Oh come on, the “if they are so poor, how can they still afford to eat?” dismissive and condescending attitude from the left and Democrats on the working class is precisely what critics are railing against. Keep doing that and people will slowly but surely come to the throes of the far-right. You obviously did not read the links I gave you. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez herself said many Latino families are living under the same household with other families to save on rent, so that they could afford more food. People are living paycheck to paycheck and have to work two jobs to make ends meet.

The Democrats throw bones and some bread crumbs every once in a while to soothe the angst, but does not actually try to solve the underlying and long term economic woes of stagnant wages and rising inflation. So it is understandable that people are tired of spineless Democrats. The people yearn for a change! The rhetoric of being anti-establishment did not come out in of nowhere. While Democrats refuse to see it and presents itself as the party of status quo, the Republicans knew well what the people want and promises to deliver it to them-- for better or worse. Populism gets a bad rap but it still has its place in politics, especially in times of growing wealth inequality. It is a matter knowing to use it for the greater good. But Democrats refuse to be populist (obviously not to rile up their rich donors, why else have they refused Bernice Sanders twice now for the primaries despite being popular among the working class?)

If we are being pedantic, you and I are working class by virtue that we are working, but I can tell we are neither poor nor struggling because we have relatively high paying job or at the very least, having been lucky enough be born in a financially sufficient family who could provide a safety net. We are not at the lower rung of income groups but those at the bottom feel the sting of inflation and losing jobs to outsourcing. Just because you don’t feel what the poor and other financially struggling folks feel, doesn’t mean their feelings are not valid. You are already probably aware that those who are desperate are easily manipulated; they cling to anything even if at a grave cost. They are not stupid, they are manipulated. They are told that immigrants, feminists or the poor dumb Hillbillys are to blame. While people are too busy fighting culture wars, all people involved are robbed blindly by powers that be. Divide and conquer is a classic, goes back to the ancient times.

Ancient philosophers and thinkers already noted how people can be easily divided politically. Slavoj Zizek is may be a philosopher, but politics ultimately stems from philosophy. Politics still requires thinking, doesn’t it? And his analysis is incisive particularly at the rise of populism. He supports people electing Trump, not because he is a fascist (no one could accuse him of being a fascist), but because it means change could be enacted. It is not to make Democrats lose, but as a wakeup call for Democrats to pursue the same goal of change. And yet the Democratic Party never learns. What have they done? Throw bones and bread crumbs, and only say “I am not my opponent”. With the rising cost of living, it is high time that federal wages be increased to match as living wage and a fully socialised healthcare system be implemented to mitigate the rising cost of living for most people. But again, they are spineless so that they won’t agitate their rich backers (and to repeat what I said before, ordinary liberals are also to blame for blocking many progressive agenda such as building social housing). The podcaster I mentioned also share the same sentiment. Yes, people can be stupid but not that stupid. Calling people stupid will not fix the actual widening wealth inequality.

The problem is the information bubble trapping and individuals to their own little world; their egos being fed and warping their view of the real outside world. Sure, tell to people in lower income that there we are in full employment, there are plenty of online sources that will say it, but what use are the so-called happy figures if they can’t afford to buy a home, let alone rent. Food prices went up. People can’t afford healthcare. The fact that the murder of CEO of health insurance company, United Healthcare, is cheered upon says a lot. People want change. Telling people there is no problem when there, is as bad as the right wingers who are detached from reality. People can be stupid, but not that stupid. As much as you and I can be cynical of others, the difference is that I worked and interacted with both working and more affluent folks. In spite of the stereotype, the working class is just as smart if not more so than college educated individuals. While it is true that in opportunity-deprived areas can be bad, a lot of these people only want to better their lives. But they are not heeded because, let’s face it, the liberals and left became too posh for the working class, and abandoned and caricaturised them. The far right took the opportunity to exploit them. Tariffs are stupid, but for these folks whose jobs are outsourced and left with no alternatives, it made sense.

Facts don’t care about feelings, but for the marginalised-- their feelings are just as real. Their feelings are affirmed but not by the correct side of history. However, left and liberals are too buried in the sand to recognise that. Keep ignoring the working class concerns and the far right will only keep winning; no matter how much you keep berating them. The rise of Trump is not so much that he is just that good, it actually says more on the part of the Democrats that they failed as a party to enact lasting changes. There is no other Roosevelt at this day and age. You said it’s Biden, but he backtracked on so many promises. He is no Roosevelt at all, especially after Biden pardoned his own son after being sentenced, who was convicted only months ago, in spite of promise not to do so. That does not send a good message and signal that the Democrats are better, and only reinforces the “both sides are the same” narrative. That would only strengthen the Republicans and exploit it to their advantage. The Democrats need to be more radical but for the left. One of their major base was the working class after all. What happened? It is time to return to their roots if they are to actually win and stop the rise of fascism.

The Roman Republic fell because the poor were abandoned and were convinced to support a strongman who promised to stop corruption and political violence. The left and liberals are not learning from history at all (or rather abandoned it) on what keeps a healthy democracy.