Time For Democrats To Stop Catering To The Professional Class

The emerging debate about what Democrats have to do in the wake of their disastrous 2016 election has primarily focused on what part of their coalition should now receive the most attention.

The popular way that professional-class pundits have framed the choice is one between populism and identity politics either Democrats go all-in appealing to the working class, or stick with a coalition made up of historically disenfranchised minority communities.

Someone is going to get the partys favor, and someone else is going to be told, Well, you have nowhere else to go. So who should get the shaft? Thats easy. It should be the very people who have engendered this debate in the first place: the professional class.

Why cant the Democratic Party tell their most affluent backers that the time has come for them to cater to someone else? On this weeks podcast, we asked Thomas Frank the author of Listen, Liberal about this idea.

There you go, Frank said. Thats exactly right. ... You can say to the professional class, who the Democrats have done everything in their power to help for decades now, Well look, were still good on the abortion issue, were still good on whatever culture war issue youd care to name. ... Were your guys on those issues. What are you gonna do, go to the Republicans ?

Political parties distribute political and economic power through policy choices. The members of their particular coalition are given the opportunity to share in both the overall policy mission and the spoils that arise from the enactment of those policies. In the current economic climate, Democrats should be able to capably present themselves as a party that will help working-class strivers and constituents from historically marginalized groups obtain a greater share of economic and political power. In the current political climate, it is vital that Democrats restore their coalitions trust that they will pursue this project.

Their particular predilection for the professional class keeps getting in the way of all of that.

And Hillary Clintons campaign really made this problem transparent. The campaign was a marvel of professional-class accomplishment. It was well funded and multi-platform. It was optimized and app-enabled. There were hives and hubs and widgets. And to the estimation of everyone involved, it was humming within expected operational parameters, until the moment it up and pooped the bed on election night.

OMFG https://t.co/lDUCXvzBj6 pic.twitter.com/1tImmKRFf5

David Dayen (@ddayen) December 14, 2016","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"David Dayen","author_url":"https://twitter.com/ddayen","cache_age":86400,"description":"OMFG https://t.co/lDUCXvzBj6 pic.twitter.com/1tImmKRFf5— David Dayen (@ddayen) December 14, 2016\n","provider_name":"Twitter","title":"David Dayen on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/ddayen/status/809137179083407360","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"585441fde4b08debb788d881","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/so-that-happened-thomas-frank_n_585441fde4b08debb788d881","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,hillary-clinton,presidential-debates,democratic-party,so-that-happened,us-news,us-presidential-elections,political-science,republican-politics,democratic-politics,election-results,political-commentary,@health_depression,@health_erectile,@health_ibs,@health_models","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":11},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"585441fde4b08debb788d881","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/donald-trump","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump"},"relegenceId":2789214,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/donald-trump"},{"name":"Hillary Clinton","slug":"hillary-clinton","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/hillary-clinton","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/hillary-clinton","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/hillary-clinton"},"relegenceId":3862709,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Hillary Clinton","slug":"hillary-clinton","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/hillary-clinton"},{"name":"Presidential Debates","slug":"presidential-debates","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/presidential-debates","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/presidential-debates","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/presidential-debates"},"relegenceSubjectId":4941762,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Presidential Debates","slug":"presidential-debates","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/presidential-debates"},{"name":"Democratic Party","slug":"democratic-party","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/democratic-party","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/democratic-party","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/democratic-party"},"relegenceId":3851651,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Democratic Party","slug":"democratic-party","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/democratic-party"},{"name":"so that happened","slug":"so-that-happened","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/so-that-happened","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/so-that-happened","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/so-that-happened"},"department":{"name":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"section":{"title":"Culture & Arts","slug":"arts"},"topic":{"title":"Podcasts","slug":"podcasts","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/entertainment/topic/podcasts"},{"name":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/us-news","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/us-news","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/us-news"},"relegenceSubjectId":981465,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"United States","slug":"united-states","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/united-states"},{"name":"u.s. presidential elections","slug":"us-presidential-elections","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/us-presidential-elections","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/us-presidential-elections","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/us-presidential-elections"},"relegenceSubjectId":6258423,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Elections 2016","slug":"elections-2016","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/elections-2016"},{"name":"political science","slug":"political-science","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/political-science","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/political-science","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/political-science"},"relegenceSubjectId":982061,"url":"https://action.news/topic/political-science"},{"name":"Republican Politics","slug":"republican-politics","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/republican-politics","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/republican-politics","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/republican-politics"},"relegenceSubjectId":4944927,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Republican Party","slug":"republican-party","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/republican-party"},{"name":"Democratic Politics","slug":"democratic-politics","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/democratic-politics","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/democratic-politics","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/democratic-politics"},"relegenceSubjectId":4944926,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Democratic Party","slug":"democratic-party","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/democratic-party"},{"name":"Election Results ","slug":"election-results","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/election-results","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/election-results","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/election-results"},"relegenceSubjectId":4941760,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Elections","slug":"elections","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/elections"},{"name":"Political Commentary","slug":"political-commentary","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/political-commentary","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/political-commentary","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/political-commentary"},"relegenceSubjectId":6398734,"url":"https://action.news/topic/political-commentary"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

OMFG https://t.co/lDUCXvzBj6 pic.twitter.com/1tImmKRFf5
David Dayen (@ddayen) December 14, 2016

Its possible to over-dramatize the results of the election. After all, had Clinton merely shifted 100,000 votes or so in a few key states, she would have won the whole thing. But the votes she lost were telling. Key swaths of voters in various Rust Belt states stayed at home or went with Donald Trump . And the Obama coalition comprised of faithful blocs of black and Hispanic voters frayed as well .

As many researchers and reporters concluded after election night was over, there were a goodly number of voters who went for Obama twice and switched to Trump . This fact really complicates matters for anyone who wants to write down Clintons loss as simple racism. I would posit that these voters in particular saw Obama as someone who would distribute political and economic power down to them happily voting for him twice. But when the time came to choose someone to continue this unfinished redistributive project, Clinton failed to distinguish herself as the likelier successor.

Its very likely that many of these voters just couldnt see themselves in the picture the Clinton campaign was painting, which relied heavily on the idea of barrier breaking and diversifying professional-sector boardrooms as a key way of ameliorating income inequality. At a critical moment, the Clinton team forgot that not everyone in America wants the lifestyle of a Facebook executive.

And after the Democrats concluded their convention, the Clinton camp decided, for some reason, that what they needed to do was to court the affections of moderate Republican elites, believing that winning the game required them to peel away part of the GOP base. Had they not been watching the campaign as it unfolded? The reason Trump became the nominee in the first place was because the GOP base stopped following the direction of the partys professional-class elites.

Did the Clinton team forget to draft policies that would help working-class Americans? The thing is, they didnt. It was their constant complaint that the media failed to account for the many policy papers that could be found on their website, and to give them the equal time that Trumps red-meat rallies got on cable news.

But even here, you see the folly of the professional-class lens. Working-class people dont have scads of leisure time to read white papers. They arent lounging about, reading my take on the candidates maternity-leave proposals. This is what a campaign is for. Trump may not end up saving the working class money over the next four years, but on the campaign trail, he surely saved them some time.

Meanwhile, here is a thing the Clinton campaign did in September. September! In Ohio!

Several stars of the hit TV show will hit the ground running with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton this weekend, traveling to multiple campaign stops in the Buckeye State.
Members of the West Wing cast, including Allison Janney (C.J. Cregg), Bradley Whitford (Josh Lyman), Richard Schiff (Toby Ziegler), Dul Hill (Charlie Young), Mary McCormack (Kate Harper) and Joshua Malina (Will Bailey) will join forces at six different locations on Saturday and Sunday.

Who on earth was this for? This is basically elite-level wish-fulfillment on steroids.