General Discussion

TBF

(37,386 posts)

153. Economic inequality -

Thu Apr 23, 2015, 06:08 PM

Apr 2015

and it's not just the white male high school graduates. The white male college graduates are losing jobs mid-steam (middle age) and cannot recoup the earnings. They turn to the repugs and get "trust Jesus", they turn to dems and get "sorry TPP" ... these guys just want a job.

Whichever party convinces them they might be able to actually have a job & earn a living is going to win them over. Aside from the extreme religious freaks these guys really are not caring about abortions, gay marriage etc. - they are just not their issues. They care about putting food on the table. Unfortunately many have the view that all middle-aged white guys are homophobic, racist, etc, and that is simply just not the case. Figure out how to get jobs in the country (as opposed to shipping them out) and you will have loyal voters again.

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Democrats' hunt for the white working-class male voter [View all] YoungDemCA Apr 2015 OP

as long as whit emen continue to define their masculinity thru their vote, there will be an issue seabeyond Apr 2015 #1

But white males do NOT see a vote for the GOP as against their self-interest. guillaumeb Apr 2015 #5

The GOP knew they had to break the unions and they did it with a lot of racism and CTyankee Apr 2015 #138

You are so right. hifiguy Apr 2015 #142

So many don't think of themselves as ever having been privileged by their gender or race YoungDemCA Apr 2015 #6

And as long as they continue to stay myopic about the world around them. Rex Apr 2015 #14

Me voting Democratic has been against my economic self-interest. Ikonoklast Apr 2015 #67

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration CANDO Apr 2015 #104

Massive increase in insurance mandatory minimums. Ikonoklast Apr 2015 #143

Thank you for the detailed reply CANDO Apr 2015 #156

while I'm generally not much of a believer in gender politics, this is most of the problem whatthehey Apr 2015 #78

This should be its own thread / op JustAnotherGen Apr 2015 #82

Wish I knew. I'm no marketing guru. But we know what doesn't work whatthehey Apr 2015 #95

we had a real character of what you describe as our mechanic a while back... CTyankee Apr 2015 #144

Huey Long knew. lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #148

+1. n/t obnoxiousdrunk Apr 2015 #92

People model what is expected of them. lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #100

" There are no reasons to believe that white men were always knuckle dragging morons." DonCoquixote Apr 2015 #107

I suspect white men voted for FDR lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #108

well they have not DonCoquixote Apr 2015 #109

The current president has said... lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #117

Guys don't advocate for themselves, they suffer individually, and project that hurt in other ways. DonCoquixote Apr 2015 #133

Always? Certainly not. But their politics are more than any other group whatthehey Apr 2015 #126

None of my friends, men or women, spend appreciable time in bars. lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #127

I spend approx 15 hrs a week in bars, w/ a 158 IQ, multiple degrees and a few academic publications whatthehey Apr 2015 #137

... and this provides you insight into the attitudes of working class white men? lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #146

Uneducated white working males job prospects onecaliberal Apr 2015 #2

You appear to be implying that intelligence is determined by skin color... Fumesucker Apr 2015 #19

I am in agreement with the OP onecaliberal Apr 2015 #55

Everyone in the working class is sliding backwards economically Fumesucker Apr 2015 #59

Racism is a huge issue here, and probably the biggest one. hifiguy Apr 2015 #3

Ah yes, the ole' "I will make all of our lives miserable, if it means making your life miserable" YoungDemCA Apr 2015 #10

voting against their own interests ... napkinz Apr 2015 #37

LBJ never spoke words that were more true. hifiguy Apr 2015 #38

Spot on. nt sufrommich Apr 2015 #39

Warren owns this demographic. NYC_SKP Apr 2015 #4

so minorities should not have a say ? JI7 Apr 2015 #7

JI7, I've noticed something about internet discussion... Scootaloo Apr 2015 #26

So...you're saying you hate kittehs??!! (nt) Inkfreak Apr 2015 #66

No, the NRA owns that demographic. nt sufrommich Apr 2015 #9

this JI7 Apr 2015 #17

Warren owns that demographic? Huh? Cali_Democrat Apr 2015 #15

Are you saying that white working-class men are all, or mostly, Republican? NYC_SKP Apr 2015 #64

I go by election results Cali_Democrat Apr 2015 #65

White men are not all working class or even mostly working class betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #86

Yep, they don't know they hate Warren yet- only because she hasn't been targeted by Rush and company bettyellen Apr 2015 #87

that is unadulterated hooey dsc Apr 2015 #76

They sure don't want Hillary Clinton, who has no intention of making their lives better. NYC_SKP Apr 2015 #84

yeah it is vastly more liberal dsc Apr 2015 #88

The values that Warren holds resonate strongly with working class men. lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #128

The problem is not the Democratic party Cali_Democrat Apr 2015 #8

Yep. nt sufrommich Apr 2015 #11

Yep and a lot of them are ammosexuals or hard-core bigots to boot. hifiguy Apr 2015 #13

In other words, "Those idiots, why won't they vote for us?" Ex Lurker Apr 2015 #33

When you tell someone that they are getting economically screwed by hifiguy Apr 2015 #42

There is zero hope for the type of person you describe ProudToBeBlueInRhody Apr 2015 #69

Anyone who votes Republican, is an idiot. Cali_Democrat Apr 2015 #43

they aren't idiots . they are voting based on bigotry JI7 Apr 2015 #49

+1 n/t lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #119

Fuck those rednecks. Right? Comrade Grumpy Apr 2015 #110

Yes, fuck Republican rednecks who vote for assholes like Ted Cruz. Cali_Democrat Apr 2015 #115

You do know that probably tens of millions of white guys voted for Obama? Comrade Grumpy Apr 2015 #121

My comment wasn't specific to all white guys Cali_Democrat Apr 2015 #123

Bullshit. lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #118

Anyone who votes Republican, watches fox news, and listens to Rush Limbaugh... Cali_Democrat Apr 2015 #120

Straight white males are voting repulican? Yes, and so are their wives. lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #122

The white electorate is shrinking as a percentage of the vote...and it's shrinking fast. Cali_Democrat Apr 2015 #125

When that happens, then who will you kick out of our club in the name of purity? n/t lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #147

Reading comprehension appears to be an issue here... Cali_Democrat Apr 2015 #150

we see it on here all the time . women minorities lgbt JI7 Apr 2015 #12

"The biggest driver of white working-class disaffection, however, is clearly economic insecurity" HereSince1628 Apr 2015 #16

that doesn't make sense since they voted romney JI7 Apr 2015 #20

Follow the money BKH70041 Apr 2015 #18

odd considering all the criticisms of Hillary and other democrats JI7 Apr 2015 #21

Women and minorities will go Democratic. BKH70041 Apr 2015 #23

turnout is important. Obama campAigned hard in black .Hispanic.young areas JI7 Apr 2015 #24

Allow me to clarify. BKH70041 Apr 2015 #32

It's always an issue. obama had to work hard for the high turnouts JI7 Apr 2015 #51

Restated BKH70041 Apr 2015 #61

Used to call him a Reagan Democrat. Described perfectly here: leveymg Apr 2015 #22

The democrats have dropped the ball on economics betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #25

women and minorities are just too stupid to see what JI7 Apr 2015 #27

Yes---hasn't that been mansplained to you, yet? nt msanthrope Apr 2015 #31

Womansplaned. I am a women n/t betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #34

This message was self-deleted by its author MerryBlooms Apr 2015 #48

They don't have as many shiny objects blinding them to facts. betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #36

of course they do, the shiny object is the Gun which is why they vote republican JI7 Apr 2015 #68

Most people don't vote at all so that betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #71

"They get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or pampango Apr 2015 #72

So called anti-trade views aren't the republican base. betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #73

Of course they are. The majority of the republican base opposes TPP. And it's not just the TPP pampango Apr 2015 #75

The majority of the democratic base opposes TPP too betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #80

No it doesn't. pampango Apr 2015 #81

we aren't talking about the republican base we are talking about working class whites. betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #83

So "while a slight majority of the democratic base do indicate support" for the TPP, pampango Apr 2015 #90

I don't think the party should just appeal to identity groups betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #93

I certainly agree that we should not JUST appeal to identity groups, but pampango Apr 2015 #94

I never said the republican party opposes being reactionary betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #96

Except when they oppose the TPP which is supported by the "economic reactionary" Obama (and Hillary) pampango Apr 2015 #97

Since Obama is winning with most of GOP backing him and the Democrats opposed betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #98

Glad you're back. Here you go: pampango Apr 2015 #99

The first poll was taken along time ago before most would have heard of TPP betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #101

No. The first was done 5 months ago. Your knowledge of who had heard of TPP and pampango Apr 2015 #103

He can't win with only people who self identify liberal democrats betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #105

Democrats lost white working class men in the 1980s, sufrommich Apr 2015 #29

coincidence it happened along with passage of civil rights laws JI7 Apr 2015 #30

The woman's rights movement too. Here's an interesting article sufrommich Apr 2015 #35

I cited the union hard hat violence against anti-war protesters the other day Fumesucker Apr 2015 #44

Well,I'm 58,female and worked a blue collar job which was sufrommich Apr 2015 #50

Eh, I'm a white male, older than you and blue collar Fumesucker Apr 2015 #57

This posts "ruins" a perfectly good stereotype! Cosmic Kitten Apr 2015 #79

This is what it was coincident with. lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #106

Since the Nixon campaign of 1968. hifiguy Apr 2015 #40

Very true.nt sufrommich Apr 2015 #41

This message was self-deleted by its author Ken Burch Apr 2015 #46

I think you replied to the wrong person. hifiguy Apr 2015 #47

Oh shit, you're right. Will delete there and re-post in response to the other poster. Ken Burch Apr 2015 #52

No problem hifiguy Apr 2015 #54

And HRC used a very Nixon-like strategy to win white working-class voters in the late '08 primaries. Ken Burch Apr 2015 #53

That particular fact seems to have been swept into a space warp hifiguy Apr 2015 #56

Her appeal wasn't to the working class though it was to mild racists. n/t betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #74

I always like these kind of OP's upaloopa Apr 2015 #28

I know. Kinda feels like we're unwanted. Comrade Grumpy Apr 2015 #111

Yeah, saves me the effort! Eleanors38 Apr 2015 #130

You get white working class voters by talking about class and to fight corporate power. Ken Burch Apr 2015 #45

Murdoch et al have been very effective in brainwashing white males n2doc Apr 2015 #58

It all comes down to this, (I swiped this graphic from napkinz) hifiguy Apr 2015 #63

Yep. White males are the all-purpose foil. Man of a thousand stereotypes. Eleanors38 Apr 2015 #131

I am a middle-aged white guy and have known so many others hifiguy Apr 2015 #132

One side says "blame these people." The other says "You stupid asshole." Eleanors38 Apr 2015 #134

I think what motivates them to vote R sadoldgirl Apr 2015 #60

What percentage of them Trajano Apr 2015 #70

Well said, sadoldgirl. Their motivation is fear: fear of change, fear of the "other" pampango Apr 2015 #77

The republicans are motivated by that. Working class white is not the same thing n/t betterdemsonly Apr 2015 #85

Agreed. Although republicans use fear of 'others' to attract the votes of working class whites. pampango Apr 2015 #91

You push radical, rightwing "free trade" here day and night. To you, the "others" are American workers Romulox Apr 2015 #113

Nice to see you around, Romulox. I see your preference for discussing policies not posters pampango Apr 2015 #116

I can't return that sentiment. Romulox Apr 2015 #140

I didn't think you could. That's OK. n/t pampango Apr 2015 #141

Teachers HockeyMom Apr 2015 #62

How about just concentrating on the working class period? Democrats have abandoned all liberal_at_heart Apr 2015 #89

This is what has happened to the wages of working class men. lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #102

The party of NAFTA, TPP, Bank bailouts wonders WHYOWHY won't the poor vote for us??? Romulox Apr 2015 #112

Opposing free trade agreement would bring some white working class males back in. hollowdweller Apr 2015 #114

Yup. n/t lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #149

Newp DonCoquixote Apr 2015 #151

Is your entire political world view predicated on a sexual/racial stereotype? lumberjack_jeff Apr 2015 #154

no DonCoquixote Apr 2015 #155

Sounds to me like the white working class abandoned the Democratic Party, not the other way around philosslayer Apr 2015 #124

The "white working class" knows it is hated by many in the Party. It acts accordingly. nt Eleanors38 Apr 2015 #129

That is evolving rapidly, thanks to Occupy Wall St. that got the ball rolling on CTyankee Apr 2015 #135

I hope you're right. The "old" labor movement grew out of dissatisfaction with what passed Eleanors38 Apr 2015 #145

I'm right here, I'm not so sure about this article. Rex Apr 2015 #136

Remember that this demographic was hit the hardest in the recent economic recession davidn3600 Apr 2015 #139

Democratic leaders need to realize what a beating white working class males have taken for 40 years Warpy Apr 2015 #152

Economic inequality - TBF Apr 2015 #153