Explain how Trump has so much support (1 Viewer)

I would like some layman answers to the question "How does Trump have so much support, right now"? The final two word are important context.

I somewhat understand how he became a "force" prior to the 2016 election. There were many factors that allowed him to gain steam. Anti-establishment and not being a true politician was a big turn on to some voters on the right at the time. He talked a good game and somehow found a way to the Presidency despite acting "unpresidential". Trump's time in office had some victories for the Republicans and the economy was humming prior to COVID.....but the shirt show that happened on a daily basis with him firing executive staff (that didn't agree with him) and the overall chaos that was the White House certainly should've had an effect on his supporters. This was all BEFORE losing the 2020 election and what ensued. What happened after the 2020 election is well documented and, in my opinion, should have buried him as a candidate for office for eternity.

With ALL of what happened since the 2020 election, how can he still have half of the country (give or take) as supporters? Had all the election denying, countless gaffs, and the attempt to circumvent the Constitution had not occurred and had he regrouped and formed a strategy to compete in 2024, I could see a lot of his supporters continuing to follow him and his message. But I can't get how so many Americans can overlook what happened in front of their own eyes. I am truly bewildered.

I realize this is a mostly left leaning community, so maybe you folks do not have a clue either but would like to hear opinions. Especially, if you still support Trump through all of the mess.

I dont think most of his supporters really listen or pay attention to what he says and does. they like his hate and he is a showman for sure.

I think that there are a host of things at work. From racism to civic laziness to people being self-centered to people trying to survive to the reality, imo, of the exposure of the myth of American Exceptionalism there are people who either cannot or will not focus on political economy. This occurs on the left and right. I would posit more on the right but that would perhaps be inaccurate. There is also inertia in the form of “my family has voted (fill-in-the-blank” without further consideration.

I would take some exception to the economy “humming along” as there was literally nothing Trump did that helped that.

Bayouboy said:

I would like some layman answers to the question "How does Trump have so much support, right now"? The final two word are important context.

I somewhat understand how he became a "force" prior to the 2016 election. There were many factors that allowed him to gain steam. Anti-establishment and not being a true politician was a big turn on to some voters on the right at the time. He talked a good game and somehow found a way to the Presidency despite acting "unpresidential". Trump's time in office had some victories for the Republicans and the economy was humming prior to COVID.....but the shirt show that happened on a daily basis with him firing executive staff (that didn't agree with him) and the overall chaos that was the White House certainly should've had an effect on his supporters. This was all BEFORE losing the 2020 election and what ensued. What happened after the 2020 election is well documented and, in my opinion, should have buried him as a candidate for office for eternity.

With ALL of what happened since the 2020 election, how can he still have half of the country (give or take) as supporters? Had all the election denying, countless gaffs, and the attempt to circumvent the Constitution had not occurred and had he regrouped and formed a strategy to compete in 2024, I could see a lot of his supporters continuing to follow him and his message. But I can't get how so many Americans can overlook what happened in front of their own eyes. I am truly bewildered.

I realize this is a mostly left leaning community, so maybe you folks do not have a clue either but would like to hear opinions. Especially, if you still support Trump through all of the mess.

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Most people like to feel superior in some way - and that requires someone who they can claim is inferior. Hate sells better than anything else. Especially in small town USA where people buy from Amazon while complaining about their local hardware store closing. Somebody must take the blame and it certainly isn't them. Add to that ultra right wing religious zealots who uses hate against everything that does not fit into their religion and demonizes both people and ideas. Trump gives those people someone to hate and to blame for their lot in life.

Point taken. I can agree with some of that. I can't wrap my mind around 130 million people acting that way! If he had 20-30 million people that still supported him, I understand that. He could kill a baby on tv and still get votes from a large number of his cult followers. Those things referenced above does not explain the vast number of supporters. Damn near half the country. Sit and think on that for a while. It truly boggles my mind. The sheer number.

I dont think your numbers are correct. MAGAs just makes more noice.. They aren't a majority - far from

cult of personality

zztop said:

cult of personality

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It's not just a rock'n song. It sings truth. The lyrics are worth paying attention to. By the way, 1988.

He is a bit of a media creation, imo. He knows how to play to the camera and is guaranteed ratings and clicks for whoever features him. The media cannot resist, and they have done a bunch of making him seem more normal than he is, because he is good for business. Which is totally irresponsible, but that is what they did/still do.

Same with GOP. They, of all people, know how unfit he is. But they are too craven and irresponsible to boot him out of the party. They are still too craven. Realistically the GOP is the only institution that can end his political career. And they are failing us.

On the flip side, I don’t think his support is all that high, which is possibly just wishful thinking on my part. But I really don’t think all that many people are driven by hate enough to truly wish he was president again. I mean, they love that he is crude and hateful to those they hate, but they surely know he cannot possibly be trusted to be president again.

I think they say they support him, now, a year out, just to drive the people they despise crazy. But I don’t think all that many will actually vote for him. At least that’s what I tell myself.

Another “welcome” from SC

superchuck500 said:

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Yeah, I saw that, but didn't register, getting booed in S.C. You in S.C., right? What's the story?

To answer the OP, a few factors:

Evangelical for one or more of the following:
the belief that he's part of the prophesy in Revelations.
he'll push anti-LGBTQ+, anti-abortion legislation.

Racists and xenophobes for obvious reasons.
Q-Anon types for obvious reasons too.
2nd amendment "supporters" who believe the Dems are coming for their guns.
The GOP because he 's got a very strong pull with their base.
People who think an "outsider" is better just because he's and "outsider", the whole "treat government like a business" thing (yeah, the irony).
And the average Republican voter who'll vote for anything with an R- in front of it.

SystemShock said:

Yeah, I saw that, but didn't register, getting booed in S.C. You in S.C., right? What's the story?

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I think the story is that a number of a crowd at a college football game in the state’s second largest city boo’d Trump. It’s a red state but it isn’t monolithic- 43 percent voted for Biden in 2020 and I’m sure Trump’s support is even more polarized now.

The city also had billboards (possibly linked to a Haley PAC) shown below. Polls are a poor indicator of the true dynamics going on right now. Young voters and voters in cities don’t like him, even in South Carolina.

He's an unapologetically hateful arsehole and he gets away with it.
He's their hero.

That said, he got curbstomped by total votes in both elections.

Maybe the evangelicals will wake up to what they are supporting? That they are selling out what they have devoted their lives to?

I don't believe this is a coincidence.

Despite boycotting three Republican primary debates and taking multiple setbacks in criminal and civil court proceedings against him, Donald Trump continues to enjoy a commanding lead in the polls. Even as he stokes the flames of hate and violence on the campaign trail, the former president is supported by an astounding 60-70 percent of Republican voters and narrowly beats President Biden in a hypothetical 2024 faceoff.

Why do people continue to vote for a person with such bigoted views and obvious character flaws, whose selfish self-interest takes precedence over the needs of others and the good of the nation?

Psychologists are at the forefront of studying bias and discrimination in various forms; we have long known that people are not necessarily “rational” beings but “rationalizing” ones. Many voters acknowledge Trump’s immoral and unethical nature, but when asked why they back him, they rationalize their actions as support of conservative judges, anti-abortion legislation, overturning unfair trade agreements, tax benefits, or protecting the Second Amendment.

Although these are legitimate issues to consider, the reasons may mask a deeper and more frightening explanation: the bigoted beliefs, attitudes and behaviors of Donald Trump do not represent an isolated case or an “outlier,” but may reflect the unconscious values of a large segment of the population.

For many years, I have been concerned about the phenomenon of “bias contagion,” in which the overt expression of racism by our leaders and those in power sanction hate speech, bigotry and violence toward those who differ from them in terms of race, ethnicity and culture. It provides permission for people to unashamedly and overtly act out deep-seated biases without fear of social disapproval or retribution. “Trumpism” has seemingly tapped into an underlying groundswell of anger, resentment, grievance and even fury at our institutions, the news media, medical science and policies that seem to intrude upon individual freedom.

What lies beneath this rage?.............