Wall Street and Main Street

The gulf in conservative politics is between Wall Street and Main Street. I don't worry that Wall Street is taking my money away, but at the same time I'm not convinced that what Wall Street would prefer makes much sense for those of us who live closer to Main Street.

Scott Walker speaks Main Street. Byron York shares an anecdote:

Scott Walker likes to tell a story about shopping at Kohl's. Under instructions from his wife Tonette, Walker has learned how to pile on the discounts and coupons whenever he goes to the popular Wisconsin-based department store. If he sees a shirt on the rack with a tag that reads, "Was $29.99, Now $19.99," Walker explains, he goes to the cash register with a flyer from the newspaper and gets another ten or 15 percent off. Then he pulls out his Kohl's credit card and there's another ten percent. And another newspaper flyer that might be worth as much as 30 percent off. "And the next thing you know, they're paying me to buy that shirt!" Walker exclaims.

When Walker told the story at the Freedom Summit in Des Moines, Iowa in late January, the audience ate it up -- just loved it -- and Walker was rewarded with rousing applause. Fast forward to Saturday morning, here in Palm Beach, when Walker told it again at a meeting of wealthy donors sponsored by the Club for Growth in an ornate ballroom at The Breakers, one of the most opulent hotels in America. The reception to Walker's story was polite, but noticeably more subdued than in Iowa.

I shop at Kohl's from time to time. I would imagine that many people who read this feature do as well. I don't know that I've ever paid full retail for anything at Kohl's, although that's more a feature of their pricing strategy than it is about my consumer prowess. Walker understands, and can speak to the way many voters live. Everyone delights in getting a deal.

The challenge for Walker is translating an essentially populist message to the folks who hang at The Breakers. It won't be easy -- the moneyed crew would prefer Jeb Bush, most likely. The money is on Wall Street, but the potential votes are on Main Street. It's especially important for the Republicans to speak Main Street, since every potential Democratic candidate is a plutocrat, including Elizabeth Warren. The Main Street votes are available this time.