Political Contradictions

So we're celebrating President's Day in Politics and Prose's coffee shop this morning.  As I sip my Fair Trade coffee surrounded by other upper northwest liberals, I'm struck by the political and cultural schisms within the left and increasingly the right.


You can generally (and I'm being very general) describe the left as made up of three groups: college educated NPR listeners, the new left, and what's left of organized labor and minorities, the old left.  Politics and Prose is a new left nirvana - an independent bookstore where you can get a vanilla steamer, an Andean Quinoa Salad or fig jam served to you by an emo-listening and tatooed 20-something taking a semester off from Oberlin. 


The differences between the old and new left couldn't be more stark when you are sitting in P&P.  Culturally, the old left is more into cheeseburgers and beer than quinoa, prefer Maxwell house to lattes, is more religious and left complicated that the new left, and would rather listen to Led Zeppelin or Bruce Springsteen than Conor Oberst (is he still popular?).


Finally, the new left is more concerned with personal issues like gay rights than the old left is, though both groups are equally concerned about labor rights and minority rights; we can all agree on fair trade coffee and using union hotels for our conferences!


That kind of cleavage is kind of old hat for the Democrats.  It was perfected in the 60s, and led to Richard Nixon getting elected in 1968.  And some argue the new left voting for Nader cost Al Gore the election in 2000.


The right has done a better job of papering over their own schisms - but that may not hold this year.  Everyone from Charlie Crist to John McCain to Utah Senator Bill Bennett are fighting off primary challenges from the new right.  


The old right worships Wall Street but wants less government intervention in their personal life; they golf and play tennis but aren't known for being big NASCAR fans.  The new right - epitomized by the tea baggers this year - want the opposite.  They think Obama is conspiring with Wall Street (to keep the white working class down, deliver the nation to the Muslims, etc.).  And of course they favor government telling women what they can and can't do with their bodies, and want government to prohibit gays and others from having equal rights (marriage, military, etc.).  


They are so mad - and so crazy - that if their candidates lose those primaries there is no guarantee they will loyally stick with the Republican brand this November.


So who knows, 2010 could be a rerun of 1968, where people in the streets are mad but don't get what they want via the ballot.