As election data analysis continues to pour in, we can be sure of one thing: a large number of working class votes which traditionally would have gone to the Democrats shifted in 2024 toward the GOP. As CNN reported last week: “Trump ran up large margins among White voters without a college degree who belong to labor unions and also significantly improved among unionized non-White workers without advanced education.”

So, did Trump’s victory signal a realignment for the working class? Or was it a one-off thing, an act of rebellion against a complacent Democratic establishment? In terms of first principles, what is an economy that makes sense for workers, and for all Americans? What are Americans owed? And do we have obligations toward undocumented immigrants? For this special live recording of the podcast, we invited Oren Cass from the conservative pro-labor think tank, the American Compass, to help us answer these questions.

Samuel Kimbriel kicked things off with a question about the “American dream,” which Oren contrasts with what he calls “the American promise.” The dream is about upward mobility, and the promise is about economic stability. The problem in America today, Oren says, “is not that you can’t rise to the top, but you don’t have this basic stability to work from.”

Christine Emba challenged Oren on immigration. On what grounds should the rights of American workers take precedence over the rights of workers in general? Why should we restrict immigration to people who want to join the American project? The conversation touched up the first principle question of “Who qualifies as a member of the political community?”, as Oren put it.

The recording of this live event is fully open and free for all subscribers. You can listen to the Crowd ask questions during the Q and A period at the end. Our holiday party followed the event — something which, alas, was not recorded. But you can enjoy these pictures!

Required Reading:

* CrowdSource about economic populism (WoC).

* “How Trump is giving the labor movement the blue-collar blues” (CNN).

* The American Compass’ mission statement.

* “This Conservative Wants to Change the Way Republicans Think About Economics” (New York Times interview with Cass).

* Oren Cass, “Workers Deserve Real Power. Unions Aren’t the Best Way to Get It” (New York Times).

* Oren Cass, The Once and Future Worker: A Vision for the Renewal of Work in America (Amazon).

* Oren’s Substack, Understanding America.

* Christine Emba, “What Would Society Look Like if Extreme Wealth Were Impossible?” (The Atlantic).

* Samuel Kimbriel, “Bonfire of the Vanities” (WoC).

This post is part of our collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Governance and Markets.

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