological debate over whether Charles Darwin was right.

<end>

Full at: URL: http://select.nytimes.com/2006/10/02/opinion/02krugman.html

(I can also send it to anyone who doesn't have Timeselect. Just ask offlist.)

Michael



More information about the lbo-talk mailing list