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Understanding Trump

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* I don’t usually do this sort of thing, but I read two amazingly insightful stories online this past weekend about the Donald Trump phenomenon. So, I decided to post some excerpts here.

First up, David Frum describes his new piece for The Atlantic as “a synthesis of the conversations I’ve had, and the insights I’ve gleaned, presented in the voice of an imagined Trump supporter.” It’s pretty good…

“You Acela people live in a beautiful country where everything works. You believe in institutions because they work for you. So it bothers you that Donald doesn’t seem to know what the OECD does or who’s in charge of the FDIC. But our people don’t believe in institutions any more. The institutions they do still care about—the military and the cops—you use for props when you need them, and as dumping grounds when you don’t. I noticed that when Tim Kaine took a bow for his son’s military service, he pointed out that he was a Marine—because we all know that what you’ve done to the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Yeah, they’re just as lethal as Obama and Hillary said. When you spend as much as the rest of the planet combined, you can make a lot of things go boom—even if the soldiers can’t do chin ups any more and the sailors get pregnant when they decide their tours of duty have gone on too long. And the cops! One minute you’re calling them murderers, the next you’re slobbering all over them. Our voters are cops. They know who’s on their side. Not you.

“You loved the Democratic convention didn’t you? Soaring rhetoric, we’re all together in just one big beautiful rainbow quilt: illegal aliens and billionaires, all together. And the flags? So many flags. You wave the flag one day every four years, and you think it means you’ve taken America from us. You haven’t, not yet—and that’s another thing our voters will be wanting to say on Election Day. Lots of ideas too: free this, free that, more investment in this, higher taxes on that, and ‘common sense gun laws.’ I bet you don’t own a gun. I bet you’ve never had a DUI either. So it wouldn’t worry you that you could lose the first if you get the second. But it worries our voters. Their lives are kind of messed up. They get into trouble. That’s why they want guns for themselves, and not just for Mayor Bloomberg’s bodyguards.

“Here’s the bottom line. You live in an America that’s still a lot like your parents’ America. It’s mostly white. Nobody’s displacing and replacing you. It’s pretty safe too. You can read about rising crime—you don’t live it. In your America, you worry about how there aren’t enough women making Hollywood films or sitting on corporate boards. In our America, the gender gap closed a long time ago—and then went into reverse. Obama in the Oval Office was humiliating enough. But Hillary will be worse: We’re going to lose any idea at all that leadership is a man’s job. […]

“You tell us we’re a minority now? OK. We’re going to start acting like a minority. We’re going to vote like a bloc, and we’re going to vote for our bloc’s champion. So long as he keeps faith with us against you, we’ll keep faith with him against you. Donald’s a scam artist, you tell me. You’re from The Atlantic? Read that great book by one of your former colleagues, Jack Beatty, about Boston’s Mayor Curley, The Rascal King. Curley was a scam artist. The Boston Irish loved him for it—even when he scammed them, too—because Curley p*ssed off the people the Boston Irish hated and who hated them. (I can still say ‘p*ssed off,’ right?) It’s going to be just that way with Donald. I mean, Mr. Trump. I mean, President Trump.”

* And Nancy Isenberg, the author of White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America, writes about Trump and her favorite topic…

Class confusion is everywhere in the news today. Fox News can’t seem to mention class without jumping immediately to the dire prospect of “class warfare.” Journalists on the poverty beat since the ’60s have tended to equate it with one race only. Yet almost half—42.1 percent, or 19.7 million Americans—of those below the poverty line are white. In the South, more than half of the poor are white. Anxious academics, even when they’re trying to describe class more broadly, are more comfortable highlighting “white privilege” than looking down at the bottom of the ladder to see who’s been left out.

The derisive language of class pervades explanations of the Trump phenomenon. The less circumspect journalists have reduced the Republican frontrunner’s constituency to “white trash” and “trailer trash,” and cast their protests as the “revenge of the lower classes.” Kevin Williamson of the National Review dismissed Trump’s followers as refuse drawn from dying communities; to him they are an inferior breed of American whose discontent resembles, in his words, the “whelping of children with all the respect and wisdom of a stray dog.”

When class is mentioned in stories about the 2016 campaign, Trump’s constituency is the only slice of the population cast in negative terms. For Hillary Clinton, the focus is on “working families.” In going after the Wall Street 1 percent, and announcing a free college tuition plan, Bernie Sanders mostly appealed to the children of the middle- and upper middle-class. In his imprecise pandering, even Ted Cruz bemoaned the demise of the middle class. But as they cling to the mighty balm of the middle class, our politicians ignore the one thing Trump has uniquely capitalized on: an outright celebration of those who don’t fit the ideal of middle-class attainment. […]

Oddly, Bernie Sanders voiced the greatest blindness to class when he said in one debate, “When you’re white, you don’t know what it’s like to be living in the ghetto. You don’t know what it’s like to be poor.” He’s dead wrong, denying the long history of white poverty. Sanders is not the Left’s version of Trump, because Trump’s supporters want class security, not revolution. They want more blue collar male jobs, not equality, not social justice. They want to turn the clock backward in order to regain the male pride that comes being the family breadwinner. Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again,” is a nostalgic appeal to the golden age of the ’50s and ’60s, when America was an industrial power and working-class jobs were plentiful. Until we understand our class system, warts and all, we will be saddled with an anemic democratic system that only makes our class resentments worse.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:09 am

Comments

Continued oversimplification of the matter. And another punishment for being locked in a two-party system. At some point, if the media is so repulsed, it needs to figure out it has a role in giving exposure to alternatives such as Johnson and Stein. This year more than ever as those two combined are pulling 1 in 10 voters with nearly nothing for media exposure.

Comment by Shemp Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:29 am
There is a scary desperation among many Trump supporters, some of whom are Democrats in Rust Belt areas. They’re willing to believe in a candidate who tells them he’ll oppose trade deals but who outsourced clothes and even defended it by saying that Bangladeshis have to work too.

They are also willing to believe that Trump is an outsider, even though Trump is an internationally known person who gave money and support to politicians and I believe had Romney ask him for support in 2012.

There is no question in my mind that Trump can win if turnout is high among white working class voters without college degrees. The problem for Trump is that there are fewer paths to victory, and if Clinton can do well with suburban moderate types, and the Democratic base, it narrows things down for Trump.

Clinton’s jobs plan was analyzed to be much better than Trump’s, which could actually lose millions of jobs. Even still, she has a very tough sell to the voters who Trump is attracting. She should not give up on them, in my opinion.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:31 am
As a White Male, I never knew I had it so bad till Trump ran for President.

Trump is right to the extent that Republicans have sold out their voters. Trump is saying in public what Republicans say in private.

Obama is right, Clinton is well prepared to be President. But she has her issues too. Making an analogy here. But when you come out and meet the Problem head on and apologize…no one talks. Had she done this with the e-mails, no one would be talking about it.

Comment by Doug Simpson Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:42 am
Actually, I think the most telling statement in Frum’s piece was: “Obama in the oval office was humiliating enough.”

Comment by kimocat Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:44 am
These columnists have really tapped into what is being discussed and contemplated in regular everyday American lives and precincts. This is what people are saying. And it is what they’re feeling. Honestly, this isn’t terribly complicated for them. They truly only want what they had already. Only a few years ago. They’re American dream was one of mere comfort, not luxury. They’ve seen their reasonably placed goal posts moved back. They don’t want anyone to suffer at their expense. They just want a reasonable shot at getting through life with a few creature comforts and to otherwise be left alone. They are now worried about things they never dreamed they’d have to worry about. It’s discomforting and they are reacting to it.

It’s not lofty at all. It’s basic.

Comment by A guy Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:44 am
Class has always been a political problem- Jacksonian Democrats vs Whigs. Jefferson’s farmers vs. Hamiltons progressives… Politics is about building alliances and the parties no longer build coalitions.

Comment by Liberty Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:50 am
===Obama in the Oval Office was humiliating enough.===

With apologies to Jeff Foxworthy, but if you thought President Obama’s tenure in the Oval Office was humiliating, you might be a Trump voter.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:50 am
“But Hillary will be worse: We’re going to lose any idea at all that leadership is a man’s job.” Ah, David Frum, you sad person.

the patriarchy is tough to finally overcome. in the north, men of color have been in elected office for 100 years while any woman did not have the right to vote. Obama could do what is unfortunately considered normal, play basketball with the guys.
Hillary has to hear Heilman and Halperin comment that her white suit was like that of Pitbull. um, google Suffragists….

Comment by Amalia Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:59 am
“Clinton’s jobs plan was analyzed to be much better than Trump’s, which could actually lose millions of jobs. Even still, she has a very tough sell to the voters who Trump is attracting. She should not give up on them, in my opinion.”
—————-

I’ve noticed there’s quite a bit of comments along the lines of bemoaning the rise of u8nfounded ‘class warfare’.

Well, looking at the ‘monied class’ (a/k/a/ “The 1%”), when you see something like this happening, it tends to reinforce those class warfare perceptions:

$48,500,000 in campaign contributions from hedge funds/fund operators to $19,000???

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-07-30/hedge-fund-handouts-hillary-clinton-48500000-19000-donald-trump

Of course there’s no quid-pro-quo there….. Right…. /s

“When They Say It’s Not About The Money, It’s ALWAYS About The Money”.

Comment by Anon Downstate Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:06 pm
Politico had a great article last week that summed up Trump to a T.

He is a petty demagogue. Challenge his self image and he will lash out at you. So thin skinned, a water fountain could draw blood.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:13 pm
This characterization of Trump supporters is always so bizarre to me. From what I’ve seen, more than a few Trump supporters are solidly middle to upper middle class. It’s not to say that he doesn’t have a certain draw amongst low income whites, but his appeal goes far beyond that demographic. All the Trump supporters on my facebook feed are solidly middle to upper middle class. Rural, urban, doesn’t matter. There are unifying features, which I won’t get into, but they cross class boundaries.

Comment by jerry 101 Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:21 pm
As far as I am concerned the nation has two very reprehensible candidates each with a different set of liabilities.

The above two pieces certainly are reflective of why Trump has gotten as far as he has. And I share many of the attitudes and sympathies of these pieces. I just don’t like Trump- thin skinned, arrogant, bombastic, and never seems to have a truly coherent thought.

But Clinton is opportunistic, devious and a panderer to every special interest group (except Whites and White Males who are not a part of the elite) And quite honestly her ‘knowledge’ is very limited to a sound bite and something that comes from the Huffington Post.

I firmly believe that no matter who is elected the nation will be the big time loser. And I will be surprised if the ‘winner’ is re-elected.

Comment by Federalist Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:22 pm
I have a US history school book from 1872 that does as good a job describing American Indigenous Tribes as these two do describing Trump supporters.

Trump supporters have been speaking for themselves for over a year. Try listening to them without thinking you need a translator.

We got about 100 days to go. If Clinton wants to win then she needs to do what she has so far, repeatedly failed to do - be honest. I don’t know if she could do it after her bull-headed refusal to even acknowledge what the FBI report clearly stated. She’s coming up with four Pinocchios in the Washington Post after her lies over the weekend.

Pundits have been wrong about the Trump candidacy more than they have been right. So believe these people if you wish but I really don’t believe they have a clue.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:24 pm
I get how Trump supporters want their blue collar jobs back.

Many of those jobs are gone forever, lost to automation.

If trade barriers are erected, the cost of imports will increase. Higher wages could be neutralized by higher prices.

I think Trump is pandering to this group and has no real plans to create jobs. How many times has he said he’s a winner, it’s about winning and so on?

Here in Illinois we’ve seen what happens when a rich man who’s seen success in business thinks he can be a political leader.

Successfully pulling off a real estate development project is child’s play compared to improving the United States economy or fighting ISIS.

Comment by Sir Reel Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:24 pm
A little sophisticated and nuanced for my taste.

“I’m going to shake it all up” suffices for Trump’s overall appeal.

Comment by walker Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:44 pm
The Isenberg article is similar to what Charles Murray wrote about in his book “Coming Apart”, concerning the economic and moral decline of blue collar white Americans the past 50 years.

Comment by Wensicia Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:13 pm
@ Sir Reel

=Successfully pulling off a real estate development project is child’s play compared to improving the United States economy or fighting ISIS.=

You’ve obviously never tried to get a major project done in New York City, especially Manhattan.

Comment by Illinois bob Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:14 pm
Instead of playing the “yeah but” card Bob perhaps you could comment on whether you believe Trump’s comments were despicable or not?

Comment by Demoralized Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:28 pm
In 1967, when I was in grade school, our family moved from the East to a small town north of Peoria. This town was undergoing a transition then from a farming town to a bed room community supporting industry. On the outskirts of town were a PVC plant and a fertilizer plant. Many commute a half an hour or so to the south to work at Caterpillar. Others, like my Dad, commuted about 20 minutes north to a new steel mill that had been built in a corn field. These were all good paying jobs with security. My town could have been a model of the American Dream. This is not to say we were perfect, no place ever is.

Eventually, I graduated from the local high school and left the area to attend college and then grad school. Ironically, to me at least, I eventually ended up living once again in my home town once I got a position at a nearby community college. My wife and I live on Main Street and help take care of my 88 year old Dad. We, at least, are still able to “live the dream.” We are increasing in the minority.

You see, my town has changed. Both the good paying jobs and their security are rapidly disappearing. The current owners of the PVC plant locked out their workers a couple years ago, broke the union, and greatly reduced wages. The fertilizer plant is now owned by the Koch Brothers. Caterpillar now have a two-tiered wage plan and also laid off thousands of middle management. The steel mill, one of the most modern in the country, was bought by a global conglomerate based in India, which to get around US export rules, stripped the plant of all its equipment and shipped it to India! The downtown has more boarded up shops than shops that are open. Increasingly, houses are falling into disrepair—something that really did not happen in my youth. Crime has gone up—just today someone robbed our neighbor in broad daylight!

And our town overwhelming supported Trump in the primary.

Comment by G'Kar Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:30 pm
@ anon downstate

=“When They Say It’s Not About The Money, It’s ALWAYS About The Money”.=

Bingo! When Wall street and the billionaires get behind a candidate, it’s typically because of one of two reasons; the candidate will work to give them a competitive advantage over the other poor schmucks who don’t have access and preference and those who have all the money they need, but want more power over the trillions spent by the government than the billons they spend personally.

Wall Street and billionaires came in BIG TIME for Obama and Hillary (Cuban is latest looking for access and privilege). Figure it out. Trump isn’t for sale, that means that they can’t control him. For a few hundred million in “understandings” for speaking fees and multi-million dollar pay for no-work jobs, they’re cheaply bought.

Case in point, the XL pipeline being stopped by Obama on behalf of Warren Buffett who has a MASSIVE stake in rail transport of crude oil. He loses a lot if XL is ever built.

Anyone care to bet that either Barack or Michele get multi million dollar board of director and speaking fees shortly after leaving office? They’re worth about $7 million now. I’ll bet they’ll be worth over $100 million after two years. Political influence pays! Just ask Jim Edgar….

Comment by illinois bob Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:36 pm
IB @1:23

Before I feed you, please tell me you have more than “what difference does it make!”

Comment by Jocko Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:38 pm
@G’Kar

American government, and the money that runs it, made a decision to “de-industrialize” America in the 1970s. Wall Street wanted to take advantage of cheap overseas labor, and the unions cut off their noses to spite their faces by strikes and greed. No good guys there. Then the EPA and Feds set environmental standards impossibly high, while commerce allowed for “free trade” while letting Indian and Chinese steel pollute like the US in the 1940s.

I’ve got friends who do audits of Indian and Chinese. The saw workers beaten for mistakes and walking barefoot on factory floors with steel shavings and hot shards all around.

Sorry, but good trade policy shouldn’t allow those treating workers that way and abusing the environment expert to the US without HEAVY tariffs. In that I agree with Trump. FAIR trade, not free trade, is the answer to bringing back American manufacturing.

Comment by Illinois bob Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:45 pm
Trump has tapped into anger and has stoked that anger to get where he is. When things are going bad for people they need someone to blame. Trump has been an expert this election cycle at telling everyone who is to blame for their lot in life and that he is going to wave a magic wand and fix it all. We’ll build a wall. We’ll stop those bad Muslims from coming into the country. We’ll tell the world what to go do with themselves if they don’t pay up. The list goes on. Not once does anyone who listens to this stuff and supports him stop to think rationally about what he has said. Why? Because they are angry and they believe he understand their anger. That’s enough for them.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:49 pm
MrJM — I think Bob is just making it up as he goes along.

Comment by kimocat Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:53 pm
G’KAR- That’s a great commentary. I think that’s happening all over the country. So many aren’t seeing it though!

Comment by Slippin' Jimmy Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:13 pm
If Bill Clinton felt your pain. Donald Trump feels your anger.

Trump is making an emotional sale to people who believe all the logical arguments are based on lies. (Durkin believes in term limits? Right!)

I cannot stand Trump. But I can feel the power of his appeal.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:22 pm
Trump’s primary voters had an average household income of $72,000. Clinton and Sanders voters both had median incomes of $61,000.

So I don’t buy the “poor white” argument. There’s some, to be sure, but Trump hasn’t captured that demographic anymore than Sanders or Clinton did. And frankly, the undecideds right now are Sanders supporters that don’t like Clinton too much. So that’ll be what decides the election.

Comment by chi Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:32 pm
===So I don’t buy the “poor white” argument===

In six polls conducted this month, Mr. Trump leads among white registered voters without a degree by a margin of 58 percent to 30 percent. This has been true, to varying degrees, for the entire year. It’s a significant improvement over Mr. Romney in 2012, who led in pre-election polls by a 55-to-37 margin among this group.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/26/upshot/the-one-demographic-that-is-hurting-hillary-clinton.html

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:37 pm
Demographically speaking this might be the last gasp of the white “voting block”. Definitely decreasing in coming years.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:42 pm
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2016/jul/18/checking-patricia-smiths-claims-about-clinton-and-/

Comment by Amalia Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:47 pm
Bob:

Either you think Trump’s statement was despicable or you don’t. It’s not a hard question. You’re playing too cute by half.

But, if you must play this little game I’ll give you the quote:

“If you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say. She probably, maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say. You tell me.”

He insinuated she wasn’t allowed to speak. So, either you support his ridiculous comment or you don’t. It’s not a difficult question.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:52 pm
Yes, “Trump leads among white registered voters without a degree.”

But that is not necessarily “poor whites”, though there’s obviously a correlation. That represents “old white men” more than it does “poor white people”, I’d bet.

Comment by chi Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 2:59 pm
Yes Trump’s folks want jobs, but they want good paying jobs, and Trump is anti-union. Do Trump’s folks not know Trump’s factories are all overseas?

Comment by Mama Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 3:00 pm
There are a lot of folks around the country who’ve been left behind as the U.S. economy has been globalized. It’s scary too, especially if you are unprepared for the new economy and many are.

There are a lot of folks around the world who feel threatened by modernity, which brings access to new ways of thinking that can be scary for those unprepared for it, and many are.

The parallels are real, and in the latter, the rise of radical Islam is one response to modernity. These people actually think they can turn back the clock to the year 1200. It ain’t going to happen.

In the former, Trump and others are promising to make America Great Again think they can roll back the trade deals or negotiate new deals and, all of a sudden, good-paying manufacturing jobs will magically reappear and Richie, Potsie and Ralph will hang out again at Arnolds. It ain’t going to happen.

Trump is exploiting the fears of Americans and has offered no solutions. He is using these lies and this deceit as a marketing plan, not unlike luring the gullible into Trump casinos or Trump University.

The fears are real though, and Trump is counting on fear to be stronger this election.

The funny thing is, so are the people behind ISIS, who are stoking the same fear for the same end.

But what do I know, I’m just an elitist.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 3:12 pm
- Demoralized - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:49 pm: -Not once does anyone who listens to this stuff and supports him stop to think rationally about what he has said. Why? Because they are angry and they believe he understand their anger. That’s enough for them.”

Demoralized you hit the nail on the head!

Comment by Mama Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 3:24 pm
Trump has been able to gain ground by appealing to the voters who think the government’s policies through bad trade and tax policy is causing companies and jobs to leave the US.

Hard to argue that having the highest corporate tax rate in the world at a combined federal and state rate of over 39 percent has not contributed to a loss of tax revenue and investment in America

The average corporate tax rate in other countries is 24 percent. Companies are not bringing their foreign profits back into the US to invest in Amercian jobs. Apple borrows the money to pay I the dividend for its shareholders rather than pay these taxes.

The failure of a major tax reform that would eliminate deductions and lower the tax rate is huge failure for our Politicians in Washington.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 4:02 pm
47th. You are an elitist and we are dying in this country. The White Male has a target on his back.

Comment by Biography Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 4:04 pm
===The White Male has a target on his back.===

Not sure if that’s snark or not, but fwiw, in the history of human civilization, no one has had it better than white men born in the latter half of the 20th century. Economically, materially, health, wealth, comfort, peace, you name it, by any measure, relative to other people born in other eras, White Men have never had it so good.

But if you were trying to snarky, then “lol.”

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 4:28 pm
@LastBullMoose - thank you for your sons service and sacrifice. Touching comment and difficult, I am certain, for you to talk about yet today. Peace.

Comment by illini Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 4:39 pm
This post has gotten way out of hand. Get back to the topic, please.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 5:42 pm
Explanation for Trump is actually much simpler. “Reality TV”

Comment by Longsummer Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 5:44 pm
===White Men have never had it so good===

The point of this whole thread was that lots of them don’t agree. And lots of them are justified. 47th, head to Watseka or another small downstate city and ask around. They are seething with anger and it isn’t all about Obama’s race or Hillary’s gender.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 5:49 pm
Trump has tapped into justifiable anger on several areas. Children are dying from drug overdoses, but no dealers die.Homes were lost to foreclosures tied to fraud, nobody went to jail. Millions of immigrants are here illegally, and there appears to be little effort to enforce the laws. Playing by the rules doesn’t work. The game feels rigged.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 6:52 pm
Ok. Am going to try and stay in line with this post. I am an old white guy. Used to be that in order to be competetive in the widget selling business we would have work harder,smarter, beat up our suppliers, buy in greater quantity, make technology improvements,and be willing to command less profits. Just plain simple business 101 stuff. Now I need a lobbyist, connections to an economic development agency, work comp lawyer and a CPA firm to help reduce my taxes. On other days I need to try and get into a TIF district or go to a seminar on the newest enviromental or OSHA regulations. Hey, I know, quit whining old Blue. But at the end of the day, after we do all those things, the great Peoples Republic decides that they have too many widgets piled up on their docks and they decide to have a fire sale.

I can handle the bad business decisions I make.I can realize when I haven’t worked hard enough. But what I can’t take any more, is when my elected officials don’t stand up for American workers. White, black,yellow, brown. Who cares. Gimme a politician who at least recognizes a problem.

Comment by blue dog dem Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 7:45 pm
…..and let’s not forget they took away my Oreos.

Comment by blue dog dem Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 8:04 pm
Rich @ 5:49 I’ll give you “it isn’t all about. . .” But a lot of it is, and it’s misdirected anger. It’s hard to face the fact you have voted against your best interests for years because someone used the term “family farm” in a campaign ad.

Comment by Way Way Down Here Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 8:13 pm