Trump

[mrgybe]

[boggsman1]

[mac]

While it is true that Trumpism is bigger than Trump, it is also true that he released the demons of bigotry and gave them cover.

[GURGLETROUSERS]

Just a thought.
If society let loose a monster (Trump) might not a reason the less well educated backed him so willingly have been the sneering disdain and arrogance of the 'elite' against them, the so called undesirables? Those of less intelligence must, in the minds of the elite, always be factually wrong in holding an opposing view to theirs!

Was it any wonder the rejected bit back, and backed the monster? (As ye sow etc.)

[boggsman1]

[mac]

GT and Boggs—I think it is a bit more complicated than that. It has been clear for decades that high wages and automation have eroded the manufacturing job base in this country. The trade agreements reached during the Clinton administration didn’t cause that erosion—but didn’t help and might have accelerated the trend. The increased cost of energy—which dates back to the oil embargo long ago—was another factor, and it all meant that the economic prospects for white men without college degrees were decreasing, not increasing.

This made the Clinton’s an easy target for the far right. Neither conventional conservatives nor the far right had any solutions, but crafted simple messages attacking the Clintons. The obvious intelligence and arrogance of the two helped seal their fate.

In some ways, this has been the death of conventional conservatism, and its replacement with social conservatism. The market clearly failed blue collar workers in this country—it moved jobs offshore, and to robots, even as America remained a major manufacturing economy and American workers the highest productivity in the world. While blue collar workers were hammered, the college educated remained well off and hedge funds, tech workers, and those with stock market holdings made out very well.

There are two ironies here. First, betting on Trump, a cheater who was scamming the system with the rest of the elite, doesn’t make sense, and is, at best, a bad judgement. Second, Republicans have not proposed or implemented decisions that helped those who missed out. The tax cuts went to those who really didn’t need them, and contributed a massive increase in the national debt, while virtually all of Trump’s job deals fell through. Biden has proposed investments in infrastructure and education that many think will help make the US more competitive. Rather than engage in a healthy debate over which investments would actually generate economic growth and make the US more competitive, the GOP is in lock step on the big lie, and trying to do damage to the economy in order to regain power.

Robber barons.

[swchandler]

I have to agree with much of what you said mac, as it correctly comments on many critical issues that have influenced what has been happening for quite some time now.

Also, I think that boogman aptly touched on the issue of bad reality television. The fact that Donald Trump arrogantly played that game with a flare that probably factored greatly in his popularity with many of his needy fans and supporters. Without a doubt, he's got a personality that captures the attention and minds of a segment of the population. I have to be honest though, I never watched his TV show. Nevertheless, the real Donald Trump is hard to miss over the years. Sadly, I don't think many of supporters really understand Donald Trump and just how unfit he is for a complex and demanding job like the US presidency, or the importance of selecting the best management team and advisors to meet the challenges we face today.

[mac]

Trump ran, poorly, a small family company that consistently cheated and consistently lost money. His larger than life personality created an opportunity for him to market his "name" without doing any real work, thereby saving him from poverty. But there is still a chance that all his cheating will catch up on him and leave him poor.

[wsurfer]

[GURGLETROUSERS]

Yes, but it's what's beneath that thatch that counts. isn't it?

Must admit, I have similar, though have never had any pretence of wanting to dominate life on the planet. (Except mountain biking and windsurfing that is - though I count myself a spectacular failure in that ambition 'trumped' reality!)