- cross-posted to:
- progressivepolitics
- cross-posted to:
- progressivepolitics
Summary
Democrats must reclaim their identity as the party of the working class to regain electoral strength.
Despite pro-labor policies under Biden, working-class voters feel disconnected, seeing Democrats as defenders of a failing system.
The party’s decline traces back to NAFTA and neoliberal economic policies that favored corporations over workers.
A generational effort to prioritize labor rights, fair wages, and economic security while addressing working-class frustrations are needed.
Without serious reform, Democrats will continue losing ground to populist alternatives.
They can’t. Middle class oil workers, workers in the gasoline auto-sector will not vote for Democrats. The same goes for many who are contractors; plumbers, electricians, HVAC.
Those working for Amazon might be able to unionize, same with Walmart. Hopefully they can get better pay, and hours. But they are not fighting the same fight as climate activists.
Trump might break teacher unions soon with school vouchers.
Democrats need to start with hyper-local issues, and organize around those.
Why do people act like the only real workers are oil workers, coal miners, and building contractors? This is a tiny sliver of the workforce.
Because it simultaneously gives them an excuse to do noting for both unions and the environment.