The selection was quite obviously made with two elements of US society in mind–the socially conservative Christian fundamentalists that serve as the GOP’s voting base and the US working class. It is my contention that the latter element is a misnomer. It is not the US working class that the GOP is chasing with Palin’s nomination. It is the reactionary element of the white part of that working class. The pretense by the GOP, the media and others in US society that this element of the working class is “the working class” is not only incorrect, it is (at the least) unconsciously nativist, if not outright racist.

Ron, thanks your astute analysis of the Palin pick and zeroing in on a core issue that keep the “working class” divided. The challenge of defeating racism (ALL FORMS of RACISM) is IMO a prime strategy that will enable the working class to coalesce into a coherent force to challenge the system. Failing to analyze racism and how the GOP intended to use racism to continue to hold onto power I think is an aspect missing in many of the critiques on the Obama campaign.

To be clear, I am not reading or suggesting that your analysis is an endorsement of the Obama campaign. However I find your article a very important contribution to the discussion of how leftist can properly analyze the current among the masses.

It does reflect CHANGE. The Archie Bunker mindset among workers of the 1970′s has clearly been altered. This has to do with as you clearly point out the changing demographic and the successes of the 1960 movements.

I think the Left needs to keep your article in mind because it can offer a perspective that may enable the Left to better position itself to engage is this opportunity.

I’ll end with a tip-of-the-hast to Peter Camejo who passed away yesterday. He was a very wise man who clearly understood how to properly analyze the opportunity of bourgeois division.