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A good article for understanding what motivates Trumpsters from their point of view
November 16, 2016 at 1:03 pm
(This post was last modified: November 16, 2016 at 1:04 pm by Whateverist.)
Anyone else read the article by Joan C Williams in the Harvard Business Review that came out on November 10th? I just came across it on Facebook where I saw that Robert Reich also had positive things to say about how it analyzes Trumps support among the white working class (WWC). Our liberal elite bias makes it appealing to see Trump's vulgarity as what appealed to these voters but this article, while acknowledging vulgarity is often acceptable among this group prioritizes Trump's emphasis on economics as the deciding factor - even if he is unable to deliver. Hillary, even though she has a policy position on everything including economics didn't emphasize it enough. Everything can't be the most important thing or you really aren't emphasizing anything in particular. Interesting to read that among those with just a high school education who work hard their resentment toward the poor isn't republican manufactured. That party just exploits the resentment that is already there. The WWC don't resent the rich, they want to be them. Who they resent is the professional class, those telling them what to do and managing them .. people like Hillary.
It's a good read but my questions now are how do you use this information to really help these people, not just exploit them like Trump. And, of course, how do you use it to get elected and pursue progressive goals?
https://hbr.org/2016/11/what-so-many-peo...king-class
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RE: A good article for understanding what motivates Trumpsters from their point of view
November 16, 2016 at 1:24 pm
(November 16, 2016 at 1:03 pm)Whateverist Wrote: Anyone else read the article by Joan C Williams in the Harvard Business Review that came out on November 10th? I just came across it on Facebook where I saw that Robert Reich also had positive things to say about how it analyzes Trumps support among the white working class (WWC). Our liberal elite bias makes it appealing to see Trump's vulgarity as what appealed to these voters but this article, while acknowledging vulgarity is often acceptable among this group prioritizes Trump's emphasis on economics as the deciding factor - even if he is unable to deliver. Hillary, even though she has a policy position on everything including economics didn't emphasize it enough. Everything can't be the most important thing or you really aren't emphasizing anything in particular. Interesting to read that among those with just a high school education who work hard their resentment toward the poor isn't republican manufactured. That party just exploits the resentment that is already there. The WWC don't resent the rich, they want to be them. Who they resent is the professional class, those telling them what to do and managing them .. people like Hillary.
It's a good read but my questions now are how do you use this information to really help these people, not just exploit them like Trump. And, of course, how do you use it to get elected and pursue progressive goals?
https://hbr.org/2016/11/what-so-many-peo...king-class
Excellent point about Hillary: "... a policy position on everything..." Which meant that nothing at all stood out. But then again, the debates, where policy positions and plans are laid out in some decent amount of detail, were completely obscured by Trump's willingness to make shit up and be as obnoxious as possible. I didn't make it through the second one and didn't bother to watch the third one.
As far as your question about progressive goals go, energy always comes to mind for me. I imagine a green energy policy implemented on a Manhattan Project scale. Not a program where the federal government doles out money to different companies here and there, but a massive, coherent, united program that would hugely improve the efficiency of green energy and also create new ways of generating it. It wouldn't be a half-assed "Let's give it a shot" king of thing, but a "This is what we fucking do now" program that would make the U.S. the unquestioned leader in green energy production.
As for Trump, he spoke to these disillusioned people. Those with means want tax cuts; those without means hope like hell he can bring manufacturing back to the U.S. Back to the times when "blue collar" wasn't synonymous with "You're Fucked." Back to the days when there were pensions, college wasn't almost a necessity to make a decent living, and when being able to put food on the table from a skilled job was such an important part of one's identity. But they'll find out that almost all of his bullshit was just; illusory promises he shat out of his mouth. Ones that he didn't understand the power of. Or maybe he can. I wouldn't bet a wooden nickel on it though.
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RE: A good article for understanding what motivates Trumpsters from their point of view
November 16, 2016 at 1:46 pm
Horatio Alger Myth, Whatevs, I didn't need an article to tell me that. I have ears to hear, eyes to see. 
@Oppo
We definitely need a unified and explicit program. We did it once, with rural electrification. It';s the same thing all over again with green energy. All the fed doling out funds and breaks has done is to make solar -dirtier- than it was before.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: A good article for understanding what motivates Trumpsters from their point of view
November 16, 2016 at 2:18 pm
Keeping WWC happy is expensive. Small wonder why both the GOP and DNC forgot them until zero hour when an angry demogogue connected with them.
Much like the DNC moving away from the 50 state strategy for outreach, you find that if you optimize for costs and low hanging fruit, you don't get very good returns.
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RE: A good article for understanding what motivates Trumpsters from their point of view
November 16, 2016 at 6:25 pm
I confess not too much interest in the WWC opinion of Trump, FAR more fascinating is how in the blue blazes did Trump get double the support with Black and Latino voters over what Romney got.
If it just boils down to that 'What have you got to lose?' thing, the DNC poohbahs need a response.
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RE: A good article for understanding what motivates Trumpsters from their point of view
November 16, 2016 at 6:37 pm
(This post was last modified: November 16, 2016 at 6:39 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
No it doesn't, lol. The latino bloc is one of the most vociferously racist voting blocs in the US. Black voters...yeah, "fuck the mexicans, we're with you guys". Finally, someone who we hate more than the niggers.
There's no reason to twist ourselves into knots...in order to pretend that this was something other than it was.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: A good article for understanding what motivates Trumpsters from their point of view
November 16, 2016 at 6:42 pm
(November 16, 2016 at 1:03 pm)Whateverist Wrote: Our liberal elite bias makes it appealing to see Trump's vulgarity as what appealed to these voters but this article, while acknowledging vulgarity is often acceptable among this group prioritizes Trump's emphasis on economics as the deciding factor - even if he is unable to deliver.
First, I would ask, what does that say about his supporters? That a guy filing for bankruptcy - I lost count - four or five times, is the one to take a ride with when it's about the economy?
Secondly, the vulgar rhetoric as well as the endorsment by the KKK was there for everyone to take note. What does that say about his supporters?
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RE: A good article for understanding what motivates Trumpsters from their point of view
November 16, 2016 at 7:13 pm
(November 16, 2016 at 6:37 pm)Rhythm Wrote: No it doesn't, lol. The latino bloc is one of the most vociferously racist voting blocs in the US. Black voters...yeah, "fuck the mexicans, we're with you guys". Finally, someone who we hate more than the niggers.
There's no reason to twist ourselves into knots...in order to pretend that this was something other than it was.
I think it imperative to know what it was specifically.
I'd be sure the Trump side is polling, interviewing, consulting goat entrails and reading tea leaves to nail it down in order to refine, distill, polish, append, and gild whatever it was. Doubling the support levels again would be concerning in the extreme, and it might be easy for them to up their game, ESPECIALLY if the DNC remains asleep at the wheel.
This is not paranoia, BTW, they actually are out to win more elections.
Really.
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Cross my heart, they have a taste of victory, it's addictive.
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RE: A good article for understanding what motivates Trumpsters from their point of view
November 16, 2016 at 7:15 pm
Time to show them that the blood in their mouth is poison, amiright>
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: A good article for understanding what motivates Trumpsters from their point of view
November 16, 2016 at 7:23 pm
Trump, well, most of the Trump team, it has been revealed, didn't think they were going to win. Essentially, the whole campaign was a stab in the dark, and bazinga!, they won. Surprise was nearly universal.
Now they review all 16 trouncings of 'pub primary opponents, they'll review what did and didn't work with each age, gender, income demographic, and put together a play book of everything that worked, and how to fine tune it all in the future. And they'll analyze what did and didn't work with Hillary too.
The DNC has to leap frog ahead, it is clear trying to play catch up with this new political reality ain't gonna work.
The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it.
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