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The Party of Race
Matthew Yglesias — ... version of Reagan’s “welfare queen” argument from 1980. It if it works, it won’t be because most white Americans actually oppose a progressive income tax, but because they fear that Obama will inordinately favor blacks over them. I don’t doubt that this argument will have some effect, but I suspect it’s too late and that worries about McCain and Republican handling of the economy will overshadow these concerns. Ross Douthat replies: I’m sure I’m displaying my immense naivete about the ...

Spreading the aspersions
The American Scene — Having joked about this earlier, I might as well jump in after Ross on John Judis’s contention that McCain intends the “spread the wealth” and “socialism” tropes to roil up the old racist associations with welfare. Judis says he things the phrase “is aimed ultimately at white working class undecided voters who would construe ‘spreading the wealth’ as giving their money to blacks.” Noam Scheiber agrees. I agree with Judis that welfare would be more popular and generous in America if it ...

A timeline of epiphany
Nitpicker — ... socialism charge is really about race, says John Judis on October 29 at 10:01 AM: It's the latest version of Reagan's "welfare queen" argument from 1980. It if it works, it won't be because most white Americans actually oppose a progressive income tax, but because they fear that Obama will inordinately favor blacks over them.At 11:41 AM, Noam Scheiber agrees. Pish posh, says Ross Douthat at 1:34 PM: I'm sure I'm displaying my immense naivete about the ...

Nixonland: The Panel
Crooked Timber — ... and Ross Douthat have been engaged in a debate over whether or not McCain talk of redistribution does or doesn’t have racist undertones. September-2008-Eric-Rauchway steps out of his time machine to say that even political scientists who discount the role of race are really saying that Matt’s side of the argument is right. ...

"See No Evil" Conservatives
The Anonymous Liberal — ... of wealth is aimed ultimately at white working class undecided voters who would construe "spreading the wealth" as giving their money to blacks. It's the latest version of Reagan's "welfare queen" argument from 1980. It if it works, it won't be because most white Americans actually oppose a progressive income tax, but because they fear that Obama will inordinately favor blacks over them.In response, Ross Douthat, a smart conservative and by no means a Kool-Aid drinker, writes: I'm sure I'm displaying my immense naivete about the sinister ...

More on the right's current views on race
Nitpicker — Noam Scheiber, in a post I referred to earlier, wrote: (T)hough I have no evidence for this (nothing new there), I worry that (McCain's racially-tinged) insinuations are reinforced in the minds of working-class whites by the millions of African-Americans lining up early to vote for Obama. How sad for the country if McCain ends up jujitsuing something (i.e., record turnout) that should be a source of pride.Ross Douthat was incensed! Maybe if you have "no evidence" for worrying about a McCain victory on the basis of a racist ...