Pay-offs of bigotry

By Dave Anderson:

Eric Martin at Obsidian Wings notes the increasing spread of protests against the establishment of any mosque or Muslim community center in the United States. He correctly points out that the Republican Party (and some Democrats scared of shadows) are engaged in a systemic campaign of religious bigotry that is counter-productive if one assumes that a shared goal of all relevant political actors in the United States is to reduce the risk and harm of a far enemy terrorist strike. 

There is something bigger than that.  Something very ugly
spreading in this country - an anti-Muslim
bias
that is likely gaining succor from the anxiety that arises in tough
economic times.  But that is not all.  

The Republican Party.. aided by its major media apparatus, is
actively and deliberately whipping up bigotry, hate and anger - pitting
Americans against Americans - for little more than electoral gain...

First, using bigotry for electoral gain is an acceptable
practice. See, also, The Southern Strategy and Gay Marriage.

Conservatives gain electorally when the voting public believes that they are under threat and pressure.  Conservative candidates and parties gain vote share when problems are zero-sum; "I've got mine, and fuck you " or "freedom or death." Terror Management Theory predicts that people who believe that they are under siege will seek leaders who reinforce in-group cultural and political norms. That is a fancy way of saying conservative leadership. 

Ginnying up fear and bigotry is a political winner as a base mobilizer and environment shaper for conservative politicians and leadership.  It creates a group of nattering nabobs of dirty fucking hippies who are defending the constitution at the perceived cost of sacrificing lives of 'good Americans' and it increases the probability of non-assimilation of the targeted group, which marginally increases the long run probability of a successful strike.  A successful terrorist strike by brown people (as white people who shoot MDs are God-fearing Christians or just crazy people with a political message) reinforces the assault narrative. 

In a framework of purely electoral calculations, bigotry in the short/intermediate term is a winner for the Republican Party and its Whurlitzer.