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Title: Majority of Americans Feel Like ‘Stranger in Own Country’
Source: [None]
URL Source: http://www.breitbart.com/big-govern ... ns-feel-like-stranger-country/
Published: Nov 21, 2015
Author: MIKE FLYNN
Post Date: 2015-11-21 08:25:15 by Ada
Keywords: None
Views: 179
Comments: 23

A Super PAC tied to Ohio Governor John Kasich is annnouncing a new multi-million dollar effort to torpedo Donald Trump’s campaign for the Republican nomination.

Trump’s continued dominance of national and state-level polling has vexed the GOP establishment and pushed it to near-panic as voting nears.

A recent survey of public attitudes by Reuters/Ispos, though, suggests caution for the GOP establishment.

Whatever failings there may be in his specific policies, Donald Trump’s campaign has tapped into a strong, visceral feeling of millions of Americans. Seeking to destroy Trump, the candidate, may further alienate the Republican party from a rapidly growing block of voters.

According to the Reuters survey, 58 percent Americans say they “don’t identify with what America has become.” While Republicans and Independents are the most likely to agree with this statement, even 45 percent of Democrats share this feeling.

More than half of Americans, 53 percent, say they “feel like a stranger” in their own country. A minority of Americans feel “comfortable as myself” in the country.

There are no doubt lots of reasons underlying this feelings. Demographically, Americans holding these views tend to be white, older, live in the South and have less than a college education. Politically, they are cordoned off as the white working class. While they rarely attract much attention from the political class, they still represent an enormous block of voters.

Their numbers may be declining relative to the entire population, but they are still the largest single block of voters. In many critical swing states like Ohio, Florida, and North Carolina, they represent a significant base of voters that can determine the outcome of elections.

The reasons for their alienation are both cultural and economic. The economic anxiety sparked by the financial crisis in 2007-8 has likely pushed them further away from the mainstream political parties. This isn’t solely a phenomenon on the right, as the resurgent popularity of explicitly socialist policies on the left attest.

Even allowing that the economy has officially been in recovery for the past six years, its benefits haven’t been felt widely. The jobs gained during the economic recovery have generally been at lower wages and benefits than before the Great Recession. The number of Americans not in the labor force, on food stamps or permanent disability have all reached historic highs. Concerns over income inequality have increased as the Federal Reserve has pumped trillions of dollars of stimulus into Wall Street and the financial markets.

There are cultural factors as well.

Several years ago, leading Democrat strategists created the “Bobby Kennedy Project,” an effort to increase the party’s appeal to white working class voters. The effort was soon abandoned, though, when it became clear that the party would have to moderate some of its more progressive social positions. The Democrat party, for now at least, has staked its future on appealing to young and minority voters.

Whether or not this is the politically smart play for the future remains to be seen. In the present, however, it means that a huge block of voters feel alienated and are up for grabs politically. Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again,” is perfectly attuned to those voters who feel increasingly like “strangers” in their own country.

Panic breeds actions born out of emotions rather than somber reflection. The Republican establishment is understandably panicked at the thought of Donald Trump capturing the party’s nomination for President. It is convinced, perhaps incorrectly, that a Trump candidacy will doom the party’s chances next year.

Its zeal to derail his campaign carries huge risks for the party, however. The Trump phenomenon is not simply the product of a media-savvy, hyper-personality candidate. It is drawing strength from very real sentiments of a huge block of voters. The Republican party may take out Trump, but it alienates these voters at its peril.

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#1. To: Ada (#0)

There are no doubt lots of reasons underlying this feelings. Demographically, Americans holding these views tend to be white, older, live in the South and have less than a college education.

Via progression of that "reasoning" would the following be true???

"""Demographically, Americans holding opposite views tend to be black, younger, live in the North and hold advance college degrees"?

Cynicom  posted on  2015-11-21   9:06:33 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#2. To: Ada (#0)

The educated class would include tons of Jews who want white America to become extinct. Jews get a lot of the white quotas in schools so whites are minorities in universities in many areas. The Mexican quota was 24% in California which meant some stupid illegal were getting into universities. The whites who have been subject to 'liberal education' for 16 or more years have forgotten who they are.

The Truth of 911 Shall Set You Free From The Lie

Horse  posted on  2015-11-21   9:52:58 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#3. To: Ada (#0)

Don't you want to just scream? Our racialist pundits would put it a little more strongly eg "The GOP is working to sabotage the most conservative candidate as usual -- it refuses to consider that making its appeal directly to the white middle class is the free ticket to where it claims to want to get. 50 years' worth of stupidly, corruptly wooing everybody else but their logical constituency has taught them absolutely nothing."

NeoconsNailed  posted on  2015-11-21   11:49:05 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#4. To: Ada (#0)

Other than death, there is no way to "take out" Trump or his message.

“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken

Lod  posted on  2015-11-21   11:57:27 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#5. To: Lod (#4)

They'll do it and people will forget it.

NeoconsNailed  posted on  2015-11-21   12:01:04 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#6. To: Cynicom (#1)

Where I live 46% of workers are foreign born. Small wonder that native whites and blacks feel like stranger in their own city.

Ada  posted on  2015-11-21   12:33:35 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#7. To: NeoconsNailed (#3)

The GOP has been appealing to white middle class voters for years who stupidly elect them to office and are quickly betrayed. In the next election they can't vote for the Democrats, so their choice is to get fooled one more time or not participate in the process.

Ada  posted on  2015-11-21   12:39:03 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#8. To: Lod (#4)

Do you think that if elected, Trump will betray those who voted for him?

Ada  posted on  2015-11-21   12:40:49 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#9. To: Ada (#6)

Are you olde enough to recall when John Esposito ran against Ed Koch for mayor?

Cynicom  posted on  2015-11-21   12:43:03 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#10. To: Ada (#0)

As was stated in the movie JFK: "The country I was born in, will not be the country that I will die in". I feel the same way and I am concerned for my children, grandson and a lot of people I know and care about.

Darkwing  posted on  2015-11-21   13:03:50 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#11. To: Cynicom (#9)

I'm old enough but I don't remember John Esposito.

Ada  posted on  2015-11-21   22:02:29 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#12. To: Cynicom (#9)

Donald Trump embodies Barry Goldwater's populism and Richard Nixon's 'Silent Majority' while deftly sliding by Ron Paul.

 photo 001g.gif
“With the exception of Whites, the rule among the peoples of the world, whether residing in their homelands or settled in Western democracies, is ethnocentrism and moral particularism: they stick together and good means what is good for their ethnic group."
-Alex Kurtagic

X-15  posted on  2015-11-21   22:05:56 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#13. To: Ada (#7)

The GOP has been appealing to white middle class voters for years who stupidly elect them to office and are quickly betrayed. In the next election they can't vote for the Democrats, so their choice is to get fooled one more time or not participate in the process.

As it was last time = how Obongo got elected (granting for the moment that he ever actually was). An egregious moment I think is extremely telling:

2.3 2011 Republican Leadership Conference controversy

The GOP considers itself a big babysitter just like every large institution today -- that's obvious. And its treatment of free thought and speech is Stalinesque. No doubt you've seen the footage of them yanking Reggie off stage for being great at his job AND DARING TO TWIT REPUBLICANS TOO a little. I'd share the footage but you have to sit through Cenk Uygur first to get to it.

"WE'RE NOT RACIST" -- that's the modern GOP's message to the world, with an implication of PLEASE DON'T HIT US.

NeoconsNailed  posted on  2015-11-21   22:48:26 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#14. To: X-15 (#12)

There is a huge pool of potential voters that no one ever attempts to tap into.

There are untold millions of older, white, working Americans that for whatever reason do NOT vote. Myself included.

Trump need not grovel nor beg for black, Mexican nor queer votes. Instead speak for white, working Americans that have had their fill of the PC, nanny state.

Cynicom  posted on  2015-11-22   9:09:12 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#15. To: Darkwing (#10)

"The country I was born in, will not be the country that I will die in". I feel the same way and I am concerned for my children, grandson and a lot of people I know and care about.

agreed

christine  posted on  2015-11-22   11:00:12 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#16. To: Cynicom (#14)

Instead speak for white, working Americans that have had their fill of the PC, nanny state.

There's a huge number of people who fear that--the PC nanny staters.

christine  posted on  2015-11-22   11:01:37 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#17. To: Cynicom (#14) (Edited)

Cyni, here are two Facebook comments that I just ran across discussing Trump.

(1)Today Trump wants more torture....return to waterboarding. He is really sinking into the ooze of Nazi propaganda. To be honest...I hope someone flattens him with a semi. He is becoming dangerous. He is "inciting" folks to HATE muslims, just so he can fleece the stupid for campaign money. Like · Reply · 3 hrs

(2)I've thought for a long time that Trump was in it for the con. His whole life has been conning the people for money...but I'm beginning to think he's drinking his own Kool-aid and really does see himself as the One True Savior, and all this nasty shit he's been saying lately is real. Dangerous, indeed.

christine  posted on  2015-11-22   17:52:08 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#18. To: christine (#17)

fleece the stupid for campaign money.

Firstly, Trump has accepted NO campaign money.

Most importantly Christine, lifetime professional politicians have a strangle hold on this government. Founding Fathers erred in not mandating such term limits.

The human lust for power transcends all other vices.

Cynicom  posted on  2015-11-22   18:46:36 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#19. To: Cynicom (#14)

Trump need not grovel nor beg for black, Mexican nor queer votes. Instead speak for white, working Americans that have had their fill of the PC, nanny state.

Huge amen.

“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken

Lod  posted on  2015-11-22   18:54:01 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#20. To: christine, 4 (#17)

Today Trump wants more torture....return to waterboarding

Does this FB poster honestly believe it ever ended?

Jethro Tull  posted on  2015-11-22   19:03:24 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#21. To: Cynicom (#18)

he human lust for power transcends all other vices.

you're right. Trump is financing his own campaign.

power and wealth gets men what? sex and control of other human beings.

christine  posted on  2015-11-22   19:15:19 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#22. To: Jethro Tull (#20)

I don't know.

I do know that foreign policy won't change with Trump either.

christine  posted on  2015-11-22   19:16:26 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#23. To: christine (#21) (Edited)

power and wealth gets men what? sex and control of other human beings.

I agree foreign policy under Trump won't change, and not to compare Trump to the Founders, but weren't they men of power and wealth?

Perhaps, just perhaps, some believe that as a nation we have entered such a dire time that unless hard choices are made quickly they'll be no nation left for their progeny.

EDIT: Trump does get extra credit in the foreign policy arena for opposing the '03 Iraqi invasion/war/destabilization of the M.E.

Jethro Tull  posted on  2015-11-22   19:58:47 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


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