What interests are Trump voters voting for?

[ProfessorPlum]

It's been said often (I've said it quite often) that Republican voters are voting against their own economic self-interest. One hypothesis is if you could explain this to them in a way they understood, they would start to vote for more money for themselves.

However, a compelling argument I've been reading about lately says that Trump/GOP voters aren't voting against their economic interests so much as they are voting FOR (what they perceive are) their "racial" interest.

In other words, voting for an explicit racist wins them points somehow in their brains. this phenomenon has been seen before, as in the union movements of the early 20th century when racial solidarity in the face of capital broke down because white workers couldn't get over race.

So, in my world, I would vote for better economics for myself and my fellow workers, and more racial harmony.

My conservative relatives vote against their economic health and mine, plus they create a world filled with racial injustice, tension, and strife.

What a great world they are creating - poor and bigoted, versus more shared wealth and racial harmony.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. They are voting against whatever liberals are voting for.

That's what they care about - screw the libs, even if it screws them too.

[tonyt53]

2. They votes for validation of their ignorance. He spoke their language and did just that.

[ProudLib72]

3. They are sick in the head

Sick with hate, and that hate makes them do some really stupid things.

[Quemado]

4. They are culture voters who are driven by hate

So, they don't necessarily vote "for" an interest. They are more inclined to be driven by hate, like:

Anti-gay marriage
Anti-abortion
Anti-immigrant
Anti-ACA
Anti-non white people

[ProfessorPlum]

7. the theory is that they vote "for" what they perceive as their racial interests

but the dumb part is what they perceive those to be.

[smirkymonkey]

20. Exactly. They don't vote "for" anything. They vote against.

They vote out of hate and resentment. They believe in nothing positive. They just want to destroy everything that liberals stand for.

[Hav]

5. It certainly is an interesting aspect

Some vote for what is in their best interests while others would rather vote against the interests of others. For example, what incentive do I have to take away someone else's healthcare? What do I gain when families get torn apart?

[Initech]

6. They are voting because they want to "trigger" the "snowflakes".

They really don't care about anything else.

[BigmanPigman]

8. ...anything and everything that is anti immigration and pro racism.

In other words...keep America white.

[mercuryblues]

9. with trump

it was straight up racism under the guise of "economic anxiety."


We were at almost full employment and working on wages rising. Clinton would have done some modest tweak's to the economy and budget. She had several proposed + detailed policies that have been proven to work.

- trumpers voted for "trust me" it will be the best, so much winning! From a man who filed for bankruptcy 7 times. Ripped off employees and a sham university that was designed to rip off people.

[WA-03 Democrat]

10. +1000

[Doodley]

11. The very slogan "Make America Great Again" is racist, so of course there

is a large racial element. Trump can only Make America Great Again if it isn't already great. The "again" implies it was great before. So what was not great about it that could only be fixed by voting for the most racist GOP candidate? Obama. Trump may as well have have used the slogan: "Make America White Again."

[AncientGeezer]

12. "...they would start to vote for more money for themselves. "

Isn't that what happened though? They voted for tax cuts and got 'em.
It's money in their pockets.....frigs the rest of us but they got more.

[ProfessorPlum]

14. Most of the Trump supporters I know

Don't qualify for any of those tax cuts

[AncientGeezer]

15. Really..'cause I live in NY and know a ton of them that did..

and constantly brag about it.

[ProfessorPlum]

16. tax cut receivers make up a small portion of Trump supporters

just as they are a small portion of the population at large.

As you say, it's quite obvious why people like that would vote for Trump - it literally is in their economic interest, unlike so many others.

[treestar]

18. They are lying

They say that just to defend the Orange Fraud.

[AncientGeezer]

19. I've seen the pay stubs....

I know how to read them....they aren't lying...

[dlk]

13. Trumpers Vote for Their Values

Values win out over economic self-interest for them. Emotion wins out over logic and facts.

[VOX]

17. Their white skins.

That's at the center of it. Everything else radiates from that single point.

[Codeine]

21. Whatever makes us Libtards unhappy.

They’re literally so broken and rudderless, so lost and unhinged that their only driving energies are spite and barely-sublimated rage. The death throes of a expiring philosophy will not be pretty, but hope lies beyond.