Over the last several years, left wing politicians and progressive activists in nations across the western world have become increasingly radical in their positions and espoused agenda. While this has resulted in an alienation of working class voters and a historic realignment of these voters (which were for a long time the most reliable voting base of the Democratic party) with right-wing political parties in the United States (namely Republicans), progressives remain dedicated to their far-left agenda. Indeed, while they have lost the support of rural and working class voters in suburbs, they have cemented support in urban areas and cities, supplemented by a realignment of wealthy and affluent voters (who had long voted reliably for Republicans) to their party.
While not a guarantee by any means, an individual’s socioeconomic status is an indicator of one’s political leanings. One of the issues that progressives have heavily espoused and lobbied for in North American politics is the cause of “green” energy. Democrats across the country have called for the reduction in the production of oil, a prohibition or ban on the purchase of gas powered vehicles, and a movement to solar and wind energy in their entirety. While supporters of this agenda claim this is to combat global warming, in reality there have been no studies on the impact this transition would have on the climate of the planet and it would make America and the West increasingly dependent on China for valuable resources, a bad strategy.
Additionally, the vast majority of the public does not support this strict transition. Even in liberal New Jersey, a super majority of residents oppose the wind turbine projects that had been proposed along the shore of the state. In Canada, a very progressive nation, even the nation’s leader Justin Trudeau had to scrap his proposals for a “carbon tax” on home heating in the form of gas and oil in the face of opposition.
