Lammy writes:
Why do poor whites think someone like Trump has their best interest in mind?
I think some of the answers are in a piece I cited a few weeks ago,
Opinion | In the Land of Self-Defeat - The New York Times. Rural America believes Washington is spending money it shouldn't, even while simultaneously feeling overlooked and disrespected. They resent racial minorities on welfare and lazy urban professionals, people they think exist in substantial numbers and who they believe the government is spending substantial money upon.
This causes them to become determined to get rid of the institutions best situated for helping them. They want to keep migrants, government and people with educations out of their communities. In terms of local government they feel like there isn't enough money to go around, and that the only way to get things done is to do it yourself. Most of rural America is shrinking, and the hollowing out puts forces in motion that can't be stopped. It seems to cause people to retreat into themselves and encourages feelings of paranoia.
Trump is playing to these attitudes. His speeches and rallies appeal to the lowest common dominator, and also to xenophobia, racism and fear of government interference. Every state gets two senators no matter the population, and so rural America has an outsize influence on the federal government.
--Percy
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