No no, the other guy is the bigot

Zogby has a new poll up which is fascinating in that it asks not "what do you think about this", but "what do you think your neighbor thinks about this". In particular, it asks about bigotry against various groups, based on race, political affiliation, etc. It's cleverly titled A Racist Lives Next Door.

For example:

While 67% of respondents claimed to have no preference themselves between a white, black or Arab clerk in a convenience store, 71% said, “most Americans” would seek out the white clerk.

Translated, most Americans imagine themselves clear-minded and progressive, and most everyone else to be bigoted. I think it says less about racism and more about the power of self-image.

But, being the local political minority that I am, I found this to be credible:

When asked which political party most Americans believe to be responsible for many of the gravest problems facing the world:

• War: 62% blamed Republicans vs. 14% Democrats
• Global Warming: 56% blamed Republicans vs. 10% Democrats
• Prejudice: 52% blamed Republicans vs. 22% for Democrats
• Poverty: 49% held Republicans accountable; 29% Democrats
• Corruption: 47% blamed Republicans vs. 31% Democrats
• Crime: On this issue, respondents reversed the trend, with 42% blaming Democrats vs. 23% Republicans

Now, I would have voted with these majorities. I do think that people blame "Republicans" for just about anything. When I hear this kind of talk (which is pretty much every day 'round here), the first thing I think is that the person talking has trouble forming their own opinions. (I also think "swap 'Republican' with 'Jew' to see how progressive your ideas really are".)

But the more hopeful thing I think is that there is a seed of a libertarian in this person.

See, the problems above are overwhelmingly caused by governments, not so much by the parties in charge. I don't think Republicans in power are substantially different than Democrats in power -- they have essentially the same incentives, the same information, the same problems, and the same unaccountability. The fact that our Democratic Congress has an approval rating about 1/2 of Bush's should make this clear.

At the end of the day, their behavior in office is just not that different. Activists on both sides find this dispiriting. The way I put it to a friend of mine is that Dems and 'Pubs are just different species of roach. And they are all statists. As a successful politician, one must be, by definition.

The solution, as you might expect from me, is to make governments less powerful. For righties, this means letting go of government-empowering ideas like the War on Drugs and constitutional amendments on social issues. For lefties, this means letting go of high taxes and "protected classes" and cartels unions and price regulation and gov't healthcare and Social Security and...well, you get the picture.

(hat-tip Memeorandum)

Comments

[Darren]

Apparently the NEA, the national teachers union, thinks its own members are homophobes:
http://rightontheleftcoast.blogspot.com/2007/07/nea-members-are-homophobes.html

Unless you can read a different explanation into what they said....

[lucyp]

My theory is that most Americans are not racist, but have bought in to the minority interest group hype that most Americans *are* racist.

So everybody answering this poll is thinking, "well, I know *I'm* not racist, but I keep hearing about how racist Americans are, so that must mean that my neighbors are the racist ones".

[Ted Harvey]

Dear One-man_Band, I find that the current, almost unreal, UK politics support your comment that:

"See, the problems above are overwhelmingly caused by governments, not so much by the parties in charge. I don't think Republicans in power are substantially different than Democrats in power -- they have essentially the same incentives, the same information, the same problems, and the same unaccountability.

We currently have a UK Labour Party Prime Minister who recently treated the Tory 'great monster' Margaret Thatcher to an informal but high profile session in 10 Downing Street. We have just skirted with financila market collapse brought about by Labour's extreme laxity in market regulation - and that collapse was averted (for a while?) by a Labour Government putting huge volumes of taxpayers money 'on-the-line' to rescue a particulalry risk-taking private lender. Ohter oddities are the Labour Prime Minister calling in a controversial equity fund venture capitalist of the 'devout Christian', but astute avoider (legitimately) of paying taxes on huge corporate profits, type.

Meanwhile, our Labour government in cahoots with the Oppositon in Parliament, have been setting themselves up with huge tax payer funded pensions, property speculation funds... and then granting themselves, through low tactics, unique exmption from the Freedom of Information Act to cover these things up.

As you say it's governments that are the problem; because at the end of the day the Parties all behave the same.

[Chris D]

You are not the only Republican in San Francisco, but living amongst all the crazies, it sure feels like it most of the time.

[Kindred Spirit in Taxachusetts]

We have just as many 'crazies' out here on the east coast. I sometimes feel like "freedom of speech" only pertains to Democrats; conversative views are not tolerated well. Yet, as your article points out, I'm sure they all think that Republicans are the ones infringing on personal freedoms!

[Jan]

Whoa, hope you're still out there, as I thought I was the only Republican in San Francisco! Well, not really. Have some terrific Repub friends, but nice to hear there are a few more of us.

Good post. Timely, as well, since the Rev. Wright speech issue. Wondering if this could be applied to the racism issue as well. My black friends say they don't believe that most whites are racist, but that other African-Americans believe it.

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Government spending is poverty. It is the destruction of wealth. Imagine a world of hungry people.