The aftermath of Donald Trump’s victory is heating up as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Bernie Sanders debate whether Democrats have done enough for working-class Americans.
Exit polls have been shown For the first time in decades, Democrats have received more support from the top third of income earners than from the middle and bottom thirds.
This continued the trend that started after Barack Obama was elected president in 2008. Since then, Democratic support for the poorest third has declined, while it has shot up among the richest.
On Wednesday, Sanders, an independent who aligns with the Democrats, lamented the election results and gave one. A sharp rebuke of the Democratic Party.
“It should come as no surprise to find that a Democratic Party that has abandoned the working class has abandoned the working class,” he wrote in a statement. “While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change. And they are right.”
Later on the interview New York Times In a statement released on Saturday, Pelosi denied the party had abandoned the working class and said they were sweeping Democratic House candidates and maintaining control of that chamber.
“We are the kitchen table, the working class of America,” he said.
Pelosi also took a shot at Sanders, saying he “didn’t win” and that while he has respect, “I don’t respect him saying the Democratic Party has abandoned working families.”
He noted that under Joe Biden, whose major domestic policy accomplishments shepherded Pelosi through the House, Democrats supported workers while Trump passed tax cuts that mostly helped the wealthy during his first term.
During Sunday morning’s talks, Sanders doubled down on his criticism of the Democratic Party. during a interview on NBC Meet the presshe said that workers have a right to be angry about widening income inequality, guaranteed health care for all, high rates of childhood poverty, low-income seniors and a campaign finance system that allows billionaires to “buy elections.”
Asked about Pelosi’s response, Sanders said Senate Democrats have not prioritized legislation to raise the minimum wage, make it easier to join unions or expand the tax pool to pay Social Security benefits.
“If you’re an ordinary worker, do you really think the Democratic Party is going to step up, take on powerful special interests and fight for you?” he asked. “I think the answer is absolutely no, and that’s what needs to change.”
Meanwhile, Trump has acknowledged the pain of working-class workers and offered a “pretty crazy” explanation for scapegoating immigrants, Sanders added.
“Democrats need an explanation, and that explanation is corporate greed and the power of the millionaire class,” he said.
In addition to lower-income Americans, Trump saw greater support from Hispanic, black and female voterswhich have traditionally been the main democratic parties.
Pollster Frank Luntz identified a group that cuts across race, gender and class, saying paycheck-to-paycheck voters Trump gave him the White House.
“If you’re a salaried voter who’s struggling every week or every month, you’re more likely to consider and actually vote for Donald Trump than you ever were for Ronald Reagan in 1984,” Luntz said. News Nation after the elections
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