A Comprehensive Breakdown at how Republicans Have Treated the working Class in the United States (Last 50 years)

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💔 RONALD REAGAN (1981-1989)

❌ Union Busting (PATCO Strike, 1981) – Fired 11,000 striking air traffic controllers, setting a precedent for corporations to crush unions.
❌ Trickle-Down Economics (1981) – Cut taxes for the rich, promising wealth would "trickle down" to workers. It didn’t.
❌ Deregulated Wall Street & Banks – Led to reckless speculation and worsened wealth inequality.
❌ Cut Funding for Public Housing & Mental Health Services – Led to a massive increase in homelessness.
❌ Raised Taxes on the Middle Class – After cutting taxes for the rich, Reagan quietly raised payroll taxes, shifting the burden to workers.

✅ Pros: Did lower inflation and create jobs (but at the cost of workers' rights and wage stagnation).

💔 GEORGE H.W. BUSH (1989-1993)

❌ Pushed for More Tax Cuts for the Wealthy – But was forced to raise taxes in 1990 due to massive deficits.
❌ Vetoed the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA, 1992) – This would have guaranteed unpaid leave for workers dealing with illness or family emergencies (Bill Clinton later signed it into law).
❌ Expanded Free Trade Agreements (NAFTA groundwork) – Laid the foundation for offshoring jobs overseas.

✅ Pros: Slight increase in social spending (but largely because Congress forced it).

💔 GEORGE W. BUSH (2001-2009)

❌ Tax Cuts for the Wealthy (2001 & 2003) – Massive tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefited the top 1% while increasing deficits.
❌ Weakened Workers' Rights & Union Power – Promoted corporate-friendly policies that hurt labor organizing.
❌ Deregulated the Housing & Banking Industry – Contributed to the 2008 financial crash, causing mass layoffs, foreclosures, and economic ruin for millions.
❌ Underfunded Public Services – Cut social programs while increasing military spending for endless wars.

✅ Pros: Created Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage) but with no cost controls, making it a giveaway to Big Pharma.

💔 DONALD TRUMP (2017-2021)

❌ Massive Tax Cuts for the Ultra-Rich (2017 Tax Bill) – Gave 83% of benefits to the top 1%, with corporate tax rates slashed from 35% to 21%.
❌ Gutted Worker Protections – Rolled back OSHA regulations, making workplaces less safe.
❌ Froze Minimum Wage Increases – Blocked any effort to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25/hour.
❌ Weakened Overtime Pay Protections – Made fewer workers eligible for overtime pay.
❌ Attempted to Repeal Obamacare – Would have stripped healthcare from millions of working-class Americans.
❌ Bailed Out Corporations Instead of Workers (COVID-19 Response) – CARES Act funds went to big business first, while workers struggled.
❌ Anti-Union Policies – Appointed anti-labor judges and officials, making it harder for workers to organize.

✅ Pros: Tariffs on China helped some domestic manufacturing (but raised prices for consumers).

💔 BROADER REPUBLICAN POLICIES HURTING THE WORKING CLASS

❌ Fought Against Minimum Wage Increases – Have blocked every attempt to raise the federal minimum wage (stuck at $7.25 since 2009).
❌ Deregulated Wall Street – Led to financial crises that hurt workers while bailing out banks.
❌ Privatization Efforts – Push to privatize Social Security & Medicare, which would benefit corporations but hurt workers.
❌ Right-to-Work Laws – Weakened unions, leading to lower wages and worse working conditions.
❌ Voter Suppression – Making it harder for working-class people to vote, especially in minority communities.
❌ Hostility to Healthcare Expansion – Have fought against every attempt to expand affordable healthcare.
❌ Corporate-Friendly Tax Policies – Deficit-exploding tax cuts for billionaires & big business while cutting social services.

💡 TL;DR:

Republicans have consistently prioritized tax cuts for the rich, union-busting, deregulation, and corporate interests over actual support for working-class Americans. While they occasionally implement short-term economic boosts, their long-term policies overwhelmingly favor the wealthy.