Leftists and Moderates Are Trying to Be More Like Each Other

"The first report, "Democrats' Rust Belt Struggles and the Promise of Independent Politics," was produced by a constellation of progressive organizations and labor groups-some of which were founded to channel the energies of the 2016 Bernie Sanders campaign-along with the socialist magazine Jacobin. And yet the report does not call for classic Sandersian policies such as Medicare for All and universal child care; indeed, it warns against big redistributive government interventions."

"Its authors point out that such programs are "often met with skepticism by working-class voters, who may distrust government-administered systems they perceive as inefficient, overly bureaucratic, or disproportionately benefiting others." This will sound obvious to some readers, but coming from the Bernie left, it's a major concession. The report argues that Democrats should focus instead on policies that directly lower costs, rein in excessive wealth, and shape how resources are distributed in the first place-often referred to as "predistribution.""

Progressive and moderate wings of the Democratic Party show unexpected consensus on winning back working-class voters by adopting elements of each other's approaches. Progressive groups and labor organizations, including those tied to the 2016 Sanders movement, caution against large redistributive programs that can trigger voter skepticism. Emphasis shifts toward policies that directly lower costs, rein in excessive wealth, and reshape resource distribution through predistribution. Recommended measures include capping drug prices and tax changes targeting concentrated wealth, signaling a strategic move toward pragmatic, non-radical economic proposals aimed at voter receptivity.

Read at The Atlantic