The Future of the Democratic Party

Brian Elder
Jul 24, 2017 · 3 min read

I’m from the working-class wing of the Democratic Party, the son of three generations of auto workers. I represent Bay County. Like most of rural Michigan, Bay County went solidly for President Trump.

I remember when Democrats were the voice of America’s working class. Based upon the elections in November, it’s clear many working people don’t believe that any more.

The blame for that lies with the national Democratic Party. And the solution lies within the Democratic Party, as well.

The problem is that some coastal-elites in the far-left wing of my party have forgotten our shared history. The modern Democratic Party was born at the National Convention of 1928. The Ku Klux Klan and Dixiecrats had been exercising a veto over party policy on every issue. Catholic and Jewish labor organizers ripped control of the party from the Klan. Together, they laid the foundation for the New Deal, as well as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Organized labor brought workers together regardless of race, sex or religion. The result was a national Democratic Party that was more progressive on civil rights.

Without the support of organized labor, the civil rights movement would have failed. It was the UAW, along with the garment workers, that paid the bills for the civil rights movement.

A core union value is equal pay for equal work. Paid sick leave and maternity leave allowed women to enter, and stay, in the work force. Finally, women advanced in the workplace based on their experience and skills. Organized labor expanded the Democratic Party throughout the 20th century. They encouraged inclusion and social progress every step of the way.

But now, many in my party want to ignore those facts. And others have forgotten or never learned how we got here. Some think they don’t need the working class in the tent, when we made the tent in the first place.

If the Democratic Party is to regain its status as America’s majority it needs to look to the past.

Democrats have to do a better job of listening to our original base, working people. Our friends and families are hurting and worried about their future. Many feel working class culture is not shown enough respect. A good start is to listen more to people who hang out at the local VFW hall instead of cocktail parties.

If we focus on the poor and working class, it unifies us. Because those who work are the most diverse group in America. America’s working class includes people of every religion, gender, race and sexual orientation.

Democrats will continue to lose winnable races as long as we fail to focus on the concerns of the working class. We win if we make their concerns our top priority.

There’s nothing wrong with holding onto our Bibles and our guns. Small-town working people need to feel welcome in our big tent, as do women’ rights activists, the LGBT community and environmentalists.

Let’s make our tent larger by recruiting more candidates from working-class backgrounds. Not just Democrats who are “good” on labor issues, but actual sons and daughters of the working class.

We need authentic voices to speak for the working class. And the working class can tell when candidates fake it. Our people are smart, regardless of what some think.

Working class folks need to take back their place in the national party, like we did in 1928. Because if we fail, all people — regardless of race, gender, religion or class — will suffer.

Representative Brian K. Elder (D-96) represents the City of Bay City and the surrounding Bay County communities. Elder outperformed the Democratic base of the 96th District in November, even though Trump carried the district.

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