Center-left response to all things tariff is case study in messaging mis-steps. 2 dominant narratives I saw emerge - were "tariffs are bad and 401Ks are bleeding" and "Trump has a point." As if those two bad choices were the only options. 🧵
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Former is classist - displays disdain for working class that got Dems into this mess. MAGA is bullshitting but it's about a real pain point, especially in former factory towns. Most Americans don't have a 401K & see value in tariffs. Unfettered "free" trade is undeniably exploitive.
(2) innovation, and such which helps ppl get better products, at cheaper prices. Blanket tariffs does nothing but raise cost for ppl, possibly end up with less choices, and companies are not gonna build factories and whole supply chains in America which would take years to make and still cost more
(1) actually as of the end of 2023 about 56% of the work force about 71.5 million Americans have 401k plans..Most economists and our own history during the depression show mass tariffs dont work, targeted tariff for certain things can work. not having free trade stops competition,
This is for full time workers and I believe around 70% of them contribute. Unfortunately, a huge swath of workforce is underemployed that's how you get to less than half of adults having 401K. Most PT work has no benefits.
Latter should not need to be explained. Giving credit to the man attempting to destroy everyone who does not bow, bend, scrape and finance him is idiotic.
Yeah, and one thing related to this that we should be saying is that using tariffs as a negotiating tool is mutually exclusive with using tariffs to do stable industrial policy and return or preserve jobs.
Instead, it's possible to seize this persuasion window (right now people who formerly couldn't spell tariffs suddenly contemplating them) to make a case for actual progressive trade policy - for how things ought to be done. No need to say "I'm with Trump" when you can say "I'm with working people."
"Most of us believe people who work for a living ought to earn a living and America ought to have good jobs now and for generations to come. Trump is pulling yet another con - exploiting real pain of working people to pay off his billionaire backers. We need trade policy that respects our work..."
Key points: (1) Never talk about "tariffs" in isolation, call them Trump tariffs. (2) Say what you're for, not merely what you fight. (3) Tie this egregious horror to the broader MAGA agenda.
i feel like they could browse bluesky for a few minutes and "borrow" some great messaging, but they're too lost in their own little politician bubble to actually pay attention to what regular folks are saying.
Let's ties the Republicans to this too. They gave up their power over Tariffs to allow the tRumpcession. By their lack of action to reign in the tariffs they are now full complicate in this economic downturn.
Americans value our freedoms – but Trump, MAGA and Musk are running a regime of the bullies, for the billionaires. From Trump’s tariffs, to Musk’s hostile takeover, to Congressional Republicans' MAGA Murder Budget, this regime abuses and bankrupts anyone who doesn’t look, live, or love like them.
Excellent point (2) which I realized in last few days in discussing Trump tariffs with a someone who is self-employed & does not have a 401k. What I need to say is that “I’m for protecting one’s life savings so that they do not become a financial burden to their family later on due to Trump Tariffs”
yes. she’s just another politician who doesn’t stand for anything. she’s running scared because some consultant told her auto industry workers are pro-tariff. so don’t talk bad about tariffs. and she’s not a good enough politician to say this is crazy town tariffs on everybody for no reason.
yeah. that probably means she’s bad at politics, and needs to retire. she got played by the most transparent conman to ever walk the earth. she has no closely held values. she’s being batted around by political consultants that thought going to the white house was a good idea. really?
yes. ppl seem to think she some skilled politician. never saw it. she seemed unsteady and not a great speaker. and she signed some terrible republican bills recently.
It’s funny that WTO 1999 protests were a demand to ensure labor and environmental protections in trade deals. The last week was an affront to that neoliberal order, and yet it survived, so environment and labor can continue to be degraded on neoliberal terms, instead of for MAGA glory. So much CD
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