r/Detroit • u/Healthy_Block3036 • Feb 28 '25
Politics/Elections Michigan Democratic Gov. Whitmer makes direct appeal to young men after sharp shift in election
https://apnews.com/article/michigan-governor-gretchen-whitmer-young-men-e237387d0762e900f2dc7e38a1c49f7b104
u/MasterSpoon Feb 28 '25
Michigan used to be one of the best manufacturing centers in the world. We had steady, union paying jobs that got shipped to Mexico because corporations like the big 3 wanted to juice their quarterly profits, decimating the ability for workers to earn enough money to support a family and live in dignity. Michigan’s neo-liberal Democratic Party is just as guilty as the Republicans in where we are today.
Bring back manufacturing jobs that allow for one income to make enough to live a comfortable middle class life, or continue to lose. Rhetoric doesn’t pay the bills or give young men a path to a dignified life. You want to reach young men? Give them a real opportunity to become their own man in your system.
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u/3coneylunch Feb 28 '25
Those jobs are gone. The state hurts itself every time it cuts another check for corporate welfare to the auto manufacturers. They should be investing in technology, health care, education.
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u/BeefInGR Mar 01 '25
technology, health care, education.
Three sectors that require specialized training.
Or...manufacturing jobs that any able bodied person can do.
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u/NewbGingrich1 Mar 01 '25
You're not gonna out compete Mexico for cheap manufacturing labor. That ship is sailed permanently. "That any able bodied person can do" - exactly, so why would companies choose the much more expensive Michigan worker over literally anyone else?
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u/BeefInGR Mar 01 '25
You're right. Except for the unhinged cheeto in the Oval Office who threatens every other week to impose a new tariff or tax. That might be a reason to look at manufacturing.
Also, let's not pretend every job in tech, health care or education is a gold mine. Most are...well...highly specialized fields that don't create significantly more wealth at the base.
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u/3coneylunch Mar 01 '25
Every state has jobs that an able bodied person can do. If this state wants to retain young college graduates, moderate to big earning individuals, they need to divest from manufacturing
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u/Icy-Bicycle-Crab Mar 01 '25
The two cities that lost the most manufacturing jobs were New York and Los Angeles, when the garment industries left the US.
But no one gives a fuck about those factory jobs because they were women's.
And you'll notice that neither NY or LA are short of good jobs now, because neither of those were a one horse town that discouraged competition.
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u/Substantial_Lab_BCG Mar 05 '25
I have purchased union made men's suits. Excellent. Textiles were in a race to the bottom foe cheapest manufacturing location. Somr of those countries protect their textile industry. I would rather by union made clothing and shoes.
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u/Stripe_Show69 Mar 01 '25
Yeap. I work at one of the biggest tier one suppliers in the world. Our headquarters is in Michigan and it’s seems every year more and more of the jobs that were done here in Michigan have moved down to Monterrey Mexico.
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u/esjyt1 Feb 28 '25
it's just not possible and government can't do this.
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u/tmoney645 Feb 28 '25
If they make it financially ruinous to ship jobs to Mexico they will do it. If keeping factories open in Mexico or elsewhere hurts the shareholders, they will move operations back state side.
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u/AskMeAboutMyCatPuppy Mar 01 '25
OEMs would leave the US before they would bring everything back stateside. Then you’d be blaming government for them leaving.
The world has changed. Those jobs aren’t coming back. That reality hasn’t changed for decades. We can keep clamoring for a nostalgic dream but it will, at the end, still be just a dream.
Consider the countless people who moved north to take those factory jobs more than half a century ago. People from dried up farms and coal mines. Did they sit around whining that the government needed to bring back their old farm jobs? No. They moved on to where the economy was going. And we all benefitted for it. And now we wish we had it again. But we do—we can do it again. People just have to be willing to adapt.
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u/BlackDog990 Mar 01 '25
If they make it financially ruinous to ship jobs to Mexico they will do it. If keeping factories open in Mexico or elsewhere hurts the shareholders, they will move operations back state side.
I mean I agree with you in theory but in execution things don't really work that way....If say OEMs had to bring back all the MFG to the US their labor costs would be too high to remain profitable and costs couldn't be raised high enough to get back into the green because people simply can't afford 100k Malibus.
The OEMs would simply lean hard into automation solutions that mitigate their need for people costs. Heck US OEMs are already crawling with automous little bots scooting around the factories as well as automated processes.
Michigan needs jobs for educated/skilled/trade people because the heyday of US manufacturing is over. MI, not any other state can change this.
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u/tmoney645 Mar 01 '25
I agree. If the auto companies are forced to keep manufacturing in the US, the push for automation is going to increase tremendously. This is still good for US workers as these automated systems need near constant maintenance and supervision, and the supply chain for production of the robotics will also bring more jobs.
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u/One-Point6960 Mar 03 '25
Shame that Biden didn't sell on the accomplishnets he did have, some called it industrial policy. I would argue it was intellectual basis of one to take next step. A lot money and effort they didn't sell it. Huge mistake. 950 factories and facilities committed or under constrcution build new or expand. I've seen the Granholm team at DOE use, how do only the energy nerds know this? Now to be fair even if the Ds won, normal slowdowns of that 950 fscitltiy number you'd have businesses hit pause, decide its not worth it anymore. To go back to my first point its foolish to not sell what you did to the people, assume the msm will talk about it rather the palace intrigue day after day.
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u/space-dot-dot Feb 28 '25
Democratic Party is about 15 years too late. The normie to alt-right (now, far-right) pipeline has been in place for awhile and has a sizeable grip on the teens and young men in this country.
We're currently in a dark period in US political history but remember: it has to get worse before it gets even worse.
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u/spectre1210 Feb 28 '25
She's talking about appealing to that demographic, not radicalizing them as is the purpose of the linked conceptual model.
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u/space-dot-dot Feb 28 '25 edited Feb 28 '25
My point is that it's even more difficult to appeal to people that have already been exposed to said radicalization over a longer period of time; no one is talking about attempting to radicalize them, that's just your confusion, spectre.
Besides, some milquetoast neo-lib like Whitmer isn't going to radicalize anyone, lol.
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u/PandaJesus Feb 28 '25
Besides, some milquetoast neo-lib like Whitmer isn't going to radicalize anyone, lol.
Says you, I’ve got a bunch of giant Whitmer flags mounted on the back of my Prius.
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u/RupeThereItIs Feb 28 '25
My point is that it's even more difficult to appeal to people that have already been exposed to said radicalization over a longer period of time, not necessarily attempting to radicalize them.
It's easier to radicalize people when your opposition is regularly demonizing them.
For to long a sizable chunk of the left has used "straight white male" as a slur. The idea that this demographic has problems we as a society should help with was laughed at. They need to appeal to that demographic, and stop pushing them IN to that right wing radical pipeline.
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u/space-dot-dot Feb 28 '25 edited Feb 28 '25
It's easier to radicalize people when your opposition is regularly demonizing them.
For to long a sizable chunk of the left has used "straight white male" as a slur. The idea that this demographic has problems we as a society should help with was laughed at. They need to appeal to that demographic, and stop pushing them IN to that right wing radical pipeline.
Again with buying into right-wing propaganda of "Democrats blame white men". You do realize that white dudes still compromise the majority of Democratic politicians, and business leaders, and wealthy individuals, right? So they aren't really any sort of marginalized nor victimized populace. The Democratic Platform also runs nothing of the sort of what you claim.
While they might have problems, what are those problems? Why did those problems appear? Who creates these problems? They are the dominant demographic group, comprising roughly 30% of the populace. On the whole, they have the population, the wealth, the power, and the benefit of the doubt to change things. So why exactly haven't they been able to fix their own problems when no one else is actually holding them down? Why is everyone else, who has historically been subjugated to white men, now responsible for -- once again -- catering to them uber alles?
I do think there is space for the Democratic Party to learn that our populace simply isn't smart nor educated enough to understand the nuances of topics and history that are set forth in understanding the role that race had to play, and still plays, in our current society. If it truly didn't matter, far-right wouldn't be able to exploit it.
Folks that are looking for a way to exploit the messaging of, "Hey, other races, colors, genders, sexualities matter" they've certainly done a good job as it's incorrectly taken as an attack on white men. It's ultimately that old trope: when you're used to privilege, equality seems like oppression.
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u/SharpestOne Mar 01 '25
This is a generational problem.
Where as the older generations have been able to experience the racism of the past, and the privileges that followed, the average young male today isn’t experiencing the same thing.
So when you tell them “you’re privileged”, they’re asking “what privilege man?”. They’re faced with far less opportunity and prosperity than prior generations. It’s hard to believe that the privilege exists when you’re unemployed and broke.
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u/RupeThereItIs Feb 28 '25
Again with buying into right-wing propaganda of "Democrats blame white men".
It's not propaganda, it's just a fact.
Same as the fact that the Democrats have abandoned labor & yet somehow expect to still get their votes.
Criticizing the failures of the Democrats is HELPFULL, you can't course correct unless you take honest stock of your failures.
Honestly your whole tirade response proves my point.
You do realize that white dudes still compromise the majority of Democratic politicians, and business leaders, and wealthy individuals, right?
Also the majority of homeless. Men are far more likely to be imprisoned for the same crimes & drastically more likely to die at work. It's not "white men control everything" it's the top 1% control everything, and they happen to be white men because of some horrible historical reasons.
While they might have problems, what are those problems? Why did those problems appear? Who creates these problems? They are the dominant demographic group
Again, proving my point. You come back with anger & mockery of a very real critique of the parties message.
We've made leaps and bounds in improving the lives of women in our society. The nutzo right are pushing that backwards, we've done very little as a society to move men out of those old gender roles. When we identify problems that men have we mislabel it with slanderous terms like 'toxic masculity' that can be (and usually is) EASILY misinterpreted to mean that part of being masculine is inherently toxic and not what it really is: oppressive male gender roles. Male gender roles applied to men, starting at a very young age by men and women.
If you TRULY want to understand how we're failing young men & boys, I'd strongly recommend "Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It". The author is FAR better at outlining the case for a systematic failure of our young men & boys. The fact we can't have honest & open discussion about this, without resorting to slanderous assumptions of misogyny & evoking poes law, is precisely the problem I'm talking about.
When one party says men are the cause of all their own problems and the other lies to them and says none of it is their fault, who do you think they'll support?
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u/Raichu4u Mar 01 '25
When one party says men are the cause of all their own problems and the other lies to them
Can you actually source some pretty important Democratic politicians saying this, and not just link to specific twitter posters?
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u/Kalium Sherwood Forest Feb 28 '25 edited Feb 28 '25
Folks that are looking for a way to exploit the messaging of, "Hey, other races, colors, genders, sexualities matter" they've certainly done a good job as it's incorrectly taken as an attack on white men. It's ultimately that old trope: when you're used to privilege, equality seems like oppression.
If this is the pitch, we should all expect that young men won't vote for this platform. They'll vote for the one that treats their sense of loss as worth caring about. They won't vote for the one that leaves them feeling ignored, belittled, or otherwise unvalued.
Nobody is asking any of us to like this reality. However, we do seem to have to live with it.
I remember being a young man and feeling like I was struggling to get anywhere. It did not feel like Democrats, or even the lefty ones the internet likes to lionize, seriously cared about my problems. It often felt like I was expected to shut up, sit down, and pay up. March on demand, repeat the slogans, and toe the line. Vote happily and go back to the background.
I grimaced and voted on a regular basis. I did it because I genuinely believe in the ideals of liberalism. I sure didn't do it because I thought my fellow travelers had my back.
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u/bertch313 Feb 28 '25
Older men need to reach down and help these younger men
Take them to meet men that dont hate
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u/BeefInGR Mar 01 '25
We should. But, why?
If you're always told you are guilty, despite knowing you are innocent, how long are you going to hang on before you say "Fine, I'm guilty and I'm going to enjoy the fruits of my guilt"?
This only works with a shift in the conversation. That we're not reaching down to help younger men, but reaching down to help everyone.
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u/bertch313 Mar 01 '25
But the issue with men
Is men
So the ones that know better need to mentor the ones that don't
I'm not a man and I've done it, and shouldn't be
You can't heal yourselves, but you can support each other as you get actual help with the healing part and there isn't much but that's the mens job at this point in the patriarchy
You need to heal and you need to demand the space to do that
To prevent other men from falling into the traps laid for them and they are many
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u/sunnydftw Mar 04 '25
Most older men in my life have been pretty conservative, and the younger gen of men coming up ushered in more progressive norms. Basically, with young men being radicalized more right, there's a generational split between young men and women, and the minority of young men who've resisted the right wing propaganda. This being the first generation of adults that grew up with the internet isn't a promising sign with what the internet is doing to our minds, especially developing ones. If we get through this Trump presidency, we should limit internet usage at young ages, emphasize critical thinking in schools, etc
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u/PathOfTheAncients Feb 28 '25
Eh, people have been trying to fight that for those last 15 years. The problem is that no one wants to admit those men are choosing it because they prefer authoritarian structures that give them power over women and minorities. They aren't innocent boys tricked into hate, they are hateful people encouraged to unite.
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u/space-dot-dot Feb 28 '25
The problem is that no one wants to admit those men are choosing it because they prefer authoritarian structures that give them power over women and minorities. They aren't innocent boys tricked into hate, they are hateful people encouraged to unite.
I don't fully buy that. In fact, that's only used as an excuse to further create more division in that "they cannot be saved".
Remember, you, as a whole-ass adult with a fully-formed frontal cortex, are not immune to propaganda. In which case, what makes you think that young pliable people aren't even more susceptible to it?
Yes, there are always going to be bad people in any populace. Some by nature, but many by nuture -- hate is typically taught and not learned. We are currently witnessing the outcomes of second and third generations raised on the hard- to far-right propaganda outlets, run and co-ordinated by the likes of Stone and Murdoch, and consumed by their parents. If it can be learned, it can be unlearned.
Does that mean we should not try to understand the mechanisms by which they are radicalized? Does that not mean we should take actions against the tech oligarchs that enabled and fomented these actions? Should we not strive to create a more just society that rewards more than the sociopaths that have no scruples?
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u/PathOfTheAncients Feb 28 '25
I'm not saying that they cannot be saved but I am saying that trying to save them without admitting that they love the message of superiority will fail. I don't know how to save people from themselves when they choose to believe in ridiculous con men telling them they should get to control "lesser" people. But your message that people should have tried 15 years ago ignores that a lot of people did but they did so without admitting what these young men have become and why.
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Feb 28 '25
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u/PathOfTheAncients Feb 28 '25
Yes, everyone knows the effective way to confront fascists is by being really nice to them.
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u/Available-Duty-4347 Feb 28 '25
The first step is to stop pushing gender identity issues to the front. To everyday people, this isn’t an issue and not something they get behind. People want the opportunity that their fathers had. Focus on bringing back the workforce and leave the social issues to the side. Dems are being beaten by billionaires who lie about being on the working man’s side while destroying unions and everything working men depend on.
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u/space-dot-dot Feb 28 '25 edited Feb 28 '25
The first step is to stop pushing gender identity issues to the front.
This is literally a right-wing talking point, so it's interesting to see that their propaganda worked on you.
The Republican machine finds the smallest wedge issue, amplifies it, and repeats it over and over and over until even "everyday people" repeat it. They did it with gay people 25 years ago (who are 5% - 10% of the populace) and are doing it with trans-people who are 1% - 2% of the population today. Then the Democrats have to turn around and, for whatever reason, attempt to address it and call out their lying. Which only feeds into the messaging.
But conservative voters don't really give a shit about truth or decorum. If they did, they wouldn't keep voting for Republicans. The sad truth is that the Democratic Party has to ignore their bullshit and push the actual truths that are largely economical in nature. However, there are some issues to overcome.
A) They don't have a well-oiled propaganda machine like Republicans (far-right) do. Murdoch and Stone and Ailes have been at this for 30 years. Talk radio on the AM to Fox News on TV to Breitbart/Daily Caller/Blaze on the Internet which spawned TV networks like OANN and the Twitter and podcast network of far-right talking heads such as Shapiro, Crowder, Carlson, etc. Democrats have none of that.
B) Resistance within the party. The Democratic Party is based within neo-liberal thought, through and through. While they attempt to create some solutions to the hardships faced due to the low-road capitalism here in the US, these solutions only come with the caveat that they must benefit private enterprise as well. There is massive internal resistance to candidates like Sanders or AOC who may even give the slightest hint they wouldn't bend any knee to oligarchs and the existing system, like the absolute pilfering we are seeing with Trump, Musk and his cronies.
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u/SAKURARadiochan Mar 02 '25
Who is a "true conservative" then? The Democrat party has been the party of weird queer shit for the past 30 years, and as it turns out, this really turns off people on the right.
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Feb 28 '25 edited 25d ago
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u/DetroitsGoingToWin Feb 28 '25 edited Feb 28 '25
How’s tariffs, a tax shift to the poor, federal cuts, Medicaid cuts, union suppression, food stamps cuts going to help poor men?
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u/maikuxblade Feb 28 '25
Clearly it doesn’t but we are a decade into this far right nonsense and it does seem to captivate angry young men more than what Democrats are offering. I find this to be juvenile but at a certain point we have to be realistic here about the gap between the political reality and the on the ground reality for the average person.
Kamala was offering 20k assistance for first time home buyers. That’s objectively good for first time home buyers. But when most Americans have less than $1k in savings (and this has been true for years) then it’s not really going to actually empower the average consumer.
IMO Dems need to be a true leftist force and empower unions and protests. This toothless bipartisanship-at-all-costs approach of Clinton’s Third Way have basically abandoned the working and middle class to suck from the corporate teat.
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u/That1one1dude1 Feb 28 '25
I agree, hate and violence won this election. Democrats need to fan the flames as well if they want to win.
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u/waterskier2007 Mar 01 '25
But when most Americans have less than $1k in savings
I don't normally turn to Google AI but that just is not accurate
According to the Federal Reserve, the average American has a median savings account balance of around $8,000, while the average balance across all accounts (including checking and savings) is approximately $62,410
https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/banking/average-american-savings
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u/Richard_TM Mar 01 '25 edited Mar 01 '25
I wonder what this looks like for people under 30. Because that’s obviously who we’re talking about here.
Edit: looks like the median savings for people under 35 is somewhere between 3-5,000, depending on the source. I assume this is lower for folks under 30.
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u/waterskier2007 Mar 01 '25
The linked article doesn’t have under 30, but it does have under 35, and it says $20,540.
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u/Richard_TM Mar 01 '25 edited Mar 01 '25
That is AVERAGE, not MEDIAN. Two different statistics. That’s “all savings spread out equally among all people.” Not “what amount is most likely to be in someone’s account”
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u/icedet7 Mar 01 '25
20k loan that you had to pay back on-top of your pre existing loan! Not appealing to me at least.
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u/QuadraticElement Sherwood Forest Feb 28 '25
It won't. The GOP is stupid. But what did the Democratic party do over the past 15 years they had more control over the government than the Republicans? Have things improved for young men under democratic leadership?
Right or wrong, young men sure seem to think things have gotten worse
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u/DetroitsGoingToWin Feb 28 '25
What Biden did with IRA and the CHIPS act helped construction and manufacturing. You can see this relative to how the US and Canada performed over the last four years relative to Europe. Look who puts out infrastructure bills. Construction and manufacturing have been supported by the Dems.
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u/QuadraticElement Sherwood Forest Feb 28 '25
I was happy with the first couple steps Biden took toward reversing the last 40 years of gutting the American manufacturing sector. He was a better president than I expected
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u/Pointless_RKO Feb 28 '25
They heard cheap gas/ groceries and took a gamble. Or just gave up and didn’t vote. A lot of people I know think the last 4 years were so hard and Biden screwed us so when Trump said he will fix us the idiots took the bait.
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u/DetroitsGoingToWin Feb 28 '25
I think you’re correct. They also thought that as others got more, they got less.
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u/NewbGingrich1 Mar 01 '25
Factually true on that 2nd sentence. They've done studies where they ask something like "You could make 100k while your coworker makes 200k, or you could make 50k while your coworker makes 25k" and about half of people will take the 50k. It's about relative status not actual material worth.
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u/Sneacler67 Feb 28 '25
None of those things had any impact on young people not being able to find a decent job for the past few years
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Feb 28 '25
It's pure ignorance to suggest that recent union suppression hasn't been a very relevant part of the currdent job market and its value to young people.
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u/DetroitsGoingToWin Feb 28 '25
Ok, if you’re looking backwards then consider that the global economy rather sluggish and inflation has been a killer ever since the pandemic. That being said the US had good economic growth relative to most the developed world except Canada.
Are we exactly where we want to be, no, but what these dudes voted for is economic suicide which is already being felt.
Will they be getting jobs? No.
What about inflation? After years of decreasing inflation it back on the rise
The US dollar is now in question.
The will now has less access to basic needs and less opportunity to improve their lives.
For what I can see, male GOP voters aren’t looking for solutions to improve their lives but a scapegoat to explain not meeting their own expectations and to inflict pain on others.
Seriously my fellow men of 2025, open your eyes and man-the-fuck-up.
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u/JennasBaboonButtLips Feb 28 '25
Please tell us what policies the R’s have put forward to help with that? Because all I see are people losing their jobs left and right.
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u/TheOldBooks Oakland County Feb 28 '25
Bingo. Democrats in Michigan have made community college free, worked to raise the minimum wage, strengthened unions, etc while Republicans slash benefits and taxes for the rich, but they're both seen as equally uncaring? Fuck that noise.
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Feb 28 '25 edited 25d ago
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u/Mad_Aeric Feb 28 '25
The problem is that they have no problem lying about how they're going to fix it, with this one weird trick. Being honest about shit being complicated doesn't fill the ignorant masses with hope.
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u/random5654 Feb 28 '25
Let's not downplay Republican obstruction by saying it's expected. It's a huge reason Biden wasn't able to accomplish anything. The House shot everything down. Even their own bipartisan border bill after Trump told them to.
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u/DDZ13 Feb 28 '25
The Democrats have gotten a lot accomplished since 2008. Many significant legislative accomplishments such as ACA, Medicaid Expansion (that most Republicans refused in their states) CFPB, a huge infrastructure bill, capping costs of insulin for seniors, tons of debt forgiveness for students, marriage equality etc etc. I think it compares favorably to any 15-year period in history outside of the New Deal.
This has all been done despite Republican lies and obstruction.
If people are against Trump and his administration, then they should stop wasting time and energy and resources attacking the only party we have that can save democracy.
Run for office, volunteer, vote in the primaries. But for the love of America, please stop spreading Fox News talking points like Democrats haven't done anything since 2008.
Start encouraging people to vote and to vote Dem. It's the only way out of this mess.
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u/Beefyvagina Detroit Feb 28 '25
Yeah, I almost entirely agree with this except that there is one clear side trying to literally fuck people in the ass without lube and another who is doing at least something to help the average American. Don’t be a fucking shill for Repubs when it’s blatantly obvious they are the ones who caused this.
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u/dialogical_rhetor Feb 28 '25
Skip college and go learn a trade. Unless you are going to school to become a doctor, lawyer, engineer, or accountant, there is no reason to shell out $50k minimum to these institutions that are lying to our kids about their future. If you know a trade and can maintain a home your options for housing grow exponentially.
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u/DrUnit42 Feb 28 '25
And what about all the other jobs that aren't doctor, lawyer, engineer, plumber, electrician, HVAC tech, etc.?
And what if you haven't figured out what you want to do for the rest of your life at age 18?
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u/AloneFemboy Feb 28 '25
This is it right here. Grew up in Michigan, left because the jobs were dead ends and weren't career or skilled. There was little opportunity while cost of living was higher than what's around.
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u/ReddArrow Mar 01 '25
I wish I could get though to people that this isn't about D vs R, but about Dems totally failing to address the needs of their base. Trump didn't win in November so much as Democrats wildly botched their entire election cycle. The whole thing that led to Kamala on the ballot is embarrassing. This should have been an easy election and would have been if Whitmer or Newsome won the primary but since they weren't allowed to run we watched a slow motion train wreck for a 18 months.
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u/booyahbooyah9271 Feb 28 '25
Young male skewed towards Trump in far more states than just Michigan. Perhaps the Democratic party should go back and try to identify with the middle class.
Clearly the focus on identity politics isn't working out.
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u/PurpleCandles Feb 28 '25
Legit question, but in what ways has the Republican Party focused more on the middle class and not identify politics? They’ve spent the past decade (even longer) complaining about trans people and critical race theory and advocating for tax cuts to billionaires. Harris had a full economic plan outlined that would’ve helped the middle class but nobody seemed to be paying attention.
Let’s admit the truth - the vast majority of Americans are politically illiterate and vote based on what their social media algorithm feeds them and right wing propaganda has exploded online, especially to target young men.
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u/Lezzles Feb 28 '25
We overcomplicate this. Republicans say insane, nonsense things like "no tax on overtime" and people go "hey, I work overtime, I like no taxes" and vote for it.
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u/ugggghhhhhhhhh Feb 28 '25
Yup exactly. I constantly see signs in my neighborhood that say things like “vote democrat = more crime” or “vote trump = lower grocery prices”. That’s clearly not true but it appeals to many angry Americans. Most politicians only cater to the wealthy. I’m not saying Trump doesn’t but he’s the only one (other than Bernie) who mentioned populist ideas during his campaigns.
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u/Lezzles Feb 28 '25
“vote trump = lower grocery prices
lmao I remember that exact sign. "Biden = higher prices, Trump = lower prices". Can't argue with that one libs. Literally, there's no refutation because it's inherently nonsense.
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u/ugggghhhhhhhhh Feb 28 '25
It’s crazy. There were so many anti democrat signs all over the state paid for by republicans. They democrats didn’t even try. They brought Bill Clinton to Dearborn to berate voters. They moved so far to the right to appeal to “anti Trump republicans” which don’t actually exist.
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u/doesnt_count Mar 01 '25
I've weaponized the shit out of that one all my right wing co workers the second they mention tru-"WHERES MY TAXLESS OVERTIME?!?"
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u/Icy-Bicycle-Crab Mar 01 '25
Clearly the focus on identity politics isn't working out.
What the fuck are you talking about? The Republicans focus on identity politics won big time. Trump and MAGA have shown that identity politics is literally all that matters.
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u/SAKURARadiochan Mar 02 '25
Probably the policies advocated for by Democrats like DEI, affirmative action, pushing queer stuff, etc. That's interpreted as "identity politics".
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u/esjyt1 Feb 28 '25
well, the messaging has to start somewhere; good for them for starting.
give me a reason to vote for you; do it without emotional blackmail.
Infact, if anyone does emotionally blackmail me, I'd pull a pin on a grenade and run at them.
alot of men are single, jobless, and we see war on the horizon. if we aren't drafted off to die we will become a bunch of useless eaters, consuming housing space, not reproducing, and have a consumption so low we will look at all millenials killed x industry jokes with a good Ole days mindset.
It's probably terrifying you're giving us attention at this point.
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u/tmkn09021945 Feb 28 '25
iI can't say I remember what significant things she's done that help working class. I've things she could do is.... try to get the right people to tell DTE to fuck off next time they ask for a rate increase, or we could tackle why Michigan is some of the most expensive insurance in the USA.
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u/capthazelwoodsflask Mar 01 '25
I remember what significant things she's done that help working class
Well, there are a lot of road construction jobs right now. Those seem to be pretty working class.
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u/mschiebold Feb 28 '25
Incentivize tech companies to come here, so we can make use of all of these degrees.
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u/MadpeepD Feb 28 '25
Lots of good debate in this thread that I don't see a lot of on Reddit, so kudos to you all. My two cents is the Democratic Party can sweep 2026 and regain control in 2028 by, and please excuse my volume, HAVING AN OPEN PRIMARY WITHOUT PAC MONEY AND KEEPING YOUR DAMN THUMB OFF THE SCALE AND IF AN ANTI WALL ST, CLASS ORGANIZING, AND ANTI NEOCON WAR ECONOMIC POPULIST IS WINNING THEN LET THEM WIN. Ffs it's not that complicated.
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u/butthole_surfer_1817 Mar 01 '25
Yeah, it does seem like the last two democrats who lost were basically chosen for us. Hillary by the DNC clearly favoring her over Bernie and then Kamala just because they were forced to pick someone after Biden was exposed as not being in as good of shape as they were insisting he was the entire god damn time. It just seems like the DNC thinks they know what's better for us, and we just need to go along with it for our own good
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u/IllStickToTheShadows Feb 28 '25
When I was in high school I feel a lot of us were more for Democrats. As we approached our late 20s, like 90% of my friends swapped and I don’t blame them. The ideologies and actions of Democrats of today alienated so many men.
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u/InvasionOfScipio Feb 28 '25
Such as? What policies?
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u/__0_k__ Feb 28 '25
The anti-white men messaging they have been spouting for years.
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u/InvasionOfScipio Feb 28 '25
Examples?
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u/butthole_surfer_1817 Mar 01 '25
Are you asking for examples from Democrat politicians or just Democrats in general?
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u/Dull_Conversation669 Mar 03 '25
Go to the Harris campaign page there is a section called who we serve... something there for every demo... except one... will give you a guess which demo was ignored.
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u/Justathumbblonde Mar 01 '25
Men having to be held accountable for their actions and women and minorities being given the same opportunities as them = white men being alienated.
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u/utilitycoder Mar 01 '25
'Given' is the problem. Merit is the only thing that is fair. And I'm black.
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u/booyahbooyah9271 Feb 28 '25
Not to say everyone. But I'd say a good portion of teens/young adults shift democratic. Only to shift Republican as they get older.
This has always been the case.
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u/mlhender Midtown Feb 28 '25
I was shocked when she said that stat about young men and new home purchases at state of state. And then I was equally shocked when she expressed interest in helping to solve the problem. She is the first politician I’ve heard in a long time that did not attack and blame young men and actually is trying to listen to them.
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u/No_Monitor470 Feb 28 '25
Idk how they come back from the hole they’ve dug themselves. It was literally on the DNC website - “who we serve” - men, whites, Christians, non-LGBTQIA+ are simply not on there. What it comes down to when the rubber meets the road is “what’s in it for me?” What do Dems offer MEN? Not some narrow subsection of men who already vote for you, but all of us. Are you helping retain employers in this state that will hire us? Are you keeping taxes reasonable? Preventing discrimination against ALL demographics, including us? Performing normal civil services efficiently? How about protecting men in the courts? Preserving our constitutional rights including gun rights? Yall can downvote me if you dont like what I say but Im telling you this is what a lot of dudes today care about. Many/most of us simply don’t care for leftist ideologies (CRT, gender theories, Marxism) at all and it seems that’s the cart the Dems have hitched themselves to.
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u/jhenryscott Mar 02 '25
Thank you daughter of a blue cross executive. I’m sure you understand what it’s like not being able to afford to go to the doctor.
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u/Possibly_Naked_Now Feb 28 '25
“The last thing any of us wants is a generation of young men falling behind their fathers and grandfathers,”
Everyone is falling behind in this state. People are voting the economy. And unless you were with the Big 3 our state is falling behind on every front. Mi used to be a low COL state with wages that were kind of on par with that. We are not a low COL state anymore, and wages in the state haven't budged.
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u/Elegant-Noise6632 Feb 28 '25
Maybe calling them all Nazis and racists for years has backfired …… no shit .
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u/imstillmessedup89 Feb 28 '25
Well, if the shoe fits…
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u/Elegant-Noise6632 Feb 28 '25
So how did calling all republicans Nazis work for you again?
What’s the point of this article again?
It’s almost like you guys failed so hard you hurt yourself.
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u/imstillmessedup89 Feb 28 '25
???? What are you on about? All I wrote is that if the shoe fits, it fits. You can’t be racist or support Nazis, and then get mad when people call it out.
Tbh, the fact that young men voted how they did is the least surprising news have heard in a hot minute. That red pill alpha bullshit has been a plague upon society since Dump’s first term and many said we’d end up here so…
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u/Macaroon-Upstairs Feb 28 '25
You can't make this stuff up.
Her secretary of state, running for Governor, picked an all female campaign team (on purpose) and is part of a women's advocacy group.
What kind of mens advocacy is Whitmer in support of, or even in close orbit of?
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u/SicutPhoenixSurgit Mar 01 '25
This comment right here just proves behind a shadow of a doubt why trying to appeal to men with speeches like this is a waste of time. There’s nothing Whitmer could do to appeal to you. A lot of these men just want to see a man back in charge, they don’t care about outcomes.
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u/Macaroon-Upstairs Mar 01 '25
Or, you know, she could back up her appeal for voters with something beneficial to the voters.
Crazy, I know.
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u/Active-Use-8129 Mar 02 '25
How are you failing to recognize that by her actions of selecting an entirely female group, she gives the impression of wanting to only see women in power and thus diminishes male existence?
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u/stickercollectors Feb 28 '25
Michigan’s biggest export is young talent.
But it’s hard to compete when so many h1bs are imported in.
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u/Unique_Enthusiasm_57 Southfield Feb 28 '25
If there's one thing I've learned, it's that a lot of so called tough guys and manly men, absolutely shit themselves empty when a Democratic woman in office says or does anything.
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u/jizzanglez123 Feb 28 '25
Democrats think they can have their cake and eat it too. Young men don't want what you guys are shouting.
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u/HereForaRefund Feb 28 '25
No party OWNS your vote! You won't my vote fucking be of your word, and do right by the people, or get out of office. I'm tired of the Democrat party screwing people over and people CONTINUOUSLY voting for them. It's like an abusive relationship at this point.
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u/elpovo Feb 28 '25
We are far enough from a significant conflict that young lower to middle class men are chafing for importance and some sort of conflict or war to gove their lives meaning. Lack of economic opportunity compounds this societal movement.
If there is no clear enemy to fight against then they will fight against the system. Politicians have to realise that they need to mobilise people against some great threat to channel these feelings.
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u/bertch313 Feb 28 '25
The system is their enemy as it is everyone's enemy
Everyone needs to heal their PTSD and we all need to be given houses and room to fucking do that
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u/haleontology Mar 01 '25
Michigan has truly taught me to NOT be a careerist and live on my own terms🩷
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u/BlahCentipede007 Mar 03 '25
Is Michigan an outlier in how it’s going through a bit of a job crisis or is that more widespread?
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u/prognoslav7 Mar 04 '25
People leave blue states all the time, blue states never get why lol. It’s funny
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u/Planet_Puerile Feb 28 '25
There is a lack of economic opportunity for young people in general in this state. Not sure what the stats are today, but a significant percentage of UM and MSU grads who are from here historically leave because they can’t find work.
There’s a big problem when you have two world class universities in your backyard and no employers to feed them to outside of the big 3.