Trump’s popularity with his base isn’t the result of economic anxiety, as many claimed in 2016. It’s about race and demographics.

To understand the rise of Donald Trump, you don’t need to go to a diner in the Midwest or read “Hillbilly Elegy,” J.D. Vance’s memoir.

You just need to know these basic facts: In 1980, white people accounted for about 80 percent of the U.S. population.In 2024, white people account for about 58 percent of the U.S. population.

Trump appeals to white people gripped by demographic hysteria. Especially older white people who grew up when white people represented a much larger share of the population. They fear becoming a minority. Every component of the Trump-Republican agenda flows from these demographic fears.

The simple truth is that Trump is a racist, and it is his shamelessness about his racism that appeals to white people. He says what they wish they could get away with saying. They forgive his criminal behavior, his lies, his egomaniacal behavior, and his other flaws because of his racism, not in spite of it. They don’t care that his economic policies will benefit billionaires and not them, just so long as he makes sure minorities have it worse than them.

Vance followed up “Hillbilly Elegy,” his supposed paean to the working class, by becoming a puppet of right-wing billionaire Peter Thiel, who bankrolled his Senate campaign in Ohio. Trump no doubt chose Vance to be his running mate at least in part to get more money from billionaires for his campaign.

  • the_post_of_tom_joad [any, any]@hexbear.netEnglish
    91·
    4 months ago

    Isn’t this just a long way to paraphrase Hilary Clinton’s “basket of deplorables”?

    I don’t know… I’m sure racism plays a part but to open with

    You just need to know these basic facts: In 1980, white people accounted for about 80 percent of the U.S. population.In 2024, white people account for about 58 percent of the U.S. population.

    And then bro just follows up this correlation with… with a venting of personal feelings and rampant generalizations.

    Did it become trash when i wasnt looking? Cuz i actually thought the intercept was better than this.

    • Belly_Beanis [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
      2·
      4 months ago

      Dude casually gives Great Replacement as a justification for Trump. JFC Richard Spencer did a helluva job rebranding skin heads by making them change into khakis.