Trump earned the support of 38% of those with some college; second place was John Kasich with 14%. Trump earned the support of 32% of college graduates; second place was John Kasich with 18%. Trump won 23% of those with post-graduate study; Kasich came in second with 22%.
I can only hope that this is more evidence that the educated middle-classes are starting to break from the liberal orthodoxy. I think this is a precondition for any real challenge to the status quo to take place. Furthermore, if even a section of this class does break from the orthodoxy it undermines the idea of liberal beliefs as signalling a class status.
If you're interested, James Kalb has set out his attitudes to the Trump phenomenon here.
It's worth remembering that these votes only represent the respective parties. It wouldn't be valid to suggest that 80-90% of young women across the U.S. will vote for Sanders, But he obviously attracts the sort of activists (I hate that word, but I think you understand the pejorative sense) joining the Democrats at that age.
ReplyDelete"if even a section of this class does break from the orthodoxy it undermines the idea of liberal beliefs as signalling a class status. "
ReplyDeleteHow? Trump is a liberal. Despite his rhetoric, Trump is no conservative and should he gain power, he is likely to be another failed Messiah like Obama who himself was elected as the last saviour of America.
The American people seem wedded to the concept of the non existent "American Dream". A people without a grounded sense of reality or understanding of tradition, they seem to be incapable of uniting and taking action themselves to save themselves or articulating any coherent ideas. They reach out frantically for any perceived messianic saviour with each one, when catapulted to office, a monumental failure and disappointment.
I agree that people want someone to come along and fix things for them. I also agree that it would be a mistake to expect too much from Trump. Nonetheless, the break with the liberal establishment that occurred amongst the working-classes more than a decade ago, now seems to be happening amongst the uni educated as well. It's a positive step.
DeleteFrankly I'm insulted by what Anonymous has said. He seems to think that the American people are uniquely incapable of independent action. Anonymous, have you noticed that the rest of the west is in trouble as well? Even in France, where they have much more compelling reasons to throw off the liberal establishment due to the Muslims killing people there, they still shamble along in darkness. The fact is people need leaders to lead them, in America as in all other countries. Most common people don't have the imagination to lead other people, and thus aren't able to act on their own. This is not unique to America, but is the same in all countries. Can Anonymous point to a single other major country that is, to paraphrase what he said, possessing a grounded sense of reality and thus able to unite of their own unguided accord and throw away liberalism?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous refers to "the American people". They're long buried under the latest rubble from the 1960s. He accurately describes the plurality-mindlessness of our alien U.S. citizenry, legal or not, bogus birthright or not. "A people without a grounded sense of reality or understanding of tradition, they seem to be incapable of uniting and taking action themselves to save themselves or articulating any coherent ideas." Alien peoples share no traditions, so they can't share coherent ideas. They're here to participate in an economy, not in a society and culture that offends them. They're not here to assimilate into a long-dead nation. It more like good riddance. The U.S. is nothing more to most of them than an economic entity. Rightwingfighter buttresses Anonymous' point when he asks him to point to other countries... No, of course he can't. Neither can I, and neither, I suspect, can rightwingfigher.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't call Trump a conservative or a liberal. Like Marine Le Pen, he's a populist or centrist. Some aspects of his politics are moderately conservative, others are liberal or utilitarian (greatest good for the greatest number).
ReplyDeleteHe's the sort of politician who was very popular in English-speaking countries in the early 20th Century. Back then populist politicians and parties tried to offer a third way between classical liberalism and the growing threat of full-blown socialism. A good example would be the British Liberal Party under Lloyd George.