Global InformationBlue Collar Caucus information
Blue Collar Caucus | |
|---|---|
| Co-Chairs | Brendan Boyle Marc Veasey |
| Founded | December 1, 2016[1][2][3][4] |
| Ideology | Laborism[5] Protectionism[6] Keynesianism[7] Anti-globalization[8] Left-wing populism[9] |
| Political position | Left-wing[10] |
| National affiliation | Democratic Party Trade unions:[11] AFL-CIO IAMAW |
| Colors | Electric blue |
| Seats in the House | 45 / 435
|
| Seats in the House Democratic Caucus | 45 / 220
|
| |
The Blue Collar Caucus is a United States Democratic Party congressional caucus that advocates for labor and working class priorities. It was founded in 2016 to focus the Democratic Party on blue-collar issues.[3] The caucus supports increased infrastructure spending and opposes offshoring.[1] The grouping aims to negate the elitist image of the Democratic Party and appeal to the blue-collar voters that were "lost" to Donald Trump by focusing on economic issues and promoting left-wing economic causes, abandoning the "urban, educated and socially liberal voices" in the party in favor of blue-collar ones.[12] Members of the caucus believe that the Democratic Party lost votes "by marching left on social issues" and offers to refocus on poor areas instead of the "coastal strongholds"; the caucus also has ties to major trade unions such as AFL-CIO and IAMAW.[11]
Members of the Blue Collar Caucus believe that the Democratic Party does not focus on the issues of blue-collar workers.[13] The founder of the caucus, Brendan Boyle, argues that the party should develop its own kind of left-wing populism to combat the working-class appeal of Donald Trump.[9] The caucus wants to raise wages of the lower and middle class, supports the wealth tax of Elizabeth Warren to tax the top-earners more,[9] and advocates protectionist measures, opposing NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.[13] The caucus is considered economically progressive,[14] and its leader supports the Green New Deal, a single-payer healthcare system, and the federal minimum wage of $15.00 per hour.[15] The caucus also stresses the importance of promoting protectionism, with Veasey stating: "On trade, we have to be out in front of Trump"; it also proposes a partial retreat by Democrats on social and environmental issues in favor of a core economic appeal, arguing that Trump's economic rhetoric won him the 2016 election.[16]
While the Blue Collar Caucus was compared to the Congressional Progressive Caucus in terms of economic issues, it leans more conservative socially. The Blue Collar Caucus believes that the Democratic Party has become the "party of the elite", eschewing working-class issues in favor of appealing to educated, urban and socially liberal voters; as such, the caucus advocates for abandoning what it calls identity politics in favor of a sweeping left-wing economic message that would appeal to blue-collar workers instead. Members of the caucus cite Bernie Sanders's statement that "the Democratic Party has become a party of the coastal elites, folks who have a lot of money, upper-middle-class people".[12] The caucus envisions a Democratic Party as the champion of the "working people, not Wall Street and corporate interests",[17] while abandoning "progressive vanguard" politics.[18]
- ^ a b Jordan, Chuck (11 October 2017). "It's time to rebuild the American Dream".
- ^ "Boyle and Veasey form "Blue Collar Caucus" in Congress". 1 December 2016.
- ^ a b "Can Democrats win back the blue-collar voters that flipped to Trump?". Archived from the original on 2018-04-18.
- ^ "Boyle Launches Blue Collar Caucus - Philadelphia Public Record". www.phillyrecord.com.
- ^
- "Labor Leaders Meet with Blue Collar Caucus". www.bacweb.org. Archived from the original on 2018-04-18.
- "Labor Leaders and Blue Collar Caucus Meet to Chart Future Collaboration". 29 March 2017.
- ^
- Alex Daugherty (17 February 2017). "Can Democrats win back the blue-collar voters that flipped to Trump?". star-telegram.com.
- Alex Daugherty (28 March 2017). "Democrats and unions are trying to figure out how to win back blue-collar votes". tri-cityherald.com.
- ^ Velasco e Cruz, Sebastião C.; P. Bojikian, Neusa Maria (2021). De Trump a Biden: Partidos, políticas, eleições e perspectivas (PDF) (in Brazilian Portuguese). Editora Unesp. p. 41. ISBN 9786557110850.
Blue Collar Caucus, caracterizado por uma pauta trabalhista e agenda keynesiana;
- ^
- Frank Hill (8 May 2019). "HILL: Where Is "The Fiscal Sanity Caucus" In Congress Today?". nsjonline.com.
- "Boyle announces creation of Blue Collar Caucus in House". northeasttimes.com. 7 December 2016.
- ^ a b c Daniel Newhauser (22 March 2021). "The Mod Squad". persuasion.community.
- ^ Mike Cowburn; Rebecca Kerr (2022). "Inclusivity and Centralisation of Candidate Selectorates: Factional Consequences for Centre-Left Parties in Germany, England, and the United States" (PDF). Political Research Quarterly. SAGE Publications: 299. doi:10.1177/10659129221081213. - Listed as progressive wing of the Democratic Party, together with the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Medicare for All Caucus.
- ^ a b Andrea Drusch (24 August 2017). "Texas lawmaker Veasey sees himself as the Democratic party's future". mcclatchydc.com.
- ^ a b Niall Stanage (12 October 2020). "The Memo: Democrats grapple with 'elite' tag". thehill.com. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020.
- ^ a b Alex Daugherty (17 February 2017). "Can Democrats win back the blue-collar voters that flipped to Trump?". star-telegram.com.
- ^ Mike Cowburn; Rebecca Kerr (2022). "Inclusivity and Centralisation of Candidate Selectorates: Factional Consequences for Centre-Left Parties in Germany, England, and the United States" (PDF). Political Research Quarterly. SAGE Publications: 299. doi:10.1177/10659129221081213.
- ^ "Pennsylvania Congressman Brendan Boyle Speaks to Students at Law School". cuatower.com. 28 March 2019.
- ^ Alex Daugherty (28 March 2017). "Democrats and unions are trying to figure out how to win back blue-collar votes". tri-cityherald.com.
- ^ Luke Collins (21 July 2017). "Trumka Talks Economy and Jobs with House Blue Collar Caucus". aflcio.org.
- ^ "Shifting to 'blue collar' focus could work for Democrats". ocregister.com. 14 February 2017.