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Lainey Newman, co-author of Rust Belt Union Blues, joins the pod to shed light on how deindustrialization and globalization have weakened organized labor, particularly in regions like the Rust Belt. We discuss how these changes have left a void filled by conservative organizations and cultural movements, leading to a significant realignment of working-class voters towards the Republican Party. 

Lainey traces the peak of union influence in the 1950s to its gradual decline from the 1970s onward. We discuss the evolving relationship between unions and political parties, examining how cultural and identity-based issues have impacted voting behaviors and party alignments. From the friction within the Democratic Party's coalition over cultural issues to the unintended consequences of political strategies - were these dynamics inevitable or could have been foreseen and mitigated?

From the fallout of not bailing out the steel industry in the 1970s to the perceived cultural and ideological challenges associated with figures like Kamala Harris, we discuss the long-term implications of these decisions on union and working class voters, and what the Democratic Party needs to do to win these voters back.

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