Refugee from Bhutan and What's the matter with Kansas

I met a young man yesterday who came to the US in 2008 as a refugee from Bhutan. He loves America and the opportunities it has brought him. He is actually going to college studying to be a physician’s assistant (admittedly a long way from refugee status in 9 years). I asked him what he thought of our current political climate. He told me that Americans have been too comfortable and complacent. He thinks that in the past Americans have not had to risk socioeconomic consequences for non-involvement (including voting). Our jobs and income have been safe. He saw hope in what is going on now as many people are seeing real effect on their lives and liberty and see concrete future negative ramifications with the current political environment.  Seeing real negative effects on their own lives, citizens, more than ever, have motivation to be involved and that can only make things better, he espoused. Maybe we have hit the apathetic bottom so real change can be driven by the people that are tired of corruption and being ignored and walked on by the lobbyists and political elite. However, it is going to take a tremendous effort and passion to overcome the money power of the lobbyist propaganda. 

Unfortunately, there are still too many people that are naive and may not know or ignore the fact they are being manipulated. There was a book published in 2004 by Thomas Frank – the title “What’s the matter with Kansas”. According to Frank, in the late 19th century Kansas was known as a hotbed of the left-wing Populist movement, but in recent decades, it has become overwhelmingly conservative. According to the book, the political discourse of recent decades has dramatically shifted from social and economic equality to the use of "explosive" cultural issues, such as abortion and gay marriage, which are used to redirect anger toward "liberal elites."

Against this backdrop, Frank describes the rise of political conservatism in the social and political landscape of Kansas, which he says espouses economic policies that do not benefit the majority of people in the state.*

Not long ago, Kansas would have responded to the current situation by making the bastards pay. This would have been a political certainty, as predictable as what happens when you touch a match to a puddle of gasoline. When business screwed the farmers and the workers – when it implemented monopoly strategies invasive beyond the Populists' furthest imaginings – when it ripped off shareholders and casually tossed thousands out of work – you could be damned sure about what would follow.

Not these days. Out here the gravity of discontent pulls in only one direction: to the right, to the right, further to the right. Strip today's Kansans of their job security, and they head out to become registered Republicans. Push them off their land, and next thing you know they're protesting in front of abortion clinics. Squander their life savings on manicures for the CEO, and there's a good chance they'll join the John Birch Society. But ask them about the remedies their ancestors proposed (unions, antitrust, public ownership), and you might as well be referring to the days when knighthood was in flower.

(Frank, T. 2004 "What's the Matter with Kansas?", pp. 67-68) (via Wikipedia)

This book, if I remember correctly was mainly stating how the republicans gained control of Middle America. But I believe it goes one step further in the control of the republicans by the lobbyists. BTW – lobbyist influence in no way is just a republican thing but I do believe it is more prevalent.