Seven months into his presidency, Donald Trump is deeply unpopular. In Gallup’s latest poll of presidential job approval, he’s down to 34 percent, a level unseen by most presidents outside of an economic disaster or foreign policy blunder. In FiveThirtyEight’s adjusted average of all approval polling, he stands at 37 percent. And yet, few Republican lawmakers of consequence are willing to buck him or his agenda, in large part because their voters still support the president by huge margins. What we have clearer evidence of now is why. From polling and the behavior of individual politicians, it’s become harder to deny that people support the president not just for being president, but for his core message of white resentment and grievance—the only area where he has been consistent and unyielding.
You see broad Republican allegiance to Trump in the polling. Nearly 70 percent of Republicans say they agree with Trump on the issues. And 78 percent […]
In response to your comments about the fear fugue and neo-tribalism, I agree with you and have for the past 20-25 years seen what I call a great paradigm shift from a patriarchal, top down system (which includes racism, classism, and the rest) to one that is inclusive and sharing. Or, it could be called the difference between a paradigm of scarcity – not enough of any resources, and one of abundance: there’s enough for everyone. We are living in the chaos of the shift that will take as long as it takes. Those who identify with the old are fighting the change with everything they have, but they know that they are losing and that makes them fight harder. I give thanks every day that you continue to prove to me and many of us the facts of what we intuitively know is happening, that you continue to do what you do with a fierce faith in it. Thank you!