A Tale of Trump

Mauldin Economics: "Whether Donald Trump planned this brilliantly or was simply extraordinarily lucky doesn’t matter. He has found the third rail in American society. The lower-middle class doesn’t make enough to live a decent American life, and the middle class is only a little better off. Whether supporting or opposing Trump, it is essential to understand the foundations of his power and its limits. Trump makes no sense until his appeal to the lower-income white demographic is understood." 

Barack Obama and Republican elite gave birth to the inevitable accident (some would call it a natural disaster) known as Donald Trump. The 2008 real estate crash in the US gave rise to a sweet talking liberal democrat perfectly scripted by Hollywood as the first African American president in history. He arrived on a platform whereby main street would take priority over Wall Street. The big banks would pay the price of this collapse and Robin Hood was going to tax the rich and spread the wealth. The Republican elite and the Wall Street bankers quietly licked their lips. Out came the Obama chequebook and he basically doubled the national debt. Wall Street trebled, the big banks struck it rich and Main Street turned into Ferguson and Baltimore. The rich got richer, the poor even poorer and the middle class all but disappeared. Herein lies the political roots of a group of new/old Americans...the White Lower-middle class. 

Fact :According to the Census Bureau, the US homeownership rate dropped to 63.7% in 2015—that’s a whopping 5.3% fall from the 2004 peak of 69%.
At the same time, the renter rate has increased in every one of the 50 largest US cities since 2006, according to American Community Survey. Here’s what should shock you most about this: The homeownership rate has declined DESPITE the fact that interest rates have been at or near ZERO PERCENT for the past seven years... and that mortgage rates are at historic lows. (Thank You Tony Sagami). While all this was happening, Mr Obama was progressing with his favourite agendas...The LGBT community, The legalization of Marijuana, police brutality against African Americans, Hispanic immigration and politically correct discourse on Islam and all religion in general.

With this scenario in mind, consider how the forgotten White Middle-lower Class community was viewing this over a period of close on eight years. The hard working white blue collar worker could not make ends meet. Their religion and flag were under attack. The Republican elite were making a fortune out of the greenhorn Obama regime, so who cared about these communities. Their issues were being ignored, not only ignored but implicit in this PC behaviour was an underlying contempt for their beliefs. 

What is even more amazing is the shock and disbelief portrayed by the media every time Trump says something controversial. Even more shocking to them is the solid support from about 30% of Republicans and crossover Democrats. He is not talking to them. He is talking to a community that understands what he is saying simply because that is who they are. He speaks their language. When he shocked the PC media by referring to a journalist having her monthly...they laughed. When he hesitated over the KKK, they understood since many have racist tendencies. His aggressive and blunt attitude to others reflects a way of life in white blue collar America. His attacks on Mexico and Islam resonate with them. Even if he flip flops on immigration and torture, he is one of them. So when he tweets and quotes Mussolini "It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep.” they love it. I repeat...that is who they are.

Whether he succeeds or not, and I somehow doubt whether he represents the majority of Americans, we are witnessing the birth of a new force in American politics. Some might call it a revolution...other might consider it to be quite revolting.

Be careful what you wish for - you might get it - Tom Lauga.

You have to be careful of people who like to talk a big game but can't back it up -  Ray Lewis

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on - Robert Frost