Democrats Have Forgotten the Working Class. It Will Cost Them in November
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
My father began his career working in the mines of northern Arizona and retired as a heavy mechanic welder. Our family was working class, and because my parents believed firmly in the American dream, their children's success was their highest priority. Even though we lived in a neighborhood that was probably above their means, my parents worked hard to always make ends meet. I was raised to believe in and value self-reliance, hard work, and family.
I remember vividly when, just before I turned 18 years old, my father filled out my selective service paperwork and voter registration and, against my protests, registered me as a Democrat. To my father, it did not matter that I considered myself a Republican, because, as he put it, "our family are Democrats." My family saw this as an essential plank of our identity. "We are Mexican. We are Catholic. We are Democrats." My family believed that the Democratic Party looked out for working families and stood for their values.
To whatever extent that may have been true in the past, it is apparent that in 2022, it is no longer the case. Working-class families are finally taking notice.
At this time, American families are struggling economically, and no one is being hit harder than the working class. Under a Democrat-controlled Congress and a Democratic president, we have watched inflation and gas prices skyrocket. Rather than address this issue, Democratic politicians have asked the working class to sacrifice more while liberal elite celebrities dismiss the concerns and even poke fun at those feeling the impact. Just this week, multiple media pundits on the ideological Left went so far as to admonish voters for being more concerned with inflation and gas prices than with topics they believe should be the priority, such as the January 6 hearings.
Democratic presidential candidate former US Vice President Joe Biden speaks to supporters in front of an Arizona state flag, at the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America's training center, October 8, 2020, in Phoenix, Arizona.Brendan Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images
Regardless of what a person believes about January 6 and the subsequent hearings, it is unrealistic, out of touch, and frankly insulting to expect working-class voters to prioritize anything over the wellbeing of their families as they try to make ends meet. It is hard to imagine anything more out of touch with the values held by families like my own than Stephen Colbert telling his audience "I'm willing to pay $4 a gallon. Hell, I'll pay $15 a gallon because I drive a Tesla," while working-class families are trying to figure out how to afford groceries and fill their gas tanks.
But inflation and gas prices are not the only working-class problems Democrats have shown themselves to be unaware of or unconcerned about.
Instead of meaningful immigration reform, President Joe Biden has effectively opened the borders, wreaking havoc in states along the southern border, such as my own state, Arizona. The nonprofit organization that I co-founded—Cece's Hope Center, which works with victims of sex trafficking—has been overwhelmed by the increased demand created by disastrous border policies. And fentanyl, a drug that comes to America from China by way of illegal smuggling through Mexico, has become the number-one killer of Americans between the ages of 18 and 45.
As our children continue to fall behind academically and struggle emotionally (another crisis felt most deeply among the working class) following the school closures of the COVID-19 pandemic, Democrats have focused on implementing social experimentation and politicized curricula that are at odds with the values of many working-class Americans. Educating our children and preparing them for college and the workforce should be the top priority.
The values and priorities of the Democratic Party today are not reflective of the working-class families, such as my own, that supported it for years. It should come as no surprise to anyone this November when we see a "Red Wave" in the midterm elections; this will be the cost that the Democratic Party pays for forgetting about the working class, the backbone of America.
Rene Lopez is a Navy Veteran, City Councilman in Chandler, Arizona, and Republican Congressional Candidate for Arizona's 4th District. He lives in Chandler with his wife of 24 years, Jessica. Their children, Briana and Andrew, are both attending college.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
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There are indications the Dems are rapidly losing the Hispanic vote also
[deleted]
That was meant for the poster of this 'article'
Not Greg Jones
Why do you think I would read anything you cite?
They are pretending it isn't happening.
Hell, some can't even tell fact from satire!
Or figure out how the comments section works.
sad, isn't it?
It is. It's made worse when they start talking to themselves.
Seems like a regular occurrence.
And hopefully, this will play out well in the midterms when Democratic chickens come home to roost.
The Democratic Party seems to represent only two factions well--the very rich and the very poor. California seems to be a prime example of that in action.
What must it be like to live somewhere like that if you don't make $200k per year or more? You may never be able to even save enough for a down payment for a house!
It will not only determine the midterms but looms large over the Presidential race in 2024.
Even in the race that is emerging within the GOP hangs on what the those very people want:
"Their budding rivalry is top of mind for Florida GOP insiders—and in other key states—many of whom are torn over having to pick sides and would rather not see a clash arrive, though they expect one. Some hope Mr. Trump, 76, won’t run and some want Mr. DeSantis, 43, to wait his turn. Others fantasize about a Trump-DeSantis ticket.
Recent surveys have shown that Mr. Trump retains the backing of most GOP voters. But polling and interviews with voters in many states have shown signs the former president’s support has ebbed, and congressional hearings into the Jan. 6 Capitol riot have reminded Republicans of the controversies around Mr. Trump. A Quinnipiac poll this month found 69% of Republicans wanted Mr. Trump to run again, down from 78% last October , and a recent New Hampshire survey showed Messrs. Trump and DeSantis statistically tied in the state, leaving Mr. Trump fuming, advisers to the former president say.
Mr. DeSantis, who declined an interview request, is favored to win re-election in November, and he hasn’t joined the parade of candidates in other races around the country wooing Mr. Trump for his endorsement. The former president has asked friends about how Democratic Rep. Charlie Crist is performing in his bid to take on Mr. DeSantis in November—implying, according to people familiar with the discussions, he wants his understudy to sweat a little."