4 ms·

That is what people here are missing. It's easy for us to criticize and complain about the economy but we only see our thin slice most of the time. Odds are mo

That is what people here are missing. It's easy for us to criticize and complain about the economy but we only see our thin slice most of the time. Odds are most of the people active here don't know a plumber or a cop, let alone a factory worker and don't know someone directly affected by these changes or they're isolated to the hometowns we left long ago. We just move in wildly different circles. I think this article is less about free trade and its ramifications and more about communicating "and here is why labor favors Donald Trump.." If AFL-CIO comes out for Trump, the election is effectively over. That siphons a huge amount of cash and ground organization from the Democrats.

twoodfin 11y ago
If AFL-CIO comes out for Trump, the election is effectively over. This will, not to put too fine a point on it, never happen. The AFL-CIO would never burn their bridges to the Democratic party, particularly not for a Republican candidate likely to lose in a landslide. If Trump does get the GOP nod, it's going to be great fun for us sensible Republicans to watch the parade of theories of how he will still win despite being down in the RCP average by what I expect will be an easy 8-10 points.
- hiram112 11y ago
  I wouldn't count Trump out. They've been saying there's no way he'll win since the moment he entered. And the media certainly has done everything they can to stop him. The fact of the matter is that Hillary has had it easy with Bernie. Trump will destroy her as she won't be able to hide behind politics as usual since Trump is self funded. Should be interesting...
  - twoodfin 11y ago
    And the media certainly has done everything they can to stop him. No, they haven't. They've given him absurd amounts of coverage, which hasn't been nearly as critical as it might have been, and certainly will be once the media's interests ("Blow up the racist, stupid GOP!") stop aligning with his. ...since Trump is self funded. There is no way Trump can fund his own campaign. He's simply doesn't have a billion dollars in cash. He's nowhere near that rich.
api 11y ago
Wow, yes that would end it. Doubtful but not unimaginable. Coastal and white collar America simply do not understand that rural, interior, and blue collar America have been stuck in a depression since 2000. The downhill slide actually started in the 70s, but by 2000 the engine ran out of oil and started to grind metal. People hear Trump trolling and race baiting and think that's the reason for his support. There are a small number of people who go for that stuff but his real support comes from his (probably empty) promise to do something about this. Trump could smear himself with cream cheese and cover himself with feathers and cluck like a chicken at the debates, and if he promised to do something about labor arbitrage (a.k.a. "free" but hugely unequal trade) he would get double digit support at least. Bernie Sanders is also riding the same wave by the way. He would also be an unthinkable candidate a few years ago. Go visit St. Louis or Cleveland or much of rural America and you'll see stuff that resembles Russia in 1991. It's at collapse of society levels in a few places.
hiram112 11y ago
Are you kidding me? Plumber or cop? Try IT worker. Along with factory workers, we've been screwed the most by the elite. It's bad enough to have your job move to India, China, or Mexico. But that wasn't enough for our masters. They took advantage of H1Bs, so now we get to train our replacements here at home. I would imagine there are many, many IT workers supporting Trump. Most of HN swings younger, and still thinks they're doing great making six figures in their open office plan and $3k month studio apartment in SF.
- dominotw 11y ago
  I see that you comment exclusively on H1B/Immigration issues. Obviously you have spent lots of mental cycles on this. I am curious if you have any thoughts on what immigration to unites states should look like. From my limited research on this, there seems to only 2 ways( there are others but irrelevant) to immigrate to the states 1. dual intent work visas 2. family connections.

twoodfin 11y ago

If AFL-CIO comes out for Trump, the election is effectively over. This will, not to put too fine a point on it, never happen. The AFL-CIO would never burn their bridges to the Democratic party, particularly not for a Republican candidate likely to lose in a landslide. If Trump does get the GOP nod, it's going to be great fun for us sensible Republicans to watch the parade of theories of how he will still win despite being down in the RCP average by what I expect will be an easy 8-10 points.

hiram112 11y ago
I wouldn't count Trump out. They've been saying there's no way he'll win since the moment he entered. And the media certainly has done everything they can to stop him. The fact of the matter is that Hillary has had it easy with Bernie. Trump will destroy her as she won't be able to hide behind politics as usual since Trump is self funded. Should be interesting...
- twoodfin 11y ago
  And the media certainly has done everything they can to stop him. No, they haven't. They've given him absurd amounts of coverage, which hasn't been nearly as critical as it might have been, and certainly will be once the media's interests ("Blow up the racist, stupid GOP!") stop aligning with his. ...since Trump is self funded. There is no way Trump can fund his own campaign. He's simply doesn't have a billion dollars in cash. He's nowhere near that rich.

api 11y ago

Wow, yes that would end it. Doubtful but not unimaginable. Coastal and white collar America simply do not understand that rural, interior, and blue collar America have been stuck in a depression since 2000. The downhill slide actually started in the 70s, but by 2000 the engine ran out of oil and started to grind metal. People hear Trump trolling and race baiting and think that's the reason for his support. There are a small number of people who go for that stuff but his real support comes from his (probably empty) promise to do something about this. Trump could smear himself with cream cheese and cover himself with feathers and cluck like a chicken at the debates, and if he promised to do something about labor arbitrage (a.k.a. "free" but hugely unequal trade) he would get double digit support at least. Bernie Sanders is also riding the same wave by the way. He would also be an unthinkable candidate a few years ago. Go visit St. Louis or Cleveland or much of rural America and you'll see stuff that resembles Russia in 1991. It's at collapse of society levels in a few places.

hiram112 11y ago

Are you kidding me? Plumber or cop? Try IT worker. Along with factory workers, we've been screwed the most by the elite. It's bad enough to have your job move to India, China, or Mexico. But that wasn't enough for our masters. They took advantage of H1Bs, so now we get to train our replacements here at home. I would imagine there are many, many IT workers supporting Trump. Most of HN swings younger, and still thinks they're doing great making six figures in their open office plan and $3k month studio apartment in SF.

dominotw 11y ago
I see that you comment exclusively on H1B/Immigration issues. Obviously you have spent lots of mental cycles on this. I am curious if you have any thoughts on what immigration to unites states should look like. From my limited research on this, there seems to only 2 ways( there are others but irrelevant) to immigrate to the states 1. dual intent work visas 2. family connections.