BLUE COLLAR BETRAYAL! When Will Trump Voters Realize They've Been Had?

[eniwetok]

Trump was on record that he was FOR free trade but the US wasn't competitive in the global economy because US wages and corporate taxes were too high. This is a typical right wing position. Yet just how can US wages be too high? In terms of share of aggregate national income the US Census reported in 2014 the bottom quintile peaked in 1974 and has decreased 28% by 2014... while the income of the top 5% went up 32% during that same period. This is what we'd expect given the far right's war on labor.

The GOP has long tried to undermine labor laws to shaft US workers and benefit corporations. For example if the 1968 minimum wage were simply adjusted to inflation it would today be $11.05... or $7300 more a year. This affects millions of workers who fall in that $7.25 to $11.05 range. This war on the minimum wage demonstrates typical far right duplicity. They've worked for decades to addict our economy to a depreciating minimum wage then they use that addiction as an excuse to keep the MW down. Then there is the abuse of worker categories to exempt workers from wage and hour laws by dubbing them "supervisors". Obama was finally going to stop some of this abuse... as Carter tried to so... but the GOP has been in a uproar about these changes.

Trump's pick for labor secretary, Andrew Puzder, is proof Trump intends to continue to the rights war on labor... and to use a depreciating US minimum wage and other labor law abuse as backdoor welfare for US corporations. But, it comes as no surprise Trump is more than willing to give uber-rich and himself massive tax breaks.

Trump knows how to play the PR game as he did with Carrier. It's the perfect distraction from his real agenda. While the Blue Collar faith in Herr Trump may be high, their detachment from reality won't forever blind them... and it's only a matter of time before these suckers realize they've been had. Trump's idea for making the US competitive are exactly what we'd expect from a sociopathic billionaire: Trickle Down 3.0. Trump and his billionaire buddies aren't getting enough goodies, and the workers aren't sacrificing enough pay and benefits.

[muntrv]

1. I have a feeling they won't realize they've been had and will blame someone else.

[shenmue]

2. As always

[RKP5637]

5. Exactly! They will then believe the new round of lies, propaganda and distortions, far

too ignorant to peak out of their box of deceptions. And will Turn to Fox News or Alex Jones for the real truth they are so damn lame.

[Fast Walker 52]

3. Trumpism can only be failed, it can never fail.

Really, I think the only political question I have right now is-- is there anything that Trump could do that would make him lose support of the majority of Republicans? I have a whole long list of horrifying things he could easily do, things he's even said he would do, even illegal things, that I don't think would lose him majority Republican support. I honestly can't think of one thing he could do that they wouldn't rationalize as okay because he's their guy. Rounding up Muslims and transgenders and having summary executions in the street? Nah, they'd love that. Dropping a nuke on Hollywood? Somehow, I think his base would love that or could be convinced it was the right thing to do. So like, WTF. This is not going to end well.

[LonePirate]

4. Most of his voters are too stupid to realize that. They will believe everything he says.

[eniwetok]

10. maybe not stupid...

I'm not willing to write off as stupid all those who voted for Trump on economic issues. I think most are pissed off at being betrayed by corporate Dems and GOPers who have entered into these destructive trade deals... and were desperate enough to believe Trump was finally going to stand up for them. Problem is... Trump's idea of helping labor is typical for a billionaire right winger... that people like HIM are what drives an economy and therefore people like him need to be provided more "incentives"... like lower taxes and paying workers less.

[Skittles]

23. if you think Donald Fucking Trump GIVES A DAMN about workers

YOU'RE DUMB AS FUCK

THE MAN STIFFS HIS OWN WORKERS

[enough]

6. Never (nt)

[COLGATE4]

32. Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner! nt

[DetlefK]

7. They know it. They just refuse to believe it.

[hatrack]

8. When THEY get laid off, when THEIR jobs get offshored, when THEY train their replacements . . .

Not before.

[Golden Raisin]

11. And THEIR taxes go up

while the wealthy are given new, legal loopholes and even MORE tax relief and tax breaks.

[moda253]

15. Then they just blame it on having to pay for costly social programs of yester-year

Then they just blame it on having to pay for costly social programs of yester-year.

They will sell them the idea that in order to dig out from under 8 years of Obama there will be hard times. They will claim that to cut out the cancer we need to take some skin.

[Runningdawg]

9. When they

loose their jobs and insurance, turn to the ACA or Medicaid for help and find it's not there.
When they have a lump in their breast, can't afford care, turn to planned parenthood and find it's not there.
When they are unable to work and turn to disability to live and find it's not there.
When they are starving and turn to food stamps and find they are not there.
When they plan to live on SS or retirement and find it not there....
Maybe they will blame Trump, its much more likely they will blame liberals.

[eniwetok]

13. The far right has duplicity down to an art form.

The far right has duplicity down to an art form. The pass irresponsible tax cuts, mainly for the rich, claiming the increased revenue from "growing the pie" will create a revenue boom that will protect safety net programs. When, predictably, there is a revenue shortfall and growing deficits/debt... they use that as a pretense to cut spending on those programs.

Another example... the right's war on labor has led to a depreciating minimum wage... and an economy addicted to it. If the 1968 MW were simply adjusted to inflation today it would be $11.05... $7300 a year. The right then uses any disruptions to the economy a rising MW might have as a pretense NOT to raise the MW.

But there's a bigger problem... the right gets away with this crap BECAUSE THE DEMS DON'T EXPOSE THIS DUPLICITY. In 35 years have the Dems ever run a real presidential campaign on exposing "starve the beast" or explained to the voters that the depreciating MW is backdoor welfare to corporations?

[Coventina]

12. They will still blame the Democrats in general and Obama in particular.

Their brains are not capable of accepting the truth.

[Wounded Bear]

14. Doubtful they ever will...

Remember, they were PROUD of the fact that Trump claimed he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and wouldn't lose any support. They cheered that. That's an armored suit of denial that little truth darts will never penetrate.

[eniwetok]

17. Don't forget... many left the Dem party because of this betrayal...

So I won't write all Trump blue collar voters off as stupid hicks. Many are just desperate for an America that, again, hires its own. Once they realize they've been had... and if the Dem's follow Bernie's advice... there's a good chance many will be fleeing the GOP by the midterms.

[Skittles]

26. oh PLEASE

why would they put their faith in DONALD FUCKING TRUMP, a RICH ASSHOLE WHOSE CLOTHING LINE IS MADE OFFSHORE

[Baitball Blogger]

16. They're still reveling over their triumph over Hillary Clinton.

What a laugh. Right now they are upset over their measly cost of living increases to pay off expensive health insurance, and glad they have their social security checks to help them through the tough times.

Idiots.

[BigDemVoter]

18. I am so angry with them.

It's gotten to the point that I don't give a good goddamn anymore what happens to them. They have put an incompetent, ignorant piece of SHIT in the WH who has VERY dangerous, VERY racist friends. Yeah--like his friend, Carl Paladino, who said Michelle Obama should be "let loose in Zimbabwe." FUCK every single goddamned soul who voted for these people. They are all equally responsible, and there is absolutely NO excuse, whatsoever. I don't buy the shit that they're not racist but concerned about economics. Bullshit. They are fucking racist, anti-semitic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, homophobic. WHY would any sane soul want to make nice with those motherfuckers? Let them get EXACTLY what they deserve.

I am so angry right now after reading about Carl Paladino that I could spit nails.

[eniwetok]

20. please watch your language

"They have put an incompetent, ignorant piece of SHIT in the WH who has VERY dangerous, VERY racist friends."

We have to be careful to never use the meme that Trump "won" the election, or a certain group put him in power. If votes are cumulative how can one single out one group and not all the groups that voted for Trump? But we must remember, the People as a whole ARE BLAMELESS. By nearly 3 million votes, the People in their wisdom REJECTED Trump.

[RainCaster]

28. Bullzhet

"The people as a whole are blameless".
That's a steaming pile and we all know it. 48% of this country voted for this awful man because he said just what they were thinking. Now the KKK has a voice and he's moving in to the White House. The people who voted for the Orange Menace as well as those who did not vote are to blame.

[Takket]

19. never

Reagan and Bush II destroyed their lives to being with, but all they see is Obama and Clinton due to massive brainwashing and fake news.

[KamaAina]

21. Around noon on the twelfth.

Of Never.

[marlakay]

22. No new jobs, wages down taxes up

Healthcare costs go way up...etc

[Rex]

24. They live in the Matrix.

How would they know?

[hfojvt]

25. How are they gonna find that out?

Who is going to tell them?

Trump won't. Fox News won't. Their Republican Congresspeople won't. Rush Limbaugh won't.

So who will?

The left?

Here's what they left is likely to do.

Tell those Trump voters two (or is it 3 things)

1. You are a bunch of racist idiots
2. Trump has betrayed you

I doubt if the message will get through.

Of course, we have precedent too. Most working class people who voted for Obama have not figured out that he betrayed them.

[Initech]

27. Andrew Pudzer is quite possibly the worst pick to be Labor Secretary.

He's a guy who wants workers replaced with machines because they "cost too much". He's a guy who uses beautiful women in his ads because "that's how he feels". He's living, breathing proof that the workers of America have been tricked into voting against their best interests.

[UncleTomsEvilBrother]

29. We hate addressing the problems here

Last edited Mon Dec 26, 2016, 08:46 AM - Edit history (1)

1) DU will never address the fact that "Blue Collar" workers are actually overwhelmingly minority and women and actually did vote for HRC. Just like "Patriots" and "tax paying" citizens, though, DU and the DEMS have allowed republicans to own those labels

2)Minorities and women are STILL waiting to see if the real issues will be discussed as to why that demographic voted against their best interest. Slavery and Jim Crow laws prove to the USA that that demographic can't be "economy shamed" into voting for their interests.

[lunasun]

30. Thank you!

[cwydro]

31. There were wealthy educated people who voted for him too.

In the blue city where my mother lives, I saw many, many Trump signs in yards of multi-million dollar homes.

These are the homes of bankers, lawyers, doctors, various high level sports people.