# What I don’t understand is why people who aren’t members of the privileged classes support Trump and his agenda **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [July 17, 2024, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386 "2024-07-17T16:09:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/81 "2024-07-20T00:57:27Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Good way of putting it. It is not that multi party system is _bad,_ mind you- it is just that it really is no better than a two party system, and slightly less stable. The Soviet Union had all sorts of laws to protect the rights of their citizens, but they didn’t really matter because those in power pretty much just ignored those laws and did what they wanted to. That’s really the big problem we’re currently facing in the United States. The MAGAsphere, a.k.a. the Republicans, no longer care about rule of law, democracy, or protecting anyone’s rights but their right to rule. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/82 "2024-07-20T16:17:06Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > > [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > > > It is interesting and perhaps inexplicable that the poorly educated portion of Trump’s base (heck, maybe it’s prevalent throughout the _entire_ base) considers the prosecution of financial and election frauds to be an overreach by the criminal justice system. > > All in how it’s sold. The right has been pushing the narrative that the libs are out to get Trump, that it’s all just nasty politics, for so long and hard, nothing matters. Trump’s not guilty of any actual wrongdoing. Just like the two Impeachments, the left will stoop to every low they can think of to get him. > > The same people who chanted “lock her up” over Hillary’s perceived wrongdoings with classified email are cheering that the judge just threw out the case on Trump’s willful mishandling of classified materials case. > > “See the started with an impeachment, and when that didn’t work, they tried it again. Then they forced him out through election shenanigans, but that wasn’t enough. They went after his business, and chased him with civil suits, and sicced the FBI on him for some documents. They even went after his private life to wreck his marriage by chasing phantom affairs and hush money payments. It’s ALL just the kind of malicious politics from third world nations.” Also for that group of the electorate, that builds upon an assemblage of assumptions/presumptions about how things work at that level along the lines of: - that ALL the rich and powerful are up to no good anyway (so might as well support the one that proposes what I like) - that getting away with all sorts of shit IS the point of being rich and powerful - that this is because in their perceived experience “the system” is _inherently_ an _unfair_ corrupt one where the decision to prosecute or not is _not_ made on the basis of justice (a.k.a. if crime is crime why did I get busted and the bank executive got off?) - that as a result of all that ALL the political leaders will be accused of all sorts of things by opponents no matter what (_ **and** _ they have been sold on that so many things have been thrown around, _ **“you can’t know what is true”** _ – so birtherism/“her e-mails”/Hunter’s laptop/everyone’s rides in Epstein’s plane/Stormy/the documents, it’s _all_ equivalently “part of the game”) - so what’s so different about Trump? Many of these less-informed voters sincerely _already believed_ well before the recent SCOTUS rulings, that it was the _norm and the standard_ that someone who made it to President would NEVER be prosecuted or on the losing side of a suit over ANYTHING. From their POV it was not that hardly anyone before had done something this bad – just that for some reason no one had bothered going after them for what they _did_ do (Bill Clinton maybe excepted). ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/83 "2024-07-20T18:16:05Z")
Great points! ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/84 "2024-07-20T19:33:18Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > Project 2025 de-fanging the DOJ and FBI will make the next Trump administration the Golden Age of Grifting. That ain’t nothing. SCOTUS ruled that bribery is A-ok. No reason to grift anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/85 "2024-07-22T01:02:20Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > - so what’s so different about Trump? You’re entire posts describes my MAGA mother very well. She continues to maintain that she’s an independent voter, tells me you can’t trust any politician, but goes hard for Trump. Throughout my entire life, Trump is the only politican she’s ever supported in any meaningful way. I’ve asked her how she reconciles going so hard for Trump if “they’re [politicians] are all the same,” but she’s never been able to give me an answer. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/86 "2024-07-22T03:39:08Z")
and no one mentions Hilary calling them “deplorables”? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/87 "2024-07-22T03:54:20Z")
Context is everything- _“You know, to just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump’s supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right?” Clinton said. “The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic—you name it. And unfortunately there are people like that. And he has lifted them up.”_ and she was absolutely right. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/88 "2024-07-22T04:15:24Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > They are angry and sick and tired of being mocked, called ignorant and getting screwed no matter who is in power. We’re all getting screwed (except for some very few). As for ignorant it does seem they are ignorant. Who looks at Trump and thinks this is the guy to make things better? Would they hire him to manage their finances or farm or business? Would they want to work for him? Would they let their daughters near him? Add in overt racism and bigotry. But they want him for president. Is there a word you would call that? ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/89 "2024-07-22T10:06:54Z")
but as you well know, some undecided voters may have taken that personally, esp as other posters pointed out it sounds East Coast elitist ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/90 "2024-07-22T18:30:58Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > I kinda maybe remember that from Sunday School? _Luke_, right? or _Mark_? > > Anyway… something Jesus said… Jesus, Attila - one of those guys. > [@](#): > > You know a wise man once said, I think it was Attila the Hun, “It is not enough that I succeed, everyone else must fail.” - The bad guy from _Superman 3_ > [@dasmoocher](#): > > From 2019: > [“He’s not hurting the people he needs to be”: a Trump voter says the quiet part out loud](https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/8/18173678/trump-shutdown-voter-florida) It’s all about the leopards and the faces. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/91 "2024-07-22T18:44:38Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > “You know, to just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump’s supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right?” Clinton said. “The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic—you name it. And unfortunately there are people like that. And he has lifted them up.” Honestly I thought that was her best line of the whole campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/92 "2024-07-22T18:45:54Z")
She was absolutely right. Impolitic but right. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/93 "2024-07-22T18:58:41Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > She was absolutely right. Impolitic but right . She understated the problem when she said “half.” ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/94 "2024-07-22T19:35:47Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > In a nutshell, Trump (and Republicans in general) have successfully harnessed hate, fear, and ignorance among a large portion of the populace by elevating social issues like immigration, LGBTQ rights, and “creeping socialism” well beyond the actual problems they are posing, and hiding failed policies (protectionism, “trickle-down”, or no policies at all) under all that, to get people to vote against their own interests. They’ve fully abandoned the whole “big tent” idea (remember that? how quaint!). Add the propaganda arm of the GOP (Fox News) reinforcing hate, fear, and ignorance, et voila, Trump has a real chance of becoming President again. > > Bears repeating: The GOP has been successful in using social issues as a wedge to get people to vote against their own interests. I think this is exactly it. This also explains why Trump has managed to increase his support among minorities. Cis-hetero white Christian men don’t have a monopoly on hate, and fundamentally what Trump is appealing to is hate. That means that individuals whose politics are largely colored by hate will find Trump appealing, even if they happen to be members of a minority group. ETA: The bigger mystery is why some people think that voting based on hate will improve their own lives. That part I don’t understand, and I doubt I ever will. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/95 "2024-07-22T19:41:52Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > ETA: The bigger mystery is why some people think that voting based on hate will improve their own lives. That part I don’t understand, and I doubt I ever will. I think this was covered upthread - they seem to care more about taking away from/hurting others than improving their own lot. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/96 "2024-07-22T19:45:38Z")
The other aspect is that everyone likes to feel that they’re spoken for, or have a voice that’s heard. But for a lot of people in the nation, they get the impression that **everyone else’s voices are heard and heeded but theirs.** Whether this impression is _correct_ or not is irrelevant - it’s how they _feel_. Think, for instance, of some people who ask, “Why is there a Hispanic Heritage Month, a Black History Month, a (some other month,) but never a White Heritage Month?” Pointing out to them that white people are already in a privileged position in society doesn’t register because their eyes see this gap or discrepancy and feel that they are the voices that aren’t heard. So then a guy like Trump comes along and he makes them feel heard. Then these people who were desperate for validation (“the gays get heard, the Muslims get heard, the feminists get heard, but nobody was listening to us”) latch onto him desperately with a feeling of great relief. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/97 "2024-07-22T20:21:53Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Honestly I thought that was her best line of the whole campaign. Yep, but of course people took it out of context as if she called all trump supporters = “deplorables”. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/98 "2024-07-22T21:26:14Z")
They _were;_ nobody decent would support him. But we aren’t supposed to _admit_ that so she got blasted for pointing it out. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/99 "2024-07-22T23:22:31Z")
By convincing them that they have other things to gain. That’s why there’s so much talk about social values. ‘States rights’ convinced a lot of southerners who had nothing to gain from slavery to make common cause with the planter class. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386/100 "2024-07-22T23:26:23Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > But for a lot of people in the nation, they get the impression that **everyone else’s voices are heard and heeded but theirs.** This is very true. > [@Velocity](#): > > Think, for instance, of some people who ask, “Why is there a Hispanic Heritage Month, a Black History Month, a (some other month,) but never a White Heritage Month?” Pointing out to them that white people are already in a privileged position in society doesn’t register because their eyes see this gap or discrepancy and feel that they are the voices that aren’t heard. I remember being in high school and almost falling for that type of thinking for about 5 minutes. Then someone (I think was actually a white man, my History teacher) pointed out the obvious, that “white” isn’t an ethnic group, and there were tons of groups celebrating Scottish, or Irish, or German, or English, or Polish, or one of a bajillion other ethnic heritages. But that’s not enough for the folks who want a White Christian American Heritage Month. “Because we’re so left out and picked on.” > [@Velocity](#): > > So then a guy like Trump comes along and he makes them feel heard. Yep. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-don-t-understand-is-why-people-who-aren-t-members-of-the-privileged-classes-support-trump-and-his-agenda/1004386.md?page=6)