What Donald Trump and dying white people have in common

What Donald Trump and dying white people have in common

By Jeff Guo at the Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/12/15/what-donald-trump-and-dying-white-people-have-in-common-2/

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Case and Deaton point out that less-educated citizens of other countries have faced similar economic challenges like wage stagnation and inequality, and yet their death rates have been going down. So the economy does not provide a completely satisfactory explanation for why middle-aged whites in America are doing so poorly.

But what matters in politics is people's perception of the situation. On the stump, Trump likes to blame immigrants for the nation's economic woes. "They’re taking our jobs. They’re taking our manufacturing jobs. They’re taking our money. They’re killing us," he said in July. This message has resonated with voters.

As the latest Washington Post-ABC News numbers show, Trump finds particularly strong support for his immigration stance among Republican-leaning whites without college degrees. About 52 percent of them say they trust him the most to handle immigration issues. They also like his views on terrorism, believe he is the strongest leader, and also the most likely to get elected.

There is real unhappiness among less-education middle-aged whites in America, dissatisfaction and suffering that goes beyond what the bleak data on wages tell us. Case and Deaton's research suggests that many who fit the Trump voter demographic are at higher risk of dying of drug overdoses, or suicide, or alcoholism. To understand Trump's appeal, and his success, this is a good place to start. Why has a large swath of America seem to have lost hope? And why do they believe that Trump will make their lives better?



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