cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/21778444
Summary
Historians suggest Democrats might have fared better against Donald Trump by embracing the economic issues championed by Senator Bernie Sanders, who has long pushed for a focus on “bread-and-butter” concerns for working-class voters.
Despite Kamala Harris’s progressive policies, polls showed Trump was favored on economic issues, particularly among working-class and Hispanic voters.
Historian Leah Wright Rigueur argued that Sanders’ messaging on economic struggles could be key for future Democratic strategies.
Sanders himself criticized the party for “abandoning” the working class, which he said has led to a loss of support across racial lines.
Upton is the only other socialist in the USA that I’m aware of who gained mass traction with voters. Much like with Bernie, the DNC did everything in their power to keep him from getting elected. The Democrats and the Republicans actually pooled their resources to keep him out of office and defeat him for the Governor’s seat in California. He only lost by 260,000 votes, which I believe makes him the most successful socialist in US history. He was an amazing person, and an excellent writer.
Everyone here should read The Jungle immediately, if they haven’t already. Seriously, stop what you’re doing and start reading that book. It’s one of the most impactful books in US history, and the reason why we had sweeping food reforms and the creation of the FDA. He said of America’s response to his book “I aimed for their hearts, and I accidentally hit them in the stomach”. He tried to open America’s eyes to the grueling conditions faced by immigrant workers, and the extreme wealth disparity in the country, but all the people cared about were the horrors he exposed in our food supply chain.
There were socialist mayors in the USA so they actually won elections, I think that’s more succesfull that getting loads of votes.