There’s been a lot of whinging about “identity politics” lately.
From both major parties.
The Democrats complain about how white, male, rural, evangelical christian the rhetoric of the Republicans is. Which is true, they do do that.
And the Republicans complain about how brown, female, urban, non-evangelical christian the rhetoric of the Democrats is. Which is true, they do do that.
Both parties are trying to stake out a relationship with people who identify themselves in certain ways.
It’s a cheap shortcut to attracting support.
They’re both saying (to different audiences):
Look at me: I’m like you. So now you wanna vote for me, right?
It’s mostly false, of course; the vast majority of the political class of either party has very little in common with the citizenry at large.
For one thing, most of them are rich and most of us are not.
What they’re trying to do with this is to get you to look at all the identity signifiers that they’re claiming to represent and decide to join their party (and give them votes and money): after all, you’re alike in so many other ways right?
First, because they really aren’t like you in any of those ways; those are (mostly) just outfits they put on for the cameras.
Not that they’re lizard people or something; they’re as human as you or me. Presumably.
But choosing politicians based on shared identities is a bad idea.
It doesn’t really matter if your congressional representative has the same skin color or goes to the same church as you.
Or supports the same football team.
What really matters is ideology.
What actually matters is if they’ll pursue the same goals as you would if you were elected. Would they propose the same changes, vote for the same things, as you would in their place.
(Or, if you’re further from the mainstream in your politics: would they object to the same changes, vote against the same things, as you would. Some of us very rarely get to vote for anyone we’d actually agree with.)
So, figure out what your ideology is.
Yeah, it takes some effort. Freedom isn’t free, as they say.
Then look at what parties and politicians do, not what they say or what costumes they wear.
You may find that none of them actually do what you’d prefer.
