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There's nothing wrong with having aspirations per se. The issue is when these aspirations lead people to identify more with the upper class rather than their ow

There's nothing wrong with having aspirations per se. The issue is when these aspirations lead people to identify more with the upper class rather than their own class and voting against their own interests. For a very recent example, see the case of people who depended on the Affordable Care Act regretting voting for Trump. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-voters-didnt-take-him-literally-on-obamacare-oops/2016/12/20/46ef3cae-c6f3-11e6-bf4b-2c064d32a4bf_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-voters-didnt-t...) Also, you don't see something seriously wrong with the statement "Nineteen percent of Americans say they are in the richest 1 percent"?

matt4077 10y ago
I'm as far out left as they come, but I cringe at this "voting against their interests" argument. There are millions voting against their (economic) interests when they vote democratic as well.
- refurb 10y ago
  Thank you. I find the "don't you know you're voting against your own interests" a pretty arrogant argument. How do you know they are voting against their interests?
  - cooper12 10y ago
    Did you read the article I linked? That's how I know.
    - refurb 10y ago
      The article is an opinion piece. You know, someone's opinion, not fact. I didn't see anything in that article that was definitive proof that blue collar workers are voting against their own interests. If you give a tax break to the rich, how is that against your own interests? You still have the same money you did before.
      - ryandrake 10y ago
        > If you give a tax break to the rich, how is that against your own interests? You still have the same money you did before. If everyone around me gets wealthier and I stay the same, I'm worse off economically, because all that new wealth affects the price of everything. Look at what happens to prices when an area becomes gentrified.
- cooper12 10y ago
  I never said anything about it happening in one party only, it was just a singular example, so that's just presumption on your part.
  - matt4077 10y ago
    It seems like > identify more with the upper class rather than their own class and voting against their own interests. points pretty clearly at conservative blue-collar workers voting for republicans, no? Although I guess if someone were to actually believe that raising the minimum wage or curtailing payday loans is bad for the working class, then possibly...with enough bending...and some trickle-down, you could come to the opposite conclusion, yes.

matt4077 10y ago

I'm as far out left as they come, but I cringe at this "voting against their interests" argument. There are millions voting against their (economic) interests when they vote democratic as well.

refurb 10y ago
Thank you. I find the "don't you know you're voting against your own interests" a pretty arrogant argument. How do you know they are voting against their interests?
- cooper12 10y ago
  Did you read the article I linked? That's how I know.
  - refurb 10y ago
    The article is an opinion piece. You know, someone's opinion, not fact. I didn't see anything in that article that was definitive proof that blue collar workers are voting against their own interests. If you give a tax break to the rich, how is that against your own interests? You still have the same money you did before.
    - ryandrake 10y ago
      > If you give a tax break to the rich, how is that against your own interests? You still have the same money you did before. If everyone around me gets wealthier and I stay the same, I'm worse off economically, because all that new wealth affects the price of everything. Look at what happens to prices when an area becomes gentrified.
cooper12 10y ago
I never said anything about it happening in one party only, it was just a singular example, so that's just presumption on your part.
- matt4077 10y ago
  It seems like > identify more with the upper class rather than their own class and voting against their own interests. points pretty clearly at conservative blue-collar workers voting for republicans, no? Although I guess if someone were to actually believe that raising the minimum wage or curtailing payday loans is bad for the working class, then possibly...with enough bending...and some trickle-down, you could come to the opposite conclusion, yes.