Whose Fault Will It Be?

by digby

Jack Balkin comments on Jeff Sessions’ special kind of identity politics:

The racial politics of Lee Atwater and his successors has by now long worn out its welcome. We see Senator Sessions engaging in Atwater version 6.0. Like many updates, the old software worked far better.

We should let Sessions rant and rave, but not be much worried about him anymore. We should coolly ignore the newest provocations, much as Judge Sotomayor did today. Sessions can appeal to his base all day long. But playing the politics of resentment to a smaller and smaller base is a loser’s strategy. Let him play it and lose.

I agree. But I have a question. If this economy stays bad and the country doesn’t recover smartly, people are going to get more unhappy and they are going to want to blame someone. Traditionally, the right has always scapegoated blacks or foreigners at times like these (thus deflecting any blame from the ruling class.) And there have been plenty of apolitical people who were willing to look in that direction. But if race is off the table, where will Americans turn if things don’t improve quickly?

Who’s going to be blamed this time?

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