Bad Liberals

An opinion piece titled "Smug Liberals" appeared on Ezra Klein's website the other day and I'm sure it stimulated lots of discussion.  The author, a card carrying liberal himself spent most of the article projecting his own prejudices on millions of others who believe a government of the people, by the people, for the people should not perish from the earth.  Mainly, he goes after the supposed tendency of Democratic elites to dismiss the "Reagan Democrats"; union and evangelical voters who support Republican candidates who fail to address their underlying economic concerns.  The "why are they voting against their own interests" trope with which they comfort themselves in the face of electoral losses.  He then castigates liberals for not engaging these voters and taking them seriously.  Up to a point, he has the right of it.  Both political parties have tended to ignore the vast middle and working classes except during the election cycle.  It's easy to ridicule the thousands who turn out for Trump rallies and cheer his misogynistic, racist rants, but according to the author anyone who falls into this easy stereotyping is condemning themselves as well.  His ultimate point seems to be we should not underestimate Trump because he has begun to mine this seething anomie and it may prove far stronger than we may think.  The trouble with this analysis is there are probably no solutions to the economic problems many people face that don't require vast government actions.  This is a chicken and egg puzzle.  The last time "liberals" had control of the executive and legislative branches of government they crafted Obamacare specifically to provide health care for the forgotten.  Thanks to that bit of classic liberalism, the Dems promptly lost the House and in 2014 the Senate.   Who voted these caring individuals out of office.  I'm betting it is the same people who support Trump.  So, what to do?  After decades of trade deals which hollowed out the manufacturing infrastructure in America, it will take an all hands on deck enthusiasm from both parties to undo the damage.  Not gonna happen.   Besides, the robots will take many of the jobs that do come back.  Which brings us back to the central premise of the author's rant.  Start taking the working class America seriously and stop making fun of people who are lashing out because they are hurting.   Sounds easy...