In United States politics, the term lunch pail Democrat, lunchbox Democrat, or lunchbucket Democrat refers to members of the Democratic Party of a "blue collar" or working-class background,[1][2][3] as well as politicians who share or attempt to leverage this background through populist appeals. Laurence Collins of The Boston Globe summarized the term as "a label that connotes an absence of lofty philosophical concerns in favor of a concern for people's more basic needs".[4]
The term lunchpail is also used more broadly as a metaphor for the working class, and in addition to Democrat is paired with other terms, such as lunch pail liberal or lunch pail socialism.[5]
The Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang notes the term "lunch-pailers" being used to refer to laborers in a political context as early as 1958, and "lunch-pail liberals and Progressive Democrats" used in 1992.[6]
Politiciansedit
Among the traits associated with lunch-pail Democratic politicians are:
Hubert Humphrey was described as the "last of the lunch-pail Democrats" in 1982 by New York magazine.[9]
Al Gore's efforts during his 1992 campaign have been described as: "determined to cast himself as an old school, labor lunch-pail Democrat in the tradition of Hubert Humphey and Walter Mondale. This strategy was problematic in a number of ways, not least because it wasn't particularly convincing."[10]
Democratic politician and eventual 56th governor of Mississippi, Cliff Finch used the emblem of a lunch-pail with his name upon it in his campaigns.[11]
During the 2008 Presidential primaries, Hillary Clinton was described as "transforming herself into a white lunch-pail populist, knocking back whiskey shots in Indiana."[12]
Spiro Agnew was described as "Nixon's ambassador to the lower middle class, to the blue-collar American — the people who voted Democratic in the past, the people we used to call lunch-pail Democrats."[13]
Referencesedit
^Lana Stein (31 May 2002). St. Louis Politics: The Triumph of Tradition. Missouri History Museum. pp. 71–. ISBN978-1-883982-44-7. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
^Dante J. Scala (5 December 2003). Stormy Weather: The New Hampshire Primary and Presidential Politics. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 56–. ISBN978-0-312-29622-3. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
^Laurence Collins (1983). Power & privilege [sic]: an examination of the Massachusetts legislature. The Boston Globe. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
^Frank M. Bryan (3 December 2003). Real Democracy: The New England Town Meeting and How It Works. University of Chicago Press. pp. 273–. ISBN978-0-226-07796-3. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
^Grant Barrett (21 April 2006). The Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang. Oxford University Press. pp. 172–. ISBN978-0-19-530447-3. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
^Sidney Plotkin; William E. Scheuerman (1 July 1994). Private Interest, Public Spending: Balanced-Budget Conservatism and the Fiscal Crisis. Black Rose Books Ltd. pp. 15–. ISBN978-1-895431-98-8. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
^Mother Jones (February 1997). "Mother Jones Magazine". Mother Jones: 58–. ISSN 0362-8841. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
^New York Media, LLC (7 November 1988). "New York Magazine". Newyorkmetro.com. New York Media, LLC: 40–. ISSN 0028-7369. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
^John P. Avlon (22 February 2005). Independent nation: how centrists can change American politics. Three Rivers Press. ISBN978-1-4000-5024-6. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
^Dale Krane; Stephen D. Shaffer (1 March 1992). Mississippi Government and Politics: Modernizers versus Traditionalists. U of Nebraska Press. pp. 84–. ISBN978-0-8032-7758-8. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
^T. Denean Sharpley-Whiting (18 August 2009). The Speech: Race and Barack Obama's "A More Perfect Union". Bloomsbury Publishing USA. pp. 22–. ISBN978-1-59691-667-8. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
^Richard Lemon (15 October 1971). Troubled American. Simon and Schuster. pp. 138–. ISBN978-0-671-21065-6. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
lunch, pail, democrat, united, states, politics, term, lunch, pail, democrat, lunchbox, democrat, lunchbucket, democrat, refers, members, democratic, party, blue, collar, working, class, background, well, politicians, share, attempt, leverage, this, background. In United States politics the term lunch pail Democrat lunchbox Democrat or lunchbucket Democrat refers to members of the Democratic Party of a blue collar or working class background 1 2 3 as well as politicians who share or attempt to leverage this background through populist appeals Laurence Collins of The Boston Globe summarized the term as a label that connotes an absence of lofty philosophical concerns in favor of a concern for people s more basic needs 4 The term lunchpail is also used more broadly as a metaphor for the working class and in addition to Democrat is paired with other terms such as lunch pail liberal or lunch pail socialism 5 Contents 1 History 2 Politicians 3 Applications 4 References 5 External linksHistory editThe Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang notes the term lunch pailers being used to refer to laborers in a political context as early as 1958 and lunch pail liberals and Progressive Democrats used in 1992 6 Politicians editAmong the traits associated with lunch pail Democratic politicians are Support for full employment even at the risk of deficit spending 7 Populist appeals to working class and lower middle class families 8 Applications edit nbsp Hubert Humphrey Hubert Humphrey was described as the last of the lunch pail Democrats in 1982 by New York magazine 9 Al Gore s efforts during his 1992 campaign have been described as determined to cast himself as an old school labor lunch pail Democrat in the tradition of Hubert Humphey and Walter Mondale This strategy was problematic in a number of ways not least because it wasn t particularly convincing 10 Democratic politician and eventual 56th governor of Mississippi Cliff Finch used the emblem of a lunch pail with his name upon it in his campaigns 11 During the 2008 Presidential primaries Hillary Clinton was described as transforming herself into a white lunch pail populist knocking back whiskey shots in Indiana 12 Spiro Agnew was described as Nixon s ambassador to the lower middle class to the blue collar American the people who voted Democratic in the past the people we used to call lunch pail Democrats 13 References edit Lana Stein 31 May 2002 St Louis Politics The Triumph of Tradition Missouri History Museum pp 71 ISBN 978 1 883982 44 7 Retrieved 13 October 2012 Politics Policy Political News Politico Dante J Scala 5 December 2003 Stormy Weather The New Hampshire Primary and Presidential Politics Palgrave Macmillan pp 56 ISBN 978 0 312 29622 3 Retrieved 13 October 2012 Laurence Collins 1983 Power amp privilege sic an examination of the Massachusetts legislature The Boston Globe Retrieved 13 October 2012 Frank M Bryan 3 December 2003 Real Democracy The New England Town Meeting and How It Works University of Chicago Press pp 273 ISBN 978 0 226 07796 3 Retrieved 13 October 2012 Grant Barrett 21 April 2006 The Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang Oxford University Press pp 172 ISBN 978 0 19 530447 3 Retrieved 13 October 2012 Sidney Plotkin William E Scheuerman 1 July 1994 Private Interest Public Spending Balanced Budget Conservatism and the Fiscal Crisis Black Rose Books Ltd pp 15 ISBN 978 1 895431 98 8 Retrieved 13 October 2012 Mother Jones February 1997 Mother Jones Magazine Mother Jones 58 ISSN 0362 8841 Retrieved 13 October 2012 New York Media LLC 7 November 1988 New York Magazine Newyorkmetro com New York Media LLC 40 ISSN 0028 7369 Retrieved 13 October 2012 John P Avlon 22 February 2005 Independent nation how centrists can change American politics Three Rivers Press ISBN 978 1 4000 5024 6 Retrieved 13 October 2012 Dale Krane Stephen D Shaffer 1 March 1992 Mississippi Government and Politics Modernizers versus Traditionalists U of Nebraska Press pp 84 ISBN 978 0 8032 7758 8 Retrieved 13 October 2012 T Denean Sharpley Whiting 18 August 2009 The Speech Race and Barack Obama s A More Perfect Union Bloomsbury Publishing USA pp 22 ISBN 978 1 59691 667 8 Retrieved 13 October 2012 Richard Lemon 15 October 1971 Troubled American Simon and Schuster pp 138 ISBN 978 0 671 21065 6 Retrieved 13 October 2012 External links edit nbsp United States portal nbsp Politics portal Cliff Finch s lunchpail emblem Mississippi Department of Archives and History Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lunch pail Democrat amp oldid 1074300856, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
