General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The hypocrisy of the latest round of Bernie-bashing [View all]alarimer
(16,245 posts)I'm so tired of this. Bernie is right on many things but not on all. But so is everyone else. And the most important lesson for Democrats is to return to being a party of all the people, instead of a party by, of, and for white-collar professionals. I'm not saying white-collar folks do not have legitimate concerns. We do, especially when it comes to health care and various job-issues. The grassroots gets it. The DNC and DCCC, especially, not so much.
The middle class has been GUTTED. Income inequality is worse than ever. We all know this. Funnily enough, many people here were opposed (at one time) to NAFTA and similar agreements because of the effects on jobs and the failure to account for environmental problems. Now, of course, the talking point I see thrown around is that free trade doesn't cause job losses but automation does. This point is now espoused by the very same people (pundits) who shilled for NAFTA in the first place, people largely in charge of the Democratic Party then and now, so I am suspicious of its veracity.
The jobs that replace the jobs lost pay shit wages and no benefits and I see no one with any really good ideas as to what to do about it. People who are suffering are more prone to blaming others for their issues (helped along by a right-wing which has always been good at "catapulting the propaganda" . Why we can't see it for what it is (right-wing manipulation of people) and keep blaming voters for being stupid or racist (though plenty are), I'll never know.