Victor Davis Hanson // National Review
His voters knew what they were getting, and most support him still.
Why exactly did nearly half the country vote for Donald Trump?
Why also did the arguments of Never Trump Republicans and conservatives have marginal effect on voters? Despite vehement denunciations of the Trump candidacy from many pundits on the right and in the media, Trump nonetheless got about the same percentage of Republican voters (88–90 percent) as did McCain in 2008 and Romney in 2012, who both were handily defeated in the Electoral College.
Here are some of reasons voters knew what they were getting with Trump and yet nevertheless assumed he was preferable to a Clinton presidency.
Discussion (5)
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Thank you, once again, for your brilliant recap of the current political realities concerning President Trump and why we voted for him. I only add the chant, "LOCK HER UP."
Your descriptions of this political situation are right on the mark. As a former registered republican, I found they reflected my views less and less. I am a senior citizen, conservative regarding money, but supportive of the environment as well as gay rights and family planning. I also support a livable minimum wage for low wages are a form of slavery which requires the offset of costly social policies such as food stamps, etc. Steadily, I began to rely on my computer to view multiple news sources for during the last election I was astounded at the shameless media bias. I believe it actually helped Trump for I know I stopped even listening to NPR. Formerly, they had science as well as culture and art stories. All of that was scrapped with every story either attacking Trump or reporting on racist and bigoted Americans. Recently, I read a statement by Bill Maher regarding the royal wedding and he called her "a B actress marrying an unimportant royal in a washed up country." (not his exact words) If Trump had made that statement, it would have been the lead story on all the networks. I saw no criticism nor even a comment on Mr. Maher's statement. I too see Trump's flaws, but he is consistent and he was willing to tackle important issues such as the negative aspects of globalization and Illegal immigration. We have had to allocate more and more money to help swelling numbers of the newly arrived disadvantaged. This is unsustainable. And the soaring number of immigrant families was displacing native workers for the former accept conditions and wages that are unfair as they have little choice. Statistics regarding population growth in California seldom point out that growth only will come from immigration for the low birth rate and those leaving for lower taxes and affordable housing elsewhere create a decline. Citizens are not moving here from other states while the continual swell of immigrants increases competition for housing as well as jobs. Immigrants do make important contributions, but their number cannot exceed the ability of assimilation or destabilization occurs.And that is what happened in California. Cities such as LA and SF saw a breakdown of law as well as a breakdown of societal cohesion; discrimination took a new for., It became affluence vs. the poor. Affluent foreigners displaced native low income folks. When a few California legislators managed to pass SB54 that was a major turning point. Someone described the situation as "the anchor babies taking control". Infrastructure issues, were replaced with bills to protect illegal immigrants. There is only one topic now; and most important, there is only one view. That is more than unfortunate, for it is a manifestation of a very serious societal decline. Can California withstand these events? Factors that demonstrate the tensions are ballot issues seeking to break us up into several smaller states as well as cities and counties joining the federal government to oppose SB54 . Few in power consider what is happening when they are questioned . Instead they tend to double down to hold on. Will California eventually break up because those in power refused to consider other points of view? I believe it is entirely possible.
Well summarized. I can't wait to vote for Trump in 2020. I hope the Republican Elites can find their footing with the American people for the 2018 election. If not, Trump could well lose in 2020.
Johnathan Haidt's "The Righteous MInd" needs to be carefully read in conjunction with what you write here. Then discussed. In 1930s Germany, many Jews viewed the upcoming landscape and chose to flee. Many more remained - misreading the upcoming eventualities. Not meaning to imply exact copies of those events it seems our future social cohesiveness as an E Pluribus Unum is greatly in doubt. When half of one nation's people sees (fears) the other half as equal or greater an enemy (near) than the "far" enemy, it's time to make a "real" assessment and set new strategies.
Great article .. I now have something to send my still seething Leftist friends when they cry "Why?!?!?"