Summary

Democrats must reclaim their identity as the party of the working class to regain electoral strength.

Despite pro-labor policies under Biden, working-class voters feel disconnected, seeing Democrats as defenders of a failing system.

The party’s decline traces back to NAFTA and neoliberal economic policies that favored corporations over workers.

A generational effort to prioritize labor rights, fair wages, and economic security while addressing working-class frustrations are needed.

Without serious reform, Democrats will continue losing ground to populist alternatives.

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[+] 142 points 2 years ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (58 children)
  • [–] 63 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Now convince the democratic party leadership that serving their constituents is more important that kissing donor ass.

    Convince them of that, and the winning elections thing will solve itself.

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  • [–] 17 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    Their goal is never to win elections. Their only goal is to prevent leftist movements and organization from gaining positions of power. To defend these status quo.

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  • [–] 15 points 2 years ago (11 children)

    Don't convince national Democratic leadership of anything. They're too disconnected and don't care about any state they don't live in. Run for, and take control of state Democratic parties. Start telling national leadership your terms for your state supporting or working with them.

    If enough people do that. They will change or become irrelevant.

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  • [+] 10 points 2 years ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (17 children)
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    [–] 43 points 2 years ago (10 children)

    That'll be the day.

    The Democrat party is not a democratic party, they are a neoliberal, technocratic party. They don't want the people to rule, they want neoliberal technocrats to rule. I don't see that changing, anytime soon.

    A workers' party would have to be a majoritarian, democratic party, because the workers are the vast majority of the population.

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  • [–] 21 points 2 years ago (9 children)

    MAGA took over the GOP in just a few years. I think the same thing can happen to the DNC. Just need a little propaganda, some charismatic leadership, and people willing to slander the establishment.

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  • [–] 22 points 2 years ago*

    MAGA had a lot of money pushed at it. The Koch Bros independently funded the Tea Party movement until Trump was created, then Russian money began to flow.

    There is no such money faucet for leftist groups. In fact, a massive lack of funding has been one of the chief struggles these groups have had for decades.

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  • [–] 29 points 2 years ago* (5 children)

    Yes, AND it's worth bearing in mind that some democratic strategists apparently think the path to being the "worker's party" is to embrace social conservatism. Trans people aren't the reason I will never retire, they aren't the reason I'll never be able to take my kids on a real vacation, or why we're one "get fucked lmao" from being bankrupted by health insurance. The assholes in this party who have a vision of trying to capture moderate Republicans need to show themselves the door. Bernie and Trump both show that you'll get the votes when you promise big changes to this busted ass system AND people believe that you'll actually do it. Stop trying to be yesteryear republicans; start promising shit that hurts the big donors' feelings and meaning it.

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    [–] 28 points 2 years ago

    So long as they have corporate donors and insider trading, they will never be the workers' party.

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  • [–] 27 points 2 years ago (6 children)

    Nobody is coming to save us. The working class needs to organize to save itself.

    The good news is that if it works, we'll be in a much better place than where we were a decade ago. It's going to take a lot of hard work, and we all need to pitch in a little to make it happen. It might not work, but there's nothing to lose in trying except our chains.

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  • [–] 15 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    General Strike. Shut the country down, they'll get violent. They will use the police and the national guard to attempt to break the strike. But hold firm, because then they'll beg.

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  • [–] 9 points 2 years ago

    They can break up a picket line, but they can't stop you all going home in response to it. The end result is the strike continues. Or as it's a general strike just move somewhere else.

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    [–] 23 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    There needs to be a worker's party. It doesn't have to be the Democrats.

    That there are only going to be two viable parties in this country is a mathematical inevitability of how our voting system works, but there's no reason why the Democrats have to remain one of those parties. If what they're doing right now is the best they've got then they shouldn't be difficult to replace. A damp sandwich could do a better job.

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    [+] 18 points 2 years ago* (last edited 1 year ago)
    [–] 16 points 2 years ago

    That would require removing mega-rich conservatives from party leadership. I don’t see that happening.

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  • [–] 15 points 2 years ago (13 children)

    Biden’s pro-union moves are historic, but voters need more than symbolism. Effectively outlines the problem and proposes actionable solutions.

    🐱🐱🐱🐱

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  • [–] 16 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (10 children)

    I keep hearing this, but Biden shut down the rail workers strike and then slowly got them a small portion of that they were striking for. They would have gotten a better deal if Biden had just stayed out of it.

    Teamsters wouldnt endorse him in 2024. Whens the last time you saw unions not line up behind a Dem?

    When I look up what else he did, people like to say he appointed some people to some positions, and upped funding for NRLB. NLRB arbitrates labor disputes, but doesnt advocate for unions specifically. And Biden walked 1 picket line, while ignoring some others, like during the amazon strike. He did nothing in many cases where the cops were called in to brutalize picketers and demonstrators in both the amazon teamsters strike and the rail union workers strike.

    So all this adoration for him showing up for one picket line for a few minutes, and one needless derailing of a rail strike. And no blame for his ignoring some other labor stuff he could have helped with if he actually cared about labor even just a little bit. Seems like a C- grade to me.

    Following the new DNC flowchart: Is that better than an trump? OK, sure. If thats our only yardstick for everything.

    Following the DNC critics: is that enough to get elected? Eff No. Biden and Harris both hemorhaged votes amongst union members too, along with every other working demographic. Working people do not see pro business centrists as serious partners. Dress Biden up in the clothes of being pro union all you like, I think everyone see thats thats just performative BS for the chumps. Just like his phony 'red lines' in pretending to push against war crimes while enabling them in both constant weapons shipments on the US taxpayer dime, and running interference for Israel in the UN. Should we give Mr best labor president ever a nobel peace prize for his strong stances against war crimes? Or can we stop this charade of his being the best president ever in every possible category?

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    [+] 12 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (5 children)
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    [–] 12 points 2 years ago

    I think that is one of those "far left" ideas that the DNC said they need to run away from.

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  • [–] 11 points 2 years ago

    No. The Dems must implode and let something actually decent come in

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  • [–] 11 points 2 years ago

    Best they can do is embrace fascism.

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