If you thought working class folks were bitter before, just imagine how they might feel after reading this choice quote:
"Screw 'em. You don't owe them a thing, Bill. They're doing nothing for you; you don't have to do anything for them."
That would be Hillary Clinton, referring to Southern, white, working-class males while talking to her husband in 1995.
The "Screw 'em" bit is, of course, simply lovely, but I think what's much more interesting (and telling) is the notion of transactional (or quid pro quo) politics implied by the end of the statement. I'm not sure why it is politicans think citizens, much less working class citizens (who presumably are pretty tired after a long, grueling work week), should do anything for them; it should be the other way around, and we certainly pay them nice, upper-middle class salaries to work for all of us, not just the 50 + 1 percent of Americans who vote them in. But the quote reminded me of Algernon from Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, idly musing that "if the lower orders don’t set us a good [moral] example, what on earth is the use of them?" And if they're not going to vote for us, why, screw them, indeed!
The Rise of a New Left

“An engrossing, behind-the-scenes account of our decade’s breakout political movement.” –Atossa Araxia Abrahamian
For a limited time, when you donate $30 or more to support In These Times, we’ll send you a copy of the new book, The Rise of a New Left: How Young Radicals Are Shaping the Future of American Politics, by Raina Lipsitz.
Brian Cook was an editor at In These Times from 2003 to 2009. He now works on the editorial staff of Playboy magazine.
More articles by Brian Cook

Culture
Mr. Robot Is the Anti-Capitalist TV Show We’ve Been Waiting For
By placing class warfare front and center, Mr. Robot makes socialism a vibrant force again in popular culture, its aims urgent and compelling.

Culture
Watching The Watchers
Mass Observation returns for the Obama inauguration.

Culture
Won’t Get Fooled Again
(Well … maybe just one more time.)
Similar articles
The ITT List
Weekly Pulse: Czar 44, Where are You?
Lindsay Beyerstein
The ITT List
Weekly Pulse: Are We There Yet?
Lindsay Beyerstein
The ITT List
Reporting On Anti-Immigration: Chris Hayes On Radio
Brian Zick