Ruy Teixeira: The Democrats' Fraud Problem

I think this is right on the money.

   Before the Democrats went insane, I almost always voted for them. Locked in the echo chamber of the MSM, I dismissed concerns like these--fraud, bad governance, etc. I was concerned about them--unlike some leftier types, I didn't secretly think those things weren't so bad... I still remember talking to a Ukrainian acquaintance once--she was a real go-getter and ran a couple of small businesses. She spoke three or four languages, and so hired immigrants (who I now realize were probably largely illegal) who couldn't speak English. She mentioned welfare fraud, and I emitted some standard Democrat talking-point, approximately: Well, actually, welfare fraud is extremely rare. She shook her head slowly and ruefully. She basically lived in that world--and she proceeded to inform me that it was very common, and to give me example after example of things she'd seen. Fortunately, I was merely ignorant, and I took the information to heart--I didn't reject it for conflicting with the misinformation lodged in my brain...

   Though, for the record, I was very much in favor of Clinton's welfare reforms (which happened long before my conversation with the Ukrainian...) That put me at odds with some of my more lefty friends, as you might expect...

   I don't know whether the fraud issue will really hurt the Dems, because so much of their base and quasi-base either refuse to believe it's real, or refuse to even consider it because BRAIN SHUTS DOWN RACISM! RACISM! RACISM! BRAIN SHUTS DOWN... But it should hurt them.

   And there seems to be plenty such fraud in rural/red America, too...I've read pieces that suggest that it's kind of become a way of life in some quarters, especially where good jobs are hard to find. If so, Republicans should go after that, too.