Quote: Contrary to what left-wing optimists had hoped, Democratic nonvoters in 2024 appear to have been less progressive than Democrats who voted. For instance, Democratic nonvoters were 14 points less likely to support banning assault rifles, 20 points less likely to support sending aid to Gaza, 17 points less likely to report believing that slavery and discrimination make it hard for Black Americans, 17 points more likely to support building a border wall with Mexico, 20 points more likely to support the expansion of fossil fuel production, and, sadly for economic populists, 16 points less likely to support corporate tax hikes (though this group still favored corporate tax hikes by a three to one margin). Overall, nonvoting Democrats were 18 points less likely to self-identify as “liberal” or “very liberal.”
“But wait, does all this mean that nonvoting Democrats stayed home in 2024 because Democrats’ policies were too progressive? Not necessarily…”
But quite likely, and in fact very likely. But this is The Nation, so even the suggestion that this is a possibility is a great admission. When a media channel that is left-wing acknowledges a right-wing or centrist position, this is a real piece of information, in an information-theoretic sense.
Much as when Bill Buckley and the National Review came out in support of civil rights in the 1960s.
> Democrats need to persuade nonvoters with a clear and credible message about how the party plans to improve the economic lives of working people. Nonvoting Democrats in 2024 were disproportionately low-income, less educated, and more likely to report financial anxiety.
Looking at the increases in housing, food, medical, and education costs from 2021 to 2024 - I'd say that the Democrats already sent a very clear and credible message to those people: "We don't much care about your sort." And on Election Day, those people's reply to Joe & Co. was: "Likewise".
“But wait, does all this mean that nonvoting Democrats stayed home in 2024 because Democrats’ policies were too progressive? Not necessarily…”
But quite likely, and in fact very likely. But this is The Nation, so even the suggestion that this is a possibility is a great admission. When a media channel that is left-wing acknowledges a right-wing or centrist position, this is a real piece of information, in an information-theoretic sense.
Much as when Bill Buckley and the National Review came out in support of civil rights in the 1960s.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/05/13/william-f...
When the unexpected happens, that’s the real news.
> Democrats need to persuade nonvoters with a clear and credible message about how the party plans to improve the economic lives of working people. Nonvoting Democrats in 2024 were disproportionately low-income, less educated, and more likely to report financial anxiety.
Looking at the increases in housing, food, medical, and education costs from 2021 to 2024 - I'd say that the Democrats already sent a very clear and credible message to those people: "We don't much care about your sort." And on Election Day, those people's reply to Joe & Co. was: "Likewise".