r/neoliberal • u/UnscheduledCalendar • 5d ago

The Democrats’ Culture Denialism Opinion article (US)

https://www.liberalpatriot.com/p/the-democrats-culture-denialism

0 Upvotes

49% Upvoted

I mean this does ring true in part - the left likes to think that people vote on self-interest and class... But really they vote on values and identity.

Pretending that the categories are just rich vs. poor, when plenty of poor people feel more aligned with rich people who share their cultural values, is going to doom you - in the area of culture / vibes, culture wins out over 'class' because the latter is a less visceral, immediate group to belong to.

Now, I think you can win the culture war without throwing trans folks (etc.) under the bus - but you can't win it by pretending it's an economic war, or that that's how people naturally identify.

It's kinda downstream of all of the 'Dems think in abstracts and stats, people live in narrative and image' that hurts us far and wee.

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u/WeatherbyIsNot 4d ago

I don't see why people have to assume that "culture war" means there's only one side. Dems act like their minority coalitions are an embarrassment to them. It doesn't feel like dems even know what side they're on, they just pass the buck onto activists without ever taking firm stances. Have any Dems even tried to do anything about the hundreds of anti-LGBT laws that were passed in the past 4 years? Have any Dems tried to articulate why progressive cultural values are worth standing up for? It makes me feel like the party I've voted for my entire life doesn't believe in anything at all, because all I've heard is how they need to give in, capitulate, cut off the worst-polling demographics in their coalition, just cede the culture entirely to Republicans.

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u/Particular-Court-619 4d ago

"Have any Dems even tried to do anything about the hundreds of anti-LGBT laws that were passed in the past 4 years?"

Yes. Not their fault your info literacy is poodung

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u/WeatherbyIsNot 4d ago

Sorry, I missed when the dems did something about ID markers being reverted in Texas and Florida, trans healthcare bans passing unanimously in countless states (and the other week, federally!), bathroom bills now reaching the federal level, drag bans, sports bans... Hell, we saw a bathroom bill specifically targeted to fuck over the singular trans member of congress pass with barely a shrug. Maybe if any dems, who have held the presidency for the entire time this has been happening, stood up for their supposed values at a national level I wouldn't have to live in fear as my ability to live is slowly stripped away day by day.

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u/YeetThermometer John Rawls 4d ago

What exactly does “do something” mean to you? Yes, people are suing. Yes, Dems voted against these bills and were outvoted. Then there were elections when Democrats tried to turn out voters to replace the legislators who voted for the bills - and lost. What exactly should they be doing besides not losing? Shouting louder into the void?

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u/WeatherbyIsNot 4d ago

Passed legislation when they held federal power to protect these rights, passed more, robust sanctuary laws in blue states, packed the courts, Biden could have passed any number of executive orders at any time (like Trump promises to on day one, to restrict trans healthcare!)...

Edit: And maybe they could also actually vote against these things? Lol, look up how many dems voted for the recent healthcare ban in the military spending bill, how many dems allowed the McBride bathroom ban to go through...

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u/DrunkenBriefcases Jerome Powell 4d ago edited 4d ago

Passed legislation when they held federal power to protect these rights

When was that, exactly? Because by my count Democrats haven't had the ability to unilaterally pass a single federal bill outside the limited scope of reconciliation (which does not apply here) in 15 years. And that was only for a handful of weeks.

passed more, robust sanctuary laws in blue states,

I don't even know what this complaint seeks. Specifically, What do you think Dems have failed to do? List specific protections you think every blue leaning State has to pass to pass your bar. Because this sounds like empty padding.

packed the courts,

Why do you hate democracy? Because there is overwhelming opposition in the public to this. When did your wants become more important than the will of the majority? And how does an endless cycle of rigging the Courts every time the administration flips do anything but destabilize the nation?

Biden could have passed any number of executive orders at any time

...And? EOs aren't magic. trump promises - and passed! - loads of EOs that did absolutely nothing but pander to a fringe that cared less about reality than feeling like they had the ear of the powerful. Is that the sort of performative dance you're seeking? Because little else could be accomplished by EO that Biden didn't already do. And all of it will or would be washed away come late January.