Election Con 2016: New Evidence Demolishes the Myth of Trump's "Blue-Collar" Populism

http://www.counterpunch.org/2017/06/16/93450/
Date Written:  2017-06-16
Publisher:  Counterpunch
Year Published:  2017
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX21024

Evidence indicates that Donald Trump's popularity among working class voters had less to do with economic insecurity and more to do with embracing support for elitist, pro-corporate, and reactionary social agendas.

Abstract: 
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Excerpt: There is some truth to the position that Trump voters were motivated by anger and anxiety over the state of the economy. But a growing body of data now makes it clear that this 'economic populism from below' narrative is heavily exaggerated, and that scholars and commentators should be focusing on larger factors driving support for Trump, which include support for racism, xenophobia, white nationalism, right-wing militarism, anti-choice politics, and the elitist class war against the middle class and poor.