In a nod to labor unions, President Joe Biden is moving to boost wages for construction workers on projects paid for with federal funding, a step that would appeal to a key constituency ahead of next year’s presidential election and potentially shrink the pay gap between northern and southern states.
Reagan had a profound impact on reshaping the American dream.
What was once a foundation built on the idea of upward mobility for the poor and middle class has undergone a substantial transformation since the 80s. The emergence of an unregulated capitalist model has led to a widening wealth gap, with the affluent growing even wealthier while the middle class gradually fades.
Addressing the impending challenges, such as climate change, technological innovations, and social shifts, necessitates a strategic focus on bolstering the working class and supporting unions. These pillars are vital in fortifying our response to the multifaceted challenges that lie ahead.
Trickle Down Economics and the “War on Drugs” make incredible lasting damage to this country. It’s so unfortunate.
Imagine how many votes Biden would get if he just ended the fucking drug war…
Quite a few, but Biden is never going to do that. He’s been fairly pro-drug war his entire life. The best we can really hope for from him is pausing the drug war against cannabis. And even that might be stretching things.
His son is a drug addict, he isn’t going to ever do anything that might appear to be in favor of drug use. He’s supported the war on drugs his entire career and isn’t going to stop anytime soon.
Don’t forget all the deregulation too.
Reagan had a profound impact on
reshapingkilling the American dream.
The members of those same labor unions will “reward” Biden by voting for Trump. The number of workers in the trades who are blind MAGAts is astonishing.
This move will not change that.
And it doesn’t help that Democrats will do nothing to sell this news to these people either. As always Democrats act like their accomplishments are like the 7 herbs and spices in the KFC recipe or the special formula for Coke… well hidden so no one finds out about it.
Ok, but it’s still a good thing, right?
Yes, but ADVERTISE it. Sell your accomplishments because lord knows, no one else will. The news media has been actively attacking stuff that Biden has done while giving Trump one free-pass after another. The news media is not on our side. So if they won’t celebrate Democratic wins, Democrats need to, and turn it into a big deal.
Okay, but how? How are democrats supposed to pentrated the algorithmically curated propaganda feeds of the right, or otherwise get fair coverage in biased spaces? I’m all for celebrating the many good things the Biden administration has done, but I don’t know a plan to connect this information to the voters who need to be exposed to it most.
The Left loves to pretend that they are so media savvy. That they know all the trends and how to navigate the social media wilderness and what is happening out there. Clearly they don’t or else they should leverage that supposed knowledge to market their ideas to the entire nation.
In short, what should Democrats be doing? The exact OPPOSITE of what they are doing now.
Actually celebrate their wins. I know part of why they don’t is pure cluelessness - they legitimately think that average Joes will find out about these programs on their own. They don’t. Average voters have no idea of what happens in Washington.
Part of it is because Democrats are meek. God forbid they ever go on the offensive and get the media’s attention on topics.
Lastly, part of it is typical “liberal guilt”. The incredibly annoying attitude that some have that god forbid we celebrate anything good, because there might be some one else who isn’t doing so well. It brings down everyone’s mood and makes it so that Democrats are always looking to the bad side of even positive news. Biden tomorrow could announce that nuclear fussion is viable and the country will have free energy, and there will be some on the Left who will complain that fission might negatively impact the northern tree bullfrog or some other meaningless bullshit like that.
I agree but don’t blame dems that they can’t penetrate the propaganda networks and social media spaces owned and dominated by right wingers–they are effectively closed loops at this point.
It wasn’t Republicans that sent most of the union manufacturing jobs overseas.
They can’t sell it because voters are smarter than this, ‘most pro union President ever’ busting up union strikes doesn’t pull a strong vote of confidence
So you’re saying CEOs aren’t Republican?
This link says that 70% of CEOs are Republican and CEOs have direct control over a company’s labor force. Maximizing profits for shareholder profit is what CEOs do, and shipping jobs overseas is the easiest, and laziest, ways of doing that.
Capital isnt loyal to any one party.
More loyal to one. Significantly.
No, but it knows where to buy loyalty the cheapest.
It really sucks that Democratic policies tend to have a massive impact but take a long time to produce, while conservative policies have an equally huge impact but take no time to destroy everything.
What’s the over/under on how many of those construction workers will vote Republican in 2024 anyway? Somehow Democrats trying (often imperfectly) to help people gets them nothing but scorn, meanwhile a Republican platform that revolves entirely around taking things away from others is super popular with the blue collar crowd.
will vote Republican in 2024 anyway
That’s fine, I think they should be paid more, and unlike them my politics isn’t motivated primarily by ruining my political enemies
I 100% agree that giving them fair wages shouldn’t buy their vote. I’m disheartened that they will never question their vote for the party who took them away in the 80s and will do it again if they can.
To clarify - I don’t think self-interest should be the only deciding factor in a vote, but it should at least penetrate as a factor. Logically, some of these folks would go “wow, thanks Biden, maybe Dems aren’t anti- middle class after all” - but in reality, I’m not holding my breath.
Yeah I mean my view is we’re gonna drag them kicking and screaming into the 21st century because we can’t let them drag us back to the 13th
I fear to late for that. 99% of Republicans and their voting base are desperately wanting to take us back and want zero progress. And they are winning.
It’s just an unfortunate state of affairs
When they get this pay boost, their employer and whatever state they’re working in will take credit. Democrats are terrible and messaging to it’s almost certain that no one will ever tell them that Biden did it.
The real question is: Why didn’t Obama or Bill Clinton do this?
Is that really the real question though? Seems like it is the “real question” if you want to continually push the “both sides” narrative, instead of actually acknowledging good policies when they are implemented.
I trust Obama to do what is right. If he didn’t do this over the course of 8 years, he had to have had a reason. We do NOT want to wind up like the MAGA-heads thinking anything that the president does has to be good, just because he is the one doing it.
1980 was 40 years ago. Biden probably is unaware of this.
We need to get rid of these geriatric politicians.
1980 was 40 years ago. Biden probably is unaware of this.
You mean he’s younger than 40?
We need to get rid of these geriatric politicians.
40 is too old?
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Oh no, implementing useful policies for votes, how dare they do that in a democracy?
I don’t think how much his strike busting on the railroad workers cost him in terms of votes. If he had some that and then worked towards correcting it in any form, you know, like mandating at least a few of their demands into law it could have been forgiven. Instead, the essential cogs that keep the economy rolling have been told (again) to shut the hell up and get back to work.
This election like many others in recent history is going to suck. I wouldn’t be surprised if Biden loses due to low voter turnout.
Looks to me like he is busting unions and then giving crumbs to a few workers, saying look here I support labor. And then busting more unions while he says it.
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Unpopular opinion: we should lower the deficit now when the interest rates are higher, before increasing wages to federal contractors
