Hillbilly Elegy

[Silver]

I read a piece on the Independent about rural support for Trump.  This is a highly generalized conclusion, granted, but I suspect it offers some valid insights.  People of Appalachia would likely be included in this assessment.  The conclusion of the author was that support for Trump stemmed largely from the lack of job growth and development in rural areas as compared to metropolitan areas, creating the need to blame others for their lack of prosperity.  Americans (actually, all humans) are quick to blame others for their circumstances.  Trump and many others, mostly Republican, have spent years offering up evil villains to fill this role; Mexicans, Muslims, gays, blacks...anyone but white rural inhabitants.  And when Obama was elected, that was just the final straw; now no one in government was on their side.  Given the extreme pressure to conform in small communities, this creates people who become solidified in support for politicians that don't actually offer them policies that they actually need.  They just get firebrand rhetoric that casts blame on others.  In some twisted way, rural people see Trump as one of them.  I have no idea is this is something Vance was attempting to convey in his book but if he was, then I don't understand the controversy because it appears to be demonstrably true.

Here's a link to the article: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/tru...14131.html

Jobs die, unfortunately, especially when a certain areas are expecting to continue to work when they aren't progressing any other part of their towns.

If anything, conservative ideology has it in their minds that Republicans are looking out for them. Except that when one looks at conservative policies, the only people being taken care of are the rich one percent.

And these conservative minded individuals who profess such undying loyalty to the Republican party are taking advantage of the programs in place instituted by the Democrats who actually care about the people.

The disconnect is baffling.