Leave It To Beaver Nostalgia

A new poll shows, yet again, the wide ideological gulf that exists along racial lines. From a numbers game, you're a lot less likely to view Obama positively if you're white. And you're a lot less likely to trust the government:

Whites are not only more anxious, but also more alienated. Big majorities of whites say the past year's turmoil has diminished their confidence in government, corporations, and the financial industry. Nonwhites are also sour on the private sector but are much less disillusioned with government. Asked which institution they trust most to make economic decisions in their interest, a plurality of whites older than 30 pick "none" -- a grim statement. By contrast, a majority of blacks and a plurality of Hispanics choose elected officials in Washington.

The great irony is that this poll shows, despite all his incompetence, George W. Bush did more to hurt liberalism than conservatism in the eyes of many white Americans. For the last half-century the dominant governing philosophy promised that government was part of the problem -- and nobody delivered on that promise more that Bush. The resulting electoral boomerang toward Barack Obama has left this isolated, angry minority feeling besieged. After years of being told that minorities and big government was the greatest threat to freedom and a Lee Greenwood tribute album, suddenly a black guy is pushing for bigger federal programs. And hacks like Limbaugh and Beck are telling the frazzled fringe exactly what they want to hear.