One of my great frustrations is the way the Republican Party portrays itself as representing the common citizen, casting the Democratic Party as the party of coastal elites. On the contrary it is the Democratic Party that has accomplished all of the items that help working people. Raising the minimum wage, the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, workplace and consumer safety measures are all things that the Democratic party has championed and the Republican party has fought. While it is true that the majority of voters making less than $50,000 per year voted for Hillary Clinton, far too many voted for Donald Trump. Though the Democratic party platform addressed issues of concern to working people, I don’t recall the candidate emphasizing them.
This is the argument I want to hammer home. The Democrats have to explain, emphasize, shout from the rooftops that they understand that workers have been ignored and that Democrats’ policies can help them. This argument could even have resonance in rural areas that Democrats have been losing for years. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton both referred to the fact that rural areas were being left behind, Obama with the much maligned statement about people in small towns being neglected for years. He was castigated but my interpretation is that he was showing sympathy for the people in small towns where jobs had been disappearing for years. We as Democrats have to repeat the message that Democrats’ policies are better for the majority of workers. Often in the comments sections of this site I happen upon postings that say forget the south and rural voters, they deserve what they get. I disagree. We should be seeking allies and converts. There are Democratic voters in every state and we should do all we can to motivate them to turn out and talk to their neighbors.
And I hereby nominate this to be our theme song. Note- the song is over 100 years old and still relevant.