A Political Paradox - New Politics
Why did American voters, who by substantial majorities favor progressive economic, social, and international policies, elect a plutocratic, racist, America First jingoist as President? >From an examination of election results, exit polls, and other public opinion >polling, I draw three conclusions about this paradox: The economy was the top issue. Trump focused on it and Harris did not. People of color were the swing vote. Trump did not expand his white base so much as Harris lost hers among people of color. The majority of Americans favor progressive policies, which should encourage us to keep organizing during the second Trump administration. Voters wanted change to address the economic concerns they were feeling. Trump posed as the change agent—“Trump will fix it.” Harris posed as the candidate of stability and the status quo—“We’re not going back.” Trump did not expand his white working-class base, as much commentary would have it. He mainly mobilized the pre-existing cross-class, white-supremacist base that Republicans have built since the white backlash against racial equality began in the 1960s. Meanwhile, Harris gained 2.7 million more white votes than Biden had received in 2020 but lost 8.9 million votes of people of color that Biden had won. Trump won 2.0 million more votes from people of color than he had in 2020, but many more people of color, 6.9 million of them, did not vote for either Trump or Harris. Economic concerns were the top issue for people of color. The far-right Trump Republicans may have captured the whole federal government—President, Supreme Court, House, and Senate—but strong majorities of Americans still favor progressive policies, which should give us hope as we organize progressive political alternatives during four more years of Trump. In the rest of this article, I will present the data and arguments that support my conclusions and discuss the paradox of the election of a right-wing government by a progressive-leaning electorate. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#35005): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/35005 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/111024038/21656 -=-=- POSTING RULES & NOTES #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. #4 Do not exceed five posts a day. -=-=- Group Owner: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/13617172/21656/1316126222/xyzzy [[email protected]] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
