Joe From Scranton Didn't Win Back Working Class

[applegrove]

Joe From Scranton Didn’t Win Back Working Class

December 5, 2020 at 8:44 am EST By Taegan Goddard 119 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2020/12/05/joe-from-scranton-didnt-win-back-working-class/

"SNIP......

New York Times: “Well, the country is more racially diverse than ever before. But exit polls suggest that Joe Biden lost ground among Latino, Black and Asian-American voters in 2020 compared with Hillary Clinton’s performance in 2016.”

“Demographics, it turns out, are not political destiny. But diplomas just might be.”

“The clearest way to understand the results of the 2020 election — and, perhaps, the shifting state of our politics — is through the education voting gap. Voters with college degrees flocked to Mr. Biden, emerging as the crucial voting bloc in the suburbs. Those without them continued their flight from the Democratic Party.”

.....SNIP"

[LakeArenal]

1. He will.

[northoftheborder]

2. not good news

[KPN]

3. Conclusion: we need to make college affordable to

everyone - pronto.

[c-rational]

6. I like your line of reasoning.

[Doremus]

37. Higher education doesn't only include 4 year degrees. It also includes trade schools,

community colleges and vocational schools. Skills are very much a requirement for the jobs of the future including solar and other alternate energy.

I don't think anyone, even Andrew Yang, is suggesting no one needs education anymore. That doesn't rule out the probable need for UBI at some point. And UBI doesn't rule out the absolute need for Americans to get an education.

[KPN]

43. Thanks for that. I 100% agree with everything you said.

[CrispyQ]

16. This is why the GOP focused on filling Boards of Education back in the 80s.

They don't really want a well educated public.

"As people do better, they start voting like Republicans - unless they have too much education and vote Democratic, which proves there can be too much of a good thing." ~Karl Rove

[SMC22307]

27. Not everyone needs a college degree.

I'd wager the majority of plumbers, electricians, masons, welders, etc. -- the "working class" who once backed the Democratic Party -- don't have degrees. Many of them are doing quite well, depending on the area they work in. Interest rates are low and investors are gobbling up homes and putting these folks to work. At least that's how it is in my area and in Raleigh, NC, an area I spend a lot of time in. Hell, my HVAC guy has a nice home AND a cute little house at the beach.

[KPN]

44. I agree. That doesn't mean don't make it affordable for everyone.

[SMC22307]

46. Agree. And I feel we really need to push two-year degrees and the trades.

This Old House started "Generation Next" to help young people get their start in the industry. Small farms, nursing... so many opportunities!

[KPN]

48. Yup. In part it's about encouraging goals with avenues for getting there.

[SMC22307]

56. Nope.

Are you suggesting that money can only be made with 4-year degrees? That's a myth and I have a jet mechanic family member to prove it. His school teacher wife with a Bachelor's doesn't make a helluva lot.

[edhopper]

11. Because Democrats are terrible at messaging

Solar Employs More People In U.S. Electricity Generation Than Oil, Coal And Gas Combined
https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2017/01/25/u-s-solar-energy-employs-more-people-than-oil-coal-and-gas-combined-infographic/?sh=4216466b2800

We can't seem to get across that renewable energy does not cost jobs.

[exboyfil]

19. But regionally it does

Except for the potential for tourism I have a difficult time figuring out what to do with West Virginia for example. It is near the lowest in both wind and solar energy potential. The coal extraction industry right now is the only thing that actually generates more wealth when compared to other areas.

Wyoming has good wind potential, but is it enough to compensate for the loss of the extraction industry? It currently produces 41% of all coal in the US.

Currently freight cars with coal is more portable for the power than transmission lines due to the existing infrastructure.

Hillary Clinton tried to propose alternatives for West Virginia in 2016, and she was soundly rejected for it. Biden didn't even bother going there. The governor is still rejecting Biden's win.

It is not like coal is a long term solution. It is tempting to say to West Virginia and Wyoming to f__k your four Senators and four Representatives.

What can we offer these states? I would like to think that West Virginia could be a great tourism destination if they stop strip mining it and ruining it.

[edhopper]

23. I am not worried about winning W Virginia or Wyoming

with their 8 electoral votes.
But renewables can offer jobs out west and even in Texas and Penn. where we can get some of those working class voters with the right message.

If saying fuck you to WV and WY gets us PA, NM and AZ, fuck them.

[SlogginThroughIt]

22. Good god I am tired of that line.

We are fine with messaging. What we are not good at is dealing with the lack of the fairness doctrine and the lies upon lies that get pushed out every single day on our airwaves and networks. When one side can lie abd soread misinformation constantly your ability to get your message out is near impossible because you have to try to combat those lies as well as educate.

We are always fighting with one hand tied behind our back and the other has 4 broken knuckles.

[edhopper]

24. I agree that there is a problem

that the media seems to always go with the GOP line on issues.

[StarfishSaver]

29. Maybe messaging isn't the problem

[DonaldsRump]

5. The dude won. That's kinda' the bottom line. n/t

[napi21]

7. The final result of where the blue collar worker's alliegence will go depends upon what

Joe does while in office. If he does what he said & expands training for new good jobs to replsce those that will be lost he'll get them back.

[applegrove]

8. Blue collar workers have nothing so they stop thinking rationally and start looking for

a cult that gives meaning to their lives. Was a man in central ontario. He assaulted somebody in a store because they asked him to wear a mask. He took off. Police chased him but gave up the chace because they had his license plate. They went to his home. He met them with guns blazing. So the police shot him dead. He had meaning in his life. He had some power being in the cult. That is what democrats are fighting against.

When people are not paid well or have no hope for a better future, they start living through emotion rather than reason (reason only highlights the lack of power in their lives). They stop living in reality. A cult gives them marching orders and a direct connection to a powerful leader. The power is attainable and shared.

[MichMan]

41. I know many blue collar workers that do quite well for themselves

while substanially out earning many white collar office jobs.

The auto industry in our state has many good paying jobs. Too many people look down their noses at working in manufacturing

[applegrove]

45. But union membership has gone down in the last 40 years. Those people no longer

represented are struggling.

[Hekate]

69. Ronald Reagan broke the back of the unions. Workers are the ones who have to start them again...

But as long as workers are kept scrambling and don’t even relate to the concept, it’s going to be nigh on impossible.

What can be done — and must be done — is to re-legislate protections for union organizing activities. Pretty damn sure Joe from Scranton knows that. Those meat-processors must be able to organize, as it’s a matter of life and death.

The crucial part of getting that legislation done is that only Democrats can or will do it. So once again, all together now, GOTV every two years as though our lives depend on it.

[betsuni]

72. Yes, with unions comes more economic class consciousness.

Identifying as workers, one of the only ways to break through the brainwashing. Only Democrats can do it!

[Demsrule86]

9. He won enough to win the presidency.

Let's work to improve our outreach in rural areas the rust belt and other places.

[LAS14]

10. Every time I turn around I bump into this. We have GOT to improve our education...

... system from pre-school through PhD. I don't know if it's still true, but we used to marvel at interviews of British people on the streat, how bus drivers and store clerks and children spoke in full sentences, using multi-syllable words. They're not innately smarter than we are. But they are (or were?) doing something better.

[frazzled]

13. And they voted for Brexit and Johnson

Ergo ... possum

PS: Not all Brits have lovely elocution.

[edhopper]

12. Our messaging is terrible

that we can't get working people to realize that they keep voting for the Party that is keeping their wages low and taking away any rights and benefits they need is a failing on our part.

It is puzzling that people who are desperate for healthcare continue to vote for the Party that takes it away from them.

[StarfishSaver]

68. Um. No. Racism and economic anxiety are NOT "two sides of the same coin"

They are two very different things.

White working class Trump supporters are not supporting Trump because "the Democratic Party abandoned 30 years ago for sweet, sweet high dollar donor contributions from big business." They are supporting him because they are racist. Just like the middle class white people who support him and the wealthy white people who support him.

They weren't "abandoned" by Democrats. They LEFT the party because they don't like our social policies and inclusion. And, funny how black and brown people didn't feel "abandoned" by the party.

You really need to read the room ...

[betsuni]

74. That "Democrats abandoned the working class for wealthy donors/corporations" talking point

is so annoying. As is using '90s trade deals to bash Democrats, and the old "Trump voters did so because of economic insecurity, not racism." But that's the script and one must stick to it no matter how out-of-date and stale it is in 2020.

[StarfishSaver]

75. Yup

They completely ignore the common denominator...

If this were about economic insecurity, why are other white people who AREN'T economically insecure lining up with them but black and brown people who are just as, and often more, economically insecure aren't?

Economic insecurity is not common to all or even most Trump voters. Wealth isn't common to all or even most Trump voters. Concern about Democrats supposed "elitism" isn't common to all or even most Trump voters.

You know what IS the common denominator that connects them? They are overwhelmingly white and they are overwhelmingly either outright racist or racism isn't a deal breaker for them. But they insist it's economic insecurity or the Democrats abandoned them or are elitists who look down on them or tax cuts or judges in order to hide the real reason they support him - because they AGREE WITH HIM.

That would be bad enough. But it's a pathetic sight to see Democrats buying that lie and then trying to shove it down the throats of those of us who know better.

Circling the wagons ...

[CrispyQ]

18. It's like we don't believe in marketing.

I just don't get it.

[StarfishSaver]

70. There's nothing wrong with our messaging

They don't like what we're selling - diversity and inclusion and racial equity - so there's nothing we can say that will convince them to buy something they do not want.

They believe that their racial superiority that the Republicans promise them is worth much more than anything we're offering.

[betsuni]

71. +1

[Nimble_Idea]

14. exit POLLS

[cry baby]

20. +1

[exboyfil]

21. And the white working class is getting ready to put two crooked

aristocrats back into the Senate even though they demonstrated their stock portfolio was more important to them than the health and safety of their constituents.

[bigtree]

25. Biden Won Back (Enough of) the White Working Class

Biden won because he won back Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. The percentage of white working class men voting Democratic increased from 23% in 2016 to 28% in 2020, while among white working class women, support for Democrats increased from 34% to 36%. These voters played a key role in delivering victories for Biden in the Rust Belt states where Clinton lost the presidency in 2016.

But white working-class voters were not the whole story by any means. Biden also won the election this year because he flipped Arizona and probably Georgia, which had not voted Democratic in a presidential election since the 1990s, and by holding on to Nevada. Large Latinx turnout played an outsized role in both Arizona and Nevada. Black voters played a central role in Georgia, thanks to the voter-turnout efforts led by Stacey Abrams. Not to mention that Congressman Jim Clyburn and Black voters saved Biden’s candidacy when it was faltering, by delivering a win in the South Carolina primary.

Biden’s winning coalition was a race-class coalition. This election shows that Democrats can simultaneously appeal to voters of color and to enough (though hardly all) working class whites. The election also severely undermines the “demography is destiny” thesis – that people of color will rote-vote Democratic.

https://hbr.org/2020/11/how-biden-won-back-enough-of-the-white-working-class

[UTUSN]

26. Condescension/elitism is the problem, dividing all by "college" or not-college.

Bill MAHER is much maligned here, for what, mainly for lecturing us against excessive P.C.-ism, alleging that we/Libs on our fringe lose "common sense" (his example, letting 4 year olds make decisions about gender - or really *ANY* decisions).

We easily, clearly see that "mansplaining" is insulting and demeaning, patronizing, condescending, like *colonialism*. Well, so is any other kind of talking-down to other groups or individuals. We see Nannyism and bullying right here on DU - *gasp*!1 From members proclaiming their self-appointed gate-keeping, laying out their own personal laws about what others may post and what MAHERs may or may not be cited here, basically saying, "You are not adult enough to be able to listen to MAHER or anybody) and sift out by your very own self what part of what he says is bullshit and what part isn't."

Common sense. The common touch. Minorities responded to the KENNEDYs (& I'm not their idol worshipper) and LBJ, and yes to lesser degrees Bill CLINTON and W. Shrub, and I hate to admit it but RAYGUN - because they were able to tug on heartstrings. W. Shrub grew up in proximity to Mexican-Americans and some of them related to him because he joked about his own mangled Spanish words and *SMILED* (accepted) them and hugged them.

Tom BERGERON started out by being a street performer and talks down-to-earth. Jerry SPRINGER *accepted* his fringe guests as human beings.

Never mind, I'm tapping out here.

[StarfishSaver]

30. I'm tired of Democrats being blamed for "elitism" while white working class continue to vote

for the likes of Trump and Loeffler.

No one is more elitist, more insulting, demeaning, patronizing and condescending or mansplains more than Republicans, yet these voters continue to vote for them.

This has little to do with messaging and tone and plenty to do with other factors that too many people refuse to acknowledge or admit.

[UTUSN]

32. Well, I'm tired of voicing whatever & having it shot down arbitrarily. And discussion is futile when

contrary points, which do the arbitrary rulling-out, are asserted *vaguely*, obliquely, mysteriously, such as:

1) "yet these voters continue to vote for them" - So, the Repukes who are *more* elitist/etc. practice a formula of connecting with "these" voters in some way disguising themselves from the benighted voters? (or what?)

So, "This has little to do with messaging and tone" - sounds like the aforesaid disguising their true selves *IS* messaging and tone, if #1) is accepted which I don't.


2) "other factors that too many people refuse to acknowledge or admit..." - how about spelling out what, these, lo, mysterious factors are. We are tough enough to face them, but it's impossible to acknowledge or admit if we don't know what is being talked about.

*** And I'm not debater, more of a refuter of misrepresentations. It's not "discussion" to shoot down one opinion with another *opinion*. So I'm off.

[AmericanCanuck]

36. +1000

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=14664615

[StarfishSaver]

49. Bravo!

You explained it well.

[StarfishSaver]

59. Did you stumble into the wrong place?

This is a DEMOCRATIC site.

[JI7]

63. They are fine voting for Republicans that support NAFTA

[betsuni]

76. I agree about Bill Maher. I dread OPs after his shows because they

make me mad -- all the comments like: "I haven't watched his show in twenty years. If terrorists put a gun to my head forcing me to watch I'd tell them to pull the trigger. He once said decades ago he was a libertarian! HE SUCKS. I HATE HIM." Why anyone thinks this is an interesting comment to make about whatever was discussed on the show, which they don't know because they didn't watch, I don't know. Why people think having a variety of guests of many different political types on talk shows is evidence of YOU SUCK and they should have only guests they agree with -- stupid.

I bought and read Woody Allen's recently released memoir and am now watching "A Rainy Day in New York." One of my favorite movies is "Midnight in Paris." I will buy Garrison Keillor's new memoir. I still love Louis C.K. I love "Real Time with Bill Maher." I'm an adult able to listen or read whoever the hell I want and not freak out.

[AmericanCanuck]

28. Exit polls are useless this cycle

They only represented a faulty sample of people who voted in person.

[Drunken Irishman]

34. I think exit polls should be taken with caution this time but you're wrong.

Exit polls also included polling those who voted early, either by mail or in person.

[AmericanCanuck]

35. They included those who voted early but not mail voters

[Drunken Irishman]

54. This is wrong. They absolutely did.

According to CNN's exit polls:

Exit polls are surveys of a random sample of voters taken as they leave their polling place on election day. Absentee and early voters are represented by either telephone polls or in-person exit polls at early voting locations. Pollsters use the results to assess the makeup and opinions of the electorate. Read how exit polls work during a pandemic.

https://www.cnn.com/election/2020/exit-polls/president/national-results

[uponit7771]

38. +1, Polls are useless this cycle

[tirebiter]

31. This election had almost nothing to with class consciousness

It was about covid and Trump’s performance on dealing with it.

[Drunken Irishman]

33. Joe Biden did better than Hillary with working class voters.

Therefore, he won back some working class.

Or are we again just assuming only whites can be working class?

[uponit7771]

39. Yes I'm going to post that very thing

[uponit7771]

40. Why are these articles so much against saying "white working class" versus working class?

[Azathoth]

42. This isn't a resolvable difference

Last edited Sat Dec 5, 2020, 07:00 PM - Edit history (1)

You can't build a big enough tent to hold educated and non-educated, fundamentalist and secular, critical race theorists and poor blue-collar white folk. It just doesn't work.

Policies don't matter. Even messaging only goes so far if it's contrived.

The reason Trump connected with his base is because he's authentic. He's too mentally ill not to be authentic. What you see is what you get. And if there's one constant of every conversation I've had with less-educated folk, regardless of skin color or political persuasion, it's that they're convinced government is needlessly complicated and full of phony crooks and the whole thing is rotten and needs to be swept away and people who understand common sense {insert their pet political idea here} need to take over. An authentic wrecking ball like Trump clicks with that mindset.

[Midnight Writer]

47. I was a union rep from 1970-2010. Members went from strong Democrats to strong Republicans.

Biggest shift was Reagan years, then Limbaugh became popular, and W Bush supporters were rabid, especially after 9-11.

I think Democrats were complacent and did not recognize the power of basic messaging like talk radio and religious appeals.

I still don't think Democrats "get it".

[StarfishSaver]

50. At this point, the only way a change in Democratic "messaging" will get these people back

is if the message is white supremacy.

And that ain't happening.

[JI7]

58. Exactly and it's frustrating so many white people who claim to be Democrats

or on the left refuse to acknowledge the reality of racism.

And continue to claim only white people and specifically white men can be working class .

We have had Democrats like Strickland and Feingold who opposed trade agreements and were strongly pro union but those white people voted for the free trade anti union Republicans.

[StarfishSaver]

64. Exactly - Republican messaging is more effective BECAUSE THEY AGREE WITH THE MESSAGE

Too many Democrats think that if we just say it louder and with prettier pictures, all those white Republicans who vote for a racist party will come flocking to us.

The problem is not that we're not messaging it effectively. It's that they aren't interested in our message, regardless how we package it.

[JI7]

67. Just like with Fox news where they listened becsuse they agreed and stopped

when they said Biden won.

[LeftInTX]

51. Remember all the food bank lines???

All the food boxes contained "campaign" letters from Trump??

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/01/trump-letter-food-aid-boxes-424230
English and Spanish

[Yeehah]

57. Hate radio and Fox "News" has much of the working class brainwashed

There is no liberal alternative and that's the completely predictable result.

[JI7]

61. But they didn't listen to Fox News when they reported Biden won

[JI7]

60. There is a lot of bs in this article . Biden DID increase support from 2016

non white working class went for Biden .

Biden won lower income voters.

The problem is some people think only white men matter.

[treestar]

62. Better studies are needed this time

Exit polls are not accurate for these things because of so many mail-in votes.

[gulliver]

65. Yep, we keep playing favorites and pushing the "do not push this button" button.

Plans and intentions all need to be win-win, respectful, and very careful with people's feelings and lifestyle. We have a tendency to die on every hill, even if there's no enemy on the hill. We make an enemy if there isn't one. Their side won't be told what to do even if it's not to inject yourself with bleach or to agree two and two are four or deprive their fellow Americans of equal opportunity.

We need to realize that most of us spend a lot of time scrambling to keep up with the world's crazy changes and avoid the world's crazy existing pitfalls. Living is not easy. We're adaptable, but we need to have plans that work for everyone, not merely safety-based but lifestyle based. We lose individuals when we're too simplistic and don't pay attention to the things people really value, not just economic security but status, acceptance, self-reliance, etc.

[Hekate]

66. I don't call garnering 80 million votes a "flight" from either Joe or the Democratic Party...

I find it baffling that so many continue to use “working class” as a euphemism for ”white,” in any case.

[betsuni]

73. +1