Curious which specific Trump policy is causing American citizens of any color or gender to suffer? If African Americans are feeling marginalized why is support for Trump by African Americans at the highest level for a Republican in more than 50 years. Hispanic approval is close to reaching the same level and likely will in 2020. Even support among the gay community is rising for Trump. Offsetting that is a loss of support from white suburban women (not exactly a “minority group”), so let’s be honest and not shout the same garbage being repeated by those that don’t read the polls. So unless “white suburban women” is the group you feel are being marginalized… you really don’t make a bunch of presumptions which don’t seem correct.
Trump’s base does include many ex-blue collar Democrats, who for years were promised by Democrats that they would take care of them only to see their jobs taken away and outsourced to other countries (they misunderstood “taken care of” to mean the Dems would try to protect their jobs.
Other Trump supporters are evangelicals who saw Obama repeatedly attack their religious liberties in violation of the law which requires accommodation of one’s religious beliefs if at all possible. Trump has re-established the protection of religious liberties including in hospitals where nurses who oppose abortion cannot be required to attend one unless no one else is available that does not oppose abortion.
Second amendment supporters support Trump because he promised to protect their rights to own guns. Trump has considered greater gun controls, but only if they don’t interfere with the 2nd Amendment.
Like Democrats whose most rabid support come from those who feel strongly about an issue, Trump has assembled a coalition of interest groups that feel strongly about issues. A recent historian did a brilliant analysis of this increasingly powerful trend in America and identified the 2014 campaign as not its genesis, but where it took over American politics.
Obama more than any President in history was the master at attracting large numbers of voters who identified with a single issue more than with a specific policy. Welding them together, he created a formidable political base. Far more radical in their willingness to do whatever it takes to get their policies through Congress and made into law. While Obama was on careful examination not nearly as far left as today’s crop of progressive liberals, it was under him that this group began to gain power hitting the national stage when Bernie Sanders garnered so much support in 2016.
But every action triggers a reaction… and Trump is that reaction. His extreme support comes from the groups that feel threatened by the groups comprising the radical side of the Democratic party… they are a reflection of their Democratic brethren… more and more of them are single issue voters that oppose Democratic progressive liberal policies on the same issue.
For the majority of America, who actually decide elections at the national level, Trump’s policies made more sense than Hillary’s policies that were largely a warmed over version of Obama’s. That these policies were not being well received in America overall (even if they were well received on the coasts) was evidenced by the fact that Republicans controlled the House, Senate, the majority of governorships, and the majority of state legislatures. Hillary was tone deaf and so she lost.
Since coming to office Trump has done an amazing job at expanding his support to include many “never Trumpers” through his policies of lower taxes and regulations (very popular among liberterians) and pro business conservatives. He has risked his strong support in the farm belt as he tries to negotiate tougher trade deals to help other American workers, trusting his farm subsidies from tariffs to mitigate the damage this trade war has had on the farm belt. More and more agriculture is becoming one of the largest US exports and so farmers know they need fair trade treaties long term.
Trump’s failure lie largely in the area of immigration reform, health care reform and infrastructure spending. All of these areas will require bipartisan support and while he has made some pretty dramatic proposals, neither party seems prepared to give. Trump’s other largest failure (though not something he seems to really care about) is the budget deficit. Both parties have concluded austerity of any form is not something that enough Americans are willing to support and so our national debt continues to rise.
As for Trump the man, most of his voters don’t condone his womanizing, support his tweeting, his hyperbole, bragging, etc. But where Democrats are foolish is to think they would trade that for electing an idiot that seems like a nice person. They support Trump because “he gets it”… he understands what it takes to make the country better for everyone… especially minorities who have advanced more economically under Trump than any President this century.
Time for Democrats to examine their soul. Do they want to represent the country or the progressive wing of their party. Every Democratic President since JFK has come from the South and Midwest. So here is a clue for Democrats, what has the South and Midwest got in common? They are where the heart and soul of the moderate Democrats live. Lose them and you are responsible for electing Trump… stop blaming others…
