The world seems to be spinning out of control, lately, like what’s going on in Europe, for example. Such happenings may seem distant and even remote from life here in the U.S., but the fear-based movement which propelled the Brexit vote in Britain has its American parallel in Trumpism. Both nationally and internationally, dangerous reactionary movements in response to the rapidity and the nature of social and cultural change during the past fifty years are gaining traction.
Here in California, where acceptance of these changes is more common – at least among the political majority in coastal and major city populations – tensions exist nonetheless. Acceptance of California’s changed attitudes towards gender differences, birth control, racial groups and environmental challenges stand in stark contrast to the ways such issues are regarded in many other states.
Yet, despite our cultural and social progressiveness, one group of Californians continues to be marginalized and exploited, namely the poor. We seem unable to accept social policy which addresses the plight of the poor, and in this we regrettably mirror many of the attitudes and policies of reactionary states. Despite enjoying the sixth-largest economy in the world, California sees the poor as expendable. They pay the most through regressive taxes, and are charged the highest rates of interest. Our historical war on poverty never evolved beyond exploitation.
Poverty is a driver of human history, a source of turmoil and revolt. Pushed into desperation, the poor rise up in whatever ways they can to make ends meet. We could devote an entire edition of the SUN to this topic and barely scratch the surface. It’s no different in California. Exploited by low wages and high interest, lacking health care and deprived the security of decent housing, the poor develop alternative economic networks such as drug sales, property theft, gambling and loan-sharking. In this way the poor are established as the economic basis of police work, a reliable source of money and justifications for expanded jails, law enforcement personnel, legislative attention and larger budgets. The poor are big business.
In reactionary periods the poor also become the business of politics, not as voters but as pawns, victims and scapegoats. Undocumented immigrants, mired in the politics of poverty, are deprived of the legal tools which might allow them to pursue legitimate goals of safety and security. And they, often among the poorest, are continuously exploited by the unscrupulous; is it any wonder that criminal gangs provide for some the security that is otherwise denied?
The poor and the undocumented become political fodder for the likes of Trump here in America and in Britain, the Brexit vote was largely fueled by the same sort of angry, selfish, fear-based politics; white populations of workers and former members of the middle class found comfort in blaming multiculturalism and poor immigrants for their problems.
What does this have to do with Sonoma and Sonoma Valley, you may ask? If you’re asking, it means you’re not paying attention. The poverty and exploitation we speak of is all around us. Despite a booming, tourist-fueled economy, meaningful efforts to increase the minimum wage or provide health care, housing and services to the poor or undocumented repeatedly are rejected by those in power and their wealthy financial backers.
The sad reality is that we’ve constructed a society that needs the poor to remain poor; this is true nationally and locally. Those who are more comfortable continue to support policies that insure poverty through low wages and exploitation while simultaneously complaining about the financial cost of addressing the social problems caused by poverty. We’d like to call it merely foolish, but it’s far worse than that.
Unless and until we wake up to the true roots of poverty, and have the courage to properly address them, the ugly selfishness and entitlement of Trumpism will be the wave of the future.
SUN Editorial Board
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