Among the many extraordinary shifts in American politics since the 2016 elections, the move by Democratic left-wingers toward a boldly progressive, socialist agenda marks perhaps the biggest turn in recent political history.
One prime example: The Democratic move toward democratic socialism since Bernie Sanders’ loss in the ’16 presidential primaries – a demarcation point that that spawned leftist outrage – represents such a strong sway that a basic issue like raising the minimum wage has become almost an afterthought.
The nationwide protests of 2016 calling for a $15 federal minimum wage now seem almost quaint as the progressives have moved on to a much broader, game-changing platform.
Boosting the minimum wage remains a popular point of view among all Dems, but it is no longer the pivotal issue that liberals assumed it would be just two years ago.
According to Third Way, a center-left research group, in the 2016 DNC platform, raising the minimum wage was listed as the first economic promise of the party. Only after seven other promises, including revitalizing the Postal Service, did the platform mention the need to create good-paying jobs.
Yet, the 2016 “Fight for 15” already seems fairly mainstream, if not passé, as some states and large companies have incrementally made double-digit starting wages the norm in parts of the country. Changes are coming fast.
While mainstream and moderate Democratic officials point to the limited success of Sanders-style candidates in recent state primary elections, a new Gallup poll released today provides a shocker.
The national survey found that just 47 percent of Democrats view capitalism positively, down from 56 percent just two years ago, and 57 percent of Dems view socialism positively, which reflects a trend since 2010. The driving force behind this leftward tilt is the Millennial generation.
Taking a step back, the nation navigated an astonishingly rapid turn to progressive views over the past decade on several social issues, such as same-sex marriage, legalizing marijuana, widespread support for restrictions on gun rights, and protections for transgender folks.
Now, the emerging left-wing of the Democratic Party pushes for bigger progressive reforms – in essence, radical changes — on economic and fiscal issues.
Regardless of the cost, in the upcoming midterm elections the democratic socialists demand Medicare for all, free college tuition, heavily subsidized child care, a basic income for all, low-cost housing as a right, and job guarantees for every American.
Bloomberg News asserted recently that progressive Democrats, and some leading Dem prospects for the 2020 presidential election who have latched on, are embracing “the most radical economic plans in years.”
Consider this: Just two years ago, with the federal minimum wage requirement stuck at $7.25, a $15 wage rule was considered a leftist point of view. Meanwhile, a push toward a pragmatic $10.10 federal minimum wage, which would bring the pay standard up to inflation-adjusted levels, was widely supported by Democrats, and even a majority of Republicans in some polls.
Today, the left-wing Democrats consider $10.10 nearly an insult as they subsequently push for trillions of dollars in additional government benefits that fit into their “socialist” point of view.
All of this would have been unimaginable 20 years ago. Will 2018-20 mark a turning point?
