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It would be wise for Democrats to recognize their working-class roots

Hillary Clinton waves after addressing the Children’s Defense Fund's Beat the Odds celebration at the Newseum in Washington on Wednesday.
Hillary Clinton waves after addressing the Children’s Defense Fund's Beat the Odds celebration at the Newseum in Washington on Wednesday. Cliff Owen The Associated Press

“The people get the government they deserve” has an important corollary: Politicians get the electorate they deserve.

The Democrats abandoned working people long ago, in favor of NAFTA, unrestricted immigration, gay weddings and dot-com billionaires. They didn’t listen to working-class whites, let alone speak for them. I believe it was Hillary Clinton’s “deplorables” comment that doomed her candidacy (not that FBI Director James Comey shouldn’t be promptly fired).

In 2020, the Democrats would be wise to return to their working-class roots.

Timothy Broz, San Luis Obispo

This story was originally published November 17, 2016 at 8:37 PM with the headline "It would be wise for Democrats to recognize their working-class roots."

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