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I think many people struggle to believe voters took these promises seriously. Most of his promises w/r/t rural prosperity did not match the anemic policy he put

I think many people struggle to believe voters took these promises seriously. Most of his promises w/r/t rural prosperity did not match the anemic policy he put forward: repealing Obamacare hurts the rural poor significantly more than well-to-do urbanites, ending the estate tax benefits the rich exclusively, lowering the top marginal tax rate benefits the rich, etc. Either people not located in major cities are the most gullible voters ever, or they were swayed by some other means (targeted advertising?), or some combo thereof.

deweller 9y ago
"People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it." More people believed that Trump was doing things because he had their best interests in mind.
paulsutter 9y ago
> the most gullible voters ever, or they were swayed by some other means (targeted advertising) They were either gullible or gullible? Or maybe it was a reaction against the "elites". In Michigan 90,000 democrats left president blank on the ballot (Trump won by 10,000).
- mring33621 9y ago
  I think you're right. It seems like most people who voted for Trump did so with the goal of disrupting the existing system. I'm not sure they really care about what he does, so long as he annoys 'the system'.
ksk 9y ago
>Either people not located in major cities are the most gullible voters ever, or they were swayed by some other means (targeted advertising?), or some combo thereof. Or, your assumptions are incorrect. - "I think many people struggle to believe voters took these promises seriously." "Most of his promises w/r/t rural prosperity did not match the anemic policy he put forward" He constantly railed on about jobs going overseas, imposing tariffs on imports and protecting local industry, spending on infrastructure, reducing illegal immigration (which people rightly or wrongly, believed to be one of the factors, contributing to their situation), etc, etc.
- mrgoldenbrown 9y ago
  Yes, he railed about those things in bombastic and often factually incorrect ways. But that wasn't accompanied by actual policy proposals. (In my view, yelling "mexico will pay for it" is not a policy proposal.)
  - ksk 9y ago
    But that applies to most politicians, and is a common factor in all elections. I was disputing the assumptions which concluded that external factors are the primary explanation for the election results.
  - reaperducer 9y ago
    Then you haven't been paying attention. For better or worse, there have been a number of example since he was elected. One recent one was putting a 300% tax on imported Bombardier regional passenger jets. The result? Bombardier teamed up with Airbus to form a new division that will manufacture the same jets in the United States. I know it's not popular out on the left coast, but that sounds like promises made, promises kept. See also: China building a factory in Chicago to build subway cars. The local pols played it as a big negotiating victory for the mayor, but it was actually the Chinese dodging the tariffs before they could be imposed.

deweller 9y ago

"People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it." More people believed that Trump was doing things because he had their best interests in mind.

paulsutter 9y ago

> the most gullible voters ever, or they were swayed by some other means (targeted advertising) They were either gullible or gullible? Or maybe it was a reaction against the "elites". In Michigan 90,000 democrats left president blank on the ballot (Trump won by 10,000).

mring33621 9y ago
I think you're right. It seems like most people who voted for Trump did so with the goal of disrupting the existing system. I'm not sure they really care about what he does, so long as he annoys 'the system'.

ksk 9y ago

>Either people not located in major cities are the most gullible voters ever, or they were swayed by some other means (targeted advertising?), or some combo thereof. Or, your assumptions are incorrect. - "I think many people struggle to believe voters took these promises seriously." "Most of his promises w/r/t rural prosperity did not match the anemic policy he put forward" He constantly railed on about jobs going overseas, imposing tariffs on imports and protecting local industry, spending on infrastructure, reducing illegal immigration (which people rightly or wrongly, believed to be one of the factors, contributing to their situation), etc, etc.

mrgoldenbrown 9y ago
Yes, he railed about those things in bombastic and often factually incorrect ways. But that wasn't accompanied by actual policy proposals. (In my view, yelling "mexico will pay for it" is not a policy proposal.)
- ksk 9y ago
  But that applies to most politicians, and is a common factor in all elections. I was disputing the assumptions which concluded that external factors are the primary explanation for the election results.
- reaperducer 9y ago
  Then you haven't been paying attention. For better or worse, there have been a number of example since he was elected. One recent one was putting a 300% tax on imported Bombardier regional passenger jets. The result? Bombardier teamed up with Airbus to form a new division that will manufacture the same jets in the United States. I know it's not popular out on the left coast, but that sounds like promises made, promises kept. See also: China building a factory in Chicago to build subway cars. The local pols played it as a big negotiating victory for the mayor, but it was actually the Chinese dodging the tariffs before they could be imposed.