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Democrats Have Abandoned the Working Class

Posted on Tuesday, August 23, 2022
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AMAC Exclusive – By Claire Brighn

Working class

Beginning in earnest with Donald Trump’s election in 2016, working class voters in the United States have fled the Democratic Party in droves, quickly eroding a once solid base of support for the party. Amid this seismic shift in the electorate, many elected Democrats and mainstream media pundits have over the past several months desperately tried to prop up this narrative of Democrats as the party of everyday Americans – even as the policies emanating from Washington have grown increasingly opposed to their interests.

Following the 2016 election, many in media circles seemed to believe that Trump’s performance with blue-collar and working class voters in states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio must have been a fluke. Though 2018 was an electoral setback for Republicans in the House, 2020 quickly proved a continuation of the trend that began four years before. Analysis from The New York Times in 2020 on “The Two Americas Funding Trump and Biden Campaigns” found, for example, that in “ZIP codes above [the median household of $68,703], Mr. Biden outraised Mr. Trump by $389.1 million. Below that level, Mr. Trump was actually ahead by $53.4 million.” Additionally, the study also found that much of Biden’s “financial edge” came from deep blue states along the coasts – supporting the widespread perception of Democrats as the party of coastal elites. “The donations mirror voting patterns,” Republican pollster Whit Ayres noted at the time.

The reason why this shift is occurring is easy to see – on issue after issue, Democrats’ policies are hopelessly out of step with the experiences of working class voters. On day one of his administration, Biden took actions like canceling the Keystone XL pipeline and ending oil and gas leases on federal lands – policies favored by wealthy liberals, but which started a steady rise in energy prices that hit working class Americans particularly hard. Democrats’ $1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan,” which was chock-full of woke priorities aimed at appeasing far-left activists, touched off an inflation crisis that has further devastated the financial lives of working class families. Instead of working to curb inflation, Biden and Congressional Democrats passed a bill dubbed the “Inflation Reduction Act” that economists believe will do nothing but increase inflation, and which contains subsidies for electric vehicles and solar panels – more welfare for the wealthy. In just the past two years, every Democrat in Congress has voted for higher energy costs, ending coal, and unleashing an army of IRS agents on low and middle-income Americans.

Despite Democrats’ claims that these policies are targeted at working and middle class Americans, evidence suggests that the opposite is true. For instance, available data shows that 80% of electric vehicle subsidies end up going to individuals making more than $100,000 per year. A Wall Street Journal analysis of California’s push to switch to “green” energy sources, a plan similar to the climate provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, showed that while working class households saw their energy bills increase, wealthy households actually saw financial gain from the policies.

Additionally, though Democrats slammed the Trump tax cuts as “tax breaks for the rich” and insist that their tax plan would “make the wealthy pay their fair share,” real wages grew under Trump, and that wage growth went predominately to “workers at the lower end of the pay scale.” Meanwhile, an analysis from the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation found that the tax code changes in Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act would result in an increased tax burden of more than $17 billion on Americans making less than $200,000 in 2023 alone.

Democrats’ struggles with working class voters are perhaps best captured in middle American states that were once reliably blue or purple but are now trending Republican. The state of Iowa, for instance, which for decades was “the reliable wind vane of American politics,” has all but totally rejected Democrats. Obama carried the state twice in 2008 and 2012, but Trump also won there twice – gaining ground in 2020 over 2016. Since then, Republican voter registration has almost doubled in the state, and Biden’s approval sits at a dismal 23%.

A similar story has played out in Ohio, which also voted for Obama twice, but which Trump won handily in 2020. Though Biden managed to carry Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota two years ago, these once reliable bastions of Democratic support are now toss-ups.

In all of these states, which have been at the epicenter of the decline of American manufacturing in recent decades, working class voters are driving this shift, undoubtedly in large part thanks to Donald Trump’s message of economic renewal and a return to American greatness.

In response, some Democrats have, to their credit, attempted to rebuild this base of support. A headline from The New York Times late last month asked: “How Can Democrats Persuade Voters They Aren’t The Party of Rich Elites?” In an apparent response, Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio (D) wrote in an op-ed earlier this month, “We’re supposed to be the workers’ Party. Democrats must be that party again.” (Never mind the fact that Senator Brown has garnered a reputation as one of the most far-left members of the Senate and was a strong supporter of Democrats’ spending binge.)

But this outreach effort has proven to be little more than lip service to the actual needs of working class voters. Far from re-calibrating their policy agenda as working class voters abandon them, Democrats appear poised to double down on their embrace of elite interests and a far-left social agenda, one that is completely at odds with the traditional values of most working class families. For Republicans, this presents a golden opportunity – if they can follow Trump’s lead and continue focusing on the issues that matter most to these voters.

Claire Brighn is the pen name of a conservative researcher and writer with previous domestic and foreign policy experience in the Executive Branch.

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Barrett Smith
Barrett Smith
2 years ago

Dems are for the non-working class.

Tom
Tom
2 years ago

They did years ago with bait and switch. Help for job then help ship job out of country.

James E Weaver Sr
James E Weaver Sr
2 years ago

Great Article, Thanks

jocko
jocko
2 years ago

PLUS OUR MILITARY AND OUR NATION !!!!! THE ONCE HONORABLE FBI IS NOW THE RUSSIAN KGB

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
2 years ago

Have so since day 1

joe mchugh
joe mchugh
2 years ago

The Democrat Party always did, does now and always will court the working class voters. But a great percentage of their campaign donations come from the rich, and the big corporations.

Thanks to the Democrat skill in attracting the blue collar workers, and their infamous ability to lie with a straight face, their voting base remains formidable. They can count on at least four groups of voters in EVERY election.
1) The brain dead liberals.
2) The taxsuckers.
3) The illegal aliens who manage to obtain drivers licenses.
4) The dead voters.

The best situation that one might hope for would be that the Democrat Party ends up in the same political wilderness that the old WHIG Party of the mid 1800’s went to. The reality is that their are just too many people who look to the government to “Help them with their financial burdens.”. ………… (voter bribes).

Rik
Rik
2 years ago

Democrats HAVEN’T abandoned the Middle Class, they as ALL Communist societies want to RULE the Middle Class! We the American People MUST RESIST or forever lose our Life, Liberties and Freedoms FOREVER! . . . I, for one, will resist this from happening because my mother’s family escaped Communist Russia back in 1917 to come here! She must be rolling over in her grave to see what today’s Democratic Party has EVOLVED into! . . . We, Conservatives, MUST LEAD THE FIGHT TO STOP THEM!

Mike S
Mike S
2 years ago

If the Democrats are abandoning the working class, which I suggest are from all races, then I suggest we abandon the Democrats. For nearly 60 years, the Democrats have been the majority party. Ask yourself if anyone has any confidence anymore in government. I suggest to you that they do not!!

JerryH
JerryH
2 years ago

The Democrat Party has not only abandoned the working class, they have abandoned America. By allowing wealthy elites to control policy, they have lost touch with American ideals and values. Moreover, they have sold out to the idea that America is evil for embracing Capitalism; instead promoting the false utopia promised by Socialism. Of course, their sole intention is put power, control and dominion in the hands of an elite few; thus destroying the greatest country this world has ever known. If they are not stopped dead in their tracks in the upcoming election cycle, the United States of America that we knew as children will be gone forever, and the entire world will suffer as a result.

PaulE
PaulE
2 years ago

This article actually made me laugh a little. Is it supposed to be some great surprise or revelation that the Democrat Party doesn’t actually give a da** about the middle class? The author needs to get out more often and actually take a look at what the Democrat Party has really supported and stood for for decades in this country. At best, the Democrat Party only viewed the middle class as a stepping stone to be used and then discarded on their march to the ultimate goal of attaining personal wealth and power.

Jeb
Jeb
2 years ago

Crazy idea/wild guess as to why socialism, communism, totalitarianism all eventually fail. Throughout history the middle class has proven to be the backbone of society. The stronger one makes that backbone the stronger society becomes. When you break that backbone, well here we are once again…

mark
mark
2 years ago

The DemoRats are in control along with the help of the Rinos, they will stay in control until WE THE PEOPLE, decide to get off our a**es and change that, if anyone needs more proof that the NWO is trying to rule this nation and take all of our rights from us then wake up and look at the last two years, this started in the 50s and 60s by the way it was a long slow process but here we are, the SOCIALIST PARTY is in total control of our lives and its up to us to change it one way or another…

Jannine
Jannine
2 years ago

I believe the democrats have been stabbing the middle class in the back for few decades now. Just as they the black community.

Patriot Will
Patriot Will
2 years ago

The people who are actually the backbone of our country, who are actually keeping this country together, by their values and their hard work, are also much more in touch with what really matters and is needed to keep America free and proud. The people who are too busy cynically destroying, or too apathetic to notice that the Democrats are actively killing our liberties and way of life, tend to live in a Utopia of what can be, instead of an optimistic, uplifting vision of what should be. Many Americans are full of promise and goodness. Too bad the Democrats are caught in a purgatory of suspicion and hate.

Deb Rockwell
Deb Rockwell
2 years ago

Let’s hope the ding bats take advantage of this golden opportunity.

Paul W
Paul W
2 years ago

The entire uni-party has abandoned the working class. Though taxpayers pay their salaries, they (the uni-party frauds) have ZERO interest in the taxpayers other than pandering to them around election time. They take care of themselves and the rest of the dc sewer class, and that’s it!!! The days of of the government being of the people, by the people and for the people are long, LONG GONE and the Constitution has been all but abandoned.

pete
pete
2 years ago

Did research on how many wind turbines it would take to replace Texas fossil fuel generation, and provide for the shoved down our throats EV’s coming. Would take another 52,000 wind towers. But why did I have to do the research? Why isn’t this being done for the nation, and it out there and talked about? I don’t think we have any but a few scattered folks that represent the people–both parties are skipping down the path of destruction arm in arm, laughing their tails off.

Chris
Chris
2 years ago

The Democrat Party has become the puppet of the Liberal World Order

Bill on the Hill
Bill on the Hill
2 years ago

The problem with the ( 3 ) states mentioned here stating Biden carried them, is disingenuous at best.
Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota had to cheat big time to get Biden the alleged win…
The problem with these stories is when they talk as if Biden actually did win those states, when in fact it is more than highly doubtful he ever reached the numbers to legitimately carry those states…
The Election Commissions themselves are problematic, they lie & cheat at every opportunity…
In light of the FBI raid on Trump’s home as well as the agents rummaging through the First Lady’s garments, now I’m pissed & I want to see Trump run again in 2024 along with DeSantis as his running mate…
Biden & Harris conveniently go on vacation during the RAID & claim to know nothing about the FBI raid, right & I have some real estate to sell you on Mars…
Biden knows nothing about it, right, he also knows he has to attempt to disqualify Trump from ever running for office again, NOT going to happen.
Lawsuits are pending per Trump against the DOJ & I want to see heads roll from upper management down through the ranks, hence the FBI whistleblowers now speaking up, imagine that…
Bill… :~)

JEFFREY JONES
JEFFREY JONES
2 years ago

IN ORDER TO SAVE THE U.S.A….ARREST AND ELIMINATE PERMANENTLY ALL DEMONRATS,LIBTARDS ,SOCIALIST,NAZIS AND OTHER AMERICA HATERS!!!!!!!!!!..

kaj
kaj
2 years ago

The dems have NEVER been for the middle class. It just took some longer than others to finally see the truth.

dbro
dbro
2 years ago

I checked on the electric car subsidies to see if it was true about getting them for buying an electric car. What I found out is to get the full rebate you would have to have 150,000 to 300,000 annual income to qualify. Only the elite would qualify the normal working people can forget getting anything.

Navyvet79
Navyvet79
2 years ago

Nothing new here. The Dems have been a bifurcated party for years; the elitist snobs of politicians, academia, and Hollywood on top, all supported by the votes from the poor on the bottom. All purchased with tax dollars. The perfect symbiosis.

joe p
joe p
2 years ago

“Democrats Have Abandoned the Working Class”
Sounds like a headline from 1994.

James Thompson
James Thompson
2 years ago

TAX REVOLT !!!!!

granky
granky
2 years ago

Democrats have abandoned common sense. They will destroy our country to stay in power.

Larkenson
Larkenson
2 years ago

Why are ONLY White children taught to “embrace” racial diversity as they become minorities in Europe and ALL the lands their ancestors fought & died for with blood, sweat & tears?

For thousands of years they fought & died to defend their lands for their beloved White children.

But now the anti-white tyranny is destroying the White race by flooding EVERY & ONLY White countries with MILLIONS of non-whites and FORCE assimilating them.

That’s White Genocide!

Diversity means the final solution to the White problem.

TD
TD
2 years ago

The Democrats have become the party of people who work in industries, such as finance, media, law, academia, consulting, etc., whose workforces tend to be entirely college educated and which have little reliance on blue collar workers. The Republicans have become the party of people who work in industries such as construction, agriculture, resource extraction, logistic, manufacturing, etc., business that do need a blue collar workforce. The executives of these firms also tend to be Republican, so the alignment of blue collar interests with those of management sometimes chafes a bit, but a mutual interest in survival will tend to bring you together.

The Democratic pitch to the working class that we want you to stop doing your current jobs but we’ll try to put you all to work installing solar panels and windmills doesn’t seem to be working all that well.

tony
tony
2 years ago

Having been raised in a union household (my father was a labor official in one of the nation’s biggest unions) I know how it used to be – Democrats good, Republicans bad. Now however, Democrats in general and liberals in particular mock and despise the working class. I see it all the time. Just read the comments on any news site – Republicans are stupid, uneducated, trailer-park trash. Get a job in IT, man!

Ronald Efron
Ronald Efron
2 years ago

What the Republicans ever do to help thee 99 % ?

paul
paul
2 years ago

Yeah , just remember Obamacare and how it ravaged the working man.

Michael McBrearty
Michael McBrearty
2 years ago

Republicans oppose raising the minimum wage. They do everything they can to stop workers from organizing unions, their only way to counter the power of the bosses. Republicans represent the capitalist class, whose only interest in the workers is make them labor longer hours and work harder for less wages. The right wingers con the white workers into hating the Black workers, immigrants, gays–anyone but those really responsible for their impoverishment, the super rich capitalist class.

Myrna Wade
Myrna Wade
2 years ago

This is exactly the right challenge. Since President Trump has been actively listening to candidates and endorsing the Law & Order America 1st candidates, they have been winning in most cases. It looks like the Republican party is following his leadership. There are elites who look down their noses at these candidates and their voters, but they seem to be a small group.

370H55V
370H55V
2 years ago

Do not underestimate the extent of “woke” values among the white working class. Biden “won” by getting a larger share of white non-college men than Hillary did in 2016. Apparently, they bought into all that “beer buddy Joe” cr*p successfully marketed to them.

Whether or not they can continue to win this way through subterfuge and outright fraud remains to be seen. Much has been written about the drift of Hispanics away from the Dems, as it seems they identify more as working class than Hispanic lately.

Further out, the Republicans will be more successful if they can prioritize peace and prosperity, and let the Dems stand for pronouns, plastic straws, and Palestinians.

Joep
Joep
2 years ago

Wait until Americans see what the left has done to Europe this winter. Millions may freeze to death.

Carol A Smith
Carol A Smith
2 years ago

New Jersey has the highest property taxes and over 60% goes to schools and we are a Sanctuary State. Property taxes are so high that you are actually buying your home from the State of NJ so when you are 65+ they are forcing you to lose your home and you don’t make any money selling your home because you have paid for it twice! Senior Citizens in NJ have no representation! Can someone say “Taxation without Representation”?

Carol A Smith
Carol A Smith
2 years ago

Capitalism worked in the U.S. until they started to ruin America by getting rid of our Major Corporations starting by destroying RCA Corporation which had jobs from factory all the way to executive area and fair pay, then it was the domino effect and we lost and still are losing 100’s of companies! Now, we have Predatory Capitalism and no jobs!

Paul
Paul
2 years ago

Driving out the middle class by “seizing” our wealth, (taxing us to death!!) will eventually mean there will be nothing left for the demoncrats to steal. As of that time their party will cease to exist because they’ll have no motivation because there’ll be nothing of any value left to steal…

Bill T
Bill T
2 years ago

The so called private sector independent working class ( DEPLORABLE AMERICANS) that are the backbone and pay all the taxes to allow these Marxist socialists to even exist, are the enemy of the progressive socialist leftist democrats. They paint all of us with a tainted brush and accuse us of doing exactly what they always do? If by now our country and all our hard working and family oriented Americans don’t realize what’s really going on it’s over. This entire destruction of our values and our constitutional rights are disappearing right in front of our eyes and we’re sitting here like nothing is wrong. This president is doing everything in his power to transform our country into a tyrannical government with a poison pen. They couldn’t care less about our laws and what’s supposed to be fair. To them the end justifies the means at ANY AND All COSTS! Weaponize our FBI ,DOJ , and then like a third world banana republic or communist regime lie, deceive and steal everything. This must be stopped and it’s only we the people who are the ones that can stop them!

Richard Minetti
Richard Minetti
2 years ago

Great article Claire, but we should all remember Lincoln,’s anecdote:

“you may fool people for a time; you
can fool a part of the people all the time; but you
can’t fool all the people all the time”!

The Democrat’s apparently never read this before!

MariaRose
MariaRose
2 years ago

Yeah and when you ask them directly about what they are going to do about lowering the cost, I get either a non-answer or word salad comment even when I show them proof of the increase as already posted for the upcoming 2023 tax filing period as posted on IRS website. They are walking illusionists and think we don’t see reality.

Rich
Rich
2 years ago

The socialist/democrats obviously will stop at nothing to keep their power. They will continue to dole out the crumbs to special interest groups and what ever it takes to help seal a win. Only the politically blind will continue to vote for these tyrants. Their supporters are just as complicit in destroying our country as the sleazy morally corrupt politicians that lie through their teeth. If you don’t vote in November, YOU are part of the problem and don’t have the right to cry about how our country is going to the dogs. At this point we only have one shot left.

BAE
BAE
2 years ago

We need a third party, so bad. Our HUGE government will eat us up and spit us out.
They don’t care…

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