One of the most extraordinary aspects of our corporate-dominated American political system is the degree to which the needs of working-class people, the majority of our population, are systematically ignored by political and media elites.
Americans who are following the 2024 presidential campaign – and the vital campaigns for control of the US Senate and the US House – will see, hear and read a whole lot of rhetoric from political insiders and the corporate media about the “political game”.
They’ll hear about horserace polls, how much money the candidates raise, what billionaire “donors” are demanding, who the vice-presidential candidate might be and, of course, the dumb things candidates said or did five years ago. Or 10 years ago. Or 20 years ago.
But, in the midst of all the political gossip on TV and in the newspapers, what Americans will not encounter is a serious discussion of the multiple economic crises facing the 60% of our fellow citizens who live paycheck to paycheck – the working class of this country. What you will not hear about is why, in the richest country in the history of the world, so few have so much while so many have so little. What you will not hear about is the pain, the stress, the anxiety that tens of millions of Americans experience on a daily basis, and how governmental decisions can improve their lives.
In order to combat a political system which ignores so many of the most important concerns facing the majority of our people, my campaign recently commissioned a poll in the battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. It asked some pretty basic questions: what are the major concerns that you and your families have? What would you like your government to do about them?
The results of the poll are not surprising, and not unlike other polls done over the years.
They show that, at the time of huge income and wealth inequality, unprecedented corporate greed, a failing healthcare system, a grossly unfair tax structure, an extremely high rate of childhood poverty, and too many seniors struggling to pay for their basic necessities, the American people want strong governmental action which addresses the longstanding needs of working families.
In other words, it turns out that progressive economic proposals are extremely popular – not only among Democrats but also among independents, Republicans and even the most ardent Trump supporters.
One of the key findings of the poll is that, on core economic issues, by a wide margin, voters are more likely to vote for a candidate who favors expanding social security benefits by making the wealthy pay the same tax rate as the working class. They strongly support a candidate who favors expanding Medicare to cover vision, dental and hearing needs, who favors cutting the cost of prescription drugs in half by making sure that Americans pay no more than what they pay in Europe or Canada, and who favors hiking taxes on the rich and multinational corporations so that they pay their fair share.
In other words: campaigning on an economic agenda that speaks to the needs of working families is a winning formula for Kamala Harris and Democrats in November. Indeed, it is the formula that could give Harris the sort of victory that sweeps in a Democratic Senate and House and allows her to govern in the best tradition of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal and Joe Biden’s Build Back Better program.
In fact, whether a candidate is running for the White House or a city council seat, endorsing policies that support working families is not only the right thing to do, it’s good politics.
I don’t usually say that candidates should pay attention to the polls. But, in this instance, Democrats should do just that.
Here are some of the key results. The full poll can be read here.
Swing-state voters are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports:
Expanding Medicare to cover dental, vision and hearing;
77% overall
73% independents
69% Republicans
67% Trump voters
Cutting the cost of prescription drugs in half by making sure that Americans pay no more than what they pay in Europe or Canada;
75% overall
68% independents
68% Republicans
65% Trump voters
Expanding social security benefits by making the wealthy pay the same tax rate as the working class;
72% overall
72% independents
56% Republicans
56% Trump voters
Making the wealthy and large corporations pay their fair share of taxes;
70% overall
68% independents
54% Republicans
53% Trump voters
Instituting a cap on rent increases;
63% overall
57% independents
46% Republicans
46% Trump voters
Establishing a Medicare for all single-payer healthcare system guaranteeing healthcare to all America;
62% overall
62% independents
39% Republicans
39% Trump voters
Eliminating all medical debt;
62% overall
59% independents
43% Republicans
42% Trump voters
Building at least 2m units of affordable housing;
59% overall
57% independents
38% Republicans
42% Trump voters
Re-establishing the child tax credits;
58% overall
55% independents
43% Republicans
43% Trump voters
Capping the amount of money families spend on childcare at 7% of their income;
54% overall
49% independents
37% Republicans
37% Trump voters
Raising the minimum wage to $17 an hour;
51% overall
49% independents
47% Republicans
42% Trump voters
Making public colleges and universities tuition-free;
50% Overall
51% independents
25% Republicans
25% Trump voters
Passing the Pro Act, which would make it easier for Americans to join unions;
48% overall
41% independents
29% Republicans
28% Trump voters
Bernie Sanders is a US senator, and chair of the health education labor and pensions committee. He represents the state of Vermont, and is the longest-serving independent in the history of Congress
