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Dusty Rhodes Hard Times and American politics

Hey Scott, first time, long time (like 15 years) I'm a freelance political writer and wrestling mark for like 25 years. Not sure if your blog would be interested, but I just wrote a piece that talks about Dusty Rhodes' Hard Times promo explaining the current state of American politics. If you would share it on your blog that would be awesome, if not, it's no biggie. Keep up the great work and hope all is well! -Robert Sobel

Comments

  1. I ignore discussing politics like the plague but that might be one of the greatest promos of all time.

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  2. This is just what this blog needs ... politics.

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  3. Three greatest matches: Yoko vs. Taker 1994. All of you should be ASHAMED.

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  4. Still remember watching that live. Such an experience. I'll never forget my and my buddy's reaction to the thumbtack Pedigree spot.

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  5. I thought it was good, but needed more space to expand on the point. Plus, I'm always up for a discussion or article that mixes wrestling and politics.

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  6. The promo definitely was designed to appeal to the working class viewer of JCP. That said, there is a giant disconnect between people's economic reality and how they vote, particularly with whites and even moreso with white males. Being down on your luck just means you need to work harder. Don't tax the rich more because someday you may be rich. Most of the reasons for poor people are laziness, immigrants, and entitement programs. Add in a healthy dose of putting social views (abortion, gays, school prayer, etc.) before economic issues, you have a promo that while touching on the economic reality for many amidst the "Reagan recovery" that doesn't mean it wasn't appealing to both sides of the political fence. I think both sets of voters agree there are hard times, they simply don't agree why and how to fix it.

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  7. Few wrestlers or politicians could give that kind of speech with the same genuine emotion.

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  8. Lithen daddeh, what thith country needth is a threngthened middle clath!

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  9. I love the part in the article where right wing Fox News attacked the president. All networks swing either left or right. That waving said Obama has done more to help the rich than bush ever did

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  10. I would advise against ignoring the plague if you are displaying symptoms.

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  11. I love how the article states right wing fox news attacks the president . All networks swing toward one side . That being said the president has done more to help the rich than bush did

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  12. Anyone who shops at Hott Topic, I can't personally relate to. I always just saw him as a gimmick performer that could every once in a while put on a good singles match. Never a big fan.

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  13. Because Orton is boring and Sheamus is boring.. probably my guess.

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  14. OK, I'll be that guy. Flair won the 1992 Rumble, not 1991.

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  15. Oh yeah, title matches are usually good at the rumbles, they tend to have something special for some reason, hhh/hbk was decent at 04, obviously rock/mankind and cactus jack/hhh in 99/00. angle/hhh with the awesome steph/trish stuff, rock v jericho in 02.

    Actually if they can't get the title match right it tends to spell doom for the show, see last year.

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  16. I'd go as far to say that every match the Rock has been involved in the last 2-3 years or however long he's been "back" has sucked.

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  17. On a side note, after reading the Marvel Civil War series, I can't see how Marvel can pull this off with Tony Stark as the pro-registration "villain." The way the character has been portrayed until now, there is no way that Robert Downey's Stark would allow himself to become a government tool and fully support such a freedom restricting act. He would rebel against this at every turn. And I for one don't want to root against the Tony Stark of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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  18. Yeah...it's all the same guys getting money from the same people making slightly different rules to give guy A a better deal than guy B this time around, but then guy A will get a better deal next time and nothing ever really changes. I have no idea what the fix is; I'm just tired of what we have.

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  19. Adam "Colorado" CurryJanuary 25, 2015 at 12:40 PM

    That's about as good of an idea as mixing bleach and ammonia.

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  20. Wouldn't go so far to say that, but definitely could have been one of the hottest midcard heels of all time. Dude was killing promos for a while.

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  21. I agree. Here in the Carolinas the textile industry was going in the tank but people could not vote for Reagan and Bush fast enough. The jobs were going overseas, but the specific reasons why they were going overseas was never addressed.

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  22. I would think you are already screwed, no?

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  23. And that's my favorite Royal Rumble PPV as well. Except for the Ivory/Chyna horse shit, every match on that card is outstanding.

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  24. Short of blowing it up and starting over? nothing! Moving the same eggs from basket to basket hoping one of them becomes magical.

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  25. That Ventura quote is interesting indeed. I think one of the reasons the main political parties in Britain and the US resort to vicious verbal attacks and constant point scoring is that they're effectively indistinguishable on most key substantive areas, and fighting over non-issues and irrelevant, personal points is all they can do to create a feeling of separation and division.

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  26. All media is rarely more than propaganda for elite interests and causes. They're all subservient to the Government, at the end of the day.

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  27. I was about to say, if I had symptoms, I'm dead. I probably should've said avoided, but fuck it, I'm throwing caution to the wind. I'd say spit, but last time I spit in the wind... do I need to finish that line?

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  28. tbh he never really appealed to me from the gimmick alone, I understand the appeal for women, he's got that alt/emo/sensitive daredevil thing, heck he's pretty much the perfect late 90's early 00's version of twilight for those fat fangirls. My issue with him lies with his drug bullshit, and the silly crap he pulled in TNA showing up inebriated, talk about shit that should get you banned from wrestling for life.

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  29. "Being down on your luck just means you need to work harder. Don't tax the rich more because someday you may be rich. Most of the reasons for poor people are laziness, immigrants, and entitement programs."

    Are you actually endorsing that view?

    "there is a giant disconnect between people's economic reality and how they vote"



    I think most people end up consistently voting against their interests, one way or another.

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  30. Its more important for alot of poor white southerners to make sure the government keeps blacks and gays down than lift them up. I've spent a lot of time in the south, so I saw it first hand. That's the #1 reason why Republicans dominate the poverty stricken areas of the south, despite being the party of the rich.

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  31. Oh yeah people love to forget around the tail end of 2011, the heat he had with truth was molten, they just never capitalised on any of it, they never do. Heck Reigns had a great thing going with his silent badass schtick and they still messed it up by making him goofy.

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  32. making the argument for rr2010 being one of the best rr shows of all time even more valid.

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  33. This article is terrible. It's all thesis with no support. You get background and context, then the promo and... then the article is finished. There's zero examination WHY it explains the current state of American politics.

    Without the "why," any editorial is meaningless.

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  34. Absolutely true. I've been in the deep South for about 5 years now. I could never understand why poverty-stricken people consistently vote against their interests until I witnessed it firsthand. Politicians know that as long as they rally against hated hot-button issues (gays! big government! lotteries!) voters will completely overlook policies that could truly help them.

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  35. "I think one of the reasons the main political parties in Britain and the US resort to vicious verbal attacks and constant point scoring is that they're effectively indistinguishable on most key substantive areas"


    They do this because it works. Time and time again research has shown that negative ads and campaigning are more effective. People say they want more positive campaigning but in reality they eat this stuff up.

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  36. Unless of course he is so grief stricken or shell shocked form the fact that he helped create Ultron that he has no other recourse then to make all superhero register as a way for the govt' to check and balance them in order to try and minimize another accidental emergency...


    Just throwing out ideas...

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  37. Us and them definitely works, but I think those tactics serve a number of needs and ends.

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  38. His matches with Cena didn't sick.

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  39. We need SYZIRA in the US.

    More money for everybody!

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  40. Jobs move overseas for two reasons: cheaper labor and fewer/lesser corporate taxes. So please tell me how that has anything to do with Reagan or Bush. Is it not Democrats that are constantly campaigning for higher wages and eliminating "corporate welfare?"

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  41. I know rednecks hate Blacks and gays,but the lottery?!??

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  42. Yeah. It may have been. But does disqualify the other. Very emotional match both of them. And I was very impressed and "proud" of H for stepping up in that match more so than the ladder match. First time I thought "Damn, this dude is a badass and he really wants it."

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  43. to me, personal connection trumps "workrate" almost every time.


    (for example, to this day I love the 1994 Royal Rumble because I was so heavily "emotionally invested" at that point - and it also being the very first time I didn't have to tape a ppv but was allowed to stay up late and watch it while it was being broadcast)

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  44. disagree about some of them. in kayfabe at least Bret Hart and The Undertaker had a very good chance of winning.

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  45. exactly. if the WWE still had an idea how to book their midcard, Miz would be perfect for it.

    (too talented to be just another jobber, but not talented enough to be one of the top stars)

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  46. On a semi related note, I just visited London and I was surprised at how obsessed bbc news was with dissecting american politics, almost felt like a convenient way to ignore any of their own issues.

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  47. again, who would have guessed that Rollins would be the one coming off best in Januar 2015?

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  48. to me the best part of it was that despite this being Rock's first singles match after his comeback there was quite a sizable part of the crowd that was pro-Punk.

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  49. Jamie Dundee is and albino African American.

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  50. There are elements of that for sure. For instance, focusing on shit like the Westboro Baptist Church makes mainstream religion in the UK (which plays a very powerful but often unrecognised role in society) seem comparatively sane and benign. Focusing on US elections being effectively bought by wealthy corporations makes the corruption of politics by the private sector seem like something that happens elsewhere.


    It goes a lot deeper than that, though.


    For one, it's important to think of the UK as a US satellite state, or colony. What happens in the UK is of very little consequence in international terms, but the country is still wedded to the idea of being a major world power; covering up our complete irrelevance by acting as if what goes on in America is our concern and should be of intimate interest to us offers the illusion of importance.


    For two, given the UK is totally subservient to the wishes and wants of the USA, focusing on US current affairs creates the false impression of intimate connection between the two (very separate politically and culturally) nations. Westminster moves in total lock step with Washington, and the best way to sell the idea that the UK *needs* to follow the US' lead on every international issue is to constantly barrage people with information that doesn't directly impact them, and is actually none of their business. Many people in the UK seem to think that the US is our greatest friend, when in truth we're just an occasionally useful client state who can be depended upon to say how high when we're asked to jump.



    Hope you enjoyed your stay nonetheless though, dude!

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  51. My point is that instead of addressing the pressing issues we just get behind the parties and get loud about stuff that doesn't really matter. Everyone at the time was up in arms about welfare queens when that had jack and shit to do with losing textile jobs.

    Instead of playing the blame game, why not focusing on the really pressing issues and try to figure out resolutions? It's not about assigning blame but identifying problems addressing them. Not Democrats this and Republicans that.

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  52. Yeah some do. It's considered gambling, which is of the devil.

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  53. "Here in the Carolinas the textile industry was going in the tank but people could not vote for Reagan and Bush fast enough."

    With all due respect, that sure as hell seems to be assigning blame. And if your point was not to imply that either president had anything to do with outsourcing, then why put them in that sentence? Doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. Conversely, if Reagan or Bush were preceived as more likely to foster a corporate-friendly environment than Mondale or Dukakis, would that not be a reason for folks to vote for them?

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  54. I absolutely loved the city, and can't wait to go back.Really well thought out response btw. Our media is no better of course, it was just something that stuck out whenever I put on the news.

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  55. If the industry was going in the tank with them in office what would be the reason to be so loyal to them? They aren't the reason the textiles left but they couldn't keep them around either.

    My main point was that people around here were tripping about welfare and Mexicans when those things didn't have much to do with what was going on around here, hence why they couldn't pull that lever fast enough.

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  56. Considering you mentioned neither welfare not Mexicans in your original post, you have an odd style of making your point.

    Either way, I'd be surprised if you are old enough to be able to deduce what was driving peoples' votes in the 1984 and 1988 presidential elections. It seems more likely to me that people concerned about ta local issue probably understood that their presidential vote would have absolutely zero impact on said issue. I was around for those elections, I don't remember the candidates basing their platforms on the struggles of the Carolina textile industry. Despite what revisionist history has people believing now, the country was THRIVING in 1984. That election wasn't the biggest landslide in history by coincidence.

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  57. The country wasthriving but not this region. Around here that was THE issue which goes back to the origins of this post. Why be all-in for people that aren't addressing the issue that is most important to you as an individual voter? I'm not saying they should have voted democrat, but why not make people listen and address your concerns before handing the vote over?

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  58. Rock/Cena one sucked. Two was an abortion. So yes, both of them did.

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  59. Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it. I've lived there all my life, so if you want any suggestions for next time round just let me know.

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