5 ms·

Honest question: does the Democratic Party care about labor anymore? It feels like anti-Trumpism, identity issues (race, trans issues, etc.), and immigration h

Honest question: does the Democratic Party care about labor anymore? It feels like anti-Trumpism, identity issues (race, trans issues, etc.), and immigration have sucked all the oxygen out of the room. I can’t remember the last time I saw a Democrat run with supporting labor as their headline issue.

vdnkh 6y ago
On the off chance you're serious, here's Biden's union stance https://joebiden.com/empowerworkers/ https://joebiden.com/empowerworkers/.
- Mountain_Skies 6y ago
  Actions > Words
the-dude 6y ago
You left out climate. In NW Europe it is no different : anything goes as long as it not labor.
Jcampuzano2 6y ago
As far as I know they very much do support labor issues, they just haven't been as much of the flavor of the month lately due to the headlines of racial, transgender, and other related political issues since those usually garner more views in the media. Part of the reason may be that the divide between Democrats and Republicans is much wider on those issues vs labor issues.
pydry 6y ago
I rather thought that the function of these other issues was to suck the oxygen out of the room so they didn't have to talk about labor issues. Their donors tend to be wealthy and anti-union.
- rjbwork 6y ago
  Generally the point of most social wedge issues from the point of view of the moneyed and political elite is to not have to talk about any kind of economic issues that affect the bulk of society, yes.
  - asdff 6y ago
    And also to divide the working class vote. Could you imagine how progressive this country could be if the working poor was united and consistently voted in line with their economic interests? FDRs ghost would be dancing in the street.
logicslave 6y ago
You arent aloud to say this!
pugets 6y ago
There are a lot of liberal/leftist communities online with that same gripe. Democrats pander to "pop politics" but have no plans for labor reform, healthcare reform, etc. that would go a long ways to helping the majority of the people in this country. It's all theater.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
LatteLazy 6y ago
Obamacare got a lot of workers at places like amazon warehouses healthcare. Cancelling student debt will help a shit tonne more workers. He has a section on his campaign website addressing Union specifics: https://joebiden.com/empowerworkers/ https://joebiden.com/empowerworkers/ Well see what he can actually does, but with the senate in democrat hands, the sky is the limit.
- txsoftwaredev 6y ago
  "Cancelling student debt will help a shit tonne more workers." I will feel terrible if that ever happens for folks that were smart with money and didn't incur tons of debt. It's gonna be a real bummer when you learn that you paid off your educational debt or never had any and that now you get to pay off debt of others that made bad decisions.
  - kuang_eleven 6y ago
    I, as someone with no outstanding student debts anymore, would be ecstatic to have universal student loan forgiveness. It is the right thing to do, and part of being a conscientious citizen is advocating for issues that help society, even if they don't help yourself.
    - txsoftwaredev 6y ago
      Have you considered reaching out to some students or grads with debt and writing them a check to help them pay off their debt?
  - LatteLazy 6y ago
    You're describing me. I agree emotionally. But that's life, if you actually believe in education you can only really pay if forwards...
  - Sohcahtoa82 6y ago
    What a shitty attitude. "bad decisions" Imagine thinking that earning a degree was a "bad decision".
myownpetard 6y ago
The Democratic Party is too large of an umbrella these days. Anybody whose primary concerns are among fiscal responsibility/the deficit, public education, effective foreign policy, civil rights, human rights, political corruption, science based public health/policy, climate change, domestic extremism, an independent judiciary etc. has moved into the democratic party. The Republican Party is for people whose primary concern is one of a theocratic judiciary, paying less taxes if you make more than $400k/yr, white nationalism, extractive industries, military contractors, unrestricted access to any/all classes of firearms. In both of those groups there are large pro-business, anti-labor contingents. Hopefully one day we will move to ranked choice voting and other mechanisms that allow 3rd parties to compete and we can have more meaningful and direct connections between parties and specific policies instead of these two loose coalitions.
- lawnchair_larry 6y ago
  Have you ever talked to a single Republican? You’re way off base, especially with the race baiting.
  - moate 6y ago
    What do you view the Republican platform as being? What specifically is he wrong about?
    - edmundsauto 6y ago
      OP is wrong about unrestricted access to all weapons. And not all Republicans are anti-abortion, although that is a big part of their platform due to the control it gives over evangelicals. (That is to say, I think if there is a schism, the more centric version of the party would not be anti-abortion.) Also, white nationalism is only embraced by a small percentage of the party. It's not really part of their platform, it's just what the loudest shouters in the party want. (Disclaimer: I do not identify as repbulican, but if this is your best faith effort to define their platform, you lack empathy for them which means you'll never understand even their lucid ideas. Granted, many of their ideas are vague and not lucid.)
Sohcahtoa82 6y ago
> I can’t remember the last time I saw a Democrat run with supporting labor as their headline issue. Bernie Sanders and AOC would like a word. Most of their platform is based around supporting the working class.

vdnkh 6y ago

On the off chance you're serious, here's Biden's union stance https://joebiden.com/empowerworkers/ https://joebiden.com/empowerworkers/.

Mountain_Skies 6y ago
Actions > Words

the-dude 6y ago

You left out climate. In NW Europe it is no different : anything goes as long as it not labor.

Jcampuzano2 6y ago

As far as I know they very much do support labor issues, they just haven't been as much of the flavor of the month lately due to the headlines of racial, transgender, and other related political issues since those usually garner more views in the media. Part of the reason may be that the divide between Democrats and Republicans is much wider on those issues vs labor issues.

pydry 6y ago

I rather thought that the function of these other issues was to suck the oxygen out of the room so they didn't have to talk about labor issues. Their donors tend to be wealthy and anti-union.

rjbwork 6y ago
Generally the point of most social wedge issues from the point of view of the moneyed and political elite is to not have to talk about any kind of economic issues that affect the bulk of society, yes.
- asdff 6y ago
  And also to divide the working class vote. Could you imagine how progressive this country could be if the working poor was united and consistently voted in line with their economic interests? FDRs ghost would be dancing in the street.

logicslave 6y ago

You arent aloud to say this!

pugets 6y ago

There are a lot of liberal/leftist communities online with that same gripe. Democrats pander to "pop politics" but have no plans for labor reform, healthcare reform, etc. that would go a long ways to helping the majority of the people in this country. It's all theater.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

LatteLazy 6y ago

Obamacare got a lot of workers at places like amazon warehouses healthcare. Cancelling student debt will help a shit tonne more workers. He has a section on his campaign website addressing Union specifics: https://joebiden.com/empowerworkers/ https://joebiden.com/empowerworkers/ Well see what he can actually does, but with the senate in democrat hands, the sky is the limit.

txsoftwaredev 6y ago
"Cancelling student debt will help a shit tonne more workers." I will feel terrible if that ever happens for folks that were smart with money and didn't incur tons of debt. It's gonna be a real bummer when you learn that you paid off your educational debt or never had any and that now you get to pay off debt of others that made bad decisions.
- kuang_eleven 6y ago
  I, as someone with no outstanding student debts anymore, would be ecstatic to have universal student loan forgiveness. It is the right thing to do, and part of being a conscientious citizen is advocating for issues that help society, even if they don't help yourself.
  - txsoftwaredev 6y ago
    Have you considered reaching out to some students or grads with debt and writing them a check to help them pay off their debt?
- LatteLazy 6y ago
  You're describing me. I agree emotionally. But that's life, if you actually believe in education you can only really pay if forwards...
- Sohcahtoa82 6y ago
  What a shitty attitude. "bad decisions" Imagine thinking that earning a degree was a "bad decision".

myownpetard 6y ago

The Democratic Party is too large of an umbrella these days. Anybody whose primary concerns are among fiscal responsibility/the deficit, public education, effective foreign policy, civil rights, human rights, political corruption, science based public health/policy, climate change, domestic extremism, an independent judiciary etc. has moved into the democratic party. The Republican Party is for people whose primary concern is one of a theocratic judiciary, paying less taxes if you make more than $400k/yr, white nationalism, extractive industries, military contractors, unrestricted access to any/all classes of firearms. In both of those groups there are large pro-business, anti-labor contingents. Hopefully one day we will move to ranked choice voting and other mechanisms that allow 3rd parties to compete and we can have more meaningful and direct connections between parties and specific policies instead of these two loose coalitions.

lawnchair_larry 6y ago
Have you ever talked to a single Republican? You’re way off base, especially with the race baiting.
- moate 6y ago
  What do you view the Republican platform as being? What specifically is he wrong about?
  - edmundsauto 6y ago
    OP is wrong about unrestricted access to all weapons. And not all Republicans are anti-abortion, although that is a big part of their platform due to the control it gives over evangelicals. (That is to say, I think if there is a schism, the more centric version of the party would not be anti-abortion.) Also, white nationalism is only embraced by a small percentage of the party. It's not really part of their platform, it's just what the loudest shouters in the party want. (Disclaimer: I do not identify as repbulican, but if this is your best faith effort to define their platform, you lack empathy for them which means you'll never understand even their lucid ideas. Granted, many of their ideas are vague and not lucid.)

Sohcahtoa82 6y ago

> I can’t remember the last time I saw a Democrat run with supporting labor as their headline issue. Bernie Sanders and AOC would like a word. Most of their platform is based around supporting the working class.