LaVar Hosting Jeopardy July 26-30 Stan Account 👁

I think the argument boils down to this: we don’t know how much a populist argument fuels turnout. The populist economic policy planks are now (thanks in part to Obama btw) not so far apart from the nominally centrist ones.

So what it boils down to is trust more than policy, I think. And I happen to think what politician you trust has more to do with the dreaded identity politics (and who speaks to your identity/culture) than with class because *waves hand at US history*.

I’m not saying more progressive economics couldn’t help Dems pick up various seats in various places. But I really believe the best that’s going to get you is a 2008 scenario where Dems have a LOT of political power for 2 years and then a big backlash.

I mean, actually yes, it was. Obamacare was too much of a government intrusion, and the deficit spending was bankrupting America. That’s what the Tea Party et al ran on. What they MEANT was “I hate that black guy” but what they ran on was anti-economic populism.

As far as I’m concerned, Dems lost so bad in 2010 bc a) we relied heavily on a coalition that has lower midterm turnout, b) the president’s party ALWAYS loses in midterms, and c) racism. With a fig leaf of “stop spending money on poor people.”