Bernie Sanders Is Making Surprising Gains With Less Affluent Whites

[Uncle Joe]

Bernie Sanders’s coalition once looked very familiar: He had strong support among well-educated and affluent liberal white voters of the sort who backed Barack Obama, Bill Bradley and Jerry Brown. He struggled among less affluent voters.

But his coalition has evolved over the last few months. He now fares much better among less affluent whites than Mr. Obama did eight years ago, suggesting he’s attracting a group that traditionally supports more moderate establishment candidates, someone like Hillary Clinton. If confirmed in the voting, it would vindicate his hope of building a progressive coalition based more on class than the coalitions put together by liberal predecessors.

(snip)

In a compilation of New York Times/CBS News surveys since November, Mr. Sanders leads Mrs. Clinton, 47 percent to 39 percent, among white voters who make less than $50,000. If anything, these figures may understate Mr. Sanders’s strength; he has gained in state, national and New York Times/CBS News surveys over the period.

(snip)

On the other, I assumed that Mr. Sanders’s initial weakness among black and less affluent white voters was ultimately about the same phenomenon: the longstanding tendency for idealistic liberal outsiders to underperform among less affluent, less ideological groups. This is almost certainly still a part of Mr. Sanders’s weakness among nonwhite voters, but it’s a lot harder to defend that it’s the entire explanation now that Mr. Sanders has shown as much strength as he has among less affluent white voters. And it suggests that the assumption that Mrs. Clinton will easily maintain her strength among nonwhite voters may be shakier than once thought.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/upshot/bernie-sanders-is-making-surprising-gains-with-less-affluent-whites.html

[bklyncowgirl]

1. Howard Deans guys with Confrderate flags...

On their pickup trucks. And yes, I think it's a very good thing. These people will not vote for Clinton--they will vote for an FDR populist like Sanders.

This is not an endorsement of the Confrderate flag though of course some will
Claim it is.

[Uncle Joe]

2. This is a major reason as to why Bernie stands the best chance of defeating Trump.

As less affluent whites are waking up to how racism damages them too.

[JRLeft]

3. Do you really believe that?

[Uncle Joe]

4. Yes they are and will as Bernie's message takes hold and evolves.

[JRLeft]

5. I'm talking about racists figuring out being racist effects them.

[Uncle Joe]

6. Yes the first barrier was in bringing class warfare against the poor and middle income to light and

how the people are getting screwed by the 1%.

The second part is in bringing to light how our divisions are used against us.

[Live and Learn]

7. +10,000 nt

[JRLeft]

8. I'm sorry as a black man I don't see it.

Go Bernie, but I doubt you will find many black people believing that.

[Uncle Joe]

10. Here is one.

http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=420

HOW RACISM HARMS WHITE AMERICANS
With John H. Bracey Jr.

Distinguished historian John H. Bracey Jr. offers a provocative analysis of the devastating economic, political, and social effects of racism on white Americans. In a departure from analyses of racism that have focused primarily on white power and privilege, Bracey trains his focus on the high price that white people, especially working class whites, have paid for more than two centuries of divisive race-based policies and attitudes. Whether he's discussing the pivotal role slavery played in the war for independence, the two million white Americans who died in a civil war fought over the question of slavery, or how business owners took advantage of the segregation of America's first labor unions and used low-wage, non-unionized black workers to undercut the bargaining power of white workers, Bracey's central point is that failing to acknowledge the centrality of race, and racism, to the American project not only minimizes the suffering of black people, but also blinds us to how white people have been harmed as well.

There is a video on the link.

[JRLeft]

11. I said "many" one writer isn't a lot, but I respect your opinion and his

like I said Go Bernie.

[Uncle Joe]

12. Here's another video with a longer speech in front of the W.E.B. DuBois Department of Afro-American

studies at Umass.

Thank you and I respect you as well but my question is do you disagree with his assertions?

[JRLeft]

14. The professor was straight on, the only thing is I don't see

evidence of racists whites understanding how being racist cost them. If they knew how many wouldn't care, because they rather live in a shack than help POC.

[Uncle Joe]

16. That's Bernie's job and I believe he has already started it, beginning around the 1:50 mark and

specifically at the 2:13 mark, it just needs to be fleshed out more.

Peace to you, JRleft.

[Zorra]

9. Recommend. nt

[w4rma]

13. If Bernie isn't the nominee, Trump IS winning their support through authoritarian populism

Clinton would be a DISASTER of a Democratic nominee:

Unions Lean Democratic, but Donald Trump Gets Members’ Attention
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/30/business/donald-trump-unions.html

[jwirr]

17. Those union had better remember that the last time they

deserted the Democratic we got raygun. How easy they forget.

[Uncle Joe]

19. That's my belief as well, w4rma.

Peace to you.

[Odin2005]

15. This working class rural gun-toting redneck supports Bernie!

[ucrdem]

18. Well ... yeah. nt