General Discussion

My theory is a little more simple. It’s “I’m somebody and I’m part of something and this something is going to reward me”
If you’re an average Joe and Jane in America you live an ordinary life. You work non stop, barely see your kids, struggle to make ends meet, see your hometown ravaged by drug addiction. You get online or watch TV and are inundated by success. You see a model of a perfect life that is far out of reach. And if you’re a racist you begin to see people of color starting to get ahead. They’re existing in some of these places and spaces that are are out of reach and you become even more bitter and jealous.
You live in a small town that used to be special, but the factory your town survives on shut down with NAFTA. Every time you vote for the change candidate, but the change you want never comes. Even though that candidate wasn’t promising the change you were looking for, you thought maybe they’ll see me. Trump comes in and speaks directly to them. They feel noticed. They feel seen. They now have a champion.
Us here on DU knows he conned them and didn’t deliver on the promises, but he gave them what they wanted most of all. They wanted to feel like America wasn’t moving on without them.