This smokejumper says the US has lost its empathy. That’s why he’s running for Congress
Montana’s Sam Forstag says US working class is left playing a game of chance while neither party serves its interests
TL;DR
- Sam Forstag, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Montana, posits that economic hardship diminishes people's capacity for empathy and community support.
- He criticizes both major parties for not serving the interests of the working class, leading to disillusionment and vulnerability to political exploitation.
- Forstag's campaign emphasizes the need for economic stability to enable individuals to care for one another, contrasting this with the idea of the American dream as a 'game of chance'.
- His background as a smokejumper and his personal experiences with financial struggle inform his political platform.
- Forstag has garnered support from progressives like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as well as some Republicans, highlighting a potential for cross-party appeal based on economic issues.