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Bernie Sanders Is Right: Democrats Have Abandoned the Working Class (www.thenation.com)
submitted 9 months ago by laverabe@lemmy.world to c/politicaldiscussion@lemmy.world
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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 44 points 9 months ago (1 children)

They did decades ago too. But they still are actively refusing to acknowledge the American working class exists and are struggling.

Whoever told Kamala to brag about the economy to anyone that isn't a millionaire needs to be the first person to never work in politics again, but most of the DNC leadership clearly are either intentionally blowing elections because that's what their donors won't, or are completely and totally inept.

We need a popular vote of registered Dem voters to determine DNC leadership and party platform If we keep giving leadership to whoever gets the most donations, they'll keep ignoring the working class because it's easier to get money from the wealthy.

[–] abff08f4813c@j4vcdedmiokf56h3ho4t62mlku.srv.us 9 points 9 months ago

But they still are actively refusing to acknowledge the American working class exists and are struggling.

The Bern is smart and usually right about these kind of things.

That said, I'd argue that even in the campaign this year some steps were taken in the right direction, e.g.

We have not even brought forth legislation to raise the minimum wage to a living wage, despite the fact that some 20 million people in this country are working for less than $15 an hour

But then, https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/23/politics/federal-minimum-wage-harris-trump/index.html

Whoever told Kamala to brag about the economy to anyone that isn’t a millionaire needs to be the first person to never work in politics again

I can see this as being a calculated risk - take credit for something that sounds good - but yeah they forgot the maxim "it's the economy, stupid!"

We need a popular vote of registered Dem voters to determine DNC leadership and party platform

Better yet, a reformed system so that a third party who implements this has a legitimate shot at the highest offices.

If we keep giving leadership to whoever gets the most donations, they’ll keep ignoring the working class because it’s easier to get money from the wealthy.

Perhaps I defeated myself here - I came here to justify the Dems but if I'm saying we have a better shot at reforming the US constitution than we do at reforming the internals of the Dem party, then I've really done the opposite.

[–] Varyk@sh.itjust.works 20 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (3 children)

I understand that online this inaccurate sentiment is in the 24-hour news cycle so you'll see a lot of inaccurate articles today, but in real life, Biden has proven himself with direct legislative and personal action to be the most pro-union pro-working class president in decades.

If you're unaware of the legislative actions he's dedicated to the working class during his presidency alone(higher wages, union rights, employee rights and so on), you can check out this list:

https://www.americanprogressaction.org/article/8-ways-the-biden-administration-has-fought-for-working-people-by-strengthening-unions/

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 30 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Biden has proven himself with direct legislative and personal action to be the most pro-union pro-middle class president in decades.

The problem is that the bar is so low that this is true

[–] Varyk@sh.itjust.works 8 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

The qualifier isn't even necessary.

bar notwithstanding, even by the measures of a progressive presidency, the legislation biden has dedicated to and enacted for the working class is very impressive.

That can't be said about the measures taken by any other president in at least half a century.

[–] Milk_Sheikh@lemm.ee 7 points 9 months ago (1 children)

the most pro-union pro-middle class president in decades

So you agree with Bernie that he wasn’t helping the working class?

middle class 

noun

  1. The socioeconomic class between the working class and the upper class, usually including professionals, highly skilled laborers, and lower and middle management.
  2. A social and economic class lying above the working class and below the upper class
[–] Varyk@sh.itjust.works -5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

nope, if you read the rest of the comment detailing unions, employee rights and wages, you may be able to work out that "middle" is clearly a typo and the context is obviously the working class.

I wrote "working" class in the next sentence the second time I referenced biden's policies in the same comment.

The link in the same comment also mentions "working" people.

but at least you were super obnoxious about a typo for no reason!

Don't hurt yourself patting your own back.

[–] Milk_Sheikh@lemm.ee 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

My guy, you made a typo which undercut your own argument, this was not me being pedantic over something like spelling or sentence structure.

I’ll accept that I could have worded it better, but it was a genuine question after having read your post, touting “middle class” Biden policies.

[–] Varyk@sh.itjust.works -2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

"you made a typo which undercut your own argument,"

A single word that is very obviously referencing the working class like every other part of the comment, that you could only interpret as an "undercut" if you are not reading or understanding any of the rest of the comment and do not even read the title of the linked article referencing the working class.

"this was not me being pedantic"

I doubt you could get more pedantic.

you are focusing on a single word desperately trying to misunderstand the OP, every single other practical and context clue in three paragraphs of a comment, plus an article about the working class.

"it was a genuine question after having read your post"

is this true? you thought to yourself:

"hm, the post is about the working class, this commenter references the working class specifically, he references three working class issues biden made progress on, links an article specifically titled "working class", but he did type "middle" once in the second paragraph.

I can't tell what this comment is about!"

If you truly went through this process and that is the level of your reading comprehension, then I can leave it there, with my sympathies.

[–] Milk_Sheikh@lemm.ee 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

You’re interpreting “hey, this word you used is contrary to the rest of your argument - are you sure about your argument?” in a confrontational manner. Hence the question mark, and not something like “dumbass, Bernie was talking about the working class smh”. Hence the definition copypasta, because you (seemingly) conflated working class with middle class.

I can go back and absolutely re-read my post through the lens of condescension instead of a question, but so far you’re the only one who’s maintained an insulting tone.

[–] Varyk@sh.itjust.works -2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

"!You’re interpreting “hey, this word you used is contrary to the rest of your argument - are you sure about your argument?” in a confrontational manner. "

that is not what you wrote.

I'm interpreting what you wrote as confrontational because you wrote a completely different confrontational statement than your pretend-quote above.

despite the OP writing about the working class, me responding with the phrase"working class", pointing out three specific working class issues biden improved, linking an article titled "working class", you wrote:

"So you agree with Bernie that he wasn’t helping the working class?

middle class 

noun

  1. The socioeconomic class between the working class and..."

trying your hardest to ignore the post, comment, all of the context clues and available information so you could focus on a typo to come to an incorrect conclusion you could hold up with a pedantic flourish via boldtype and a definition.

you are being obnoxious, pedantic and confrontational.

If you were confused, you could have written:

"did you mean "working class"?

you wrote middle class."

instead, you went to the trouble of puzzling out a clearly incorrect conclusion despite all of the direct and contextual evidence, add boldtype unnecessarily, and very obnoxiously attach a definition to a phrase I'm obviously very familiar with since I'm talking about it with familiarity, citing specific examples and an article.

"Hence the question mark"

adding a question mark doesn't mitigate how obnoxious your comments are.

you're deliberately trying to misunderstand something so that you can attack me based on a minor error that is easily remedied and understood despite, within the context of the fuller comment or post.

you seem very happy to 1. lie about your direct quotes 2. lie about your intention based on those quotes 3. continue to defend those false quotes rather than apologizing and admitting you acted poorly.

The logical conclusion for your behavior is that you're trying to extend an argument, despite you not having a leg to stand on.

you can keep trying to make things up, and I will keep not letting that fly.

"I can go back and absolutely re-read my post..."

don't hurt yourself, who knows if you can manage the burden of glancing... or heaven forbid, reading?

question mark, so it's not confrontational?

[–] Milk_Sheikh@lemm.ee 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I’m disengaging bc this is going nowhere and besides, sidebar rules - stay on topic.

[–] Varyk@sh.itjust.works -2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Good of you to remember that guideline after you strolled off on a tangent half a dozen irrelevant, make-believe comments thick.

[–] _cryptagion@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

He literally shut down a strike and threatened to send the workers to jail if there were any work stoppages. If that’s the “most pro-union” the democrats have got, then the working class needs to abandon you entirely next election and form a third party, because you’re our enemies.

[–] Varyk@sh.itjust.works -1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

as i mentioned, you are quoting the same single misunderstood instance of perceived anti-union activity and are ignoring his entire administration's commitment to the working class, workers rights and increased wages, and unions.

give the article a read, it's a good article with plenty of supported facts.

[–] _cryptagion@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It’s not “perceived” anti-union, it WAS anti-union. Stop trying to gaslight people. I do t give a shit how many platitudes he gave, he showed where he stood once, and that was enough. Just like no amount of his hand-wringing over Gaza changes the fact that he and Harris support the genocide, and planned to continue funding Israeli war crimes. He’s a shit human being, and an enemy of the people.

[–] Varyk@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Biden’s labor report card: Historian gives ‘Union Joe’ a higher grade than any president since FDR

https://theconversation.com/bidens-labor-report-card-historian-gives-union-joe-a-higher-grade-than-any-president-since-fdr-228771

Clearly you're still refusing to read the article and unaware of what that union, who likes Biden, says about Biden.

you don't know what you're talking about.

and that's okay.

read the articles.

Biden didn't give "platitudes", he passed legislation that strengthened employee rights, raised employee wages, and strengthened unions.

he walked the picket line.

you are comically incorrect.

[–] zabadoh@ani.social 10 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The Democrats are overly centralized for their diverse coalition, and can't please all of the ethnic groups, working class, indistinguishable middle class, and billionaire donors.

Can we have viable 3rd parties please?

And please don't start with a presidential election, just get on local city and town councils, school boards and build from there.

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 9 points 9 months ago

Working class was abandoned right after fall of USSR if not out right during demented Raygoon

it took us 40 years to figure this out tho... gonna need to do better here peasants.

[–] Draedron@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 9 months ago

Thats no excuse not to vote and enable fascism. That lead to there never being free elections again so 0 chance to improve things.

[–] EnderMB@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

IMO this is why the Democrats need to start work on the next election candidate yesterday.

When I say Democrats, I say those that want a progressive leader rather than another "safe" career politician. Find a candidate that is willing to stand, create a section of the Democrats (or back the Democratic Socialists of America), and do everything to empower this person towards running.

I know that many will say "buh actually there won't be more elections because Trump evil". Trump isn't lasting a third term, nor is he actually going to follow through on half of the shit he says he'll do. He's a loose cannon, and he's already doing shit that's pissing off the GOP that want Project 2025. Like with the last Trump presidency, the GOP think they control the White House, but in reality it's demantia-ridden Trump.

Focus on getting someone in that can spend eight years after fixing what Trump has done.

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 0 points 9 months ago

pedons don't decide who is running on the national ticket... see bernie 2016

[–] hOrni@lemmy.world -3 points 9 months ago

Stop blaming the democrats. It's the people who voted for the weirdos party. Conservatives care about the working class less than democrats. Would You prefer democrats to bullshit people just so they can win? Trump's win is the fault of Americans being the stupidest people on earth.

[–] Nuke_the_whales@lemmy.world -4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

If Bernie Bros actually cared about what Bernie says, they would have voted Harris

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 5 points 9 months ago

And they did. Liberals just can't admit they are, and have been since Reagan, the problem.