\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Eric Cantor represents large corporations who want a never-ending supply of cheap, low-wage foreign labor,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Dave Brat said in his stump speech.<\/p>\n
So, we’ve witnessed this political season’s shocker. What can we learn?<\/p>\n
For me, Brat’s statement above — and his shocking victory over Eric Cantor — suggests an opportunity, though one that’s admittedly tricky to exploit.<\/p>\n
It’s been my belief for some time that the dominant sentiment in the Tea Party is repressed economic anxiety. Of course, there’s economic anxiety all around. But on the right, it often finds expression in ways progressives rightfully find repugnant: anti-immigrant, anti-gay, anti-women’s rights — or crazy gun rights advocacy. But I contend this is the result of deft misdirection by the GOP, which now has found it’s got a tiger by the tail.<\/p>\n
But Brat’s attack on “large corporations” also suggests a hope of finding common cause with many Tea Party adherents — if they can only be made to see that taxes, gays,\u00c2\u00a0 women, and black presidents aren’t their problem — their problem is the overwhelming economic and political power of the 0.1%.<\/p>\n
We need to bear this in mind when confronted by Tea Party “hate.” It’s not hate, it’s really fear –\u00c2\u00a0 fear that we share, frankly. The better we get at turning the conversation in that direction, the more successful we progressives will be.<\/p>\n