White Rural Rage

[Firenze]

Does it explain the appeal of Trump?

Opinion | The Mystery of White Rural Rage

Why do voters prefer politicians who lie rather than help?

www.nytimes.com

 

[Stevicus]

Does it explain the appeal of Trump?

Opinion | The Mystery of White Rural Rage

Why do voters prefer politicians who lie rather than help?

www.nytimes.com

Possibly, although I also came across another article which addresses Krugman's article and takes a contrary view: The obvious reason behind Trump’s undying political strength is somehow still dumbfounding ignorant Big Media elites

Under the headline “The Mystery of White Rural Rage,” the New York Times columnist approvingly cites a book that details the decline of rural America.

Spoiler alert: Technology gets the blame.

But Krugman, an economist, quickly adds, “I still don’t get the politics” of rural Americans, and later writes, “I still find it hard to understand” recent voting patterns.

This is something I've noticed as a recurring theme these past several years, where people express a lack of understanding and a lack of knowledge about some aspects of U.S. politics or different sections of the country that they've had little to no experience with.

What he means, of course, is that nearly nine years after Donald Trump came down that escalator to launch his first campaign, Krugman still hasn’t figured out the source of the former president’s enduring political strength among people living in what media masters call “fly-over” America.

"Fly-over" country has been a phrase used for quite some time and even before the rise of Trump on the political scene.

The commenter in this article called it a "choice to be dumb."

Even now, as Trump rolls through primaries on his way to a third presidential nomination, Krugman professes to be in the dark.

Perhaps he is, but, if so, it’s a choice.

It would seem to me that, in order to face a threat (especially if it's the greatest single threat facing American democracy), the first step should be to try to understand it and know where it comes from.

Trump is, of course, feeding Middle America a line of BS. He knows what to say and he knows what they want to hear, so Krugman is absolutely correct on that point. But he doesn't understand the why. Or he's pretending to not understand why. That may point up a significant part of the problem.

It shouldn't really be that great a "mystery." Maybe it's the age old story of the Country Mouse and the City Mouse - but more of a 21st century version.

Most of my extended family has been from "flyover country," so for some of us, it's merely a matter of understanding our own relatives and how they perceive the world.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

See @Stevicus above ...

 

[Wandering Monk]

Declining access to medical care, rising drug use and violence are part of the rural scene these days. These contribute to the perceived need for a strongman to save them. Add the prevalence of fundamentalist religion, parochialism, isolation, segregation, and lower education levels to complete the toxic brew.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Does it explain the appeal of Trump?

Opinion | The Mystery of White Rural Rage

Why do voters prefer politicians who lie rather than help?

www.nytimes.com

What does black metro rage say about the appeal of Trump?

 

[Clizby Wampuscat]

Does it explain the appeal of Trump?

Opinion | The Mystery of White Rural Rage

Why do voters prefer politicians who lie rather than help?

www.nytimes.com

This guy is typical of the left. I agree he is willfully ignorant of why people support Trump. Nowhere in this opinion piece does he ever say he talked to Trump supporters to find out why they support him, He does give some backhanded insults which is also typical.

 

[Revoltingest]

Does it explain the appeal of Trump?

Opinion | The Mystery of White Rural Rage

Why do voters prefer politicians who lie rather than help?

www.nytimes.com

What Krugman addresses could also affect black farmers.
But he only considers whites. Is there a difference between
black & white rural folk in this context? Or is he unaware of,
or uninterested in rural black folk in similar circumstances?
Is the "rage" due to being white plus rural, or is it about
being conservative, & in particular, Republican?
I found his piece rather shallow.

 

[Clizby Wampuscat]

Possibly, although I also came across another article which addresses Krugman's article and takes a contrary view: The obvious reason behind Trump’s undying political strength is somehow still dumbfounding ignorant Big Media elites

This article is a very good article about the reasons people support Trump. The problem is the left many time just handwave them off and just say Trump is evil.

This is something I've noticed as a recurring theme these past several years, where people express a lack of understanding and a lack of knowledge about some aspects of U.S. politics or different sections of the country that they've had little to no experience with.

"Fly-over" country has been a phrase used for quite some time and even before the rise of Trump on the political scene.

The commenter in this article called it a "choice to be dumb."

It would seem to me that, in order to face a threat (especially if it's the greatest single threat facing American democracy), the first step should be to try to understand it and know where it comes from.

You say this above, then say this:

Trump is, of course, feeding Middle America a line of BS. He knows what to say and he knows what they want to hear, so Krugman is absolutely correct on that point. But he doesn't understand the why. Or he's pretending to not understand why. That may point up a significant part of the problem.

It shouldn't really be that great a "mystery." Maybe it's the age old story of the Country Mouse and the City Mouse - but more of a 21st century version.

Most of my extended family has been from "flyover country," so for some of us, it's merely a matter of understanding our own relatives and how they perceive the world.

You seem to be dismissing the concerns and reason why people support Trump just like Krugman. You are saying here that these supporters are believing lies and that is why they support him, ignoring the issues Goodwinn brought up.

 

[Audie]

What Krugman addresses could also affect black farmers.
But he only considers whites. Is there a difference between
black & white rural folk in this context? Or is he unaware of,
or uninterested in rural black folk in similar circumstances?
Is the "rage" due to being white plus rural, or is it about
being conservative, & in particular, Republican?
I found his piece rather shallow.

The "rage" thing is just a way of-
whats the word- diminishing, condescedning
toward those who dont think, just feel.

We women are very accustomed to it, as being
" emotional".

 

[esmith]

Rural Rage is brought about by the majority of politicians that only support the urban/greater metropopolitan areas.
Why is it that many that live outside the greater population areas of the east and west coast consider themselves as "fly-over country"?

 

[Revoltingest]

The "rage" thing is just a way of-
whats the word- diminishing, condescedning
toward those who dont think, just feel.

We women are very accustomed to it, as being
" emotional".

Paul Krugman tends to be prejudicial in his
"analysis" of things politically contentious.
He's not a fan of capitalism, conservatism,
individualism, or libertarianism.

 

[fantome profane]

Just a thought.

Maybe it would be helpful to separate this into two separate distinct questions.

1. Why are some people so dissatisfied (upset, angry) about more traditional political leaders (both Democrats and Republican) and the way politics and government work, or don't work, for them?

2. Why do some people think a real estate developer from New York is the solution to this? Why Trump?

 

[Audie]

Paul Krugman tends to be prejudicial in his
"analysis" of things politically contentious.
He's not a fan of capitalism, conservatism,
individualism, or libertarianism.

The title alone lets me guess most of that.

 

[Audie]

Just a thought.

Maybe it would be helpful to separate this into two separate distinct questions.

1. Why are some people so dissatisfied (upset, angry) about more traditional political leaders (both Democrats and Republican) and the way politics and government work, or don't work, for them?

2. Why do some people thing a real estate developer from New York is the solution to this? Why Trump?

1. 'Bad fiduciaries" covers most of it.

2. Any port in a storm.

 

[Wu Wei]

Lamplighters, milkmen, town criers, concur... and are outraged… damn technology......but Rat Catchers could be making a comeback.. in NYC

 

[Audie]

Rural Rage is brought about by the majority of politicians that only support the urban/greater metropopolitan areas.
Why is it that many that live outside the greater population areas of the east and west coast consider themselves as "fly-over country"?

It was the parentheses that thought up
" flyover".
Or ftm came up with " Oklahoma" and
"Music Man".
Which I am hardly an american midwesterner,
but the snickering parody is obvious.

 

[Stevicus]

This article is a very good article about the reasons people support Trump. The problem is the left many time just handwave them off and just say Trump is evil.

You say this above, then say this:

You seem to be dismissing the concerns and reason why people support Trump just like Krugman. You are saying here that these supporters are believing lies and that is why they support him, ignoring the issues Goodwinn brought up.

I'm not actually dismissing their concerns as much as pointing out that the Democrats don't even know their concerns. If the Democrats had just spent a minimal effort addressing the concerns of Middle America (focusing mainly on economics and living standards), they would have been able to defeat Trump very easily. If Trump knew what they wanted to hear, then why didn't the Democrats?

I just don't believe Trump is really all that sincere. But since he's all that Middle America has to latch onto (while the Democrats offer next to nothing), then that's why he gets the support he does.

 

[anna.]

This guy is typical of the left. I agree he is willfully ignorant of why people support Trump. Nowhere in this opinion piece does he ever say he talked to Trump supporters to find out why they support him, He does give some backhanded insults which is also typical.

I have to disagree with you. First, he's talking about a book about white rural rage, so to really delve into the research, I'm guessing it would be helpful to read the book, not rely solely on a review, so I'm interested in getting this book so I can go beyond the review. Second, I'm a former right-wing conservative, and most of my family still is. A lot of the review, even keeping in mind my first point, rings very true, very realistic. Some of my relatives live in very white, rural, lightly populated red states or counties, and yes, they are constantly outraged and aggrieved. Some of their outrage is fed by Facebook, some of it is tinged with racism, and some of it is very much full of condescension for liberals, "the left," Democratic-run cities, California, people who are different than them, who aren't Christian, whose culture isn't WASPy, who can't possibly work as hard as they do. They have little empathy for the less fortunate, and yes - they support Trump.

 

[Firenze]

So…. Here we have quite the he counterpoint:

Carl Albert Didn’t Fall for the ‘White, Rural Rage’ Stereotype.

A new book gorges on negative cliches about rural voters and what motivates them. The writers of “White Rural Rage” don’t want to listen.

dailyyonder.com

 

[Kfox]

Does it explain the appeal of Trump?

Opinion | The Mystery of White Rural Rage

Why do voters prefer politicians who lie rather than help?

www.nytimes.com

I think the main appeal to Trump is the way he Governed once in office. I think everybody knows he is a jerk and says stupid stuff, but some of the policies he enacted was favorable by a lot of people; and that's probably why they saw him as the better choice