Much of the commentary criticizing Michael Bloomberg's statement about farmers and factory workers has focused on his disparagement of the intellect of farmers.  But his disparagement of factory workers shows how the modern Democratic Party has abandoned factory workers and, more specifically, private industry labor unions.

"I could teach anybody, even people in this room, no offense intended, to be a farmer," Bloomberg said.  "It's a process.  You dig a hole, you put a seed in, you put dirt on top, add water, up comes the corn.  You could learn that."

"Then we had 300 years of the industrial society.  You put the piece of metal on the lathe, you turn the crank in the direction of the arrow, and you can have a job."

According to Bloomberg, all a factory worker did was put a piece of metal on a lathe and turn a crank in the direction of the arrow.  This description must come as a surprise to anyone who has worked in a factory, steel mill, machine shop, foundry, warehouse, coal mine, or other similar job involving physical labor.

The Democratic Party of Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John Kennedy, and Hubert Humphrey was built on a coalition of which private industry labor unions were a major component.  Trade unions such as the United Auto Workers; Steelworkers; Machinists, which represent factory workers; and Mineworkers were an integral part of the Democratic Party.  No serious candidate for the presidency would insult or disparage physical labor workers, especially workers who belonged to labor unions.

But now Bloomberg can say what he said without any criticism from the other Democratic candidates; the DNC; and, worse, from the labor unions.  In the past, Walter Reuther of the UAW, George Meany of AFL-CIO, I.W. Abel of the Steelworkers, John L. Lewis of the Mineworkers, and others would have destroyed Bloomberg's candidacy in a New York minute.  Moreover, Bloomberg would have never made such a stupid statement if he knew there would be pushback from the unions, or if the present-day unions had leaders such as Reuther, Meany, or Lewis.

Bloomberg's statement shows how the modern Democratic Party has abandoned workers and regards American workers as expendable in the global economy.  Bill Clinton's NAFTA deal that caused the loss of many American manufacturing jobs, which was supported by the establishment Republicans like Bush and Romney, is consistent with Bloomberg's views.

It is difficult to understand why private-sector unions still support Democrats.  For example, Obama and Hillary promised to bankrupt the coal industry, which resulted in the loss of over 75,000 coal miners.  Obama disallowed the Keystone Pipeline, which cost thousands of jobs to unions members such as Teamsters, plumbers, laborers, machinists, and operating engineers.  In both cases, Obama did the bidding of the environmental groups over the interests of workers in labor unions and non-union employees.

The current Democratic candidates all favor stopping fracking, and restrictions on drilling for oil and gas, and mining for coal.  The "Green New Deal" will destroy the coal, gas, and oil industries that employ many Americans at good-paying jobs.  We will again be dependent on foreign oil.  They all favor open borders with health care for illegal aliens, which will depress wages for American workers.

Bernie Sanders calls himself a socialist, which is a polite word for a communist.  Sanders would impose a single-payer health insurance plan run by the federal government.  Union workers would lose the good health plans they have negotiated.  The federal government would run most industries.  That is socialism.  It requires a strong, powerful national government that imposes its will to run the economy.   The other candidates are Bernie-Lite.  They support his goals but say it in a more pleasant but devious, dishonest manner.

The Bernie socialists will sacrifice American workers for the "climate change" gang and open borders.

The Democratic Party does not represent American workers.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr.