When Democrats Used to Win the Heartland | Cory Haala | TMR
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Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖The 1980s Midwest experienced severe economic collapse in both deindustrialization and agriculture, creating an opportunity for progressive politics.
- ❖Progressive populism, as championed by figures like Tom Harkin and Paul Wellstone, focused on economic issues, market restructuring, and building multiracial coalitions.
- ❖The national Democratic Party, influenced by figures like Tony Coehlo and Rahm Emanuel, shifted towards corporate funding and a neoliberal 'electability' strategy, undercutting the Midwestern populists.
- ❖Jesse Jackson's 1988 Rainbow Coalition demonstrated the power of an 'outside-inside' game, building long-standing relationships with marginalized communities.
- ❖The 'Atari Democrats' and technocratic approaches, exemplified by Michael Dukakis, failed to resonate with working-class and rural voters who felt economically disenfranchised.
- ❖Modern 'green shoots' of progressive populism exist in figures like Dan Osborn and Peggy Flanagan, but rebuilding trust and authentic community connections requires significant time and effort.
Insights
1Economic Crisis Fueled Midwestern Populism
The Upper Midwest in the 1980s faced a dual crisis: deindustrialization (auto, meatpacking, steel) and an agricultural collapse (rising fuel, falling commodity prices, foreclosures). This economic devastation created a ripe environment for a progressive populist movement that blamed corporate power and sought government intervention.
In 1978, nine out of ten US Senate seats in the region were held by Democrats; by 1980, it was down to two. This presented a 'huge opportunity' for Democrats to rebuild power along populist lines. The 1980 grain embargo on the Soviet Union caused commodity prices to fall by 50%, devastating farmers.
2Defining Progressive Populism: Market Restructuring, Not Just Adaptation
Progressive populists distinguished themselves from liberals by advocating for fundamental changes to market structures rather than merely helping individuals cope with market forces. They aimed to build multiracial coalitions based on shared economic grievances.
Jim Hightower's quote: 'Liberals will react to a Tyson plant closure by saying we've got to retrain the workers, whereas progressives will react by shaping the market structure that allows a Tyson plant to close.' Paul Wellstone ran for state auditor on a platform including a nuclear freeze, farm foreclosure moratoriums, and a state bank, arguing these issues were tied together.
3National Democratic Party Shift Undercut Populist Gains
Despite the success of Midwestern populists like Harkin, Wellstone, and Feingold, the national Democratic Party leadership (e.g., Tony Coehlo, Chuck Manatt, Rahm Emanuel) prioritized corporate fundraising and a 'new Democrat' image focused on 'electability.' This shift marginalized the more 'strident' populist voices.
The DNC under Chuck Manatt and Tony Coehlo focused on raising corporate money to compete in fundraising and direct mail, rather than investing in grassroots organizing. This was seen as a way to be the 'mature party' and handle politics as 'Americans want to see them,' crowding out angry but justified populist voices.
4Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Coalition as a Model for Broad Populism
Jesse Jackson's 1988 presidential campaign demonstrated how to build a broad, multiracial coalition by authentically connecting with marginalized groups, including rural farmers and urban communities, on shared economic and social justice issues.
Jackson set up his campaign headquarters in Greenfield, Iowa, a town of 3,000, due to long-standing relationships with farm activists. Paul Wellstone managed Jackson's campaign in Minnesota, embodying the 'rainbow coalition' idea of expanding the tent rather than moving to the center, uniting people marginalized by race, religion, sexuality, or economic system.
Bottom Line
The 'blueberries and Belgian endive' gaffe by Michael Dukakis in 1988 highlights the disconnect between technocratic liberal solutions and the lived realities of rural communities facing economic crisis.
This specific example illustrates how well-intentioned but out-of-touch policy suggestions can alienate crucial voting blocs, reinforcing the perception that urban elites don't understand rural struggles.
Modern progressive movements must ensure their policy proposals are deeply informed by and co-created with the communities they aim to serve, avoiding abstract or patronizing solutions.
The 'Wellstone Academy' in Minnesota, founded after Paul Wellstone's death, continues to train candidates in 'the Wellstone way' of electoral politics, combining grassroots organizing with progressive policy advocacy.
This demonstrates the enduring power of specific political traditions and the importance of institutionalizing knowledge and training to perpetuate a political ideology beyond individual figures.
Progressive movements can invest in similar 'academies' or training programs to scale up their organizing principles and policy frameworks, ensuring a pipeline of candidates who embody their values and strategies.
Key Concepts
Progressive Populism vs. Neoliberalism
This model highlights the fundamental difference between political approaches: progressive populism aims to restructure markets and systems to benefit working people and build broad coalitions, while neoliberalism accepts market structures and offers solutions like 'retraining' to help individuals adapt to them, often prioritizing corporate interests and fundraising.
Outside-Inside Politics
The concept that successful political movements require both grassroots, activist-led 'outside' pressure and engagement with established political institutions 'inside' to achieve change. Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Coalition is presented as an example of effectively melding these two approaches.
Lessons
- Prioritize grassroots organizing and authentic community building over reliance on corporate donations to cultivate trust and long-term political power.
- Develop and articulate policies that fundamentally restructure economic markets to benefit working people, rather than just offering 'retraining' or adaptation to existing systems.
- Actively seek to build multiracial, broad coalitions by addressing shared economic grievances and expanding the 'political tent' to include all marginalized groups, as exemplified by Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Coalition.
Rebuilding Progressive Populist Power in the Heartland
Identify and support local activists and politicians who are deeply embedded in their communities and understand local economic realities.
Champion policies that directly challenge corporate consolidation and market failures, such as state-owned banks or moratoriums on foreclosures, rather than just incremental reforms.
Invest in long-term political education and candidate training programs, like the Wellstone Academy, to ensure a consistent pipeline of progressive populist leaders.
Quotes
"Liberals will react to a Tyson plant closure by saying we've got to retrain the workers, whereas progressives will react by shaping the market structure that allows a Tyson plant to close in that situation just because they want to squeeze more profits out."
"It's not that we need to move the tent to the center, it's that we need to be expanding the tent and looking for new folks who can come into this kind of coalition."
"For every voter we lose in rural areas, we pick up two."
Q&A
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