Well, I got a message that said I should introduce myself, so I guess I will...

[MLF1981]

8. East Tennessee.

Outside of Knoxville quite a ways. It's Trump country all the way. But I have definitely noticed a lot less enthusiasm in my neck of the woods, a lot fewer bumper stickers aside from old 2016 or 2020 ones, way fewer yard signs or vulgar displays to glorify their orange Jesus. Since I'm a middle aged white guy, most people where I live assume that I support their ideas and also worship their false God... I've heard a lot less vocal support from some of my neighbors. They're still going to vote for him I'm sure, because the evil libruls drink the blood of freshly sacrificed babies in a post-birth abortion (yes, I've really had a nutter "explain" this to me) but in general, they're definitely not as jazzed this time around as they were four or eight years ago.

I will go to my grave not understanding even the slightest bit why anyone would support that poor excuse for a man, but millions do... Just because I don't understand it doesn't mean that I can't understand why THEY feel that way. I grew up in Appalachia, and I really do think that for a lot of people in my area, it comes down to two things:

1. After being ignored for decades, and watching our communities hollow out as coal, steel, and other manufacturing all gradually died, here comes this guy who says, "I know you're hurting, and I alone can fix it. We'll bring back coal! We'll bring back steel! The plant that closed 15 years ago is going to open again!" and they fall for it hook, line and sinker. Never mind that literally nothing he said came to pass in his term, he said it, and that's all that matters.

2. For a lot of them, mostly economically disadvantaged people, they don't even care about the message, Donald Trump is just a giant middle finger to everyone in Washington who feels, and not without justification, that we've been abandoned. No state in Appalachia is a swing state, so we don't even get pandered to during campaign season. All anyone sees is rich politicians completely ignoring their struggles, and continually making policies that make their lives worse. Trump is the ultimate "fuck you" to a system that threw them overboard 30 years ago.

Now obviously, both of these positions are nonsensical, and in the case of the latter, actively counterproductive. But desperate people will latch on to anything that offers hope, even false hope and that is the one thing that Donald Trump does have to offer. False hope.