Have wealthy Democratic elites abandoned the working class?

[NPT]

What say ye? I really want to know what the people on the left think on this question.

Have wealthy Democratic elites abandoned the working class?

For decades, the mantra for Democrats during a national election was “Republicans are in the pockets of special interests.” Now, more and more people have come to believe that the Democrats are ali…

thehill.com

 

[anon_mya1phvcpf5x4]

What say ye? I really want to know what the people on the left think on this question.

Have wealthy Democratic elites abandoned the working class?

For decades, the mantra for Democrats during a national election was “Republicans are in the pockets of special interests.” Now, more and more people have come to believe that the Democrats are ali…

thehill.com

Both parties are raking in the money but only 1 side took away limits to political contributions and only 1 party seems hell bent on not helping those in need.

It is more a lesser of 2 evils when it comes to voting

 

[TMFT]

What say ye? I really want to know what the people on the left think on this question.

Have wealthy Democratic elites abandoned the working class?

For decades, the mantra for Democrats during a national election was “Republicans are in the pockets of special interests.” Now, more and more people have come to believe that the Democrats are ali…

thehill.com

I don’t think they’ve abandoned the working class from a nuts and bolts level. They still did the fight for $15 for example. And cash bail is a big deal if you’re the working poor and get jammed up with a crime. And while he’s certainly correct that wealthier white kids would stand to gain a lot from broad student loan forgiveness (I sure as hell would), it would be a lot HUGE relief for a lot of people that aren’t.

With all of that said, they’ve certainly abandoned the culture war issues that the white working class has recently glommed onto. And, quite frankly, the right has been a whole lot better at ginning them up to be mad about something or the other for the last 30 years. So I do believe we’ve lost them as a constituency, at least in the short to medium run.

 

[NPT]

I don’t think they’ve abandoned the working class from a nuts and bolts level. They still did the fight for $15 for example. And cash bail is a big deal if you’re the working poor and get jammed up with a crime. And while he’s certainly correct that wealthier white kids would stand to gain a lot from broad student loan forgiveness (I sure as hell would), it would be a lot HUGE relief for a lot of people that aren’t.

With all of that said, they’ve certainly abandoned the culture war issues that the white working class has recently glommed onto. And, quite frankly, the right has been a whole lot better at ginning them up to be mad about something or the other for the last 30 years. So I do believe we’ve lost them as a constituency, at least in the short to medium run.

From what I've read a lot of people think HRC lost to Trump because she forgot about the working class and spent too much time with special interests groups. I don't know, that's just what I've read in several places.

 

[TMFT]

From what I've read a lot of people think HRC lost to Trump because she forgot about the working class and spent too much time with special interests groups. I don't know, that's just what I've read in several places.

I buy that. I just think that the things that the white working class really seems to care about the most, ie culture wars, are more tied to their social sensibilities and not economic sensibilities.

 

[8Stars5Banners]

I buy that. I just think that the things that the white working class really seems to care about the most, ie culture wars, are more tied to their social sensibilities and not economic sensibilities.

Social media has allowed those with less than stellar intelligence to be manipulated even more than before

 

[anon_6hv78pr714xta]

I don’t think they’ve abandoned the working class from a nuts and bolts level. They still did the fight for $15 for example. And cash bail is a big deal if you’re the working poor and get jammed up with a crime. And while he’s certainly correct that wealthier white kids would stand to gain a lot from broad student loan forgiveness (I sure as hell would), it would be a lot HUGE relief for a lot of people that aren’t.

With all of that said, they’ve certainly abandoned the culture war issues that the white working class has recently glommed onto. And, quite frankly, the right has been a whole lot better at ginning them up to be mad about something or the other for the last 30 years. So I do believe we’ve lost them as a constituency, at least in the short to medium run.

On the "ginning up" comment, I see this a lot from Democrats. (I hate both parties but am left on most social issues and my economic ones don't map well right or left in US politics). Do you think the Democrats "gin up" anger about issues? At what point do you think people are authentically angry about something going on and at what point do you attribute it to just being manipulated?

I think those of you that are partisans, don't view your party's grievance politics as just that because you agree with the grievance, while dismissing the other side's. It would be nice if people could be curious and not judgmental about the other side's values and concerns (for probably the 10th time on here, I highly recommend The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt.)

I read your statement as implying the white working class voters are somehow more susceptible to manipulation than other voters. I really don't think that's true. And I see what the Democrats do with abortion, George Floyd, Kavanaugh, Trump, etc and the rhetoric they use and see a party intent on "ginning up" anger to inspire voting. Do Republicans do this, too? YES. Better than Dems? Questionable.

Again, this is one big reason I despise both parties--they and politicians in general care about power first and foremost, and will sacrifice the long term good of the nation for it by continuing to engage in the politics of resentment and claiming the other side is illegitimate.

 

[TMFT]

On the "ginning up" comment, I see this a lot from Democrats. (I hate both parties but am left on most social issues and my economic ones don't map well right or left in US politics). Do you think the Democrats "gin up" anger about issues? At what point do you think people are authentically angry about something going on and at what point do you attribute it to just being manipulated?

I think those of you that are partisans, don't view your party's grievance politics as just that because you agree with the grievance, while dismissing the other side's. It would be nice if people could be curious and not judgmental about the other side's values and concerns (for probably the 10th time on here, I highly recommend The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt.)

I read your statement as implying the white working class voters are somehow more susceptible to manipulation than other voters. I really don't think that's true. And I see what the Democrats do with abortion, George Floyd, Kavanaugh, Trump, etc and the rhetoric they use and see a party intent on "ginning up" anger to inspire voting. Do Republicans do this, too? YES. Better than Dems? Questionable.

Again, this is one big reason I despise both parties--they and politicians in general care about power first and foremost, and will sacrifice the long term good of the nation for it by continuing to engage in the politics of resentment and claiming the other side is illegitimate.

I think that’s a fair critique.

Ds certainly gin up their base too to motivate voting, just like the Rs. You’re right that I probably see things through a partisan lens but I would argue that D motivations are typically about policy. I feel like a great deal of the bogeyman du jour from the right are more hypothetical, like “merry Christmas” being banned, CRT, or the fears of an Obama cult of personality.