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In reply to the discussion: I keep trying to grapple with Trump's appeal and I just don't get it. Now with mini rant. [View all]nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)It was the same appeal for the Ron Paul fans as well. When you actually talk to these folks, or rather listen (need a shower after that), you do learn that was animates them is truly rank fear. He is activating that fear in spades. Ron Paul did not go over 10 percent at any one moment, this is now reaching 30 percent (round numbers) among the Republican base which is also older and tends to be whiter.
It is a fear of losing their place in the world, for many it is a fear of the end of white supremacy. So there is a sense of the volk and yes some purity of the race in there. The fear that their kids will not do better, the fear that they will not be middle class, that they will starve in their own old age.
Oh and "keep the government's hand out of my medicare... " That is also part of it. I got mine, FU... kind of a mentality, and not understanding that this medicare is part of the government they hate. And quite frankly they also feel betrayed. Republicans have yet to truly deliver on any of the red meat they have been promising for the last 30 years. (There is some of that on the other side, but not even close to that acute... let's just say the Rs the fear and anger of the government is to the neck, base democrats are just getting into the water, as in it is up to their toes best case.)
It is an ugly dynamic.