Add my "what went wrong" take to the pile

[geniph]

68. Precisely this:

"Ripe for the picking by those with glib answers to whatever problems they are afflicted by, easily distracted by the latest scandal or just so caught up in the grind of their daily lives (which excuses some of my charge of laziness) that a grander picture is not something that interests or is urgent to them unless it's to spill and share simplistic bigotry yadayada in their social settings."

It's easy for those of us with the privilege of TIME to criticize those who make their political decisions based on low information or outright disinformation. Yes, it's the responsibility of every citizen to educate themself, BUT - when one is working two jobs and still can't pay rent or get the car repaired, there just isn't the luxury of time for considered thinking and research. So one votes for the face one has seen on TV, or thinks, "well, he had the job before, he must know what to do" (cough, choke). Those of us immersed in politics sometimes forget how strong, too, are the politics of revenge and vindictiveness. To those who've been ridiculed and mocked as "hillbillies" and, yes, "deplorables," striking back is a strong motivator. I'm not saying it's excusable, but it is understandable. A large segment of the country is uncomfortable with change, with new ideas, and very uncomfortable with being laughed at or scolded for that, and ... well, they just got their vengeance for it.

But when you come right down to it, I fully believe this election was all about the pocketbooks. People don't care what the leading economic indicators say, or how the stock market is doing. They know their businesses are failing, eggs and gas cost more money, and they can't afford a house. They will ALWAYS punish the party in power when they feel that way.