DFP’s newsletter of our latest polls, memos, and memes.
View this email in your browser. ([link removed])
Introducing... DFP Insights!
The new Insights section of our website will be a place for more in-depth data analysis, think pieces, and other timely political insights. Our first article ([link removed]) is by DFP's executive director Danielle Deiseroth, focusing on how Democrats can make a strong contrast with Republicans' "pro-baby" rebrand by providing voters with a positive vision and robust family care agenda that will tangibly improve the lives of children, parents, and seniors. Read here ([link removed]) .
Olivia Rodrigo is returning her driver’s license in solidarity with the UAW.
After a summer of fighting against Big TV and Big Movie, we’re now up against Big Car. The United Auto Workers (UAW) union went on strike against the Big Three – no, we’re not talking about your sun, moon, and rising – General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis (aka Chrysler and Jeep). While CEO pay has soared by 40%, wage increases for autoworkers have only risen by 6%. Pretty sus, if you ask us.
The UAW is asking for a 36% wage increase over four years and for their pay to rise with inflation. They’re also asking for a 32-hour workweek, defined-benefit pensions for their workers, and company-financed health care in retirement. Considering the CEO of Ford made $21 million in 2022, that seems like a fair request. Data for Progress finds ([link removed]) 62% of voters support the UAW strike, including 79% of Democrats, 59% of Independents, and 48% of Republicans.
[link removed]
Data for Progress also asked voters if they trust President Biden or Donald Trump more to support labor unions. We find 44% of voters trust President Biden more, whereas only 29% trust Trump more. Trump isn’t known for being the most trustworthy guy, to put it lightly, and as President, he consistently undermined unions. As a boss, he was an “egocentric micromanager ([link removed]) ” who “disregarded low-level staff.” A real champion for the labor movement.
With CEOs making millions of dollars, auto workers shouldn’t be struggling. Without auto workers, Taylor wouldn’t be drunk in the back of the car, Olivia wouldn’t be driving through the suburbs, and Rihanna wouldn’t be telling us to shut up and drive. A true loss!! It’s time to step up the fight against Big Car and raise wages for auto workers.
Read the full polling here ([link removed]) .
Here are some other highlights from DFP this week:
Jersey girls don’t pump gas, but they may accept bribes.
New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez has been taking The Sopranos a bit too literally. Shocking absolutely no one who knows anything about Bob, the Senator was recently indicted on federal charges for accepting bribes in the form of cash, gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz, and mortgage payments. Seriously Bob, who are you?? Scrooge McDuck?? Do you need to dive into your bathtub of gold coins and flex your Mercedes-Benz on the New Jersey Turnpike? Park your Mercedes and suffer through New Jersey transit, like the rest of us.
Taking his role as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee a bit too far, Menendez was also accused of giving sensitive U.S. government information to the Egyptian government. No one said you needed to share government secrets to have an open dialogue with foreign countries, Bob! After learning about Senator Menendez’s long list of federal indictments, Data for Progress finds ([link removed]) 80% of voters, including 81% of Democrats, 80% of Independents, and 78% of Republicans, think that he should resign from the U.S. Senate.
Even when presented with arguments for and against resigning, we find that 66% of voters, including 72% of Democrats, agree that “Senator Menendez should resign because he has been charged with a crime, even though he has not yet been found guilty.” Only 24% of voters say he should not resign.
[link removed]
New Jersey isn’t perfect – it’s given the world Chris Christie and the hell on Earth known as the American Dream Mall. But it’s also the home of Meryl Streep, and for that, we should all be forever grateful. Meryl Streep deserves a Senator who can’t be bribed with luxury vehicles. When you disrespect the New Jersey name, you disrespect Bruce Springsteen and quite frankly, that’s a crime punishable by life in prison.
Read the full polling here ([link removed]) .
Let’s talk about debt, baby, let's talk about you and me.
The fantasyland federal student loan borrowers have been living in has come to a tragic end. Student loan payments are starting up again on October 1, making this probably one of the scariest Halloweens to date. As if our bank accounts weren’t terrifying enough already – thanks for the jump scare, studentaid.gov.
In honor of our impending financial doom, Data for Progress finds ([link removed]) that 61% of voters with student loan debt are not confident they will be able to make their monthly payments when they resume next week. This includes 40% who report they are “not confident at all” and 21% who say they are “not very confident.” To the 14% of voters who are very confident they’ll be able to make payments, our Venmo accounts are accepting donations xoxo
[link removed]
To save voters from the bottomless pit known as student loan debt, the Biden Administration has a plan – the SAVE Plan (god, don’t you just love an acronym?). The Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan will lower monthly payments for low- and middle-income borrowers. We find that 72% of voters support the proposal, including 80% of Democrats, 72% of Independents, and 63% of Republicans. If there’s one thing that Democrats and Republican voters can come together on, it’s a lifeline for crushing student loan debt. Isn’t bipartisanship beautiful?
Voters really aren’t asking for much – we just want to be able to attend college without signing up for 20 years worth of staggering monthly payments that affect our ability to afford basic things like, we don’t know, food and rent? Is this the American dream? Is this what our ancestors wanted for us when they hopped off the boat at Ellis Island? We hope not, cause that would have been pretty shady of them.
Read the full polling here ([link removed]) .
Like and subscribe to Data for Climate Progress!
Climate change’s hottest newsletter is Data for Climate Progress, your one-stop shop for all things climate at Data for Progress. You wanna hear about our record-breaking summer that raised utility bills and wreaked havoc on our planet? We’ve got you, babe. Looking to learn more about Big Oil’s devious greenwashing plans? Look no further!
But hey, we’re not all climate doomers here – we’ve also got some good climate news too, like the official creation of a Civilian Climate Corps! So if you want a newsletter that will bring you down just to build you back better again, like an eco-friendly toxic boyfriend, sign up for Data for Climate Progress!
Subscribe here ([link removed]) .
Get in, we’re creating an equitable clean energy future!
Next week, Data for Progress’s very own Grace Adcox is moderating a panel on how we can create an equitable clean energy future. Slay, queen! Let’s go, Grace! Make sure to tune in October 5th, at 11:00am EDT if you want to have your mind absolutely blown.
Register for Creating an Equitable Clean Energy Future: Engaging Local Communities in Project Planning and Development here ([link removed]) .
DFP In The News
Huff Post: Do Republicans Always 'Lose' Government Shutdowns? Don’t Be So Sure, Polls Warn ([link removed])
New York Magazine: The Strikes Are Working ([link removed])
Common Dreams: New Poll Shows Public Support for UAW Strikes Is Growing ([link removed])
Forbes: The American Climate Corps Will Put Thousands To Work Building A Stronger Country ([link removed])
Slate: The GOP Debate Moderators Tried to Let Candidates Distance Themselves From Wildly Unpopular Policies ([link removed])
Politico E&E: ‘False promise’: DOE’s carbon removal plans rankle community advocates ([link removed])
Mother Jones: America’s New Climate Corps Will Need to be a Lot Bigger ([link removed])
On Social
[link removed]
[link removed]
Meme of the Week
[link removed]
Donate
If you could donate ([link removed]) that would be like really, super cool of you.
Donate to DFP ([link removed])
============================================================
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Website ([link removed])
** Instagram ([link removed])
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
.
