Republican Party becoming the party of blue collar workers

[Albion]

Yeah, that’s what they say, conveniently forgetting that it was largely the christian conservative right that, for decades, drove the culture war, with its assorted boycotts and censorship.

But if we address the question here rather than itemize personal political views from an earlier time, the perception of the GOP having become the part of the working man seems correct.

However, that's provisional. It depends on Trump's influence or legacy and probably can be countered to some extent by establishment Republicans hereafter.

 

[iluvatar5150]

But if we address the question here rather than itemize personal political views from an earlier time, the perception of the GOP having become the part of the working man seems correct.

However, that's provisional. It depends on Trump's influence or legacy and probably can be countered to some extent by establishment Republicans hereafter.

If we’re talking solely about alignment and not policy, then yes, it would seem that Republicans have become the blue collar party. I would argue that it’s precisely because they’ve played the same sort of culture war games they accuse the left of playing, but arguably done a better job of it. The workers’ affinity for Republicans is not borne out of their love for the efficacy of conservative policy, but because Republicans have reached out to them with their own form of wokeness.

 

[Nine of Spades]

Yeah, that’s what they say, conveniently forgetting that it was largely the christian conservative right that, for decades, drove the culture war, with its assorted boycotts and censorship.

Given that Dems are still the party pushing for higher wages, greater worker protections, more infrastructure improvements, greater freedom to unionize, and improved access to healthcare and education, it would seem that they’re the party of both wokeness and workers.

The Democratic Party supports open borders. Having a huge amount of immigrants coming to this country every year drives down wages. That doesn’t sound like it benefits the workers.

 

[iluvatar5150]

The Democratic Party supports open borders. Having a huge amount of immigrants coming to this country every year drives down wages. That doesn’t sound like it benefits the workers.

My understanding is that the data doesn’t really bear that out. But even if it were true, many Dem policies would work mitigate that phenomenon.

Making workers legal make it harder for them to be exploited by employers, giving employers less incentive to hire them. Raising minimum wages and strengthening union protections also narrows the gap.

Additionally, having huge numbers of immigrants is the only chance that some regions have of staying afloat. Many areas are depopulating and losing the base that local businesses and municipalities need to survive. Immigration is a potential solution.

 

[The Barbarian]

But if we address the question here rather than itemize personal political views from an earlier time, the perception of the GOP having become the part of the working man seems correct.

However, that's provisional. It depends on Trump's influence or legacy and probably can be countered to some extent by establishment Republicans hereafter.

The problem is that the GOP depends of the patronage of the very rich, most of whom want things that are destructive to the working person. The cultural wars were basically theater to keep the working people from focusing on what was happening to them.

What if they catch on?

 

[Albion]

The workers’ affinity for Republicans is not borne out of their love for the efficacy of conservative policy, but because Republicans have reached out to them with their own form of wokeness.

I don't follow that "wokeness" analogy, but IMO the shift, to whatever degree it exists, is almost entirely due to Trump's own policies and manner of speaking. He's not a stiff, not an academic, not a career politician, all of which things rankle blue collar Americans. He's also a patriot, has a candid manner of speaking, and did make important changes that benefitted the working man's economic situation.

As we know, these kinds of positives, regardless of which officeholder it's coming from, bring along a possible downside as well. All in all, the party at present appears to me to be uncertain whether to go further Trump or in the opposite direction.

 

[hislegacy]

The problem is that the GOP depends of the patronage of the very rich, most of whom want things that are destructive to the working person. The cultural wars were basically theater to keep the working people from focusing on what was happening to them.

What if they catch on?

That is not accurate:

Only One Fortune 100 CEO Has Donated to Donald Trump's Campaign

Only ONE fortune 100 ceo gave to Trump - While the richest men in America - all three directly benefiting from joes administration gave to him.

But you are right on this - the working class is catching on. In doing so, leaving the Democratic Party.

 

[The Barbarian]

I don't follow that "wokeness" analogy, but IMO the shift, to whatever degree it exists, is almost entirely due to Trump's own policies and manner of speaking. He's not a stiff,

He wears suits to football games. Working definition of a stiff.

not an academic,

He just pretends to be...
UPenn Paper Exposes Trump’s Lies About Graduating at Top of His Class
UPenn Paper Exposes Trump’s Lies About Graduating at Top of His Class

not a career politician

Thanks to Joe Biden and about 87 million Americans.

He's also a patriot

Who dodged the draft with "bone spurs", called real patriots who served "suckers" and fallen soldiers "losers."

has a candid manner of speaking

Even his supporters admit he's a habitual liar.

In four years, President Trump made 30,573 false or misleading claims
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-claims-database/laims

and did make important changes that benefitted the working man's economic situation.

Well, let's see how he did...

Went up in Obama's terms, and down in Trump's term. So no.

 

[hislegacy]

He just pretends to be...
UPenn Paper Exposes Trump’s Lies About Graduating at Top of His Class
UPenn Paper Exposes Trump’s Lies About Graduating at Top of His Class

Joe Biden - three degrees, top of his class and full scholarship - lied

 

[The Barbarian]

The problem is that the GOP depends of the patronage of the very rich, most of whom want things that are destructive to the working person. The cultural wars were basically theater to keep the working people from focusing on what was happening to them.

What if they catch on?

That is not accurate:

Well, let's take a look...

A Guide to the Billionaires Bankrolling the GOP Candidates
These mega-donors may determine which Republicans get a real shot at the White House.
The Billionaire Magnates Behind the GOP Candidates

But...

Joe Biden and the Democrats have been hauling in record fundraising totals ever since he won a landslide of primaries during Super Tuesday in March, which helped propel him to become the party’s presumptive nominee for president.

Much of that success is due to small-dollar donors. Biden’s campaign announced Monday that it, along with the Democratic National Committee, raised over $80 million in May, a historic amount, with an average donation of $30. As noted on Twitter by Biden’s deputy campaign manager, Rufus Gifford, the total surpassed President Barack Obama’s 2012 May haul and Hillary Clinton’s final amount over the same time period when she ran for president in 2016.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/16/bid...-as-some-wealthy-donors-sit-on-sidelines.html

 

[The Barbarian]

Joe Biden - three degrees, top of his class and full scholarship - lied

And now you're only um...30,572 lies down. Keep trying.

 

[hislegacy]

And now you're only um...30,572 lies down. Keep trying.

Ever notice that all the daily fact checkers have ended after the inauguration? I just don't drink the coolaide....

 

[hislegacy]

How Did The Democrats Become The Party Of The Rich?

To be sure, labor unions (along with trial lawyers) still provide the majority of the Democratic Party’s campaign funds and organizational muscle on election day, but it is the super rich of Silicon Valley and Wall Street, combined with the super rich of Hollywood, who command the priority attention of Democratic Party leaders these days
​

The transition to the Democrats being the party of the rich white men started years ago. And continues today.

 

[Albion]

My understanding is that the data doesn’t really bear that out. But even if it were true, many Dem policies would work mitigate that phenomenon.

Such as taking scarce governmental resources that could have been used to assist our citizens and redirect it to recent and illegal immigrants?

Additionally, having huge numbers of immigrants is the only chance that some regions have of staying afloat. Many areas are depopulating and losing the base that local businesses and municipalities need to survive. Immigration is a potential solution.

But we've had that situation for decades now. They do not choose, in the main, to relocate to the places you are thinking of. It's not as though today's immigrants are forced to relocate to remote parts of the country, to the places most native-born Americans aren't moving to either, in order to find a better standard of living than they left behind in El Salvador or Asia.

 

[The Barbarian]

Ever notice that all the daily fact checkers have ended after the inauguration?

You were misled about that...

Snopes, for example, continues to fact check things like "did Biden say his wife and child were killed by a drunk driver?" "Did Biden "cancel" Dr. Suess?" "Did Biden temporarily freeze Trump's insulin rule?" among others.

You're still drinking the Koolaide...

 

[The Barbarian]

Such as taking scarce governmental resources that could have been used to assist our citizens and redirect it to recent and illegal immigrants?

Actually, it's the other way around. Illegal immigrant workers pay taxes, Social Security, and so on, but rarely receive any benefits.

The State of Texas alone was found (by a republican state comtroller) to make billions a year on the taxes and other economic contributions of illegal aliens.

 

[The Barbarian]

The transition to the Democrats being the party of the rich white men started years ago. And continues today.

Well, that's a testable belief...

A Guide to the Billionaires Bankrolling the GOP Candidates
These mega-donors may determine which Republicans get a real shot at the White House.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politic...naires-bankrolling-the-gop-candidates/391233/

Huge money donors involved in trying to overturn the 2020 election:
The GOP objectors received a large chunk of their 2020 cycle campaign cash from retired and conservative donors. But they also took in a collective $16.4 million and $9.9 million from the real estate and securities and investment industries, respectively. Registered lobbyists chipped in another $4.8 million, while affiliates of pharmaceutical companies added $4.5 million. The objectors also received $9.3 million from donors in the oil and gas industry, which is largely supportive of GOP candidates.


Explore the OpenSecrets dataset of donors to Electoral College objectors here.

 

[Albion]

Actually, it's the other way around. Illegal immigrant workers pay taxes, Social Security, and so on, but rarely receive any benefits.

Perhaps not as far as Social Security benefits are concerned.

However, they receive from a host of other welfare programs many times more money, goods, and services than the total of their contributions in taxes. Many times more.

 

[The Barbarian]

Perhaps not as far as Social Security benefits are concerned.

However, they receive from a host of other welfare programs many times more money, goods, and services than the total of their contributions in taxes. Many times more.

Well, let's look at that belief (for which you posted no evidence):

AUSTIN — Illegal immigrants have boosted the state's economy by $17.7 billion and haven't been a drain on state government — but they did cost local governments $929 million in 2005, the Comptroller's Office reported Thursday.

The report by Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn is the first comprehensive effort by the state government to calculate the benefits and costs of having 1.4 million to 1.6 million illegal immigrants in Texas.

Overall, the survey found that illegal immigrants pay more in taxes than they receive in state services.
...
The report was warmly greeted by a group of Texas businesses lobbying for comprehensive immigration reform.

Bill Hammond, president of the Texas Association of Business and a member of Texas Employers for Immigration Reform, said the report showed how important the illegal-immigrant work force is to growing the Texas economy.
...
"A growing, prosperous Texas economy needs a growing population. Immigrants fill an enormous gap," Hammond said. "Any immigration reform that ignores the needs of our economy will only delay reform and promote further illegal immigration, not end it."
Texas tallies costs, benefits of illegal immigrants

Hmm... $17.7 billion - $929 million = about $16.8 billion. Where else will you get that kind of return on investment?

 

[hislegacy]

You were misled about that...

Snopes, for example, continues to fact check things like "did Biden say his wife and child were killed by a drunk driver?" "Did Biden "cancel" Dr. Suess?" "Did Biden temporarily freeze Trump's insulin rule?" among others.

You're still drinking the Koolaide...

I mean no offense to you, but if you are going to cite SNOPES.

IMHO I am NOT the one drinking the Koolaide.