this post was submitted on 12 Nov 2024
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Bernie Sanders Is Right: Democrats Have Abandoned the Working Class (www.thenation.com)
submitted 2 days ago by laverabe@lemmy.world to c/politicaldiscussion@lemmy.world
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[–] EnderMB@lemmy.world 4 points 7 hours ago

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.

[–] Rin@lemm.ee 19 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Right as always. Too bad he'll never be prez...

[–] sharkfucker420@lemmy.ml 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

They were never with us

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 47 points 2 days 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 2 days 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 18 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (4 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/

[–] _cryptagion@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 6 hours 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 6 hours 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 -1 points 1 hour 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 44 minutes ago* (last edited 29 minutes 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.

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 32 points 2 days 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 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days 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 8 points 2 days ago (7 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
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[–] zabadoh@ani.social 9 points 2 days ago

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.

[–] Draedron@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 days ago (3 children)

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

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 2 points 9 hours ago

Fascism is Capitalism in decay, it can't be stopped at the ballot box. I highly recommend reading theory, it can help make sense of our modern world. I made an intro to Marxism reading list that you can check out, the second work listed Blackshirts and Reds goes over the historical causes, aims, and reasons for fascism in the first chapter.

[–] sharkfucker420@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Our elections were never going to change things. Losing electoralism isn't great don't get me wrong but when the only people you can reasonably get elected are presented to you by the owning class it isn't a free election.

There is a reason we call so many problems "systemic"

[–] ECB 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The US is just an oligarchy. Most political scientists agree these days.

It might not be Russia-levels of oligarchy, but it's trending that way.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 2 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

What you call "oligarchy" is just the natural consequence of Capitalism's centralizing forces.

[–] ECB 2 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Both can be true. I agree with you.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 hours ago

I do think calling Capitalism's end stage as "oligarchy" gets in the way of depicting the very real tie to its eventual collapse that comes from this centralization, though.

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

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

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 6 points 1 day ago

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