Are people who work on Wall Street or for big banks allowed to be democrats?

[fried eggs]

Years ago,I saw a poll that found that most Wall Street workers leaned democratic. It makes sense since New York is a blue state and democrats do a better job with the economy.

If individual Wall Street workers lean democratic and have a lot of money to spare, why are we discriminating against those workers for donating to our candidates? Are we saying that a donation from a nurse is acceptable, but a donation from an Edward Jones analyst isn't?

What would you say to someone who leans democratic but happens to work in the financial industry?

[FreakinDJ]

1. Its not the Edward Jones analyst its the Edward Jones Corporation we are concerned about

[fried eggs]

4. when donating, you're asked to list your employer.

For very large corporations with thousands of employees, it ends up looking like the specific company is doing all the donating itself.

[jeff47]

27. The secretarial pool doesn't donate a lot of money. (nt)

[Yupster]

7. Not to be picky, but

Edward Jones is not a corporation.

Just sayin'.

[Kalidurga]

2. I would say they shouldn't cry about being demonized when people are starving right under their...

windows.

[brooklynite]

13. I see - it's NOT about being from Wall Street; it's just being wealthy.

If J.K. Rowling was an American, she'd be demonized as well?

[Kalidurga]

14. When did Rowling start complaining about people needing government assistance?

And please tell me about her Wall Street job where she bilks people out of their money.

[brooklynite]

16. So everyone who works on Wall Street is wealth AND bilks people out of their money?

And it's okay for people to starve if you made you millions honestly?

Good to know.

[Kalidurga]

20. Take a deep breath

I think that there are probably some very decent janitors that work on Wall Street. There are probably dozens of paper pushers that are decent as well. At no point did I demonize every person that makes a good amount of income or is even very rich. I said that if you are rich you shouldn't worry about being demonized because you aren't fucking homeless and starving. Homeless people are not just homeless they are also demonized and just thrown in the street because of course they deserve it for being the losers of the economic system.

Seriously if you are worried about people thinking you make too much money and demonize you for that you got bigger problems than I can solve. Live your life and stop worrying about what other people think, because it isn't taking a damn thing from you that you need to survive.

[brooklynite]

21. Why would I worry? I don't work on Wall Street

But I am a 1%er, so that's apparently enough to engender animosity.

[Kalidurga]

22. Nope it's not your income status

It's the crap you post. BTW some of my family members are quite wealthy and guess what I still love them oh and they are Republicans and I still love them.

[white_wolf]

25. No, because Rowling is a firm supporter of the Labour Party and doesn't dodge taxes in Ireland.

I don't mind people being wealthy. I mind people using their wealth to rig the system in their favor. Furthermore, Rowling is an artist. She created something of value and worth whereas a lot of people on Wall Street do little more than shuffle money around.

[cali]

26. Certainly not.

Since you speak often here about being wealthy, I have a question for you? Do you come from money? I seem to recall that your wife works in the financial industry.

[Glamrock]

3. They sure are!

Some of them even get to be appointed Treasury Secretary by Democratic presidents. They also get to run the Fed and work as bank regulators! Our very powerful Democrats really take a shine to em in fact.

[SammyWinstonJack]

10. DINOs

[Stallion]

5. Or a Kennedy, Roosevelt, Rockefeller (democratic side), Kerry or Lloyd Bentsen?

all from the dreaded Top 1%

[Bluenorthwest]

11. Lots of ways to get wealth that are not banking and finance so that's not really the question.

Most of Congress is the 1%, most people who work in banking or on Wall St are not the 1%. And so forth.

[LeftyMom]

6. .

[Pakhet]

8. Well, if you mean just us peon workers,

I can tell you that a whole lot of my co-workers and I are democrats. I work for a big bank answering phones at night. (Please don't judge me. I'm fully prepared to be unemployed when Bernie breaks up the big banks. And I do feel a little guilty to work for them, but I was unemployed for 5 months before I landed this job)

[denbot]

9. I was a commodity's broker for what was the largest privately held firm in the west.

The two partners were both democrats, though my co-workers were about 60-40 skewed republican. It's not what you do for a job, it's more what you do for those around you.

[brooklynite]

12. Simple answer: they're not "real" Democrats...

Even though Elizabeth Warren is happy to take their money.

[dbackjon]

15. Not at DU

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

17. Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone,

Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost. John Quincy Adams

However, principles obviously differ among people...even Democrats.

[KamaAina]

18. It's a rare day indeed when a Wall Street firm bundles contributions for a Dem

and even then, it's a centrist/Turd Way Dem.

[LanternWaste]

19. any person of any job may consider and support any candidate of their choice.

"Are people who work on Wall Street or for big banks allowed to be democrats?"

Yes. Although it may be convenient to conflate sentiment and allowance, the two are in fact, wholly separate concepts; without evidence illustrating otherwise, any person of any job may consider and support any candidate of their choice.

[haele]

23. Not this shit again...

Workers =/= Policy Makers and Lobbyists.

McDonalds Workers =/= McDonalds CEOs

Disney Workers =/= Disney Executives.

Enlisted =/= Officers

Other than that they vote and whether or not they are involved in a particular political party operation or lobbying effort, it doesn't matter what political party a worker belongs to. They are not in the position to influence the direction or policies of a particular party.
They are only answerable to their own morals and ethical activities. If someone claims to be a Democrat, it's supposed to be because they are planning to vote in line with the Democratic party line. For all I care, they can claim to be independent (like nearly 1/3 of this country), but if their vote is in line with over 3/4 of Democratic ticket and includes all Democratic candidates, they're a Democrat on that day, no matter what they claim to be.

I've always felt that the concept of RINO or DINO (or heck, IINO, LINO, or GINO ) only matters when someone who is in the position to influence a political party - drag it to the right, drag it to the left, write the party plank, draft laws or party policies, that it becomes important to wonder if they're really into the party positions, or if they're trying to push their own agenda.

So, no - the Edwards Jones analyst can claim to belong to whatever party s/he feels most kinship to. Now, if they're Blue Dogs, Third Way, or whatever else - hey, that's on them. Call them hypocrites, if you feel they're not true to a Democratic plank you believe in, but if (for whatever reason) they vote the Democratic ticket, they're Democrats. But if they're not in the position to directly change policy - like a candidate, or a lobbyist, or the head of a think tank/policy funding organization, there's no reason to say "you don't deserve to be a Democrat" or "You're a DINO who's really trying to take over".

Haele

[Nye Bevan]

24. Alan Grayson is a hedge fund one-percenter. Does he count?

Because most DUers don't seem to have a problem with him being a Democrat.

[DonCoquixote]

28. IF

IF you can tell Lloyd Bankfeld or anyone that advocates eliminating social security they are wrong
If you can tell some fo your colleagues that no, regulation is not the end of the world, especially since the heyday of American money was in days when regulations and taxes were much higher.

Then I have no problem.

But if you are one of the people that snobbishly and arrogantly says "we do not need Glass-Steagall", then frankly, you are suspect at best.

[madinmaryland]

29. I guess I am hated by DU. I was an Asst. Vice President at a major financial institution in

lower Manhattan for about five years. Though I was really nothing more than a back office support person who did not manage anyone.

[Maedhros]

30. So you're essentially trying to sell us on the notion that Hillary's Wall Street money

is REALLY coming from workers and not corporate lobbyists.

No sale.

[Agnosticsherbet]

31. The Democratic Party has no rules that limit who can or can not be a Democrat.

I've seen posts here that question the right of some to be Democrats, but that is meaningless when it comes to the party.