When a noted left-wing commentator declares that identity politics is “garbage,” you know it’s outside the mainstream. We’ve learned that for quite some time, but having folks like Ana Kasparian of The Young Turks tear into the Left’s favorite pet issue, you know it’s wild. Kasparian is far left, a supporter of Bernie Sanders. And she feels this identarian frenzy among those on her side of the aisle is obnoxious.
In their Monday episode, Kasparian and Cenk Ugyur discussed how it’s nearly impossible for families to live on one income today. That’s when Kasparian broke off criticizing conservative commentators pushing this to drop a nuke on the Left (via Daily Caller):
Young Turk's @AnaKasparian Calls Out The Left For Pushing 'Garbage' Identity Politics
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 3, 2023
"I'm done with the identitarian garbage. I'm done with it!" pic.twitter.com/jKUZSfKzjd
“The biggest change that some of you might have noticed with me is that I’m done with the identitarian garbage,” Kasparian said. “I’m done with it. It is a giant distraction, and the more we focus on it and it’s definitely very obvious to me when it comes to the left, the people who are supposed to be fighting for a better economic system, better economic conditions, better working conditions, all of that stuff pushed aside. Let’s focus on the identitarian stuff and the identitarian stuff by nature divides us and leads to more fights, more conflict, even among us. But that’s the point, anyway, sorry, that’s a little bit of a tangent, but I had to get that out.”
Ugyur said her tangent was relevant to the general conversation, which went on to cover claims that traditional wives in the 1950s were constantly high and that women were forced to stay home rather than given the option.
She’s not alone. David Shor, another noted liberal data scientist, noted that what made Barack Obama so lethal in his two presidential elections was that he could find an issue where common ground was possible and craft a message that could bring people together in red states and blue. It worked.
Obama had a healthy number of white working-class workers vote for him in 2008 and 2012. Shor has also faulted Democrats for being too insular in their outreach, condescending in their messaging, and overly reliant on college-educated, urban-based whites who are hyper-political on everything, even issues that primarily impact non-white voters. It so happens that the rich, white college kid is the one who espouses identity politics. And because they’re usually richer than most in the country, they’re filling the coffers for the Democratic Party and have more control over the agenda-setting at the expense of everyone else.
When Bernie Sanders supporters say something is crazy, you know it’s unhinged.