Andrew Yang: Democrats have become party of "coastal urban elites"

[True Dough]

First off, let's be clear that the Dems are miles and miles ahead of the Republicans in terms of caring about the average American. But, is Yang on to something here? Yes, some Republican voters are going to stick with their party because they're racist scum. However, the Democrats could work harder to broaden their appeal and win over more struggling and middle-class Americans, no?

Link to tweet

[dhol82]

1. What we need to do is get rid of right wing radio

And get back a fairness doctrine!

[secondwind]

3. THIS!

[YessirAtsaFact]

7. Absolutely - We Need the Fairness Doctrine

That will affect broadcast TV (Sinclair) as well as AM radio.

[Bettie]

33. We need someone who will sink the cash into a liberal radio network

and accept that it will take a while before it makes money, if it ever does.

Someone who will do what the right wing did and just keep shoveling money at it to change the messaging.

Unfortunately, the ultra rich on our side don't want to do that.

I lay this almost entirely on Right Wing Hate radio. It is everywhere and it is loud.

[bamagal62]

61. This.

[dhol82]

82. We did that already. Remember Air America Radio?

It was fabulous. It had Al Franken, Rachel Maddow, Janine Garofolo, Randi Rhodes, and more.
It was my station of choice driving to and from work. It was the first time that I had a political awakening.
It lasted 2004-2010. Went down in flames. Couldn’t get advertisers.

[Bettie]

85. And that is why we need someone who

will shovel money at it forever. Right wing radio didn't make money at first either.

It isn't even really profitable now, but the voices are out there because super rich people want them there.

[doubleplusgood]

87. +1000

[Doremus]

99. Not sure libs would listen to the extent that repukes do.

I just don't think our young people listen to radio like we used to. Repukes do because half of them don't know how to go on the internet, lol.

[Caliman73]

105. Absolutely correct.

Right Wingers like the Kochs, the Mercers, and Sinclair group actually don't care that much about the revenue they get from the stations. Their financial reward is a bunch of idiots fighting against the 15 dollar minimum wage or fighting for fossil fuels, or Republican tax cuts (for the wealthy only).

It is an investment for the super wealthy. A way to get the message out to ignorant people so that their actual agenda of transferring the wealth of the people to them, will be accomplished and maintained.

Meanwhile Unions, who fight with companies so that there is due process, that wages and working conditions are improved, that jobs are protected, are painted as selfish and corrupt.

[doubleplusgood]

86. Air America was underfunded and mismanaged

And in spite of that still had an impact. We need to have a better-funded, better managed Air America 2.0. Think of all the hundreds of millions of dollars that Democrats spend on campaign advertising, etc. each cycle. A mere fraction of that could fund a new, nationwide liberal network.

[Bettie]

89. YES! Honestly, that would make ALL the difference

in most markets there is no liberal talk radio.

Hasn't been for years. That is the reason I have XM.

I suspect that some of the cash spent on campaigns used for a radio network would make a difference. It would take time, but it could be done.

[The Genealogist]

37. The blanket of 1500 hate radio broadcasting 24/7/365 needs to be challenged

A constant barrage of RW propaganda is a major factor in the state of the nation today.

[brooklynite]

52. 1) you can't 2) it wouldn't make any difference.

[secondwind]

2. My first reaction is to disagree with his assessment.

Nothing more.

[YessirAtsaFact]

4. Andrew Yang repeats GOP talking point

If he's just going to repeat RW propaganda, he might want to say nothing.

[still_one]

9. I think Yang and Van Jones should get together and run for an elected office

[Dem2]

23. Bernie said the same thing before the election

Granted, he was excoriated here for his timing, but it's a reputation the Democratic party might want to address.

[YessirAtsaFact]

38. I'm glad Bernie is aligned with the Democratic party in the Senate

But posting my true opinion of him and his statements might get the post removed, so I'll just say Bernie frequently says stuff that isn't helpful to the Democratic cause. He has his own agenda.

[octoberlib]

57. The talking point is garbage.

There are elites in every town, in every county, in every state across America. Coastal cities have tons of poor , disadvantaged people . Just because somebody’s from the rust belt or rural America doesn’t mean they’re more authentic Americans. The term is also rooted in anti- semitism.

[Dem2]

60. As noted in the post below, it's a perception

Obviously it isn't true, but surely winning more share of votes involves managing perception.

[SharonClark]

62. The right wing has been pushing this lie for

generations and too many people who benefit from Democratic pro-working class policies listen more to the lies of right-wing talk radio, Fox News, their preachers, and conspiracy theories than they do the truth.

People vote their interests and their interests are guns, god, sexism, and self-pity for many in the working class.

[Dem2]

66. Instead of insulting working class

I don't think it's unreasonable to focus on bread-and-butter issues that help remind them that Democrats ARE promoting their interests. They clearly aren't getting that message, if they were then Rump wouldn't have been possible. We need to counter some of the RW propaganda more forcefully IMO.

[Bettie]

41. He did not say it IS that

he said that is the perception.

It is and we need to find a way to change that perception.

You'd think it would be easier to do so since Republicans literally harm the working class every time they are in office, but propaganda works.

So, we have to learn to do the same kind of messaging that the other side does. But, we have truth on our side, it just has to be more in-your-face and much less polite.

[still_one]

5. Yang, we are in the middle where trump is reaching out to republicans in Congress

telling them to push the lie that the election is illegitimate, along with going to courts to try to get them to overturn the results of the election, and you think this is the time to bring this up?

We are seriously on the cusp of major Civil Disruption

Just go away Yang, you are NOT helpful to anyone at this time

[Meowmee]

27. This

Unbelievable, Biden/ Harris and dems are hopefully about to depose a tyrant who caused 230,000 deaths...and more. Lets not keep ignoring the extreme jeopardy we are in.

[still_one]

42. +++

[uponit7771]

6. Yang is talking about white people here, not blacks especially "working class" black and Latinx ...

... women who overwhelming vote democratic.

He sounds like he's got some sense but not on this issue data wise, dems talk LOUDLY to "working class" miniorities

[Bettie]

44. Unfortunately, there are still too many white

people who are utterly racist.

I live among them. Now, my only goal in life is to get me and my kids out of this state.

Iowa has turned into Alabama.

[former9thward]

65. No he is not.

One third of black men in the Midwest voted for Trump according to exit polls. Black men have been moving away from Democrats since 2008.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/black-men-drifted-democrats-toward-trump-record-numbers-polls-show-n1246447

[uponit7771]

75. That's not an aggregate of polls so far, that's one poll in one region so ... yeah, its white people

... Yang is talking about.

You can even point to black and Hispanic men for some reason turning towards republican assholes but you can't make that the case overall for ... WORKING CLASS .... PoC in America including Asians

[radius777]

93. Yes, we're starting to lose men across the board.

Alot of these guys are sexist in some ways but overall liberal (and pro-choice), and would vote Dem with the proper messaging. We can't come across as against everything men like (videogames, porn, rap music etc). Gamergate and similar controversies killed us with alot of younger men over the past decade.

[alarimer]

98. Well gamergate was a fair reckoning of sexual harassment in video games.

Guys who think sexual harassment is no big deal can vote GOP for all I care. They are not welcome in the Democratic Party.

[phylny]

8. This kind of talk is ridiculous.

[brooklynite]

54. Why?

[phylny]

63. I reject "coastal elite" because it is a Republican talking point.

[brooklynite]

72. So you just don't like the phrasing?

Do you believe that Democrats are as appealing in rust belt suburbs and rural areas as they are in large cities?

[phylny]

76. No.

[brooklynite]

78. And that's Yang's point.

[phylny]

84. Yes, thanks for explaining that to me. With my Master's degree, I would have had

a tough time understanding.

He had many words to choose from and is undoubtedly smarter than I am. He could have phrased this and made an excellent case without using REPUBLICAN talking points.

Please, tell my unemployed friends from Philly how ELITE they are and expect them to listen to you. Tell my Democratic sons-in-law who have massive college debt how ELITE they are. Reinforce how ELITE Democrats are to the rural population that surrounds me who voted overwhelmingly Republican.

I'm sure that'll all work just fine.

I was born in Brooklyn, but not on third base like Queens-born Trump

[radius777]

95. Yang's is making a RW argument

that Dems are 'coastal elites' - when the reality is that metro areas (urbs, suburbs, college towns, etc) across the country - whether on the coasts or heartland, many of whom are working class voters - tend to vote Dem.

We do need to reduce our margins in the rural areas and message better to all groups - but this idea that the Dems are just 'coastal liberals drinking lattes' is a RW narrative. We've won the popular vote in the 7 of the past 8 presidential elections.

[bigtree]

10. where the vast majority of Americans actually live

...not like the sparsely inhabited middle.

[yardwork]

11. I disagree. Instead, the Democratic Party is falling short on messaging.

I believe that the Democratic Party platform actually resonates with most Americans, including rural Americans, but the lies about us are widespread. Most people don't even know our platform.

Half the country believes a pack of lies about Democrats. THAT'S what we have to combat.

[ananda]

16. The Democratic Party is actually overwhelmed by endless propaganda..

.. both sidesism.. and normalization of policies and practices that
are reprehensible.

We need a functioning FCC, and we definitely need to bring back
Fairness in Media.

[yardwork]

21. Yes.

[uponit7771]

50. +1

[Bettie]

56. I believe the fairness doctrine as previously

in force only applied to public airwaves. Faux would continue to be exempt from such things if we got it restored.

The thing would have to be rewritten. Maybe like Canada, where if a network says it is news a certain percentage has to be true.

[ananda]

92. Agree.

Thanks for the clarification.

[Caliman73]

106. Agreed. I think people see the Fairness Doctrine as a panacea.

The actual culprit (at least in terms of media) is the 1996 Telecommunications Act. Prior to that legislation, it was not legal for any one entity to own more than a certain percentage of media in any given market. When that was signed, it opened the flood gates for wealthy people and corporations to buy up media markets.

AM radio was dying back in the 70's and 80's, mostly Nostalgia Radio, local stations broadcasting high school sports, traffic and weather, and some religion stations. In the 90's it became right wing heaven all across the dial. Then people like Murdoch and Ailes went all in on Fox News. Then they went after the internet. You have right wing websites funded by billionaires and You Tube Channels trying to pass themselves off as Universities.

Fairness Doctrine would do nothing for any of that. It would just make ABC, NBC, and CBS air differing political viewpoints with equal time.

[LeftInTX]

47. I dunno, I saw alot of room for improvement at the convention

The segment on the environment did not address new jobs in the energy sector...This left an "in" for the GOP...

[uponit7771]

48. +1

[bdamomma]

53. There

are people who feed on propaganda we should all that know now. People who don't read and believe this shit they are being fed.
Trump and right wing radio and others played a big part in that, he is all talk does not read and brainwashed his cult.

Yes Fairness Doctrine is correct.

We are in a very volatile period right now.

Now is not the time to finger point, we must heal this country and that will take a very long time.

[Claustrum]

12. I've said it quite a few times on this board that we, democrats as a whole, need to do better

on our economic messaging. I get that we have compassion and the social issues are important. And part of this is the media's fault as they only invite democrats to talk about social issue. We need to try and pivot to economic issue as much as we can too.

For example, when talking about COVID, the death toll, the mask wearing, relying on science, all of that are very important. But it's also a good issue to pivot to the economy. When COVID is in control (like under 1% infection rate, comparing to 10+% around the country), we can reopen the economy. People would have the confidence to go out more. It's shown to work in Asia and Europe. Italy got hit hard, but once they controlled it, they reopened. Then when second wave hits, they shut down again. But that's based on science and infection rates. However, for much of our talk, we only focus on the COVID deaths (it's bad and definitely worth mention) and the fight of masking with Trump, while most of the time, the economic aspects are left out by the democrats, at least on TV.

[MaryMagdaline]

22. Well said.

[Dem2]

26. Agreed

[LeftInTX]

59. agree

This cycle in particular has not been good

The convention did not address healthcare and the ACA..I was like what? Lots of doom and gloom about covid and memorials, but very little about healthcare in general.

[TwilightZone]

13. Right-wing propaganda has been at this about as long as Yang's been alive.

The reaction he's seeing is a result of that, not an ingrained reaction to our policies or positions. In practice, many of them agree more with us on many issues than the party they vote for.

[Bettie]

94. But the propaganda is powerful and pervasive

they do worse under Republicans, but they blame Democrats for that.

Then, when they do better under Democrats, they credit Republicans.

We need to find a way to flip the narrative.

And Democrats need to be bold and speak truth to power in strong terms. Fuck being "nice", truth isn't always pretty or easy.

[NYC Liberal]

14. But they'll worship a billionaire playboy from Manhattan who lives in a golden penthouse

and despise people like Pres. Obama and Joe Biden who actually grew up in the working class.

So, I really don't think it's the "elitism" they care about.

[AleksS]

46. This!

It’s not about “urban elites”

Trump is everything they claim to hate—gold plated toilets and all.

It’s a team sport, and they’re ride-or-die red. It’s not about policies, lifestyles, or anything but “my guy vs. your guy”

Ask a guy with trump flags on his truck what dons policies are...he doesn’t know. Ask what Biden’s policies are. He doesn’t know. But he knows trump is his guy, and “his guy good! Their guy bad!”

Compare a hardcore NFL fan to a hardcore magat. Flags? Check. Team apparel? Check. Hates the rival for no particular real reason? Check. Big rallies? Check. Team Incorporated into their identity? Check.

[blitzen]

15. Bullcrap. It's Urban/Rural. Period. Nothing to do with "working class"...

Everything to do with undereducated white people.

[Cosmocat]

31. Winner, chicken dinner

nm

[NRaleighLiberal]

17. .

[orwell]

18. Coastal and Urban...

...is where most of the people are.

The only reason this is relevant is because of the Electoral College system.

If we ran the election by popular vote Republicans would never win.

Explain that Andrew.

What he wants is to bow to the minority of racist, white, haters who don't have the sense to realize who is screwing them and who is fighting for them.

What's life like in West Virginia and Oklahoma where they worship the RepubliCon god?

When coal and oil are relegated to the dustbin these hell holes will be unlivable.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

19. God, this is so tired.

[llmart]

20. Yet if you ask those same people what the GOP has done for them specifically...

they can't come up with a single thing. They hem and haw around and talk around the question but can never come up with one substantive thing the GOP has done to make their lives better.

This guy needs to STFU.

[PubliusEnigma]

24. Democrats have become the Party in the White House. Enjoy!!

[Dem2]

28. Bernie said the same thing before the election

[AleksS]

51. Same epithet applies, I think.

Coastal elite with too much time and money on his hands.

[moondust]

29. Democracy is a numbers game.

Where are the numbers of smart/progressive/tolerant/inclusive voters? Do the math, Andrew.

Maybe somebody could also explain the numbers concept to rural voters, emphasizing that chasing the numbers does not mean ignoring important rural issues.

[scrabblequeen40]

30. Georgia is not "elite" by any definition. LMAO.

Revise RW talking point: "coastal elite, plus Georgia."

[radius777]

32. Dems are the party of densely populated areas

across the country, whether on the coasts or not, and many working class people (especially of color, women, etc) vote heavily Dem. It's what has allowed Biden to win many/most of these swing states.

We do have to broaden our appeal and reach out to different groups better - but it's a complex issue and not as simple as the 'class first' strategy the populist left has pushed for years.

[treestar]

45. This is a disadvantage that no "messaging"

can overcome. The EC and the Senate give rural people weight over us. We need to find a way to get to some of them.

[LeftInTX]

68. There is a rural Democratic caucus in Texas

They're a good group and they're very good with messaging too. Even the urban folks can learn from it.

They do have challenges with the logistics of working in rural areas. (Longer distances between homes etc)

[treestar]

70. Good on them

That sounds promising.

[radius777]

71. Agree, to at least reduce the margins.

There is a more liberal subset of rural whites, that is not religious and not that racist/sexist (maybe a little) - that we could reach with the proper messaging.

We also need to improve our voting outreach in urban/metro areas (our true base) with all groups, as well as the voting apparatus in such areas, which is often underfunded and inefficient (long lines, issues, etc - even in blue states). Trump is a fool but he understood what the GOP's 'real' base (rural and exurban) and drove up the score.

[octoberlib]

34. Yang needs to back off this anti- Semitic nonsense.

There are elites in every county, in every state in America . Not just on the coasts. The big cities on the coasts have tons of poor people. It’s garbage.

[Cosmocat]

35. Says a costal elite ...

nm

[In It to Win It]

36. I'm sick of this bullshit narrative. What Democrats are you talking to?

Every Democrat I’ve ever asked why vote Democratic, the first thing they tell me is Democrats are for the working people and Republicans are for the rich.

What Democrat ever comes off as a coastal elite liberal? Point them out.

That narrative is pure bullshit.

[xmas74]

77. It's the GOP narrative.

The rural areas are spoonfed that the Dems are overeducated, coastal elites or urban dwelling welfare abusers.

Is it true? Of course not but damn if they aren't good at branding.

FWIW, I live in rural Missouri. The GOP is so good at branding themselves and making convincing lies that they've convinced people our native son,Harry Truman, would be a staunch Republican. They've said the same about Mel Carnahan, even when his wife Jean has stated otherwise.

[xmas74]

79. It's the GOP narrative.

The rural areas are spoonfed that the Dems are overeducated, coastal elites or urban dwelling welfare abusers.

Is it true? Of course not but damn if they aren't good at branding.

FWIW, I live in rural Missouri. The GOP is so good at branding themselves and making convincing lies that they've convinced people our native son,Harry Truman, would be a staunch Republican. They've said the same about Mel Carnahan, even when his wife Jean has stated otherwise.

[pamdb]

39. What?

I’m a 69 year old retired librarian from mid Michigan for christs sake. My husband is a retired teacher/librarian. We are not rich but we have managed to donate nearly ever SS check to Gary Peters and others. Mostly Peters because we really didn’t want James and wanted (dammit) the Senate. We are not on any coast, Not even what they call the Gold Coast in Michigan although we are just a half hour away, depending on who is driving. Even if we wanted to, and we do like northern CA, there is no way we could afford to live on either coast. And we are staunch democrats. So shove it Andrew Yang.

[ebbie15644]

40. Bullcrap

Republican's are just a racist grievance party, so there's that

[apnu]

58. Yes they are. Its an emotional thing, not a rational one.

Most voters are emotional voters. They're scared of change. They're scared they will be lynched. They are aware of the rage on our side and they fear reprisals. And they know they've got blood on their hands. They also know that if given the chance they would gleefully lynch us.

In short, they project themselves on us and it scares them.

[ebbie15644]

83. I'm tired of people giving them cover, people like Yang

[treestar]

43. He made a generalization on his anecdotal experience

and we all have confirmation bias.

I think I agree now about the cultural and PC stuff. We should concentrate on the advances made - that is more likely to promote more advance. Absurd claims that we are just as sexist, racist, etc. now as we were in the 1960s make us look like we prefer victimhood to advancement and will never give it up.

[apnu]

49. Yang's got a point

The Democratic Party used to represent the working class, see FDR. Why was FDR so durable? Because the working class felt he was "working for them".

The Dem Party needs to get back to that. Show the working class we are "working for them." No policies have to change as they are for the working class, but messaging and communications to the working class needs improvement.

RW radio has to be countered. We should spend time out in the working class areas, both inner city slums, and the country, listening to them and then responding with how we are going to help them.

Most voters are emotional voters. The GOP's durability comes from an emotional place, not an intellectual one. Emotional appeals are more effective than rational data-driven lectures.

[Dem2]

64. Agreed

Though I did laugh, I haven't heard the term "slums" used in a long time.

[apnu]

74. I'm old, I use the lexicon of my time (70s and 80s)

But its true. We don't like to use the term but these places are run down, there is little hope for the people crammed in them, there's little to no investment in these places to improve things. Changing the word doesn't change reality.

The same is true for poor rural counties. On paper I see no difference between the two areas except where they are placed on a map.

The Dems are often lectured that we only pay attention to inner city people when its election time, and the truth is the GOP does the same for its country areas. They improve nothing there.

If the Democrats did improve things for the working class and poor, and spent time in those places showing them how we helped, we'd be unstoppable nationally.

Ignore the RW hate radio and the snake talking preachers, we need only show them we are for them.

[kwolf68]

55. This is not the time for this shit Andrew

Democrats are winning the coasts, because THAT IS WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE.

Democrats, despite what I believe doing a very mediocre job overall, ARE MAKING inroads into once locked blue states. Look at how close Texas is?

YES, I wish Democrats could win elections in Oklahoma, but that's completely not realistic when 70% of those people honestly believe Joe Biden is a card carrying communist. You will never get Joe Cowboy out there to even be a moderate Democrat. That said, we should at least TALK to them, LISTEN to them and at least respect the fact we have differences. Maybe if we can just get them to say, "Ok, I admit you are not a communist, but I still don't agree with you because I am Conservative" then that would actually be "a win" despite Democrats not winning elections there.

Outside of NOT BEING a Democrat, we are not winning Oklahoma, Idaho and some of the old South states anytime soon. And bashing "the coasts" is absurd. Why are people in NY, California, Philadelphia NOT worthy? WHERE the fuck is the hand-wringing where Republicans are asking themselves, "Why can't we appeal to city people any better?"

It's always a Democratic problem when we are not able to appeal to people who ostensibly despise us (for dubious reasons) but never seem to be a Republican problem when the issues are reversed. Tells me the media, mainstream society and EVEN some Democrats only see it as a problem when Dems don't appeal to "middle America" and appealing to "coastal America" is just not really a worthy proposition.

[LeftInTX]

73. We need Democrats in every state

Sure a state like Texas won't be a source electoral votes, but do provide congress critters. There is also redistricting coming up. All of this makes a difference to the entire country.

[Aepps22]

80. So True

I agree with everything you've said. I am sick and tired of this lie that Democrats aren't talking to these "working class" or "rural voters". Practically every policy that the Democrats advocate for would improve their lives. They hated the ACA and called it socialism but now say it's great. How can you reason with people like this? If we continue to go out of our way to court these voters we will lose more of our voters that show up for us when we aren't actively courting. We just need to bring the margins down just a little bit. That should be the goal.

[Rizen]

67. This isn't the issue.

The issue is that Republicans are much better at talking to stupid people. It's a complex world full of unpleasant truths and it's much easier to sell "taxes bad" and "global warming isn't your fault" than the truth.

[Blasphemer]

69. It is and has always been about one thing: racism

All of this handringing after AN ELECTION WE WON is about trying to get the party to appeal to racists. It was a close election because the country was and still is built on racism. The solution to this country's race problem is NOT pandering to racists. Pandering exacerbates the problem, which will continue to get worse until this country truly reckons with its original sin.

[Baltimike]

81. Damn...took himself off the Secretary of the Treasury list, did he? nt

[Trumpocalypse]

88. Yang has a right to his opinion

but he shouldn't be repeating GOP talking points.

[Paladin]

90. And republicans represent the brain-dead, hateful segment of the central states.

Take your hackneyed characterizations of the Democratic Party and shove them up your ass, Andrew Yang.

[JCMach1]

91. Says a coastal urban elite. When is Yang's sell by date again?

[Hassler]

96. FWIW: Minnesota's DFL--Democratic, Farmer, Labor party

has lost the farmer and laborer voters. How to get them back? I have no idea.

[alarimer]

97. Oh, so Detroit and Milwaukee are coastal now?

Atlanta really isn't either. And what defines "elite" exactly? College degree? I hate to tell him, but most people in this country do not have degrees (I think about 25% do) so it stands to reason that most Democratic voters do not have college degrees. Yang needs to STFU. He is a useless techbro who has maybe one good idea.

[Turin_C3PO]

100. Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico,

the upper Midwest. None of those states are coastal.

[panader0]

107. Looks like Pennsylvania too.

Does lake coastline count?

[Withywindle]

101. We won GEORGIA and ARIZONA, you pudwhacker

With all due respect, Mr Yang, sir, you are a CORPORATE LAWYER FROM NEW YORK.

Take your anti-Semitic dog-whistles and your Republican talking points and get off Twitter and go talk to some hillbillies yourself if you feel so strongly about this.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

102. I hate that term elites

There's nothing particularily elite about living on the east or west coast. There's lots of ordinary people here. Most of us are not wealthy. We choose to live where the jobs are because we're not dumb though. Why would I go live out in a rural area that has no jobs for me?

[mindfulNJ]

103. UGH

We aren't even officially in power yet and we are already eating our own.

[Caliman73]

104. Nope. The Democratic Party has BEEN PAINTED as the party of coastal elites.

Whatever the hell that means.

The party that supports Unions
The party that supports a living wage or at least a much higher minimum wage
The party that supports granting people who were incarcerated but are now out of prison, the right to vote again
The party that wants to create clean energy jobs for the people who will be losing their their fossil fuel jobs
The party that supports equal rights and equal pay for women doing the same jobs as men
The party that supports low tuition or free college and trade school for anyone who wants it
The party that supports developing trade deals and protections for American jobs
The party that supports decriminalizing drugs and ending mass incarceration

That is the party of coastal elites?

NO. JUST NO.

Now if you listen to Fox and right wing radio, which many of our "blue collar" or "rural" brethren do, then yes, you think that the only thing Democrats support is Black, Lesbian Transsexual socialists who want to burn the flag and have trigger warnings in kindergarten and be able to use the bathroom with children of the opposite sex.

How we are painted and who we are is extremely different.