# At least he's transparent: Bannon's use of race as a manipulative Wedge issue **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 17, 2017, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874 "2017-08-17T15:11:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874/21 "2017-08-18T14:44:37Z")
What we - and Bannon - are discussing is the impact on people who are not True Believers of either sort. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874/22 "2017-08-18T15:22:51Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Here’s the current Republican Party in a nutshell: > > D: “We want to make education and jobs and health care available to everyone.” > R: “Even black people?” > D: “Of course we want to make those things available to black people.” > R: “So now you want to give stuff to black people. That’s racist to white people.” > D: “No, we didn’t say that. We said we want to make it available to everyone.” > R: “Then why do you keep talking about race?” > D: “Because you keep bringing it up.” > R: “Oh, now you’re calling me a racist. Typical.” > D: “We didn’t call you a racist.” > R: “You guys are so busy accusing people of being racist. Why don’t you try talking about important stuff like education and jobs and health care?” > D: “Okay, let’s talk about those things.” > R: “Why do you hate America so much?” What a bizarre spin. Telling. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874/23 "2017-08-18T15:51:56Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > I believe what the OP is implying is that that Evil Behind-The-Scenes-Genius Bannon is deliberately riling up the country with racial strife because he knows the Democrats will take the bait and begin focusing on race issues and thus leave the field clear for the Republicans to talk about the less divisive and more popular economic issues. > > Very, very shrewd. Bannon, that is. I can see this as plausible - but my own view of the effectiveness of this strategy is a little darker. I think the strategy revolves around the fact that people are going to identify themselves as white or no-white and the fact that Trump is 100% unapolegeticaly white. This strategy ultimately comes down to the realities of the new media/social network environment. The more race issues get discussed the more polarization will come down to whether you are white or not white and that will be the only thing that matters. The polarization will be heightened by disgustingly overt racists and their apologists but also by people who are well meaning but overzealous in their justified hatred of racism start conflating being racist with being white. I think that the outcome that they hope for is that white people who never had any particular racist thoughts start to feel that they are attacked and judged for just being white. What Bannon and Trump want to do is manipulate the discourse so that these issues get discussed in social media to the point that Trump gets support from an even larger portion of white voters simply because he represents “whiteness” to such a degree. I don’t like that things are coming to this. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874/24 "2017-08-18T16:58:41Z")
Several news agencies are reporting that Bannon is out. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874/25 "2017-08-18T17:05:02Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It’s not even clear whether that qualifies as a case of wedge issues. _They talk a about race, and we’ll talk about jobs_. What is the wedge? Jobs? What Bannon is wedging - whatever it’s called - is that there are a sizable number of Democrats, particularly white-working-class in the Rust Belt, who are anxious about the job issue and also resentful of the constant race-identity politics. So by emphasizing the “economic nationalism,” the GOP could win these Democratic white voters in droves. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874/26 "2017-08-18T17:21:54Z")
> [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > I think that the outcome that they hope for is that white people who never had any particular racist thoughts start to feel that they are attacked and judged for just being white. What Bannon and Trump want to do is manipulate the discourse so that these issues get discussed in social media to the point that Trump gets support from an even larger portion of white voters simply because he represents “whiteness” to such a degree. > > I don’t like that things are coming to this. I don’t think attacked and judged for being white is the right way to phrase it. The perception they want to nurture is that the left is advocating for non-whites at the expense of whites. Naturally that will make whites more likely to vote Republican, especially those that feel economically threatened. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874/27 "2017-08-18T17:22:10Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874/28 "2017-08-18T17:22:47Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Several news agencies are reporting that Bannon is out. Just seeing this too. What a clusterfuck. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874/29 "2017-08-18T17:48:37Z")
1 Mooch = 11 days. 1 Bannon = 19.1 Mooches. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874/30 "2017-08-18T18:02:25Z")
He’s really “transparent” now. It’s almost like he’s not ever there! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874/31 "2017-08-18T18:37:06Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > What Bannon is wedging - whatever it’s called - is that there are a sizable number of Democrats, particularly white-working-class in the Rust Belt, who are anxious about the job issue and also resentful of the constant race-identity politics. So by emphasizing the “economic nationalism,” the GOP could win these Democratic white voters in droves. Trump is popular among college educated white men, and I believe he got 45% of white college educated women. His wedging may be trying to actually increase those numbers also as far as anyone knows. The numbers I have seen about the election seem to show that the overwhelming predictor of Trump support was racial identity. Oddly enough, and correct me if I’m wrong, a black man or woman was more likely to vote for Trump if they had a college education. I think people may be overlooking some confounding variables when they point to things like socioeconomic status and education. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874/32 "2017-08-18T20:09:38Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Several news agencies are reporting that Bannon is out. Not very shrewd that guy. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874/33 "2017-08-18T20:29:01Z")
Not particularly shrewd, no, but a nasty piece of work. If rumors of Bannon’s resentment over being fired are true, Trump is about to find out just how nasty. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874/34 "2017-08-18T22:07:21Z")
> [@treis](#): > > I don’t think attacked and judged for being white is the right way to phrase it. The perception they want to nurture is that the left is advocating for non-whites at the expense of whites. Naturally that will make whites more likely to vote Republican, especially those that feel economically threatened. I think I’m approaching the situation a little differently than you. I remember reading the greek myths when I was younger about the golden apple of discord - I think thats more what this situation is like. Very controversial statements are thrown out just to get people to start talking and arguing about issues that have remained buried and unresolved. The statements are made to elicit emotional responses not to further a certain particular agenda or to lead to intelligent discourse or policy discussion; their sole purpose is to lead to discord that prompts some minorities to lash out against all whites and some progressive or liberal white people to start lecturing others in an offputting way. The purpose of the rhetoric is to sow discord and nothing else; the goal of which is to get moderate voters to go to the polls and vote republican. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-hes-transparent-bannons-use-of-race-as-a-manipulative-wedge-issue/793874.md?page=1)