Ep. 64: Mike Rowe’s Koch-Backed Working Man Affectation
Added 2019-01-30 15:15:04 +0000 UTCIn recent years, television personality Mike Rowe has amassed a wildly popular following due to alleged working-class straight talk about topics ranging from the affordability of college to reasserting a culture of pride in craftsmanship and labor. From his 5.2 million Facebook followers to his cable programs, his everyman schtick, on its surface, can be very appealing: after all, who doesn’t love a hard day’s work and loathe detached, ivory tower eggheads?
But hiding under his superficially appealing blue-collar façade is dangerous ideology, one funded by the Koch Brothers and other far-right, anti-labor corporate interests and specifically tailored to pick off a certain constituency of Home Depot Democrats while pushing political impotence, anti-union narratives and anti-intellectualism. Through a clever combination of working class affectation and folksy charm – often exploiting real fears about a decline in industrialization – Rowe has cultivated an image that claims to be pro-worker, but primarily exists to line the pockets of their boss.
Our guest is Street Fight Radio's Bryan Quinby.
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Guest
Bryan Quinby is the co-host, with Brett Payne, of Street Fight Radio, the "#1 anarcho-comedy podcast." Follow him @MurderBryan.
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Show Notes
Ari Paul | September 4, 2014 | Jacobin
Mike Rowe | mikeroweWORKS
Help Wanted ~ Work Ethic Needed
Mike Rowe | June 7, 2015 | mikerowe.com
Matt Yglesias | January 7, 2019 | Vox
Edwin Koc | February 01, 2018 | National Association of Colleges and Employers
Andrew Weaver | August 25, 2017 | MIT Technology Review
For-Profit Trade Schools Offer More Debt, Fewer Jobs
Jill Rosen | September 16, 2016 | Futurity
Romney gets down and 'Dirty' in Ohio
September 26, 2012 | CNN
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Transcript
For a full transcript of this week's episode, go here.
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Comments
This episode was what got me to subscribe. I've dealt with constant facebook reposting of Mike Rowe for his entire rise and was really unable to articulate why he was so full of it, especially as I went through high school and college. He seems to be less referenced now, but he still plugs away at building this narrative for people to parrot back. Thanks for the work!
2019-02-06 19:15:05 +0000 UTCMoments before listening-vague awareness of who Mike Rowe is Moments after-hatred of him with the burning of a thousand suns.
Robert Granniss
2019-02-02 23:11:16 +0000 UTCPersonally, I refuse to hire unlicensed contractors and insist on union shops whenever I need work done
2019-02-01 03:26:21 +0000 UTCOf course that isn't true in areas that continue to attract undocumented workers who, I readily admit, are shafted by contractors.
2019-02-01 03:25:16 +0000 UTCNot sure where you are seeing the flat income revenue but the Bureau of Labor Statistics says the construction trade is seeing higher than average pay increases across all trades. Here's an article link. <a href="https://www.paint.org/wage-construction/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.paint.org/wage-construction/</a>
2019-02-01 03:23:52 +0000 UTCThe construction trades haven't seen raises in years. I really don't see how people making a living and getting benefits should be seen as a bad thing.
David Blobaum
2019-01-31 21:59:10 +0000 UTCI would agree it that were true. I'm not seeing it though. Right now, skilled trades positions are very well paid and there is a shortage of available workers. If we ever get to a glut of these workers that might create the problem you envision but it's not the case now. In my city, we have just passed a $15 minimum wage law and the businesses in the community gave a collective shrug. They have not been able to fill their available positions even in fast food restaurants for less than $18 an hour (with no experience) plus non-mandated health care,
2019-01-31 19:52:50 +0000 UTCIt would be interesting to hear just how many of these programs are used by the elites to increase the supply of workers and lower wages. When your economic system refuses to abide by anything resembling ethics and in some cases even existing law, you end up with a morally depraved society like we currently live in.
David Blobaum
2019-01-31 10:34:52 +0000 UTCFixed! (and thanks!)
Citations Needed
2019-01-31 01:41:18 +0000 UTC
