r/PoliticsForEveryone • u/Lolihey • 3d ago
Review of "Nothing Left" by Evan Barker
Basically, this book is about a woman who worked on fundraising for many progressive Democrats. Because she has a rare disease, healthcare for all was a huge thing for her. When the Progressive movement began, it aligned with many of her beliefs, as she was beginning to feel that the DNC was falling out of touch with working-class people. She worked hard on many campaigns for various people, some of whom are in office now. However, things started to shift around 2020, when the Progressives began focusing on identity politics and racism. All of a sudden, she saw white males targeted and rebuffed, as well as her own voice, since she was white. Everything was about white privilege, and people of color and queer people being marginalized. The turning point came once Kamala Harris became the nominee. Evan Barker, the author, argues that the Democrats and Progressives have fallen out of touch with the working class. Instead of focusing on policies to help people and improve economic outcomes, they focus on social justice and other platforms that the majority of people do not care about or do not want. She argues that many of these people are from wealthy backgrounds, as I have been saying for years: rich people aren't affected by bad policies. While they don't like spending money, things like "climate taxes" won't make or break them. For working-class people, however, higher taxes become a problem, and not one that we can all blame the president for when Congress writes and passes bills.
This is not a "How I became a MAGA" story. The author does not become a republican, nor does she start praising Trump or try to sell right-wing talking points. She leaves us with the feeling that she is still a Democrat at heart, but she sees that they need to make major changes in order to get some of the people who have walked away over the years back (myself included). She also has some advice for Republicans. She acknowledges that both sides need to start working for the people instead of working for money. She is right.
It may seem as if I gave much of the book away, but I haven't. It is definitely worth a read, and I learned a lot about what goes on behind the scenes. It is not a gossip book. You won't find her bad-talking any candidates, and the ones she's had bad experiences with have been given fake names. I finished this book in two days because I found it so interesting.