The title of this blog refers to a famous article by Thomas Frank, in which he argued that the Democratic Party had abandoned blue-collar workers.
I’ll be discussing whether or not this is still the case, and what the Democratic Party can do to win back these voters.
Checkout this video:
The Problem
In the early 2000s, something strange happened in the United States. In states with a large number of manufacturing jobs, like Michigan and Ohio, people started voting for Republican candidates. This was unusual because, for decades, these voters had been loyal to the Democratic Party.
The trend continued in 2004, when George W. Bush won reelection. He did especially well in Midwestern states like Iowa and Minnesota.
Then, in 2016, something even stranger happened: Donald Trump, a Republican candidate with no political experience, won the presidency. He won by promising to bring back manufacturing jobs and make America great again.
So what’s going on? Why are Midwesterners voting for Republicans?
The People
Kansas is a state located in the Midwestern United States. With a population of over 2.9 million people, it is the 34th most populous state. Kansas is bordered by Nebraska on the north, Missouri on the east, Oklahoma on the south, and Colorado on the west. The state capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, with over 380,000 people.
The Government
The governing body in Kansas is made up of the executive branch, the judicial branch, and the legislative branch.
The executive branch is made up of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, the State Auditor, and the Secretary of State.
The judicial branch is made up of the Kansas Supreme Court, the Kansas Court of Appeals, and district courts.
The legislative branch is made up of the Kansas House of Representatives and the Kansas Senate.
The Solution
The solution is quite simple, actually. If you want to improve the economy in Kansas, or any state for that matter, you need to attract more businesses and entrepreneurs. But how do you do that? The answer lies in cutting taxes and regulations, which makes it more attractive for businesses to locate in Kansas. Kansas is already a low-tax state, but there are still some areas where taxes could be cut further. And, of course, eliminating unnecessary regulations would also be a major boon for businesses.
