The reason that Republicans cannot win Latinos – or other minorities for that matter – is because Republicans counter liberal ‘Santa’ version of big government with what I call the ‘Darth-Vader’ idea of big government.
So says Shikha Dalmia, senior analyst at the Reason Foundation, during FreedomFest 2013 in Las Vegas.
While her discussion focused mainly on immigration, I think the Santa-versus-Darth-Vader analogy holds up pretty well in terms of overall politics. For some reason, Republicans just can’t seem to get their act together enough to learn how to market their biggest plus, the one thing a lot of people could unite behind. And that is, simply, small government. A kinder, gentler government. One that does not micromanage people’s lives, whether it’s with telling them what to eat, testing their urine for drugs, breaking down their doors and shooting family dogs, incarcerating people for victimless crimes, and so on. The reason the Democrats get away with marketing themselves as Santa is because of the media are totally in the tank for them, and also because there is a mean, petty streak among many conservatives that is perfect fodder for the Darth Vader meme. (Many of the red meat conservatives would probably identify with Darth, too — especially those who think children should be spanked and forced to pray, hippies and homos belong in prison, making people suffer builds character, and who salivate over SWAT Team raids.) The result? that low information voters really do see it as Santa versus Darth.
It would be funny if it weren’t so pathetic.
Comments
3 responses to “Santa versus Darth?”
The depressing reality may be that a majority of people want a Santa government. It’s hard to win on a “small government” platform when nearly half of America is getting a government check every month.
“…For some reason, Republicans just can’t seem to get their act together enough to learn how to market…”
It helps if you actually believe in the product you’re trying to sell and the GOP – in DC certainly if not at the state level – absolutely do not believe in smaller government. They like big government, they just want to be the ones running it.
I’m a strong libertarian and when given the choice I generally prefer the “Santa Claus” vision to the “Darth Vader” vision.
The real trouble is that “Santa” is a Janus. His other face is Darth Vader.