Democrats pitching ‘Better Deal’ for working class
BERRYVILLE, Va. — Promising “A Better Deal” for American workers, Democratic Party leaders rolled out a new agenda with a populist pitch on Monday aimed at winning back the working-class voters they lost to President Donald Trump in November.
Democratic congressional leaders left the Beltway for small-town Berryville, Va., to stake a claim to competing in rural and Republican-leaning areas. Acknowledging they failed to offer a compelling economic message during the 2016 election cycle, Democrats unveiled proposals on jobs, prescription drug prices and more that they hope will resonate in the 2018 midterm elections and beyond.
“Too many Americans don’t know what we stand for,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “Not after today.”
The Democrats’ new message was presented by some familiar old faces in Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-calif. A small group of protesters hoisted pizza boxes with photos of Pelosi and the words “Better skills, Better jobs, Better wages, Still Pelosi.”
The phrase played off the full title of the Democratic platform — “A Better Deal: Better Jobs, Better Wages, Better Future” — which some have mockingly compared to the Papa John’s pizza slogan, “Better Ingredients, Better Pizza.”
And despite Democrats’ claims of unity, divisions aplenty remain in a party still nursing the wounds of defeat as some of the liberals who backed Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont still resent those who supported Hillary Clinton.
Nevertheless, as the sun beat down Monday and bugs swarmed in a local park, Democratic leaders claimed a positive agenda to take them out of their minority status.
“People need to know not only what we’re fighting against. They need to know what we’re fighting for,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-MD.