Why Aren't Bernie Sanders and Other So-Called Working Class Progressives In Kansas?

[TomCADem]

What have we heard on this board and from many progressives? That the Democratic party has not paid attention to working class (often white) voters who voted for Donald Trump. Or, that the Democratic party has been caught up in "identity politics" issues. Or, that the Democratic Party has been elitist. Often, Bernie himself would offer these criticisms while promising to lead a working class revolution:

Bernie Sanders 'deeply humiliated' Democrats lost white working-class voters

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/14/politics/bernie-sanders-humiliated-democrats-loss-working-class-voters/

Yet, where has Bernie made recent speeches since the election? In Berkeley, CA. In New York to promote tuition-free colleges. At Kenosha college in Wisconsin. In other words, Bernie is preaching to the choir, rather than reaching out to the working class whites who he himself has argued have left the Democratic Party for Donald Trump to support policies that are harmful to their interests.

Progressives, including Bernie Sanders, need to do more than quote Martin Luther King, but they need to heed his example. MLK did not give primarily give speeches or march in areas that were not segregated. MLK demonstrated and took his message deep into the South where segregation was most egregious. MLK did not merely preach to the choir.

This is why I think Bernie Sanders needs to walk the walk and bring his message to Kansas where a preview of the harm visited by Republican policies is well underway. Kansas Governor Brownback cut taxes, then cut services to pay for these tax cuts, and Kansas has been mired in an economic downturn with public services suffering.

It is easy for Bernie to be an arm chair progressive and attack centrist/DLC/Blue Dog/Dino Democrats who manage to get elected in red areas for not being liberal enough. However, progressives need to put their money where their mouth is and take their message directly to the working class white voters who progressives claim they are advocating for. Not doing so would be like MLK giving speeches in Harlam about Jim Crow Laws in Alabama, rather than protesting and going to jail for such actions from Birmingham.

Kansas has been devastated by Republican policies, yet voters still voted in favor of Republicans. Giving speeches at colleges in deep blue states is not going to lead to a working class revolution.


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/21/us/politics/kansas-republicans-democrats-elections.html?_r=0

In Kansas, Where Republicans and Fiscal Woes Reign, Democrats Made Inroads

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Brett Parker, an elementary school teacher and rookie politician, was a Democrat running against a Republican incumbent in a Republican state that the Republican presidential candidate, Donald J. Trump, clinched by 20 percentage points.

In spite of all that, Mr. Parker will be sworn into the Kansas House of Representatives next month, one of 13 legislative seats the Democrats picked up here.

In this election year, voters across Kansas leaned firmly to the right at the federal level, but showed far more nuance when it came to their state. In parts of Kansas, they punished conservative legislators linked to Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax-cutting doctrine, instead gravitating toward moderate Republicans and Democrats like Mr. Parker who blame the governor and his legislative allies for imperiling the state’s finances and putting public schools at risk.

“Their goal was very simple, and that was to associate me with Brownback,” said James Todd, the two-term Republican lawmaker Mr. Parker challenged here in suburban Kansas City. “That obviously was effective enough to beat me.”

[HassleCat]

1. This reminds me of something. What could it be...?

Oh, yes. It seems quite similar to criticizing Hillary for campaigning in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[HughBeaumont]

2. Bernie WON Kansas over Hillary in the primary.

In the Presidential election, even Wichita and Topeka's counties went for Shitgibbon.

Hillary only won two Kansas counties. Kansas hasn't voted for a Democrat in a presidential election since 1964.

This is exactly the thing I'm talking about: Why is it that we have to work SO PAINFULLY HARD to pry votes from Republicans despite overwhelming historical evidence that things are economically better under Democrats? I seriously think "Republican" is the default in many of these states, and they don't really have to work nearly as hard to convince people to vote for them as we do.

[DonCoquixote]

3. the answer: CHURCHES

that organize and outright violate laws making it clear if you do nto vote GOP, you go to hell.

[HughBeaumont]

5. And yet . . . they're STILL tax-exempt.

I would imagine SlowHio's the same way.

[Bettie]

9. This is it

Churches preach Republicanism from the pulpit.

They are overtly political these days and no one says a single word.

A lot of them are overtly racist too, at least the white churches I've been subjected to.

I go back to my union member, feminist grandmother, who I am glad did not live to see the travesty of the shitgibbon being installed.

She told me more than once as I was growing up that it is very easy to be very religious and a Republican for the same reason: someone tells you what you believe, so you don't have to figure it out for yourself.

My very religious republican uncle and father hated this, but it is true.

You don't have to think about anything if you are one of those two things, you just do as you're told.

We don't need to win over rural white voters, we need to reach the larger number (of all colors) who don't vote, to make them see that voting is not a right, it is a responsibility.

[pstokely]

12. many red states have low voter turnout

nt

[Bettie]

14. And a number of those who don't get out there

are probably more left-leaning than not.

Why bother if you know your vote won't make a bit of difference?

The most motivated voters are the religious right. They tend to believe that their votes will lead to a theocracy with their religion running things.

Yeah, there will still be red states, but there are plenty of rational people out there we can reach.

[TomCADem]

11. How is that Going to Help in 2018? How Will That Help the Movement?

Bernie won in large part by running against the Democratic Party establishment. However, can he actually build the movement he discussed and translate it into electoral wins. Giving speeches in New York and California, which are already blue, does not really move the needle. Instead, we need to go to places like Kansas where Republican policies are devastating the working class. This is what Bernie and progressives have preached. Now, they need to walk the walk.

[crazycatlady]

18. If we want to take back the House

NY would be a good start. There's some competitive districts in Long Island and upstate that we could flip with the right candidate.

Bernie would do very well as a surrogate in upstate NY.

[moondust]

4. He'll get there.

He may be trying to first mobilize some of the enthusiasm of the big primary crowds in blue states to get a post-election movement on its feet, then once it's rolling and gaining recognition expand it to red states.

[heaven05]

6. those who left for trumpfuhre

were swayed by a lying demagogue who is openly sexist, has an openly racist white supremacist for his CHIEF WH strategist and is going to appoint know criminals, racists, wall street robber barons to his administration. I can't see where that was something to vote for. They did.................. They get what they voted for...no sympathy......

[jannyd65]

7. Signs of hope...

I am new to the site, even though I have been "lurking" during the election season. One thing positive to come out of Kansas during this election, is that we elected more Democrats to state legislature than we have in some time. I am hoping that people here have had enough of Brownback to go back to have a Dem governor.

[pstokely]

13. Brownback and tRump actually under performed in historically repuke Johnson County KS

nt

[jannyd65]

17. Johnson County

I am originally from the MO side in Kansas City and have lived in JoCo for about nine years. I am seeing where I live (Overland Park) becoming more diverse. And, JoCo Dems are very active here, as well as Blue Kansas. So again there is some hope for the Sunflower State!

I think to turn this around, if Keith Ellison is made DNC Chair and he is true to his word, he and others of the party need to start visiting Midwestern states and having town halls and just listening to what people want. And they need to do it NOW. We now have barely 24 months to hold on to the senate seats we have and to turn others.

What we want in KCK, Overland Park, Lawrence, Topeka and even Wichita, differs from what people want and or need in Wellsville, Dodge City, Plainsville, and the other smaller communities in KS. In order to turn these communities and others in the Midwest, the DNC does need to reach out and at least show they are listening.

I know it seems many in these communities vote against their best interest, but ignoring them, especially in rural farming communities is not going to return or flip areas blue unless the DNC at least shows they have these communities best interests at heart.

As I said, I am a Missourian (the Show-Me State), and I think it applies to Kansans as well, we need to be shown that there is at least some interest by Washington in the flyover communities.

[annabanana]

15. Welcome to DU . .

This is the kind of grassroots opportunity that will eventually bring us back. The argument for Democrats has to be made at every opportunity.
Have you ever pretended to "talk" to someone on your cell phone while in the grocery line? You can press the point for the edification of others in the line. It's a very effective way to get people to begin to reconsider rote learning..

[jannyd65]

8. Sign of hope....again

Sorry for my poor English at the end of my post! I meant to say that maybe we will vote for Dem governor this time around!

[progressoid]

10. Welcome to DU jannyd65!

[jannyd65]

16. Thank you for the wonderful welcome (the waving smiley face is great!)!