SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

GOP can’t win by exaggerating misery

Sep 2, 2016, 10:54 AM

Americans feel frustrated by the state of our government, economy and culture, but conservatives can’t gain ground by exaggerating the extent of the misery.

It’s ill-advised to ask African-Americans, “What do you have to lose?”—thereby ignoring dramatic black progress over the last two generations. The poverty rate is still higher for people of color, but three-quarters of African-Americans now count as middle-class or above.

Similarly, white people without college degrees may have been specially targeted by Republicans, but they’re hardly the oppressed losers of media legend. One-third of the overall electorate is white and without a university diploma. A majority of them say their living standard is higher than their parents and a full 80 percent say they do at least as well.

It’s good news that so many Americans of all races seem to embrace the conservative mantra that proudly proclaims: “I am not a victim.”

seattle homeless camp claim...

Frank Lenzi

Seattle property owners file claim over homeless encampment, say city blocked cleanup

A group of Seattle property owners has filed a claim against the city over what they describe as a growing homeless encampment marked by fires and violence. The owners say the city blocked them from clearing the property themselves.

3 minutes ago

FILE - The Teton mountains reflect on Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park in Moran, Wyo., Aug. ...

Associated Press

MLB considers Grand Teton National Park for baseball game site, prompting concern

Major League Baseball has reached out to the federal government about the possibility of one day staging a game in western Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park, an idea quickly met with resistance from environmental groups and others. MLB and the players’ association have played a handful of regular-season games away from the 30 big league […]

8 minutes ago

starbucks...

MyNorthwest Staff

Three Seattle Starbucks locations closing, including one 8-month old Ballard location

One of the 250 North American stores Starbucks announced it would close was in Ballard, making it three total in Seattle.

33 minutes ago

Associated Press

Man ordered released on bail after decades on Utah’s death row after DNA tests show no match to him

A Utah judge has ordered a 71-year-old man to be released on bail after he spent decades on death row for a 1985 killing, despite objections from the victim’s family, after prosecutors said newly analyzed DNA evidence did not match him. Douglas Stewart Carter was sentenced to death that same year after a jury found […]

52 minutes ago

Chelan Hills Fire...

MyNorthwest Staff

Chelan Hills Fire court update: 2 plead not guilty, trial set for Nov. 17

Four of the five suspects arrested in connection with the July 4 Chelan Hills Fire appeared in Douglas County court Monday.

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Kentucky authorities search for suspect in fatal shooting of state trooper along highway

SMITHS GROVE, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky state trooper was fatally shot along an interstate highway Monday and authorities were searching for the shooter and a car that was at the scene, a police official said. Trooper Hayden Phillips was shot while patrolling along northbound Interstate 65 in Warren County, Kentucky state police said in […]

2 hours ago

GOP can’t win by exaggerating misery