Some of you “corrected” me for what I said in last Sunday’s post (Education Matters). It wasn’t for my praise of education. It was for my implication that a shortage of “educated people” doomed Kamala Harris’s bid for the presidency, as if that were a primary reason.
It wasn’t.
As it turns out, many educated people weighed policy differences, considered the likely fate of the United States under each candidate, and voted for Donald Trump. And it wasn’t just educated people who weighed the differences. A large swath of working-class people did too.
I’ve read the autopsies. The Democratic Party abandoned the workers. That can’t be right! I’ve reviewed the economic statistics. They’re solid.
So I called a friend who is a blue collar Democrat.
Hey, man, what’s up with you working-class people voting for Trump? Biden looked after you guys. He brought back manufacturing, repaired infrastructure, juiced the economy, lowered unemployment, and stood with the unions. You don’t think the Democratic Party abandoned you, do you?
Actually “abandoned” is too mild a word, he replied. The Democratic Party abused us. Last minute gestures weren’t enough. It was too little, too late.
Oh, give me a break. How was it too late?
Well, it’s like a husband trying to win back a wife he’s badly abused for years. So he buys her a necklace to fix things.
Oh, come on. How were you abused?
You really don’t know?
Clinton enacted NAFTA. My father and many of his friends lost their jobs. They were angry. A sea of resentment formed. Obama bailed out Wall Street and left us underwater. More anger. The sea rose. Biden kept the schools shut too long during the pandemic. Our kids are a mess. And then on top of all that, the price of food, gas, and services soared.
Oh yeah? Well, what’s the price of bread compared with freedom and democracy?
Are you serious?
Look, there was a roiling sea of resentment in this country, and it crashed over the sea wall. That’s all. You see Trump as a vile PERSON. And he is. But we see him as a useful THING. He makes the elite angry. Payback, baby. And that makes us happy.
I get it. But, still, it makes me sad. Anger blinded you, my friend. You’re going to regret your choice.
Perhaps. But for now I feel great.
FINIS
(I’m done with this subject.)
* * *
JOIN ME FOR A BOOK SIGNING.
Sunday, December 1 at 2:00 p.m. Featuring music by Jade, Eldred & Ed. The Train Station, 100 Audrey Egle Dr., Shepherdstown, WV.
Friday, December 13, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Four Seasons Books, 114 W. German St., Shepherdstown, WV.
Copies available now ($19.95) at Four Seasons Books. 304-876-3489 or fourseasonsbooks.com
WARNING: Do not purchase Kindle ebook version. Text is defective. Will let you know when that issue is resolved.
Bush bailed out Wall Street with the TARP program at the end of his presidency. Then Obama came along and bailed out the auto industry which is arguably a blue collar thing to do. The he backed the $800 billion stimulus package which ultimately helped workers… I don’t know, your friend is leaving out a lot of information
The rolling sea of resentment was saved for migrants, non-hetero people and the press. We’ll see how pro worker people think republicans are when they start deporting the backbone of the US economy and businesses start to fail. And then tack on a bunch of tariffs…sounds like a recipe for blue collar disaster to me.
I am sorry but I don’t buy it. The argument leaves out racism, misogyny, and Christian Nationalism. It is like the person who finds out they have lung cancer and decides to smoke an extra pack a day. Oh, and i left out the alluring message of silver tongued grifters and oligarchic greed. Why did they not come out for Bernie or Elizabeth when they had the chance. Revenge may be sweet but they just purchased a contract on downward mobility for the many and untold wealth for the lucky few, if there is a planet left to abuse. Why does :Trump want to deport so many? Simple, he wants to fill all the low paying, tough , hard jobs, typically filled by new immigrants with all those native minorities who have slowly been achieving a modicum of upward mobility. :There, i have said my peace.
100% agree
My reply to you ended up at the bottom of the thread. Appreciate your thoughts.
Nelson Mandela said, “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” Anger and resentment may “feel great for now.” But it is a temporary feeling, not a long-term solution. Resentment, after all, is even more than a feeling; it is a choice. Failure to see “the big picture” is tragic and may have dire consequences for the future of this country and planet. Ancient wisdom tells us that “without a vision, the people perish.” The warnings have been there for a long time. Difficult though it may be, may we be awake, courageous, resilient and resist the temptation to give in or give up. Harper Lee put it this way: “Real courage is knowing you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.”
It’s interesting that your “blue collar Democratic friend” did not mention that Republican Presidents have consistently raised their taxes, not been the administrations to provide higher wages to hourly employees, provide affordable health care, provide and fund programs to educate and feed children, protect women’s health by keeping state and federal governments’ hands off, and… need we go on? Does your friend recognize that Covid under Trump’s mismanagement created the supply chain foul-up that created inflation, and that Presidents do not themselves have control over inflation? The anger that so apparently wonderfully motivated his vote for Trump is a toxic motivator. Why would anyone want a “thing” to be at the helm while the world is navigating such wild seas? If all your friend wanted was to feel “great,” I’d have gladly treated him to a Nutter’s ice cream cone–a large! I don’t feel great about this 2025 Presidency, but I feel great that I didn’t vote for it.
I believe that Trump just tapped into the big undercurrent
of wishful white supremacy and fear of new American
residents diluting the majority. And those voters were
willing to enable the MAGA people to really screw
up the government for their own pleasure and profit
yes – fear of change
I think your observation is spot on. In fact, I think white supremacy and fear of “others” are the unresolved issues since protestants of meager means and wealthy cavaliers loyal to a king disembarked on lands belonging to folks who lived closely with the Earth. Many white folks must be weary from the burden they continue to bear to make sure they come up on top. They continue to sing a song of a “lost cause.” Sung a bit off key these days since their piano is a bit out of tune.
Randy, I think your above (skillfully edited) conversation nailed it as an explanation of how enough working class voters voted Trump to elect him. Yes, Trump tapped into the sentiment of those who want to keep minorities and women in their place, and who fear immigrants, but that’s been part of the Republican brand since Nixon. I could repeat the valid arguments of other commenters here about why your friend’s logic was incomplete or in error, but it does not matter. Most people have no understanding of TARP, the Federal Reserve, tax policy, etc., but they know when the price of eggs goes up. They also know that housing is out of reach for a lot of people. Who to blame? The party of the President. 45% of eligible voters will vote Dem and 45% will vote Repub whatever happens, if they are motivated enough to vote; and most of the rest lean one way or the other. My side just couldn’t motivate enough solid Dems, and with that little slice of real swing voters, Cheeto Benito earned another shot at making America safe for straight white males and the world the exclusive hunting preserve for autocrats.
Civics needs to be taught in the schools. Your earlier post about education was correct as well; Trump actually told us in 2016 “I love the poorly educated.” But a combination of bad luck (Covid-caused inflation), poor messaging, and failures of governance (FAFSA was inexplicably screwed up, for instance, and what was Biden thinking on Israel?) left voters with what they considered was plenty of reason to consider voting for the worst person ever to run for President, the poor loser who incited a mob to attack Congress and his own VP, the reality TV clown who cheated on all three wives, the “businessman” who declared bankruptcy multiple times, the simp who kissed the ass of Putin and Kim, and so much more. That’s on the Dems too.
Really good post again.
Misinformation is dangerous. Acting in anger based on misinformation is dangerous and ignorant. Ben and Michael pointed out just how that happened.
Every one of us views life, others, our environment & our choices (political or otherwise) thru a prism. The light comes in, & what we see, think & feel is bent & shaped by how the lite bends… then we each interpret what it “means” – to us personally, professionally, collectively. I see a pendulum swinging back & forth. The good of the few – the greater good. Prosperity – Scarcity. Kindness – Cruelty… and on & on. In the larger view – why are we here? What is our purpose? Who or what do we serve? What makes us happy? How do we grow? I am in the question…
Resentment serves no purpose, except to reinjure ourselves or others by experiencing the hurts, & the blames over & over & over & over again… where does that ever get anyone?
it’s a new moment ( again & again…) and what we do with it matters to us, & ripples out to everyone & everything else. “Peace is a verb!”
I’ve been repeating myself over and over again. (Nothing new about that.) But here I go one more time. “American voters who support Trump and MAGA aren’t going to like what they’re going to get. Who are they going to turn to then?”
Of course, that’s presuming the U.S. still have free and fair elections in 2026 and 2028 that will enable many voters, who crossed over and supported the GOP this time around, to redress their government with grievances. This time recasting their lot with Democrats as they did in 2020.
We’ve heard all the excuses: “Things can’t be dismantled that fast.” “The system will hold again.” Well, let’s hope so. But we, as a nation, haven’t found ourselves, staring down the barrel of American kleptocracy and authoritarian rule before either. (Okay. There was the election of 1860. Then states started breaking away to do things their own way. We already know about all that.) But now, in 2024, all has to unfold on a case by case basis. We presently are on unstable ground. Keep your head down! I’m not sure about the powder. But ready or not. Here it comes. There’s nowhere to run to this time.
There are several forks in our historic road. We reflected on one this past Friday. I remember more the subsequent black and white grainy funeral march, the caisson, and the riderless horse. Likely, in any month or year, we can reflect on what might have been if we had different leaders and different election outcomes. If only we had nurtured the best in ourselves and others in our communities and across the globe.
For now, as Thanksgiving draws nigh, I share this notion from John Prine: “The white meat is on the run. And the dark meat is far too done. And the milkman left me a note yesterday. Get out of this town by noon. You’re coming on way too soon. And besides that, we never liked you any way.
Sweet Revenge
Michael:
Well stated.
America’s socio-political Rubicon was adding “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. The original pledge of October 1892, marking Columbus getting to the Americas, was used to support the “Americanization” of immigrants.
It was formalized at the outbreak of WWII with the U.S. Flag Code. In 1954, it was amended to draw a distinction between America and the “godless” communists.
Christian Nationalists got a foot in the door back then, kept it ajar with church-based racism, and are prepared to deliver on a messianic vision or affordable eggs.