Having better safety nets definitely helps people look outward rather than in.

Pensions, social security, healthcare; once you have a feeling that you'll be taken care of if things go bad you can think about your neighbours a little more.

This.

The democrats shifted to the center instead of creating a campaign chasm on actual progressive issues that Americans would generally support like universal healthcare[0], student debt cancellation, housing subsidies, stronger pro labor policies (support for unions has grown across the aisle substantially) and generally fairer more equitable economic participation.

That would have reached across the aisle and put Republicans on the defensive especially around messaging

Instead, they went strong with wedge issues and tried to play culture wars. Which honestly I don’t disagree with the conclusions and policy positions democrats made here but it didn’t speak to economic fears or relief for the masses

We did this to ourselves to a certain degree. All progressives have left now is molotovs in the streets

[0]: https://news.gallup.com/poll/468401/majority-say-gov-ensure-...

I agree focusing on the culture issues was an incorrect move. But, union members seem to have gone largely pro-Trump even after he talked about firing anyone who went on strike and breaking them up with Musk. It's hard to understand.

What austerity politics? The US is running a 6% deficit.

OP was talking about "the rest of the West" so I was thinking more about the UK, where we've effectively had over a decade of austerity politics.

Where is the austerity? Does it have a knife?