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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsYep... 'How the Democrats Could Win Every Election' - DailyBeast
How the Democrats Could Win Every ElectionThe Democrats are getting populist, which is nice. But will it be enough to lure the millions who dont vote to the polls?
Monica Potts - DailyBeast
1/15/15
The Pew survey asked people questions about their overall financial security, including whether theyd ever received food stamps or Medicaid and whether they had retirement savings, and then about political preferences.
The most financially secure participants were strongly Republican, which is no surprise. The least financially secure were much more likely to prefer Democratic policies. That included the mythical white working class, a group liberals have worried about the Democrats losing because of social-justice issues like race and gender relations. Even though white voters overall were more likely to tilt Republican, support for the GOP declines as we move down the income scale, and the poorest whites were more likely to say they liked Democrats better. Will this finally end the myth that the nation is full of poor whites voting against their economic interests?
The least financially secure group was more likely to say that the government should do more to help the needy, which might indicate support for a proposal like Van Hollens. But the bigger problem is that people who were the least financially secure were also the least likely to vote. On top of that, few of them ever wrote to their Congressperson or knew much about the current Congress or the current political field.
This is a big group of votersat least 20 percent of Americanswho could be swayed by Democratic policies. Yet both parties leave their votes on the table.
Why might lower-income and lower-wealth Americans be so disengaged? The Pew survey didnt make any claims, but noted that the least financially secure surveyed were less ideologically consistent than the better-off participants, so maybe they dont strongly identify with a party and that keeps them from feeling moved to vote. Indeed, the least well off were more likely to say they had no preference between the Democratic and Republican candidates in the 2014 elections.
It could also be that, until now, the Democratic Party seemed as friendly to the big banks at times as the Republicans. See above: Warren challenging Obamas Treasury nominee for being a Wall Streeter.
I think this group doesnt see Democrats doing much to enhance their economic security. Even these voters know the game is rigged against them and dont seen many politicians of either party rising to be their champion. Democrats seem ready to cede lots of ground on policies that will hit Americans with the lowest incomes the hardest, like raising the Social Security retirement age and cutting benefits.
The lives of low-income, financially insecure Americans are busy, insecure ones. They are less likely to be well educated and more likely to have a disability that keeps them from working full time. They are more likely to be women who have never been married, which means many are overwhelmed single mothers. The least well-off financially likely includes men who have spent some time in the criminal justice system, which means they are literally disenfranchised or believe they cannot vote even if they live in a state where they could.
The most financially secure participants were strongly Republican, which is no surprise. The least financially secure were much more likely to prefer Democratic policies. That included the mythical white working class, a group liberals have worried about the Democrats losing because of social-justice issues like race and gender relations. Even though white voters overall were more likely to tilt Republican, support for the GOP declines as we move down the income scale, and the poorest whites were more likely to say they liked Democrats better. Will this finally end the myth that the nation is full of poor whites voting against their economic interests?
The least financially secure group was more likely to say that the government should do more to help the needy, which might indicate support for a proposal like Van Hollens. But the bigger problem is that people who were the least financially secure were also the least likely to vote. On top of that, few of them ever wrote to their Congressperson or knew much about the current Congress or the current political field.
This is a big group of votersat least 20 percent of Americanswho could be swayed by Democratic policies. Yet both parties leave their votes on the table.
Why might lower-income and lower-wealth Americans be so disengaged? The Pew survey didnt make any claims, but noted that the least financially secure surveyed were less ideologically consistent than the better-off participants, so maybe they dont strongly identify with a party and that keeps them from feeling moved to vote. Indeed, the least well off were more likely to say they had no preference between the Democratic and Republican candidates in the 2014 elections.
It could also be that, until now, the Democratic Party seemed as friendly to the big banks at times as the Republicans. See above: Warren challenging Obamas Treasury nominee for being a Wall Streeter.
I think this group doesnt see Democrats doing much to enhance their economic security. Even these voters know the game is rigged against them and dont seen many politicians of either party rising to be their champion. Democrats seem ready to cede lots of ground on policies that will hit Americans with the lowest incomes the hardest, like raising the Social Security retirement age and cutting benefits.
The lives of low-income, financially insecure Americans are busy, insecure ones. They are less likely to be well educated and more likely to have a disability that keeps them from working full time. They are more likely to be women who have never been married, which means many are overwhelmed single mothers. The least well-off financially likely includes men who have spent some time in the criminal justice system, which means they are literally disenfranchised or believe they cannot vote even if they live in a state where they could.
More: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/01/15/how-the-democrats-could-win-every-election.html#
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Yep... 'How the Democrats Could Win Every Election' - DailyBeast (Original Post)
WillyT
Jan 2015
OP
I guess that being able to remember the FDR years helps. For me voting Democratic has always
jwirr
Jan 2015
#1
jwirr
(39,215 posts)1. I guess that being able to remember the FDR years helps. For me voting Democratic has always
come down to one thing - Protect the safety net. There were other issues that I was interested in but that one effected my family and many of the people that we knew. The elderly who have forgotten that are hard to understand.
lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)2. The Post Office should give payday loans
arcane1
(38,613 posts)4. I would have absolutely no problem with that.
Scuba
(53,475 posts)5. Half the electorate don't vote and most elections are decided by less than a few percentage points.
Doesn't seem like rocket surgery that appealing to them could swing things in our favor.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)6. K&R! This post should have hundreds of recommendations!
WillyT
(72,631 posts)7. Kick Again...
Good article.
retrowire
(10,345 posts)9. KnR!
Bernie agrees!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511030951