Two historians have said that the Democratic Party was wrong to overlook Bernie Sanders' policies for working class people.

Summary

Historians suggest Democrats might have fared better against Donald Trump by embracing the economic issues championed by Senator Bernie Sanders, who has long pushed for a focus on “bread-and-butter” concerns for working-class voters.

Despite Kamala Harris’s progressive policies, polls showed Trump was favored on economic issues, particularly among working-class and Hispanic voters.

Historian Leah Wright Rigueur argued that Sanders’ messaging on economic struggles could be key for future Democratic strategies.

Sanders himself criticized the party for “abandoning” the working class, which he said has led to a loss of support across racial lines.

  • vga@sopuli.xyz
    288·
    9 days ago

    It seems to me that a lot of people are confused about what “supporting the working class” would actually mean.

    It wouldn’t mean that the working class would start thinking like Democrats. It will mean that Democrats will start thinking like the working class. Think about the implications, they’re not all what you want them to be.

    Probably worth it, though.

    • inv3r510n@lemmy.world
      252·
      9 days ago

      The implications, like supporting a higher minimum wage, universal healthcare, labor protections, unionization, and ending the forever wars?

      • vga@sopuli.xyz
        65·
        9 days ago

        Not sure about how they think about universal healthcare and unionization. It’s hard to believe those are core issue for them if they’re willing to vote republican like this.

        And I can add to that list not caring about immigrants or minorities more than the bare minimum. Or about helping students financially.

        • inv3r510n@lemmy.world
          61·
          9 days ago

          Why should I give a fuck about immigrants who directly drive down my wages? I’m talking legal immigrants. I work for a ski area - they can’t function without J1s and H2Bs or they’d have to pay double the wages for it to make sense for American citizens. I’m in a well tipped position so it doesn’t matter for me but my non tipped coworkers can barely make rent, meanwhile as a condition of employment J1s and H2Bs have to be provided housing (that they pay $500 a month for deducted in their paychecks) by the resort.

          Please note how minorities abandoned the democrats because democrats abandoned them.

    • Landsharkgun@midwest.socialEnglish
      131·
      9 days ago

      Like the other out-of-touch libs, when you say ‘working class’ what you mean is ‘racist white rural people’.

      Half my coworkers were either born outside the US or are second-gen. My national just voted to affirm and support trans rights. Turns out, people who work for money are working class. That includes, well, everybody.

      This misunderstanding is why the Dems ‘moved to the right’ this election. They still think it’s 1950. Moving to the right doesn’t make you appealing to the working class, it makes you appealing to bigots.

      Literally just make life easier for the working poor. That is all you need to do.