The recent statistics revealing increases in the mortality rates of middle aged white Americans during the period 1999 to 2013 seem to defy easy narratives as to why it's happening now here while the reverse--lower mortality rates--is true in other countries. It also appears to be more of a white problem than a minority problem. The factors of personal responsibility, equality, freedom, declining wages and morality are all included in various diagnoses of this peculiar white illness. There are criticisms of the statistical methodology employed but all agree that the rate is going up, disturbingly so. Less education, lower wages and general hopelessness are common descriptors of this endangered group.

Hillary Clinton referred to these new statistics in the Democratic Forum last week and while that is an encouraging sign, the Republicans will be pushing to the limit the theme of "government is the enemy, especially the enemy of freedom"---making this theme the catch basin for all the the ills of a stagnant white working class as well as the middle class-- the differences between these two groups seeming to disappear. Erasing '"Inequality" could turn out to be a losing theme in this election because of the perverse mechanism in which it also erases "freedom". And, back against the economic wall or not, none of us wants to lose our freedom.

Most of us are caught in the trap of trying to keep our economic houses in order, the white working class the more so---because with the very effective strategy of Republicans to blame government, working class whites refuse to vote for things which would improve their lot---and yes, I'm talking about better financial regulations, more tax fairness, and heaven help us, some form of redistribution of assets. In my opinion, many in the white working class are entrapped in a complicated philosophical conundrum, which when combined with market forces, leaves them hopeless in the true sense of the word. Hopelessness leads to self destructive behavior which leads to early disease and death.

The Republican party, the conservatives, have relentlessly argued that government is the enemy of our individualism, freedom and religious liberty. Government is oppressive. Government regulations hold us back. What government delivers is bad. Particularly in rural America, which de facto already has less economic opportunity, the government is the enemy theme works especially well because self reliance in the physical sense---overhauling an engine, cutting your own firewood, snow plowing, etc. is something that city liberals who love government can't do or are unwilling to do. The pride of stubborn self-reliance in rural communities is not well understood by those who don't live here. I do, and I depend upon my neighbors to pull me out of a ditch or repair my electric well pump.  

The entrapment for this group of endangered folks is that whatever government does is bad and therefore if government---say, in the form of a Sanders or Clinton--- proposes to deliver equality, then equality​ is bad. As an adjunct, cooperation is also bad.  I wish I could take credit for this logic 101, but I can't.

In any case, it's clear that equality is bad and folks in this logic trap are going to continue to vote Republican and kill themselves unless Democrats, or anyone, can find a way around the trap. Democrats need to show that government is a good thing. If they don't, they may still win a few elections, but that most likely won't eliminate the hopelessness of a great swath of our society.