Ann Coulter Reminds the WLB That His Racist Fans Don't Care About Tax Cuts

[Kosh]

They get their power through the three G's

1) god
2) guns
3) gyn-- as in gynecological--- as in women's reproductive organs (just making sure we are on the same page for some of our readers)

and for half a point of extra credit.. gay rights

That's a big part of their "appeal". No doubt about it.

But not every working-class Republican is a gun-toting culture warrior for Jesus. Those are traditionally just the most vocal ones.

I maintain that a substantial number of working-class Republicans really had swallowed the Reagonomics Kool-Aid. Of course it's an open question whether that alone motivated them to go to the polls in such numbers.

Not that any of this matters much now. What Trump revealed is that Reagan's free trade views are anathema to his base and that (surprise!) the Jesus freaks are shameless hypocrites. Abortion wasn't a factor. No one believed Trump when he tried to pass himself off as Christian, and it didn't make a difference to his supporters. There was the usual talk about guns, but that was just Trump pandering to the already-converted. Gay rights seemed to lurk in the background as part of the "We're losing our country to others" narrative, but that was just a part of the ugly, overarching theme of his campaign. It was all about tribalism with not a principle -- admirable or otherwise -- in sight.

This is why Trump gives the party's establishment figures such fits: he has smashed their message and brought into the party a lot of people to whom they can't appeal without becoming as vile as Trump is.

I'll be shocked if he doesn't face a challenge from within his party in '20, if he makes it that far. The GOP knows they made a deal with the devil, and now the future of the party hangs in the balance.

You'll have to excuse me.  I live in a fairly rural area in the Midwest.  I'm exposed to a lot of people running around with the "fish" and NRA bumper stickers on the back of pretty modest to shoddy vehicles in these parts.  I do know of the people you speak though.  They might not be as extreme on the guns, but they still vote republican because of abortion (god & gyn). I know the people you speak of.