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How a Federal Jobs Guarantee Can Help Democrats Win in 2024
Promoting a Federal Jobs Guarantee can defeat Trump’s strategy of racial division by uniting White, Black, Latino, and Asian working-class and low-income voters around economic empowerment.
Chip in $25 to show Democrats that a Federal Jobs Guarantee can help them WIN in 2024!
Democrats Need Working-Class Voters of All Races to Win!
With Vice President Kamala Harris' historic nomination as the presidential nominee, Democrats have gained much-needed hope and enthusiasm for the upcoming November elections.
However, despite this new-found optimism, victory is far from certain, and Democrats still face uphill battles against Donald Trump and Republicans in many parts of the country. Polls show that Harris and Trump are nearly tied among swing state voters, which means this election could go either way.
Despite U.S. economic growth and low unemployment under President Biden, polls consistently showed throughout the year that voters trusted Trump and Republicans more than Democrats to handle the economy – an issue that is still the top priority for voters.
Recent polls report that Harris has gained a slight edge over Trump when asked who is most trusted to handle the economy (42% vs 41%). However, a solid majority of Americans say they are struggling financially and have a negative outlook on the economy.
Promoting a Federal Jobs Guarantee can inspire economic optimism among voters by sending a powerful message that Democrats can deliver economic relief to working-class and low-income communities.
What is a Federal Jobs Guarantee?
In our current economy with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, 140 million people are poor and low-income in the U.S. Plus, the official unemployment rate does not account for the more than 4.6 million Americans working part-time but cannot find full-time jobs.
A Federal Jobs Guarantee would create living-wage jobs with benefits for people unable to find full-time work. Under this policy, the government would create jobs by investing in health care, education, infrastructure, climate change solutions, and other socially useful goods and services to address our country’s most urgent needs.
By reducing the fear of unemployment, a Federal Jobs Guarantee will also increase the bargaining power of all working people from the bottom up to gain higher wages and better working conditions at a time when workers and unions are standing up across the country.
A Federal Jobs Guarantee would fight inflation by providing stable, full-time employment, establishing a minimum livable wage without increasing prices, enhancing economic productivity, and reinforcing price stability.
Prominent Democrats such as Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, and Senators Cory Booker, and Bernie Sanders have authored Federal Jobs Guarantee policies. But this issue should be promoted by the Democratic Party as a whole.
Voters across the political divide support a Federal Jobs Guarantee
Polls show strong support for a Federal Jobs Guarantee with voters across the political divide: 89% of Democrats, 74% of Republicans, and 72% of Independents.
A Federal Jobs Guarantee is especially popular with rural Republican voters; whom Democrats can win over by offering impactful policy solutions to create more living-wage jobs in rural communities.
Even in red battleground states like Florida, Texas, and Ohio, 70% of voters support a Federal Jobs guarantee. Polling data below shows strong support for a Federal Jobs Guarantee in key battleground states that Democrats need to win in 2024. This data presents a critical opportunity to energize Democratic base voters and win over persuadable Republican and Independent working-class voters by promoting a Federal Jobs Guarantee.
A Majority of Battleground State Voters Support a Federal Jobs Guarantee
Source: DATA FOR PROGRESS
HOW WE WIN!
To effectively influence Democrats to promote a Federal Jobs Guarantee. We must demonstrate our ability to win elections by mobilizing working-class and low-income voters of all races around a Federal Jobs Guarantee.
Our 3-Step Path to Victory:
1. Hire 'Deep Canvassers' to unite working-class voters across racial and political divides
2. Recruit 'Relational Organizers' from underrepresented communities
3. Increase voter turnout in low-income communities
It’s not enough to tell Democrats that a Federal Jobs Guarantee can help them win...WE MUST SHOW THEM!
1. Hire 'Deep Canvassers' to unite working-class voters across racial and political divides
To unite White, Black, Latino, and Asian working-class and low-income voters around a Federal Jobs Guarantee, we must go door-to-door in their communities and have authentic conversations to connect with them.
In these conversations, we will listen with empathy to understand voters' financial struggles and share information on how a Federal Jobs Guarantee can create more living-wage jobs to improve their lives and communities. This type of voter outreach is known as ‘Deep Canvassing.’
Unlike traditional canvassing that relies on scripted one-way messaging, Deep Canvassing emphasizes empathy, genuine conversation, and building long-term relationships with voters. Studies have shown that Deep Canvassing reaches people on a deeply emotional level and can shift deep-seated attitudes and prejudices in a way that can break down racial and partisan divides.
Deep Canvassing combined with a vision of a Federal Jobs Guarantee can unite voters across race, political views, and geography.
Chip in $25 to hire ‘Deep Canvassers’ who will go door-to-door in key battleground states to unite working-class voters of all races around a Federal Jobs Guarantee!
2. Recruit ‘Relational Organizers’ from Underrepresented Communities
During election season, voters are bombarded with endless political text messages, emails, and social media ads. All this noise can distract voters from paying attention to meaningful issues that can significantly benefit their lives – such as Federal Jobs Guarantee.
Relational organizing is a proven method to effectively break through the political noise by working through our relationships with friends, family, and colleagues – people we trust the most; to have genuine conversations around political issues that matter via call, text, or in-person contact.
Relational organizing is especially effective at engaging underrepresented communities that are often neglected by electoral campaigns.
Chip in $25 to recruit relational organizers from underrepresented communities in key battleground states to reach out to their networks, share information about a Federal Jobs Guarantee, and urge them to vote for Democrats who support this issue.
3. Increase Voter Turnout in Low-income Communities
Low-income voters with a household income of less than $50,000 make up 40% of the U.S. voting population but vote at a lower rate than middle and high-income voters. Low-income voters across race and geography, often feel neglected by both political parties and are more likely to believe that voting will not directly benefit their day-to-day lives.
Promoting a Federal Jobs Guarantee through ‘Deep Canvassing’ and ‘Relational Organizing’ can inspire low-income voters to turn out in higher numbers by providing solutions to their daily economic challenges while sending a loud and clear message that Democrats are on their side!
Increase Low-Income Voter Turnout to Flip Red Battleground States
According to research by the 'Poor People’s Campaign', increasing turnout among low-income voters can help Democrats flip red battleground states. For instance, in Florida in 2020, nearly 3.4 million low-income voters did not vote while Donald Trump won the state by 371,686 votes. If low-income voters in Florida increase their turnout for Democrats by just 4% then Democrats can be in a position to win this state in 2024.
Source: Poor People's Campaign, Waking the Sleeping Giant: Poor and Low Income Voters in the 2020 Elections
Increase Low-Income Voter Turnout to Expand Win Margins in Blue Battleground States
Increasing voter turnout in low-income communities can also help Democrats expand their win margins in battleground states closely won in 2020. For example, Biden won Georgia by 11,779 votes in 2020. Increasing low-income voter turnout by just 5% would expand Democrats' win margin in Georgia to well over 200,00 votes. Making Georgia an easier win for Democrats in 2024.
Source: Poor People's Campaign, Waking the Sleeping Giant: Poor and Low Income Voters in the 2020 Elections
Other polling data also shows that 65% of respondents who did not vote in the 2020 presidential election felt positively about a Federal Jobs Guarantee, reinforcing this policy’s great potential to motivate low-income communities to turn out in higher numbers.
CALL TO ACTION!
Chip in $25 to SHOW Democrats that a Federal Jobs Guarantee
can help them win in 2024!
To effectively influence Democrats to promote a Federal Jobs Guarantee. We must demonstrate our ability to win elections by uniting working-class and low-income voters of all races around a Federal Jobs Guarantee!
Your $25 donation will help hire ‘Deep Canvassers’ and recruit ‘Relational Organizers’ to mobilize working-class and low-income voters in battleground states to sign voter pledges urging Democratic candidates to promote a Federal Jobs Guarantee.
Our goal is to collect enough voter pledges to show Democrats that working-class and low-income voters in battleground states support a Federal Jobs Guarantee in high numbers needed to win the presidency, flip the House, and gain seats in the Senate.
Chip in $25 to show Democrats we can win in 2024 by uniting working-class and low-income voters of all races around a Federal Jobs Guarantee!
It’s not enough to tell Democrats that a Federal Jobs Guarantee can help them win...
WE MUST SHOW THEM!
About FEN-PAC
Full Employment Now-Political Action Committee (FEN-PAC) is a small-dollar donor-funded super PAC. Unlike traditional super PACs, we rely on small-dollar donations instead of wealthy donors and institutions.
As a super PAC, we do not give money directly to candidates or political parties. All funds are directed toward voter education, mobilization, and advocacy around a Federal Jobs Guarantee.
Beyond the 2024 Elections
While it is critical that we elect Democrats in 2024 to protect our democracy. Our ultimate goal is to pass a Federal Jobs Guarantee into law to provide economic security to all working-class and low-income people across the country.
After the elections, FEN-PAC is committed to year-round voter engagement and advocacy to urge elected officials to follow through on their commitment to support a Federal Jobs Guarantee and pass this policy into law.
References
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“Harris and Trump are tied in 538’s new polling averages.” ABC News. August 2, 2024
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“Donald Trump’s Chances ‘Bleak’ as Kamala Harris Now More Trusted on the Economy.” Newsweek. August 12, 2024
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“Unemployment Data-JULY 2024.” National Jobs for All Network. August 2, 2025
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“There are 140 Million Poor and Low-Income People in the U.S.” Poor People’s Campaign. June 2022
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Tcherneva, Pavlina R. “The Job Guarantee: Design, Jobs, and Implementation.” Levy Economics Institute of Bard College. April 2018
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“Rep. Pressley, Economists, Advocates Unveil Historic Federal Job Guarantee Resolution.” February 18, 2021
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“Bernie Sanders to announce plan to guarantee every American a job.” Washington Post. April 23, 2018
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“Poll: 79 percent support federal jobs program for the unemployed.” The Hill. July 10, 2020
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“Trump’s Kryptonite: How Progressive Can Win Back the Working Class.” The Center for Working-Class Politics. June 2023
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“Why Democrats Should Embrace a Federal Jobs Guarantee.” The Nation. March 20, 2018
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“Waking the Sleeping Giant: Poor and Low-Income Voters in the 2020 Elections.” Poor People’s Campaign. October 2021