Comments on: It’s not surprising that now is the time that “Forgotten Americans” rose up

By: Willy Kessler

Willy Kessler — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 22:03:00 +0000

Vance points out the contradictions embodied by this group. He sees angry folks talking the talk about self-reliance while behaving in ways that contradict their professed ideals and blames them for the result. It’s the old take responsibility for yourself shtick. He is telling us that he made it out of the poverty and cultural decay that he saw as a child, so others should be able to do so as well.

I agree that it’s a fine book, though. He’s loving and understanding even as he indulges in self-righteousness.

By: Willy Kessler

Willy Kessler — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 21:54:00 +0000

I’m not sure that they are “forgotten” or “left behind.” Just white, mostly old and nostalgic for times that never existed and restrictive social rules that did.. There were some reports before the election pointing out that avowed Trump voters were usually not suffering too much – although they uniformly bought the bill of goods that the country as a whole was cratering. They’re also very likely Southern or Appalachian background as defined in Colin’s Woodard’s American Nations – a great book dealing with the roots of our regional anomie. Good article today sort of on the topic is Paul Waldman’s WaPo column on “How Trump and the GOP will try to turn the whole country into Dixie”: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/12/09/how-trump-and-the-gop-will-try-to-turn-the-entire-country-into-dixie/

By: Arthur Lieber

Arthur Lieber — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 21:53:00 +0000

In reply to Barb Loehrer. Definitely an interesting read. It's just hard to fathom how the author, J.D. Vance has evolved to a Republican.

By: Barb Loehrer

Barb Loehrer — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 21:48:00 +0000

A recently published book, Hillbilly Elegy, explores this demographic.

By: Stacy Mergenthal

Stacy Mergenthal — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 21:42:00 +0000

Once again, you remind me what it is to be liberal, progressive. Open-minded, fair, and inclusive. I appreciate the gentle prompt in the right direction.