• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

For Trump Supporters/Voters: Why Do You Support and/or Vote for Him?

Debater Slayer

Vipassana
Staff member
Premium Member
Recently, I've been thinking about what could motivate an average Joe or Jane to vote for Trump. I find it hard to believe that every single person who votes for him has some ulterior motive or hatred driving their decision, and it seems to me an unrealistic and simplistic way to view things.

Furthermore, the fact that I've met and have friends with beliefs I consider deeply problematic (e.g., that homosexual sex and apostasy are punishable by death) convinces me that many people with problematic beliefs can be good but hold said beliefs due to factors that don't necessarily make them bad people. The human mind is, in my opinion, way too complex to be reduced to such a black-and-white analysis.

So, to the Trump supporters here: what makes you support and/or vote for him? What do you believe are good things he would achieve that other candidates wouldn't?

I'm hoping to gain a wider perspective here. I'm also optimistic I will see examples of people who have similar everday concerns about life (e.g., better economy, education, etc.) on their minds when supporting a candidate as I and many others do even if other issues may blur this sometimes.

Note: This is not a debate thread. It is exclusively for Trump supporters to talk about their opinions and why they hold them. Any debating posts or posts mocking/taunting said opinions may be moderated per Rule 10.

Thank you.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
I vote primarily because of policymaking and not over a persons demeanor or personal behaviors.

Trump was the only one to be able to thrust a spear into the entrenched status quo and business as usual style of governing that imo was slowly eating away at our representative republic.

Life was not better under the Democrats. It actually became worse at least in my area. I made less money and even lost my job because of Democrats.


It will be awhile for those wounds to heal.
 

Debater Slayer

Vipassana
Staff member
Premium Member
I vote primarily because of policymaking and not over a persons demeanor or personal behaviors.

Trump was the only one to be able to thrust a spear into the entrenched status quo and business as usual style of governing that imo was slowly eating away at our representative republic.

Life was not better under the Democrats. It actually became worse at least in my area. I made less money and even lost my job because of Democrats.


It will be awhile for those wounds to heal.

Sorry to hear you lost your job. Were you able to find another one? And which changes Democrats made caused that?
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Sorry to hear you lost your job. Were you able to find another one? And which changes Democrats made caused that?
Oh yea. Because I worked in the transportation of coal products to where the main plant I worked at was forceably shut down by the EPA over emissions issues.

Got a new job since after 2 months of unemployment and the Trump permanent tax cuts followed, putting more money into my pockets rather than someone else's.

Democrats from my experience, never cut taxes for the common worker as long as I can remember and I fear if Biden is elected, they will take those tax cuts back if for anything, out of sheer spite for Trump, and perhaps raise taxes even more than ever before. I just don't believe them when they say only the rich will be affected.

Because of my health however, even my new one is dependent on my yearly exams due to goverment regulations that get increasingly tougher each passing year.
 

Mindmaster

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Recently, I've been thinking about what could motivate an average Joe or Jane to vote for Trump. I find it hard to believe that every single person who votes for him has some ulterior motive or hatred driving their decision, and it seems to me an unrealistic and simplistic way to view things.

I wouldn't vote for Biden regardless of the party he was in, so there is that. He has ran two times before this and got laughed off the trail for all the lies he's spewed.

I don't like Trump personally, but I certainly like what he's done for my wallet. Because of Obama and his changes including ACA (pfft at that affordable part) I lost my job, a vehicle, and nearly lost my house. I'm not over it, and probably never will be. (Thankfully, because of Trump's changes we've caught up and are actually doing better where we were.) If I don't like the Republican candidate I just won't vote. Also, in the metro area I live in it's been blue for 60 years and it's just got dumpier and dumpier... So, there is that... I figure if they're not qualified to run a city they got no business running the country.

I have plenty of friends in non-Democrat run areas and while they still have crimes and what not the crimes aren't people getting shot all over the town. They're just petty things mostly.
 

Debater Slayer

Vipassana
Staff member
Premium Member
Because of Obama and his changes including ACA (pfft at that affordable part) I lost my job, a vehicle, and nearly lost my house. I'm not over it, and probably never will be.

How did that happen, if you don't mind sharing more details?
 

Debater Slayer

Vipassana
Staff member
Premium Member
Oh yea. Because I worked in the transportation of coal products to where the main plant I worked at was forceably shut down by the EPA over emissions issues.

Got a new job since after 2 months of unemployment and the Trump permanent tax cuts followed, putting more money into my pockets rather than someone else's.

Democrats from my experience, never cut taxes for the common worker as long as I can remember and I fear if Biden is elected, they will take those tax cuts back if for anything, out of sheer spite for Trump, and perhaps raise taxes even more than ever before. I just don't believe them when they say only the rich will be affected.

Because of my health however, even my new one is dependent on my yearly exams due to goverment regulations that get increasingly tougher each passing year.

I hope whoever becomes president next doesn't increase taxes on the working class.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.
 

Mindmaster

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
How did that happen, if you don't mind sharing more details?

ACA went in, insurance doubled in price, and then people had to get let go. That's how it happened. Simultaneously our state was also raising our income taxes and the withholdings employers were supposed to make. It was just the perfect storm, really.
 

Debater Slayer

Vipassana
Staff member
Premium Member
ACA went in, insurance doubled in price, and then people had to get let go. That's how it happened. Simultaneously our state was also raising our income taxes and the withholdings employers were supposed to make. It was just the perfect storm, really.

That sounds tough. I'd be pretty upset about it too.

Has Trump changed any of the things that caused the problems for you?
 

Mindmaster

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
That sounds tough. I'd be pretty upset about it too.

Has Trump changed any of the things that caused the problems for you?

It's hard to quantify it directly, but I know this... We're no longer struggling. Both me and the wife work in service industries that are basically optional businesses. That's to say our profits are basically tied to sentiment. We're making a lot when people are doing well, and having heart attacks when they're not. The Obama period was the worst we've ever dealt with financially... We couldn't pay the mortgage, the car, or save anything despite having been easily able to do that before. People just weren't coming out due to the fact that if they kept their jobs their premiums doubled and they lost their spending money. Others were out of work for long periods of time (in many cases up to a year). So, while I didn't see a lot of benefit on my taxes (we're self-employed) I know other people did and it mattered for us because it put the disposable income back into our customers hands. For most people, it seems to me that Trump's tax reforms took the ACA loss and returned it to their hands. We're on track to have our biggest year ever... I haven't done the math, but I'd be foolish to vote that away at this point. And again, to me it's just Biden is the worst guy despite the issues... There are so many Democrats that are better than him, and even a few I like. Honestly, I wish I had a choice, but voting Dem is just shooting myself in the foot. I've already been through an intense struggle and I'm not down for another. If things are working out for you, you just leave them alone.
 

Debater Slayer

Vipassana
Staff member
Premium Member
It's hard to quantify it directly, but I know this... We're no longer struggling. Both me and the wife work in service industries that are basically optional businesses. That's to say our profits are basically tied to sentiment. We're making a lot when people are doing well, and having heart attacks when they're not. The Obama period was the worst we've ever dealt with financially... We couldn't pay the mortgage, the car, or save anything despite having been easily able to do that before. People just weren't coming out due to the fact that if they kept their jobs their premiums doubled and they lost their spending money. Others were out of work for long periods of time (in many cases up to a year). So, while I didn't see a lot of benefit on my taxes (we're self-employed) I know other people did and it mattered for us because it put the disposable income back into our customers hands. For most people, it seems to me that Trump's tax reforms took the ACA loss and returned to their hands. We're on track to have our biggest year ever... I haven't done the math, but I'd be foolish to vote that away at this point. And again, to me it's just Biden is the worst guy despite the issues... There are so many Democrats that are better than him, and even a few I like. Honestly, I wish I had a choice, but voting Dem is just shooting myself in the foot. I've already been through an intense struggle and I'm not down for another. If things are working out for you, you just leave them alone, if you get my meaning, lol.

That's a very interesting story that adds a more personal element to the whole "Trump vs. Biden" subject on the forum. Thanks for sharing.

This thread has been quite thought-provoking so far, I must say.
 

Mindmaster

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
That sounds tough. I'd be pretty upset about it too.

Has Trump changed any of the things that caused the problems for you?

And sort of to add:
1) Guns
2) Abortion
3) Climate
4) LGBT

etc... None of these things matter to me if you can't keep yourself fed, homed, and comfy and warm. I had to chose between keeping my house and staying warm. I literally had to pay a mortgage bill over paying my electricity in an extremely cold fall. I missed the 'cut off immunity' we usually have around here (usually between Nov-March) by a week. You don't know how much your life can suck until you're broke and you have ice growing in your fish tanks. I've never seen a Dem cut taxes or even keep them the same. These 'pie in the sky' ideas mean nothing when your basic survival is threatened.

Those issues are important, but they're important LATER not amid a pandemic or other situation like a recovery.
 

Debater Slayer

Vipassana
Staff member
Premium Member
And sort of to add:
1) Guns
2) Abortion
3) Climate
4) LGBT

etc... None of these things matter to me if you can't keep yourself fed, homed, and comfy and warm. I had to chose between keeping my house and staying warm. I literally had to pay a mortgage bill over paying my electricity in an extremely cold fall. I missed the 'cut off immunity' we usually have around here (usually between Nov-March) by a week. You don't know how much your life can suck until you're broke and you have ice growing in your fish tanks. I've never seen a Dem cut taxes or even keep them the same. These 'pie in the sky' ideas mean nothing when your basic survival is threatened.

Those issues are important, but they're important LATER not amid a pandemic or other situation like a recovery.

How did you find life to be under administrations other than Obama's and Trump's? Did things get so dire for you under anyone other than Obama?
 

Mindmaster

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
How did you find life to be under administrations other than Obama's and Trump's? Did things get so dire for you under anyone other than Obama?

Nope, not even close. I'm used to running these businesses... I know what the ups and downs are and I've been doing it for 20 years. It took over a year of shortfalls to really start hitting me. I imagine others were hit harder and faster, but the ACA was definitely the trigger event. My IRL friends started complaining, and the clients stopped showing up so much. (Less than half of the usual bookings.) Mind you, I don't live in a fancy house or buy a lot of things or anything... I save a majority of my money that I don't need to spend. I know I have ups and downs normally in this business (like any other), but we were losing clients in the busiest seasons for us (spring-summer) which just never happens. So, we had a hard winter, followed by a net zero spring & summer and then the winter was just as bad as the last one. That's when we ran into trouble, and when I say I save... I save substantially more than most people do... (nearly 20% of my income) The fact that I do that was the only reason I still have my house... If I just had one more month of this I'd be somewhere else.
 

George-ananda

Advaita Vedanta, Theosophy, Spiritualism
Premium Member
Recently, I've been thinking about what could motivate an average Joe or Jane to vote for Trump.
My preference that we need to move in a more capitalist direction as opposed to a socialist direction. Those that want to 'do' are more in need than those that want to 'take'. Cuba, Soviet Union, etc. didn't go so well. A rising harbor level raises all ships.

Also the racial issue makes me side with the conservatives. Those that commit the most crimes and social ills can just blame others for the flaws in the system. No, with me. Self-responsibility for behavior should come first. Not blame and a 'poor me' mentality.

Trump is kind of joke but still the best choice.
 

Samantha Rinne

Resident Genderfluid Writer/Artist
I vote primarily because of policymaking and not over a persons demeanor or personal behaviors.

Trump was the only one to be able to thrust a spear into the entrenched status quo and business as usual style of governing that imo was slowly eating away at our representative republic.

Life was not better under the Democrats. It actually became worse at least in my area. I made less money and even lost my job because of Democrats.


It will be awhile for those wounds to heal.

This. Pretty much.

I had a part-time job working at a library (which I lost in a year or so post election; though right I'm glad I don't have it). Every two weeks I'd make about $300 which was fine living at home, but if something happened to my folks, that was it. This meant about $600 a month. Then Obamacare passed, and I got a Anthem Healthkeeper insurance. My insurance went from PPO Gold and on my parent's insurance, to the same price insurance (about $145, mostly paid by them unless I was making a ton of money) being HMO and Bronze. And then I looked at the high number I would need to pay to actually be covered by decent insurance (about $11k). I'd need to make it up I guess the assume that because I'm young and white, I'm automatically a high-powered businessperson and can pay into that easily. And then the Healthkeeper one was deemed no good or maybe it expired, because I was now told I needed to buy new insurance. The lowest insurance, unless I bought Obamacare was $400. **** you no, I'm not buying Obamacare. I'm not buying ANY health insurance then. I'm not going to the doctor anymore. Nor the dentist.
Then I spent significant time and energy figuring out how to get out of Obamacare. I finally found out that if my state had not expanded Medicare (it hadn't), I was not required to buy it, and could claim exemption. There was also a deal where if they rejected me for it (they didn't), or if it was a substantial financial burden, I could exempt.

If I had no insurance, under Obamacare's individual mandate, I'd be penalized, hit by a huge charge for not having insurance. Trump abolishing the mandate saved me 100%.

Also, behind the facade that Trump is still in charge, it's Democrats that are making policy right now. This is what's called lame duck. Let all of those lockdowns in the name of "safety" sink in. Then look around at how few freedoms you have. Don't wanna wear a mask? Maybe if you find a restaurant outdoors you can eat out. Either part of your family accepts wearing one, or things like shopping begin to get difficult.

Just as Obamacare is a disguised jiyza tax (Muslims are part of a religious profit-sharing group and thus typically do not pay, and the same is so for Amish), the mask mandate is a disguised attempt to get everyone used to wearing hijab under our Muslim overlords. Nope, sorry, not doing it. I do not bow to Allah, I do not accept his rule over my life. Jesus is my Lord.

The other issue is how crazed many of the Democrats have become. AOC is a prime example, but even Nancy Pelosi is creepy as hell.
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
Just as Obamacare is a disguised jiyza tax (Muslims are part of a religious profit-sharing group and thus typically do not pay, and the same is so for Amish), the mask mandate is a disguised attempt to get everyone used to wearing hijab under our Muslim overlords. Nope, sorry, not doing it. I do not bow to Allah, I do not accept his rule over my life. Jesus is my Lord.

You think this is the case in all countries where masks have been adopted as public policy?
 

FearGod

Freedom Of Mind
It's hard to quantify it directly, but I know this... We're no longer struggling. Both me and the wife work in service industries that are basically optional businesses. That's to say our profits are basically tied to sentiment. We're making a lot when people are doing well, and having heart attacks when they're not. The Obama period was the worst we've ever dealt with financially... We couldn't pay the mortgage, the car, or save anything despite having been easily able to do that before. People just weren't coming out due to the fact that if they kept their jobs their premiums doubled and they lost their spending money. Others were out of work for long periods of time (in many cases up to a year). So, while I didn't see a lot of benefit on my taxes (we're self-employed) I know other people did and it mattered for us because it put the disposable income back into our customers hands. For most people, it seems to me that Trump's tax reforms took the ACA loss and returned it to their hands. We're on track to have our biggest year ever... I haven't done the math, but I'd be foolish to vote that away at this point. And again, to me it's just Biden is the worst guy despite the issues... There are so many Democrats that are better than him, and even a few I like. Honestly, I wish I had a choice, but voting Dem is just shooting myself in the foot. I've already been through an intense struggle and I'm not down for another. If things are working out for you, you just leave them alone.

Just wondering, why do you think that Americans chose Obama to rule for
another 4 years? while you believe he was the worst president that ruled the USA
 

Mindmaster

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Just wondering, why do you think that Americans chose Obama to rule for
another 4 years? while you believe he was the worst president that ruled the USA

Well, to me it's obvious. He's extremely likable, even I like him on personality basis. But, 4-8 more years of that kind of policy and we'd be finished. Changes often take a bit to ripple downward through the economy, so it doesn't really surprise me. I mean ACA was passed in 2010 and it took about a good year or two after that for us to notice. But, anyway... I'm not playing when I say I think anything of the sort like that occurring again would be awful. Especially now with this pandemic, but I'd feel this way even without it. If anyone's proven he can fix a broken economy it's Trump. I could hate everything else about Trump and this would still be true.

I don't think he's the Obama is the worst President that ever ruled the USA on paper either, but worst in the last 50 years? Sure. Dunno, might be a hard tie between the Bush camp and him for me. (Not a fan of either and their NWO antics.)
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
This. Pretty much.

I had a part-time job working at a library (which I lost in a year or so post election; though right I'm glad I don't have it). Every two weeks I'd make about $300 which was fine living at home, but if something happened to my folks, that was it. This meant about $600 a month. Then Obamacare passed, and I got a Anthem Healthkeeper insurance. My insurance went from PPO Gold and on my parent's insurance, to the same price insurance (about $145, mostly paid by them unless I was making a ton of money) being HMO and Bronze. And then I looked at the high number I would need to pay to actually be covered by decent insurance (about $11k). I'd need to make it up I guess the assume that because I'm young and white, I'm automatically a high-powered businessperson and can pay into that easily. And then the Healthkeeper one was deemed no good or maybe it expired, because I was now told I needed to buy new insurance. The lowest insurance, unless I bought Obamacare was $400. **** you no, I'm not buying Obamacare. I'm not buying ANY health insurance then. I'm not going to the doctor anymore. Nor the dentist.
Then I spent significant time and energy figuring out how to get out of Obamacare. I finally found out that if my state had not expanded Medicare (it hadn't), I was not required to buy it, and could claim exemption. There was also a deal where if they rejected me for it (they didn't), or if it was a substantial financial burden, I could exempt.

If I had no insurance, under Obamacare's individual mandate, I'd be penalized, hit by a huge charge for not having insurance. Trump abolishing the mandate saved me 100%.

Also, behind the facade that Trump is still in charge, it's Democrats that are making policy right now. This is what's called lame duck. Let all of those lockdowns in the name of "safety" sink in. Then look around at how few freedoms you have. Don't wanna wear a mask? Maybe if you find a restaurant outdoors you can eat out. Either part of your family accepts wearing one, or things like shopping begin to get difficult.

Just as Obamacare is a disguised jiyza tax (Muslims are part of a religious profit-sharing group and thus typically do not pay, and the same is so for Amish), the mask mandate is a disguised attempt to get everyone used to wearing hijab under our Muslim overlords. Nope, sorry, not doing it. I do not bow to Allah, I do not accept his rule over my life. Jesus is my Lord.

The other issue is how crazed many of the Democrats have become. AOC is a prime example, but even Nancy Pelosi is creepy as hell.
I noticed the behavior change as well. A lot of the DNC including a notable number of leftist supporters are showing ever increasing signs of sociopathic and even psychopathic behaviors on the basis on just how mentally unhinged they have become. I used to think TDS was just smack, but now I'm thinking political based mental illness is a real thing. To be fair some on the right as well.
 
Top