Kev's Book Rants
This podcast is about books. Well, kind of.
Really, it's about beliefs. How we form them, why we hold on to them, and what happens when they're challenged. Because beliefs, they don't change easily. They need pressure. Pressure that forces us to rethink, to question deeply, to break down old assumptions, or even strengthen a belief that was already there.
Welcome to Kev's Book Rants, where we use books as a tool to apply that pressure, digging deep into their ideas to challenge our own thinking, refine our beliefs, and see if we really believe what we say we believe. And whether we fortify the beliefs we already hold or build something entirely new, the result is still the same: A better understanding of who we are, what we believe, and why we believe it.
I'm Kevin, and these are my book rants!
Kev's Book Rants
Ep: 5 - Why Trump Supporters ACTUALLY support Trump
Living in a community filled with Trump supporters has been a surprising journey of reflection and understanding. Join us as we unpack the emotional and cultural currents that have propelled Donald Trump into the hearts of many Americans. Inspired by Roderick Hart's insightful book "Trump and Us," we confront our biases and explore the genuine concerns that have driven so many to rally behind Trump. From his promise to "Make America Great Again" to his audacious outsider persona, discover how Trump's narrative has struck a chord with those feeling sidelined by rapid cultural and economic changes.
Together, we'll navigate the complex landscape of Trump's support base, differentiating between extremist supporters and those motivated by economic and religious considerations. We dig into the role of race in Trump's political narrative and how his leadership style, often seen as divisive, resonates with those yearning for a voice against the political establishment. This episode isn't just about politics; it's a call to step back and understand the multifaceted frustrations that fueled his support, inviting a more empathetic perspective on a deeply polarized topic.
If you want to Check out the Video version of this episode here.
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So I'm not a Trump guy, and I don't think that's much of a hot take these days, because either you love the guy or you hate the guy. There's really no middle ground when it comes to that issue, and, where I stand, I'm not a big fan. I don't like him. For me, though, things get a little tricky, because I've got a lot of people in my life who are Trump supporters. I've got friends, coworkers, neighbors, people I go to church with all who are hardcore Trump supporters, and the thing that's interesting is that it's not just one type of person either. It's black folks, it's white folks, it's Hispanics rich, poor, religious, non-religious. His supporters are all over the place, at least the supporters that I interact with on a daily basis. See, for me, it's easy to look at numbers on a screen and see how millions of people voted for Donald Trump, and it was easy for me to label those people, as you know, either racist or ignorant or whatever the stereotype is for Trump supporters. But something happened when I came face to face with people who are close to me that actually voted for Donald Trump. And I'm not talking about, you know, random people that I run into in the street or people who don't matter. I'm talking about people I interact with on a daily basis, people that actually matter, and it forced me to have to think about if my preconceived notions about what a Trump supporter was is actually true, because my stereotypes for those people didn't match the people in my life who were Trump supporters, and that's when I realized I needed to dig a little bit deeper. Right, I had to understand the why. Why would these people in my life who display certain characteristics, certain morals, certain ethical standards, why would they vote for someone who clearly didn't have those same standards? What was the reasoning behind that?
Speaker 1:So I started doing some research and I started reading some books, and one of the books that came across was a book called Trump and Us. Trump and Us was written by Roderick Hart, who's a political language expert, and he wrote about the emotional side of Trump's appeal. It wasn't just about policies or economic promises or anything like that. It's about Trump's words, his supporters' perspectives and how the media fueled this emotional connection. The book really does give a fresh look at what really drove 62 million Americans to vote for Trump and how it shifted the emotional landscape of American politics. It talked about how Trump made people feel seen, validated and like he was directly speaking to them, and it made a lot of sense right. It gave me a lot of context to people's reasoning for voting for Trump and it really did change my mind about the stereotypes I had for Trump supporters. So today I just kind of want to rant about the book and I want to unpack why Trump supporters are still so loyal to this guy and really why we shouldn't just write his supporters off as crazy.
Speaker 1:Now, before Trump even stepped into the political spotlight, there was a ton of anxiety already building up in America, and a lot of it had to do with these big cultural changes that was happening in the country. At the time. When Obama became president, it seemed like he was bringing in this new era of diversity. His presidency made a lot of people feel like the country they knew was slipping away. For people who grew up with this very specific vision of what America was, seeing a black man in the highest office was a little bit jarring, because it represented this shift in culture and especially what it meant to be an American. It was a wake up call for a lot of people who saw this country moving in a direction that they didn't understand and, frankly, didn't really want. Now this is where Trump comes into the picture.
Speaker 1:Right, trump wasn't just any candidate. He was the candidate who directly attacked Obama's presidency from the start. One of his first big public moves was questioning Obama's legitimacy by pushing that whole birther conspiracy, which you know. If you remember, it was when Trump was claiming that Obama wasn't born in the US and therefore wasn't a legitimate president. Now, of course, we know that that conspiracy was ridiculous and it was more than likely racially fueled, but it did hit directly at the anxieties of those who was uncomfortable with a black man being president. Trump was able to tap into that fear, that worry that America was changing too much too fast, and he had the ability to give voice to that. And it wasn't just about Obama personally or about him being black. It was about something bigger than that. Trump's birtherism movement wasn't just about questioning Obama's birthplace. Trump's birtherism movement wasn't just about questioning Obama's birthplace. It was about stoking the fear that a more diverse America meant a weaker, less familiar America. So by attacking Obama, trump was able to position himself as a defender of a more traditional America, a defender of folks who was already feeling anxiety about all the economic and cultural changes that was going on. See, when Trump went after Obama, he wasn't just saying Obama was wrong, he was saying everything that Obama stood for things like progress, equality, diversity all those things were the things that were holding back America from being great again.
Speaker 1:Throughout the book, hart points out that Trump's genius was his ability to tap into deep-seated fear the fear that traditional values, especially those associated with white working class America, was fading away. See, rural America was where agriculture and manufacturing thrived and farming was the backbone of the US economy. Really, the jobs in the heartland were the engine for America. But as industry shifted, technology advanced and urban centers took more of that spotlight, the people in these rural areas began to feel like they were being left out. The culture and economic focus was shifting away from them and they didn't know where they fit in after that. That's why Trump's slogan Make America Great Again hit so hard. That rally cry was this promise to bring things back to when rural, traditional America was unquestionably at the center of everything.
Speaker 1:The book really does do a good job of explaining how Trump's attack on things like immigration and affirmative action reinforced the belief or the idea that diversity was somehow taking something away from the traditional American way of life. For a lot of people, these policies felt like it was a threat to their own success, and Trump's criticism of these changes made him a defender of their values. Trump knew how to tap into that anxiety about the future and he was able to offer this vision of America where the old social order was restored, something that a lot of people found incredibly appealing. Again, this dynamic was building up long before Trump even came onto the political scene, but he was the one who was able to speak directly to those fears and he spoke in a way that was blunt and to the point. You know, it kind of reminds me of that family member that we all have.
Speaker 1:I mean, you know the one, the one who doesn't sugarcoat anything, who tells it like it is. They're super blunt, always speaking their mind. They don't have any kind of filter and, honestly, I kind of have a love-hate relationship with those kind of people, right, because on one hand, it could be really tough to be around them, because they're not always the best at communicating, at least in a way that's, let's just say, easy to digest. Right, and a lot of the time that speaking style it just causes problems. People get rubbed the wrong way because, honestly, bluntness can come off as rude and abrasive, but weirdly though, there's something kind of comforting about that. You know Like, even though I might not agree or I don't like how you're talking to me, or something like that, at least I know that you're not giving me the runaround, at least I know like there's no pretending. I know at all times where I stand with you, because you have no problems telling me that and I can appreciate that.
Speaker 1:And I think that's what Trump supporters appreciate about him too. That's what Trump supporters appreciate about him too. He wasn't polished, he wasn't following some script or really trying to be politically correct or anything like that. And yeah, that might've rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, but for others it was refreshing and for them it felt more like honesty, even though the things that was coming out of his mouth were mostly lies. So that's kind of interesting there. And then there's this whole thing about his supporters understanding the political dynamics of the situation. Like I think people who supported Trump were a lot more politically savvy than we sometimes give them credit for. They weren't blind to how the media works or how politicians play the game. They saw the framing, they saw how the narratives were being pushed and they were kind of tired of it, go ahead.
Speaker 3:You say categorically don't be rude. She's asking a question, don't be rude.
Speaker 2:Can you give us a question? Don't be rude. You're attacking us. Can you give us a question? Don't be rude, I'm not going to give you. Can you stay categorically.
Speaker 3:You are fake news, Sir can you stay categorically that nobody.
Speaker 1:And here comes Trump, this total outsider, someone who wasn't playing by the rules, and he was calling out the system. He was saying, hey, this isn't really working. And for a lot of people that resonated because they felt the exact same way. They looked at their lives, they looked at how the system was working or not working, for that matter and they were tired of it. Trump made his followers feel validated and empowered, especially in middle America, where people felt ignored, dismissed, like almost like their voices didn't matter. And when Trump stood up there and said things like, hey, I'm going to drain the swamp or I'm fighting for you, for them, it just wasn't campaign rhetoric, it was that validation that they needed. Now let's go ahead and talk about race for a second, because you can't talk about Trump and his followers and not address how race plays into all of this.
Speaker 1:I don't think Trump is a racist, at least in the way we typically imagine. Right, he's not out there spewing hate like he's part of the KKK or he's not waving a confederate flag or anything like that, but at the same time, I do think there's a level of racism baked into his DNA. It's not overt, but I think it is a little bit more nuanced. My guess is, trump isn't someone who sits around thinking, oh, I hate this group of people. It's more like, if you're not praising me, if you are not on my team, then you're nothing to me. His whole world revolves around himself. If you're not on team Trump, you're irrelevant or even you're an enemy. And when that's combined with the racial dynamics of America, it's easy for things to take on a racist tone, even if that's not his explicit intent.
Speaker 1:Let's look at one of the more obvious examples right? His relationship with hate groups. Trump has a really hard time distancing himself from white supremacists or other extremist groups, and it's not because he's ideologically aligned with them. It's because those people are loyal to him. And Trump, again, is about loyalty. In Trump's mind, loyalty is the highest currency. So if someone, no matter how problematic they are, is willing to stand up for him, he's not going to throw that person under the bus. He's not going to leave him hanging. This is where Trump's narcissism really plays a role, right? He's so focused on his own image and who's on his team that he doesn't stop to consider the broader impact of his actions and his words when these hate-based groups or organizations see Trump hesitating to call them out, they think, well, if he's not outright rejecting us, then maybe we're kind of okay in his book. I mean, let's look at how he responded to Charlottesville.
Speaker 2:The heated rhetoric of Donald Trump's presidential campaign emboldened the white supremacists who rampaged in his city this weekend. Meanwhile, Mr Trump is being criticized by Democrats and Republicans for what he didn't say in the immediate aftermath of Saturday's violence. Here's Errol Barnett.
Speaker 3:President Trump is being criticized by fellow Republicans for being too vague in his initial response to the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday.
Speaker 2:We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides.
Speaker 3:He also refused an opportunity to call out white nationalists. Mr President do you want the support of these white nationalist groups who say they support you, Mr President.
Speaker 1:This was a classic example of him refusing to alienate a portion of his base, even though it was clear that one side was actively promoting hate. Again, it's not that Trump is marching alongside these guys he's not but by refusing to call it what it is, by not being clear and decisive, he gives it room to breathe. Now, if that weren't complicated enough, let's talk about those followers who aren't racist and who are legit, good people, who just are desperate for change. It's so easy to lump in regular people who supported Trump as being racist or hateful and really man. That's just not fair to them. There are plenty of people who supported Trump as being racist or hateful and really man. That's just not fair to them. There are plenty of people who voted for Trump who aren't driven by racism but by a lot of other factors, whether it's economic concerns or frustrations with the political system or protection of their religious freedoms. These people get thrown into the same categories as extremists because they support the same guy, and I think that's where a lot of nuance gets lost. Trump's actions and words have empowered hate groups. That's something we can't deny, and while it is important to hold Trump accountable for the way he's empowered some of these dangerous groups. Let's not paint all of his followers with that same broad brush. People are complicated and motivations are rarely as simple as they seem on the surface.
Speaker 1:Alright, so here's where I land. On all of this, I disagree with people who voted for Trump. Doesn't matter if he's racist or not. I think he's dangerous for the country. I don't think he's qualified and I'm worried that if he's president again, it could lead to some serious long term issues. And I'm not just talking about policies here. I think it's bigger than that. It's about how he governs. It's the divisions that he fuels and the way he just handles power. But even though I strongly disagree with him and his leadership, I understand why people voted for him, and that's important.
Speaker 1:Trump tapped into something deeper, a frustration that a lot of Americans feel. He wasn't polished, he wasn't careful with his words and he didn't play by the political rulebook, and for a lot of people, that's exactly what they wanted. They were fed up with politics as usual and saw Trump as someone who was willing to break the system, to challenge the establishment and speak directly to them. Trump's followers were willing to accept him because they believed in the medicine that he was offering. The problem is, even if the medicine that he offered works, the side effects from that, the things like division, chaos, the erosion of democratic norms, those problems are worse than the problems that the medicine was supposed to fix, if that makes any sense.
Speaker 1:Now for my Trump supporters if you've managed to hang around this long, first of all, thank you. I really do appreciate it, because I know how hard it is hearing someone trash someone you support or you look up to, so I appreciate that. Second, I do want to ask you to consider this, the very thing that makes Trump appealing his bluntness, his refusal to follow the rules, all of that stuff. Is it possible that those same things could be the things causing more harm than good? I think these side effects could end up hurting America in ways that we just can't afford to be hurt, hurting America in ways that we just can't afford to be hurt, and I think that's something worth looking into and worth considering that, yeah, he might fix some things. He might, you know, do his part in fixing the economy. He might, you know, do a couple of other things, but if we're all left more divided than ever, is that really worth it?
Speaker 1:Ultimately, what I'm saying is this. We have got to stop seeing each other as the enemy. Trump supporters aren't the enemy, and neither are people who oppose him. We're all living in the same country and we've all got our own fears, our own frustrations and our hope for the future. There are clear problems in this country that need to be fixed and there are a lot of opinions on how to fix them. And if I could be real for a moment, all of our solutions to fix society would fail anyway, because you know, society is way more complicated than we understand. I think we should do less trying to fix society and more trying to figure out how people around us operate, because if we can take time to understand each other, to really understand where the other side is coming from, not agree you know we don't have to agree but just understand I think we can start having conversations that could lead to real change and lead to real problems being fixed.
Speaker 1:I think it's about having a bottom-upup, problem-solving kind of mentality right, instead of worrying about the president or Congress or anybody else trying to fix our problems.
Speaker 1:If we just look around us and try and understand the people around us and fix those relationships around us, I think that can do more good to fixing the problems that these countries have. So, looking to our neighbors, looking to our family members who have different political views than we do, all those people that are in our sphere of influence if we work to understand those people, then all of a sudden now we start to create this web of empathy and understanding and we can find a way to coexist in a community that isn't torn apart by disagreements. Right, we can start to solve the problems of our community amongst each other, and if we can do that, I think we can really start to solve the problems in this world. We start with our families, then we work up to our communities, then we work up to our towns and our cities and our states. If we have a bottom up problem solving mindset, I think that's how we change the world. Anyway, that's all I've got for today. Thanks for listening to my rant. We'll catch you next time.