What a ridiculous argument to make. AFL-CIO lobbying? resoundingly democratic. The problem is, the only thing the Democrats can talk to ignorant rednecks about is economic issues because the Democratic Party has been the home of progressive liberals since FDR. The Republican Party, on the other hand, can talk about those horrible darkies that we need to build a wall against 'cuz they'll terk yer jerbs and oh by the way, gutting environmental controls will "create jobs."

The argument is that people with conservative social values will listen to a social argument more easily than an economic argument so the Republicans have had an easier time getting socially conservative poor people to vote against their economic interests than the Democrats have had getting socially conservative poor people to evolve a little bit and raise themselves out of squalor while they're at it.

Did that sound elitist? Goddamn right it's elitist. Hate is a better motivator than comfort and the Republicans have been selling hate for 50 years. That doesn't mean the Republicans are "the only party talking to them" that means the Republicans are the only ones saying what they want tohear.