The myth that Democrats need to do better with the "working class."

[rogue emissary]

White economic anxiety evaporated after the 2016 election. Now black economic anxiety is on the rise.
By Andrew Van Dam March 21
New data show economic anxiety among white Americans has evaporated in the age of Donald Trump, falling to levels last seen during the George W. Bush administration.

White pessimism defined the 2016 presidential campaign. Between 2006 and 2016, non-Hispanic whites had worried about falling standards of living at much higher rates than their black and Hispanic compatriots.

The role of economic anxiety among working-class whites was widely debated in the wake of Trump’s election in 2016. Use of the phrase “economic anxiety” in American news coverage peaked in November of that year, according to the News on the Web database.

As white economic anxiety has eased, African Americans are registering their highest levels of economic anxiety since at least 2000. The measure has also been rising among the Hispanic population. The data comes from an analysis of the long-running General Social Survey by Jed Kolko, chief economist at the job-search site Indeed. . . .

https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2019/03/21/white-economic-anxiety-evaporated-after-election-now-black-economic-anxiety-is-rise/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.3de4b9dbe12a

On the whole, it’s unlikely a slight acceleration in job growth or policy changes such as tax reform or deregulation explain vanishing white Republican economic anxiety. The University of Michigan’s consumer-sentiment index, which also tracks consumers’ political identification, shows Republicans’ outlook reversed course around the 2016 election, well before most of Trump’s policies took effect.

This is why any candidate that says Democrats need to do a better job talking to the working class or white working class is suspect to me.
The only thing the WWC feared was the color and then the sex of our last two Democratic presidential candidates.

So I don't want to read about reaching out to Fox viewers because they have some legitimate fears about money and jobs. They were only fearful because of their bigotries.

[Tom Rinaldo]

1. Kind of misleading subject line though I overall agree now

"White pessimism defined the 2016 presidential campaign. Between 2006 and 2016, non-Hispanic whites had worried about falling standards of living at much higher rates than their black and Hispanic compatriots."

..."As white economic anxiety has eased, African Americans are registering their highest levels of economic anxiety since at least 2000..."

I think the point more fairly is that 2020 is not the same as 2016. I think Democrats perhaps didn't articulate our message as well as we could have to some demographics in 2016, but that was a larger problem in the context of that time than it is now. Things are changing.

[rogue emissary]

3. So what explains the drop in the WWC anxiety in your opinion?

[Tom Rinaldo]

6. They (temporarily likely) feel more protected

That's due to a combination of changing economic factors and identity politics mostly. Unemployment is down, down even lower now than it was when Obama left office. There is finally some very belated income gains at the lower economic end (still stagnant for most middle class workers) partially due to the efforts to raise the minimum wage. All of that plus the fact that the Great Recession continues to fade in the rear view mirror and so folks are sinking back into a state of assuming the economy is stable and the rug won't get pulled out from under then at any moment the way it seemed to be in 2008.

OK, that is the not so objectionable part of the equation as to why there is less WWC anxiety now compared to some years not so far removed. Then there is of course the race baiting and us against them animosity and decisiveness stoked by Trump and his racist allies and other Republican enablers. The Williamsburg Nazi Marchers were chanting "Jews will not replace us" but Trump is more tapping into a fear among some whites that they are being replaced by people of color. Trump fans those fears and then offers himself and his rule as the antidote to them; "fear not because we have you covered and we are pushing them back to Make America Great Again". Those types feel a little less anxious when a "strong leader" appears who promises to be their savior. It didn't help that the pain felt during the Great Recession and constantly growing income inequality had already made many in the WWC fearful for their place in the future.

Yeah, it's sick and utterly deplorable, but human nature is fragile and old hate heals very slowly, over generations actually. A demagogue knows how to rip open scabs then in the process of healing to make blood flow fresh again. That's what Milosevic did in Yugoslavia where the enmity between ethnic and religious blocks had been fading steadily, with genuine peaceful coexistence growing among peoples before he decided to weaponize diversity to strengthen his own hand.

[rogue emissary]

8. Honestly, thank you for such a reasoned response.

I know I wouldn't find many that would agree with me, but I value differing opinions on the subject.

Agree that they feel protected, but I think that steams from tribalism. Donny's white, and most of his cabinet is white. So they feel in charge and safe.

I disagree with your assessment of the economy. Especially using is unemployment numbers. When they went down for Obama, Donny and even Bernie both downplayed those numbers. Donny went as far as to say they're fake. Bernie would point out that they didn't include those that had given up looking for work etc. Now those numbers are gospel for Donny supporters. They love to say that Black and Latino's numbers are at it's their lowest point. That's technically correct even though the unemployment rates fell the sharpest during Obama's years in office.

Another thing about wealth I never remember reading or seeing news stories about people getting less back in their tax returns. Hell, there were quite a few stories about people who usually would get a few hundred back now owing money. I wouldn't want to imagine if those stories occurred during Obama's tenure.

The raising of the minimum wage which we championed for years is a perfect example. Many Democrats ran on raising it to some degree as we fought amongst ourself on how high it should go. The places that did raise wages did it through ballot initiatives and not necessarily Democrat politicians. So our message was out there yet it was an activist that got the legislation.

Same goes for the national debt, which drove them into the streets demanding change. Now again we see a record level of debt generated by Donny's tariff policy and they're okay with it.

I've read or at least seen economist predict another economic downturn and again their not that anxious now.

[rogue emissary]

4. Disagree with everything you wrote.

I work pay check to pay check. Democrats I've voted for convinced me and mine they can make our lives better. Now some make a point not to move on issues I think are essential. That's why I won't be voting for them in the primary.

[marylandblue]

5. "Economic anxiety" is a difficult thing to measure and not the point really.

The white working class is concerned about all the social economic changes swirling around this country. In my view, Trump has successfully scapegoated immigrants enough to make them forget their economic anxieties and focus on blaming others, but has not actually helped them. This is a tried and true method of demagogues. We need to counter by focusing on values and ideas that will truly solve the economic and social issues that make them vulnerable to demagoguery.

[rogue emissary]

7. We didn't have a problem measuring it and saying Democrats aren't addressing that anxiety.

Again I don't see where things have gotten better especially for the heartland and working class people no matter race.

Even if we ignore the "Economic anxiety" phrase, we have to wonder why there is such a drastic difference by race and political identification in how people see the future of the country.

[marylandblue]

9. They've actually done a study on this.

People's perception of the economy changed shortly after Trump was elected and before any change in statistics or personal circumstances. In other words, political views affect economic perceptions.

Things have not gotten better in the heartland. But people who love Trump feel better and people who hate Trump feel worse.

In my view, social anxiety, racial anxiety, and economic anxiety all play off against each other. Trump has diverted economic anxieties into social and racial anxiety. Democrats can win by reminding them that this has not actually solved your real problem. We also have to be calm and confident. Other studies have shown that fear in general makes people more conservative.

[elleng]

10. Yes. Thanks, MDblue.

[betsuni]

11. K&R