The most socialist of American programs (Social Security - Medicare, etc) poll very high with both republicans and democrats. Brilliant videos: [accidentally posted a copy in Chit-Chat]
The Democrats are finally giving up on trying to reach these people. Maybe Bernie has the patience, but many have thrown up our arms in frustration and desperation. This is the part of the country that the GOP takes their vote for granted. These people have no idea what power they wield if one day they got together and sent a message to the GOP by crossing the political line in an election.
World economists are flocking to Nordic countries to see how they are making Democratic Socialism work so well.
The mainstream Democratic party abandoned the people living in the rural South a long time ago. "They gave up trying to reach these people" decades ago. The mainstream Democratic party has ignored the issues that are on top of the concerns list of the people in poor rural counties; jobs, illegal immigration (taking the farm jobs), social conservatism, Christian values (used to be in the Democratic platform BTW), economic development grants, gun ownership, keeping rural military bases open, rural hospitals (notice they are all shutting down under ACA), transportation, federal farmland regulation overreach, and other rural issues. The only item the Democrats support that help rural counties is welfare (Food stamps, Section 8, etc.) and the only reason the Democrats support this for rural counties is because it aligns with their national platform. Note that the bulk of welfare money goes to Democratic cities in the U.S. when looking at actual payments. The Republican platform more closely addresses the concerns of rural counties. The Republicans oppose illegal immigration, make noise about creating jobs, are socially conservative, support economic development and transportation grants for rural areas, oppose farmland regulations, support gun ownership, support rural military bases, and are the only ones at state levels to keep rural hospitals open. However the Republicans oppose increasing welfare payments but the reality they do little to take away existing welfare. After decades of ignoring the concerns of rural counties and writing them off; it is very unlikely Democrats can "take them back" unless the Democrats re-write their messaging and platform to address the concerns of rural residents.
I think they just did by electing Trump. Establishment republicans are deep into denial, pretending it didn't happen and voters haven't caught on to their treachery. Democrats have a golden opportunity to rediscover their roots as the party of the working man. Instead they are determined to be the party of antifa, trans perverts and 1920's era Marxism.
I posted this earlier... "The real key to Scandinavia’s unique successes isn’t socialism, it’s culture. Social trust and cohesion, a broad egalitarian ethic, a strong emphasis on work and responsibility, commitment to the rule of law — these are healthy attributes of a Nordic culture that was ingrained over centuries. In the region’s small and homogeneous countries (overwhelmingly white, Protestant, and native-born), those norms took deep root. The good outcomes and high living standards they produced antedated the socialist nostrums of the 1970s. Scandinavia’s quality of life didn’t spring from leftist policies. It survived them. Sanandaji makes the acute observation that when Scandinavian emigrants left for the United States, those cultural attributes went with them and produced the same good effects. Scandinavian-Americans have higher incomes and lower poverty rates than the US average. Indeed, Danish-Americans economically outperform Danes still living in Denmark, as do Swedish-Americans compared with Swedes and Finnish-Americans compared with Finns. Scandinavian culture has been a blessing for native Scandinavians — and even more of one for their cousins across the ocean. No, Scandinavia doesn’t “violate the laws of the economic universe.” It confirms them. With free markets and healthy values, almost any society will thrive. Socialism only makes things worse." https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion...list-utopia/lUk9N7dZotJRbvn8PosoIN/story.html
My observation has been some western countries produce too many wealthy individuals while making their home countries fairly weak or poor in wealth and income terms. That can be a serious problem - getting worse and worse. Now the US alike really worries many of the wealthy elites would go emigrating overseas just like Jim Rogers did to Singapore. Or Thiel. The US would have already not too many income streams left as in the past. Running out of national/federal monies/funds. Low interest rate would cause more overseas investment and money outflow to keep money offshore. Partly due to minimum investment opportunities domestically, when comparing overseas projects. Most federal assets are gradually deteriorated after years usage that require new funding. Further cutting tax in order to keep the wealthy people may or may not be the proper solution? If not making the situation worse. When a maverick like Trump cannot find systemic solutions within a reasonable time, perhaps must try another one soonest better. Or a dedicated task-force is needed. LOL