Sample Politics Essay: Why Are People Voting for Donald Trump?

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Why are people voting for Donald Trump?

A number of people are scratching their heads, and wondering what is going on. In fact, a number of politicos in the GOP are wondering the same thing. Why is Trump the presumptive candidate for the Presidency of the United States? Some suggest that despite his unfettered wealth, Brioni shoes, and his 24K gold and marble apartment décor, Trump is speaking to those who are un- or under-represented in America (Edgerton). He has directed his message at those who feel that the way that it has been is not the way that it should be. Trump is speaking to those who have been battered by capitalism – those who feel like the America they dreamed of, is not the America that exists today. Despite Trump’s vitriolic diatribes that cast hate and invective against so many factions, his disaffected supporters find him to be refreshing (Lee, Murray, Diamond, Gray and Kopan). This sample paper is a short but concise look at the Trump campaign and demonstrates the quality of the essay writing services offered from Ultius.

What sets him apart

Trump is certainly not like the other former candidates and politicians, and his “I don’t care” attitude gives people confidence that he will find a new way of fixing the mess that they find themselves in. Complaints against Trump’s demeanor and non-politically correct approach seem to reinforce and intensify the idea to his “apprentices” that Trump is really right for the job. Who, other than Trump could have survived the deprecatory tirades he cast upon the nation. No one! Therein lies the rub. If you have the hubris to say many of the things Trump has said without even blinking then, his supporters believe, he has what it takes to make a difference, because nothing can get in his way (Li). So why would people vote for this man? In their opinion, America has gone to the dogs, and only a man like Donald Trump has the capacity to craft a new world order. 

Trump demographics

So exactly who is Trump’s constituency? The answer to this question seems to depend on who you ask. Some say that the four main components of a Trump supporter are:

1. Persons who do not have a college background
2. People who believe that they do not have a voice in American politics
3. Those who view people who are not like themselves as outsiders
4. Persons who share some form of racial resentment (Thompson)

On the other hand, it has been said that Trump’s supporters are not all poor and uneducated, and are much more generic, and represent a well-rounded sampling of the GOP demographic (Riddell). The argument seems to be in alignment with whether you are:

• A Democrat
• A GOP Trump hater
• A Republican supporter

In any event, Trump has inspired the backing of many in the Republican party. Even the GOP anti-Trump super PACs, like Our Principles, which spent lots of money, over $18 million to be exact, with the intention to throw Trump under the bus (or under a cement block hoisted to a crane), never quite took hold (“Our Principles”). Quinnipiac University conducted a poll on the views of Trump supporters, and determined that his core constituency is not happy with the way things are going in America (Li). His political cohorts want someone who is not afraid to make drastic changes. In a sense, they want someone who is noncompliant. America has run off the rails, in their collective opinion, and they want someone to make the tough corrections. In addition, his body politic felt a sense of drowning under the weight of economic pressures. The pollsters determined that Trump supporters feel a sense of self-dissatisfaction, and dissatisfaction with how, the once regal global power, is now seen in the world. America is under attack, and many feel they are under personal attack, as well. On the question of minorities, most Trumpsters felt that the government gives too much assistance to minorities, and are resentful (Li). The implication might be that they feel they should get some of that assistance themselves. With Trump's controversial stance on immigration, these people see a beacon of hope, misguided though it may be.

Blue collar support

An interesting perspective is that blue-collar workers do not have a clear, distinct voice (Frank). The POV of the blue-collar is one that has been consistently overlooked. Trump has trumpeted the sounds that invigorate this disenfranchised segment. The obvious paradox, not lost on many, is that “the Donald” has spent a lifetime generating wealth for himself and his family on the backs of the blue-collar workers who praise his name. In fact, can anyone have a cogent discussion about what Donald Trump has done for still blight-ridden Atlantic City, the home of his three casinos, the Trump Plaza, Trump Taj Mahal, or the Trump Castle? If ever there was a blue-collar district that could use some help from a person who extracted money from the city’s coffers and gave nothing back, Atlantic City would be that locality. A key economic factor, the unemployment rate in the United States, was 5.6% in 2015, and 5.1% in 2016 (“Atlantic City”). In Atlantic City, the unemployment rate was 11.6% in 2015, and a somewhat improved 7.8% in 2016. Atlantic City’s poverty rate is 34% (Kelly), a stark difference from the national poverty rate of 14.5% (Gongloff). Judy Sahud, an 84-year-old homeless woman who sits on the Atlantic City boardwalk said:

“The casinos took the money and ran” (Kelly).

Many native Atlantic City residents, homeless and otherwise, would agree. 

Trump's disconnect to working Americans

The Quinnipiac pollsters should have asked what impact Trump has had on blue-collar workers anywhere in the United States in the last twenty years? Or perhaps, they might ask how many blue-collar workers, or their families, have spent the night in Trump’s 24 karat gold-gilded apartment on Fifth Avenue in New York? On a roll now, the pollsters might ask how many children of blue-collar workers have played with his son Barron on a play date in Trump Tower? When Melania:

“slathers Barron in caviar moisturizer (from her skin care line, priced at $50-$150 per product) every night, are any of his little blue-collar friends there to share in the experience?" (Walloga).

Trump of course understands this very clear dichotomy of realities, and has masterfully diverted the attention of his admirers from the fact that he would never sit down and have an impromptu hamburger and a Coke with his constituency. Have you ever seen Trump wearing the attire that might be worn by a blue-collar worker? Ever? Why not? There are a number of questions that should be asked, that in the midst of the circus-like atmosphere of the Trump primary locomotive, have apparently never come to the fore. Judy Sahud, however, knows the answers to each of those questions, all too well.

What Trump is doing well

Beyond his racist invective, his misogynistic rhetoric, and the fact that Trump would never “reduce” himself to engaging in things that everyday people do, and dressing like an average Joe might dress, Trump has actually figured out the problem no one else in his party was addressing effectively. The average guy just wants a really good job that can easily be found and that will pay a good salary and positively impact his life (Edgerton). The Republican party is simply not the party of the poor and those who are struggling. The GOP is the party of the wealthy and those who aspire to achieving this status. Trump is directly addressing this frustrated contingent, where others in the GOP have forgotten that despite their Bruno Magli shoes, there are some people in the party who have not been able to achieve the American Dream, and are on track to never achieve it. Trump is an aspirational leader, who despite his thousand dollar ties, designer suits, and Brioni crocs, has not forgotten to at least articulate what this contingent wants to hear, whether he is willing to actually associate with them or not. Blue collar workers want a break, and since Trump comes across as brash and confident, and speaks to their needs and fears, they believe he will deliver to them, what he has spent his entire life avoiding.

Trump supporters in their own words

Condor Friedersdorf, a journalist for The Atlantic, asked Trump supporters what they liked about him (Friedersdorf). He received a number of letters in response, and tabulated their answers in this unscientific survey:

1. Trump represents our only hope for the future.
2. “I just want to see the world burn.” (Friedersdorf) 
3. Trump represents hope . . . and can’t really do too much damage.
4. Trump will demand greatness and direct us to achieve it. He will serve as inspiration to achieve greatness without big government intervention.
5. I’m immature and don’t really care, watching the chaos will be fun.
6. He’s a moderate on Republican issues, and what’s wrong with that?
7. There is the hope that he can change Washington and the media and set a new tone.
8. “. . . it's a collective middle finger to the establishment… Trump isn't stupid, he gets it. He knows the more outrageous, the better” (Friedersdorf)
9. “Trump Embodies the Rage of the White Middle Class” (Friedersdorf)
10. We [Trump supporters] are desperate. Everyone else is doing better than us.
11. He has successfully run a major corporation so he can likely transfer those skills to run the country.
12. “I am of the belief that he is conceited and arrogant enough to avoid failing in front of the world at all cost.” (Friedersdorf)
13. Those of us who give Trump our blind trust are expressing our contempt for situations that prevent our obtaining the American dream.
14. “He’s got what Obama had in 2007 except he doesn’t have the press adoring him.” (Friedersdorf)
15. The Trumps represent the American dream. Trump represents greatness. He wants to make America great again. I’m in.
16. Trump, like Steve Jobs will get people to do a good job, then take credit for all they do, and state that it’s the best thing since white bread.
17. Trump fights, Trump wins, Trump doesn’t lie like the others in the GOP. He’s on my side.
18. Trump is the only candidate who has actually built something.
19. On protectionism, Trump has remained consistent.
20. Trump was not afraid to bring illegal immigration to the forefront. We’ve got a big problem and he was not afraid to call it like it is.
21. We are tired of being screwed by government and politics. As a business man, he can make this country great again.
22. With Trump, what you see is what you get. Everything is transparent.
23. Trump’s best interests are property values and the economy and these are our best interests. His wealth is tied to a successful economy.
24. It’s hilarious, I love the comedy of it all.
25. Presidents don’t have to do much, he’ll likely at least do that. We know he’s not in it for us.
26. He’s crazy, impulsive and is not politically correct.
27. He runs multiple major businesses successfully and pursues American global objectives.
28. "He’ll be like a bull in the political China shop, we need the tea sets to fall." (Friedersdorf)

The lesser of two evils, or the greatest evil of all?

In the end, it may be that voters will wind up voting against the national candidates rather than for Trump, or the presumed Democratic nominee, Hilary Clinton (Kurtzleben). It is quite possible that the November election will not be about who you want for President, but about who you absolutely do not want for President. A CNN poll determined, when voters were asked if they support Trump or Clinton, their responses were in the high 40th percentile for the candidate of their choice. When asked if their vote would in fact be a vote against Trump or Clinton, respondents on both sides of the aisle indicated that their decision would be a vote against the alternative candidate, and in both cases this response was in the 50s (Kurtzleben). As it has been stated before:

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he didn't exist.

It seems that the devil is truly alive and well and may, in fact, be our next president.

Works Cited

"Atlantic City Area Economic Summary." BLS. United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2 May 2016. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.bls.gov/regions/new-york-new-jersey/summary/blssummary_atlanticcity.pdf>.

Edgerton, Adam, Kirk. "Why ‘Those People’ Are Voting for Trump." Huffington Post. TheHuffintonPost.com Inc. 9 March 2016. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-kirk-edgerton/why-those-people-are-voti_b_9418568.html>.

Frank, Thomas. " Millions of ordinary Americans support Donald Trump. Here's why." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. 7 March 2016. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/07/donald-trump-why-americans-support>.

Friedersdorf, Conor. "What Do Donald Trump Voters Actually Want?." The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group. 17 August 2015. Web. 23 May 2016. <https://www.google.com/urlsa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&ved=0ahUKEwixxODWjPHMAhVYQVIKHd_wD5cQFghFMAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theatlantic.com%2Fpolitics%2Farchive%2F2015%2F08%2Fdonald-trump-voters%2F401408%2F&usg=AFQjCNF9_mp3zcyCtdG8_wsISwtV5sxkIQ>.

Gongloff, Mark. "45 Million Americans Still Stuck Below Poverty Line: Census." Huffington Post. TheHuffintonPost.com Inc. 16 September 2014. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/16/poverty-household-income_n_5828974.html>.

Kelly, Mike. "Kelly: Can Atlantic City rebound again?" North Jersey.com. The Record. 31 January 2016. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.northjersey.com/news/kelly-can-atlantic-city-rebound-again-1.1502635>.

Kurtzleben, Danielle. "In November, People Could Be Voting Against — Not For — Trump And Clinton." NPR. 4 May 2016. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.npr.org/2016/05/04/476717457/in-november-people-could-be-voting-against-not-for-trump-and-clinton>.

Lee,  MJ, Murray, Sara, Diamond, Jeremy, Gray, Noah and Kopan, Tal. "Why I'm voting for Trump." CNN. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. 28 January 2016. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/27/politics/donald-trump-voters-2016-election/>.

Li, David, K. "Here’s why people are voting for Trump." New York Post. NYP Holdings, Inc. 5 April 2016. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://nypost.com/2016/04/05/heres-why-people-are-voting-for-trump/>.

"Our Principles PAC." Open Secrets. The Center for Responsive Politics. 2016. Web. May 2016. <https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail.php?cmte=C00603621>.

Riddell, Kelly. "Donald Trump wins more demographics than just poor, uneducated." The Washington Post. Nash Holdings LLC. 20 April 2016. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/apr/20/donald-trump-wins-more-demographics-just-poor-uned/?page=all>.

Thompson, Derek. "Who Are Donald Trump's Supporters, Really?" The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group. 1 March 2016. Web. 23 May 2016.  <http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/03/who-are-donald-trumps-supporters-really/471714/>.

Walloga, April. "THE TRUMP 5: Meet the fabulous offspring of GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc. 6 July 2015. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.businessinsider.com/meet-donald-trumps-five-children-2015-7>.