# Education, Middle-class identification, and those who claimno religion in Politics. This might sur **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 3, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068 "2018-08-03T20:13:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/61 "2018-08-06T18:42:54Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > Yes, some of the younger Democrats are embarrassing the word socialism. Word salad. Try again. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/62 "2018-08-06T18:46:47Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > Yes, some of the younger Democrats are embarrassing the word socialism. There really aren’t that many real socialists in America. Which is a shame, because it would move the overton window to the left. Many young people support social democracy (capitalism with progressive taxes, regulations and a social safety net). There are very few genuine socialists or communists here. A big part of that is that they’ve seen the excesses of capitalism first hand and want some regulation and responsibility in the system. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_lining](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@Silver\_lining](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_lining)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/63 "2018-08-06T18:47:47Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Is English your first language? “Are losing” and “includes” are examples of what we call [**the present tense.**](http://eslyes.com/nnse/) Yet you start with data ten years old and ignore that the trend is completely [**opposite**](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/opposite) to the summary I just excerpted. > > Help us out here. Do the links we offer not work for you? What gives? No, it is not. Does that really matter? My guess is you are smart enough to figure out what I am saying. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_lining](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@Silver\_lining](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_lining)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/64 "2018-08-06T18:48:47Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Democrats are losing whites w/o a college education who have authoritarian tendencies and reject multiculturalism. I saw a study which found that after you control for authoritarianism, nativism, bigotry and misogyny, the education gap among whites disappears. > > The democrats as a whole are not losing the middle class. The dems are losing a subsection of white voters who do not like the democrats policy of egalitarianism. > > Granted this is a problem for the democrats. Whites w/o a college degree make up 30-45% of voters (depending on which poll you look at). So losing their support is a big deal. > > But the issue is not economics. That is just an argument the right makes to demonize the left. The majority of those who identify themselves as middle-class are voting Republican. Two more links on the topic, Democrats are losing their middle-class support: > **[Economic Class and Voting Behavior – Outside the Beltway](https://outsidethebeltway.com/economic_class_and_voting_behavior/)** > **[The Middle Class Overwhelmingly Votes Republican - And These Middle Class...](https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/12/the-middle-class-overwhelmingly-votes-republican-and-these-middle-class-voters-support-trump/)** > >           Guest post by Joe Hoft According to US Census statistics the Republican Party is overwhelmingly the party of the middle class. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/65 "2018-08-06T18:53:42Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > Yes, some of the younger Democrats are embarrassing the word socialism. You’re still here? 😕 You didn’t see post #57, etc. ?? 😕 😕 Some of us are not completely sure that you are posting completely in good faith. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/66 "2018-08-06T18:54:31Z")
> [@](#): > > Word salad. Try again. Eat your word salad, it has electrolytes! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/67 "2018-08-06T18:59:29Z")
[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/201...support-trump/](https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/201...support-trump/) “We report the truth - And leave the Russia-Collusion fairy tale to the Conspiracy media” The _Gateway Pundit_. Well, definitely a step up from the _Washington Examiner_. Sorta kinda. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/68 "2018-08-06T19:03:37Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > The majority of those who identify themselves as middle-class are voting Republican. Two more links on the topic, Democrats are losing their middle-class support: > [Economic Class and Voting Behavior – Outside the Beltway](https://www.outsidethebeltway.com/economic_class_and_voting_behavior/) > > [The Middle Class Overwhelmingly Votes Republican - And These Middle Class Voters Support Trump | The Gateway Pundit | by Jim Hoft](https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/12/the-middle-class-overwhelmingly-votes-republican-and-these-middle-class-voters-support-trump/) There is essentially no difference in voting behavior by economic status. Except among those earning less than 50k (I assume in household income, not personal). They lean democratic > **[2016 election results: Exit polls](https://www.cnn.com/election/2016/results/exit-polls)** > > Full exit-poll data on how Americans voted, including by race, age, gender and education level. For the 50-99k bracket, the GOP wins but only by 3 points. 49 to 46. They win 100-199k by 1 point, 48-47. Those are pretty narrow margins. And the democrats win 200-249k bracket, and the 250k+ bracket is evenly split. Basically the democrats win the poor, and every other economic bracket is tied. And again, a lot of this is probably tied to race on some level. Whites w/o a college diploma earn less than those with a college diploma. A dual income college graduate household is going to be more likely to be in the 100k+ household income bracket than a high school educated white couple. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/69 "2018-08-06T19:05:47Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > No, it is not. Does that really matter? My guess is you are smart enough to figure out what I am saying. That’s not exactly to your advantage, is it? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/70 "2018-08-06T19:23:55Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > [https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/201...support-trump/](https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/201...support-trump/) > > “We report the truth - And leave the Russia-Collusion fairy tale to the Conspiracy media” > > The _Gateway Pundit_. Well, definitely a step up from the _Washington Examiner_. Sorta kinda. > [@](#): > > [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gateway_Pundit) > > The website is known for publishing falsehoods and spreading hoaxes.[15][16][6][17] > > In August 2017, new White House chief of staff John Kelly began restricting President Trump’s access to Gateway Pundit.[18] > [@](#): > > [QUESTIONALBLE SOURCE](https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/the-gateway-pundit/) > > Bias: Extreme Right, Propaganda, Conspiracy, Nationalism, Some Fake News > > Notes: The Gateway Pundit is a hard-right website that is not afraid of conspiracy theories and the occasional flirtation with outright white supremacists. Not a credible source that occasionally publishes fake news. (10/4/2016) Updated (6/20/2017) … ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/71 "2018-08-06T19:43:52Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > No, it is not. Does that really matter? My guess is you are smart enough to figure out what I am saying. English isn’t your first language? What is, then? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/72 "2018-08-06T19:58:42Z")
_The Gateway Pundit_? Didn’t they “report” that Trump donated his entire salary to repair national cemeteries? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/73 "2018-08-06T20:10:59Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > [Economic Class and Voting Behavior – Outside the Beltway](https://www.outsidethebeltway.com/economic_class_and_voting_behavior/) A _2007_ article on the _2004_ election?! ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/74 "2018-08-06T20:41:21Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > A theory of mine is the Democrats at losing the middle class. Those who identify themselves as middle class, who the Democrats like to fancy themselves for, are more likely to be Republican. > [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > . . . Class was self described. It may be that more working class Republicans are more ashamed about calling themselves that than are working class Democrats. For anyone wanting to survey Americans, go with actual income numbers, like the Pew survey did. I don’t have a link to the studies, but it’s been established that nearly everyone in America describes themselves as middle class. That’s not just low income working people being optimistic, that’s also folks with $350k plus personal incomes refusing to call themselves upper class because, hey, they worked for that. Upper-middle class is the most that most Americans will admit to. If the survey doesn’t ask for actual numbers, it can’t make any claims about the middle class. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/75 "2018-08-06T20:45:21Z")
For that matter, how do they know that they are telling the truth? ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/76 "2018-08-06T21:08:19Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > The majority of those who identify themselves as middle-class are voting Republican. Two more links on the topic, Democrats are losing their middle-class support: > [Economic Class and Voting Behavior – Outside the Beltway](https://www.outsidethebeltway.com/economic_class_and_voting_behavior/) > > [The Middle Class Overwhelmingly Votes Republican - And These Middle Class Voters Support Trump | The Gateway Pundit | by Jim Hoft](https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/12/the-middle-class-overwhelmingly-votes-republican-and-these-middle-class-voters-support-trump/) LMAO! Oh man, you’re too funny. Serious question, you’re so often factually wrong, is there ever a point that your brain says “Hey self, I’m factually wrong an awful lot. Maybe I should consider acquiring facts from different sources?” And honestly, I’m not even really thinking about this thread in particular, but the chess AI thread. You seem awfully resistant to self-analysis of the correctness of your facts. Why is that? Is there a part of you that questions yourself from time-to-time, or are you absolutely 100% convinced of your correctness? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/77 "2018-08-06T21:30:44Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > _The Gateway Pundit_? > Didn’t they “report” that Trump donated his entire salary to repair national cemeteries? :rolleyes: “Dim” Jim Hofft’s blog. AKA “The Stupidest Man On The Internet”, which is sayin’ somethin’… ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2018, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/78 "2018-08-07T09:19:41Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > [The Middle Class Overwhelmingly Votes Republican - And These Middle Class Voters Support Trump | The Gateway Pundit | by Jim Hoft](https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/12/the-middle-class-overwhelmingly-votes-republican-and-these-middle-class-voters-support-trump/) > [@Wikipedia](#): > > The website [The Gateway Pundit] is known for publishing falsehoods and spreading hoaxes. Serious question, **Silver lining** : _Where_ do you find websites like this? I don’t think this one appears in any Google News display. Does the URL flash on the screen when you’re watching Sean Hannity or Alex Jones? Does Google Search find it when your query is “Tell me that the lies I hear are really true”? Some of us are not completely certain that your posts are completely ingenuous, or even completely free from error. [We’re discussing this in another thread.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=859995) ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/79 "2018-08-07T15:20:37Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > The majority of those who identify themselves as middle-class are voting Republican. Two more links on the topic, Democrats are losing their middle-class support: > [Economic Class and Voting Behavior – Outside the Beltway](https://www.outsidethebeltway.com/economic_class_and_voting_behavior/) > > [The Middle Class Overwhelmingly Votes Republican - And These Middle Class Voters Support Trump | The Gateway Pundit | by Jim Hoft](https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/12/the-middle-class-overwhelmingly-votes-republican-and-these-middle-class-voters-support-trump/) Silver, one of the main criticisms of you OP is that you used old data. In repsonse you posted new links which are dated December 2015 and October 2007. I therefor must conclude that whatever effect you are trying to point out, isn’t relevant to the 2016 election and beyond. ---
**Author:** ![rock\_party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@rock\_party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rock_party)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2018, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068/80 "2018-08-07T16:15:44Z")
It’s a relief that all those uneducated white males will never fall for the schtick of those coastal elites that live in their Ivory towers and have gold gilt toilets and trophy wives! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/education-middle-class-identification-and-those-who-claimno-religion-in-politics-this-might-sur/819068.md?page=5)