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I've wondered for some time now why people who like Trump continue to support him despite overwhelming evidence that he's unfit to be POTUS. Initially I figured these were ordinary workers who have been marginalized by workplace trends over the last 10-20 years. The American Dream doesn't work for them anymore, and I understand how angry that makes them feel.
But the other day I read a different explaination in The Atlantic that really made me question my assumptions. It seems to explain the intractable anger of the baggers who are so resistant to logic and facts. In a nutshell, the author believes:
"What distinguishes Trump supporters is not their economic vulnerability. It’s their cultural, religious, and racial resentment."
IMO, it's well worth reading:
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/arch...th/495836/
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It's only a guess until the election. The retention of their political feelings as well as their professed reasons for voting for Trump is going to get plenty of analysis for months and years afterwards.
Hopefully, the Republicans will answer for this entire phenomenon in huge losses in subsequent elections.
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The article was a nice takedown of Peggy Noonan but it also applies to most reactionary media. All those nasty things that were going to happen when the Demoncrats had the White House never happened. But all those nasty things that were going to happen when the Repugs had the White House happened.
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There's always going to be a resentful portion of society. They see Dumbf as their "voice". He says what they think (despite the fact that they don't think).
It's in the ruling power's (in our case the top 1%) interest to keep that group as far on the fringe as possible Always.
But when that group grows large enough, change will occur. The resentfulness is growing … but it's not big enough yet to make a difference.
The teabaggers will continue to be a fringe group until something larger happens that impacts a larger group of people. People who actually think before reacting. A shrinking middle-class will add to the size of the resentful portion as the top dollar earners continue to take a much bigger piece of the pie. Still, it's the ones who are actually cutting the pie that need to be concerned. The fact that people are employed isn't what's important, it's how they're employed. Raising the minimum wage and providing affordable health care to some simply diverted attention from a more urgent problem which is people being employed in crappy entry level jobs with no reasonable path for advancement. Yes, they have something to do, but soon enough, it's not enough. Yet there's nowhere else for them to go in the economy.
Whether it's Teaparty Trumpeteers, or simply someone new who wants us to feel their Bern, if the masses aren't satisfied with their share of shiny baubles and stupid pet tricks, there could be some real pretty fireworks on the horizon.
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Frankly, and this may sound pretentious, but I've been saying this for half a year at least. Have people really thought anything else...?
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Nate Silver has been showing strong data trends - racism is at the core of Trump backers.
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Has anyone here heard the author of Hillbilly Elergy…or read his book. Interesting and he states "culture" which is stated here by some posters. The Atlantic article is good.
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What definition of "racist" or "racism" are we going to use here?
