Democratic research finds voters prefer populism over ‘Abundance’
It is a very long article, which frankly did not mean much to me, except that the Democratic Party wants to lead by studies rather than by heart. Is that the way that the leaders of the Democratic Party think? Or are the very well-paid consultants leading this? Trump is in office, consultants have their six-figure incomes, and now they get to do it all over again because they lost.
Populism is more electorally effective than the new “Abundance” agenda, a progressive think tank and Democratic operatives are arguing in a preview of the party’s messaging divisions ahead of next year’s midterms.
A memo obtained first by POLITICO cautioned Democrats about relying solely on the emergent school of thought, which criticizes overly bureaucratic regulations for slowing progress on housing production needed to drive down costs and infrastructure projects. It was penned by Kamala Harris campaign veterans Geoff Garin, a Democratic pollster, and strategist Brian Fallon, along with the liberal economic group Groundwork Collaborative.
… The strategists were joined by Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) in briefing Capitol Hill staffers and Democratic operatives this week on polling and focus group data to substantiate their argument. The group is expected to present its findings again to congressional Democrats early next week, according to a person directly familiar with the schedule and granted anonymity to discuss private meetings.
“While there are elements of the Abundance agenda that have appeal, and the choice on which messages to deliver is not zero-sum, a populist economic approach better solves for Democrats’ challenges with working-class voters,” the memo read. “If candidates are asking which focus deserves topmost billing in Democrats’ campaign messaging, the answer is clear: though some voters believe excessive bureaucracy can be a problem, it ranks far behind other concerns and tackling it does not strike voters as a direct response to the problem of affordability.”
Progressives, led by Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), have pushed economic populism, arguing that the party must rebuild its relationship with working-class voters by vilifying billionaires and corporate power. That’s more in line with what the memo argued will reach voters, as “majorities of Democrats and independents and two in five Republicans believe the outsized power of billionaires and corporations in our government is a bigger problem than red tape and bureaucracy.”
Do that many people really hate or dislike billionaires and corporate power? I will admit that I really like Google and, to a lesser degree, Microsoft. MEGA, aka Facebook, yeah, I do dislike that company. Amazon, I get a lot for the $170 I pay a year for my Prime membership. So, is blaming billionaires and corporations going to get me to vote for a Democrat?
But honestly, as long as we rely on the rich to finance campaigns, we’ll never get anywhere with voters. Voters are not stupid; they are just stuck between who will screw them the least, the Democrats or the Republicans?
Trump is the Democrats’ best weapon; people love him until they remember who he is, a liar and a braggart.
