It's the Brian Laird Show on WNYC. Good morning again, everyone.

With a week to go before Labor Day weekend, we will ask, is there a Democratic and Republican way to help the

working class, especially people without four-year college degrees? It's a fundamental

issue in American politics and economics today, as many of you know. Democrats just nominated

Sir Ron Mondani with his affordability policies to be mayor of New York.

Around the country, Republicans have been trending up in recent elections among working-class voters,

especially those who didn't go to college.

So what are the economic policies or economic political appeals that separate the two parties or the wings within them?

What might the 2026 midterms and 2028 presidential election bring

that's different from other recent campaigns?

We'll get a take on this from close to the political center.

Zach Mueller is director of the economic program at the center-left think tank third way.

His previous experience includes three years as a staffer for the Senate Budget Committee working on economic and revenue issues

under Democratic Committee chairs, Patty Murray and Kent Conrad. Among his works is an article in

2003 called Worlds Apart, the Non-C College Economy. Zach, thanks for coming on. Welcome to

WNYC. I'm happy to join you, Brian. Thanks for having me. Let's start with a few stats that

demonstrate the title of your article, Worlds Apart. You wrote that college graduates on average

have double the yearly income and four times the retirement

savings and that non-college workers are five times more likely to be in poverty,

lack health insurance, and move because of economic trouble.

In addition, there are four times as many working the night shift.

That was an interesting section of your article, I thought, by the way,

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