If you have 6 minutes, remove all sharp objects from your immediate area and put on a bike helmet if there are any hard surfaces nearby, then listen to this NPR “analysis”.
It focuses on the fact that though Trump supporters claim to be concerned about immigration and jobs, they are actually in areas relatively unaffected by immigrants and who are actually doing well for white blue collar workers. Huh, what else could it be?
The analysis then focuses on a white guy from West Bend who:
a) complains about the “downward spiral” of the economy,
b) reveals that it affected his construction job before the Great Recession even started (you know, under Bush),
c) turns out he now has a job he likes at a factory with good pay and benefits,
d) helps an elderly neighbor with her yard (for his “good guy” credentials), but then;
e) puts up a Hillary for Prison sign to annoy her, then puts a “Trump 2016: no more bullshit” sign when she is annoyed.
Then they interview a couple that they don’t even bother to explain their economic condition, just that they are glad Trump is against “political correctness”, which is the same damn thing every Republican has run against for 20 years.
The fact that they take these people seriously is so frustrating. Tamara Keith is even amused by his little sign tantrum, making it just a little more acceptable for anyone listening.
It is very simple: white racists and entitled assholes support Trump, especially entitled white racist assholes. It is no more complicated than that.
***UPDATE***
Thank you for the rec list, it is always a surprise.
Grannyflats linked the survey that the NPR piece was supposed to be about, until they got all twitterpated about the incorrigible white guy with the great job who thinks Obama ruined the economy and likes to annoy his 80 year old neighbor. Maybe he can get a sitcom or something.
Anyway, the survey analysis is a lot more interesting in showing what Trump supporters typically are not; in distress about the economy or threatened by immigrants.