Episode 209: Popularism and the "Poll-Driven" Democrat as Cover for Conservative Policy Preferences

Oct 2, 2024

The podcast dives into the rising trend of 'popularism' in Democratic politics, revealing how selective polling champions conservative agendas while sidelining popular progressive policies. It critiques the Democratic Party's shift towards centrist strategies that favor corporate interests, creating a disconnect with public opinion. The discussion also tackles the media's role in racial politics, the complexities surrounding Black communities, and the normalization of centrist views as discourse rot. Ultimately, it highlights the evasive tactics politicians use under the guise of public support.

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INSIGHT

Selective Popularism Defined

Selective popularism is the selective use of polling data to push right-wing and centrist policies while ignoring popular left-wing policy support.
This tactic avoids ideological defense by framing conservative agendas as merely reflecting public demand.

INSIGHT

Public Opinion Is Manufactured

Public opinion is manufactured by political, social, and economic powers to sustain existing power structures.
Popularists falsely treat public opinion as naturally given rather than constructed.

INSIGHT

Corporate Interests Drive "Popular" Shifts

After McGovern's defeat, Democrats shifted right aligning with corporate interests under the guise of being more "popular".
Polling was used early on to justify moving away from progressive positions to win elections.

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"Calls for Transforming Police Run Into Realities of Governing in Minnesota," cautioned The New York Times in 2020. "Democrats Face Pressure on Crime From a New Front: Their Base," claimed the paper of record again, in 2022. "How Biden’s recent actions on immigration could address a major issue voters have with him," announced PBS NewsHour, republishing the Associated Press, in 2024.

There’s a common ethos in Democratic politics: Do what’s popular. In recent years, a certain class of political pundits and consultants have been championing so-called “popularism,” the principle that political candidates should emphasize the issues that poll well, in everything from healthcare to labor, policing to foreign policy––and deemphasize, or sometimes outright ignore, the ones that don’t.

It seems reasonable and democratic for elected officials to pay close attention to the will of the public–and, in many cases, it is. But it’s not always this simple. Far too often, the leading proponents of popularism, chief among them Matt Yglesias and David Shor, only apply the concept when it suits a conservative agenda, ignoring, for example, that 74% of American voters support “increasing funding for child care,” 72% of Americans want to expand Social Security 71% of Americans support government funded universal pre-K. 69% of Americans support Medicare for All and so on and so on.

More often than not, leftwing agenda items that poll very well are never mentioned meanwhile that which polls well AND aligns with the interests of Wall Street and other monied interests, we are told is of utmost urgent priority.

It’s a phenomenon we’re calling on this show Selective Popularism, the selective use of polling and generic notions of popularity to push already existing rightwing and centrist agendas without needing to do the messy work of ideologically defending them.

On this episode, we look at the development and implementation of Selective Popularism, exploring how this convenient political pseudo-analysis launders the advocacy and enactment of reactionary policy as a mere reflection of what the "people" demand.

Our guest is journalist, writer and host of Jacobin's The Dig podcast, Daniel Denvir.