A Look at the MANY Factors that Contributed to Trump's 2024 Win

There are MANY different reasons that Trump won! I don't know how much weight to assign to each, but these are some of the reasons (in no particular order):

Misogyny: This is far more than not wanting a female president, this is the feeling among men, especially young men, that women have been granted special legal protections AT THE EXPENSE OF MEN. These men want a return to the time when men were granted exalted status in legal affairs, in society, and in the home, simply for being male.

Racism: This is far more than not wanting a non-White president, this is the feeling among Whites, especially White men, that people-of-color have been granted special legal protections AT THE EXPENSE OF WHITE PEOPLE. These Whites want a return to the time when Whites were granted exalted status in legal affairs and in society, simply for being White.

Xenophobia: Let's be clear, what LOOKS like prejudice against people who live, or used to live, in other countries, is NOT that, it is just another version of RACISM. No MAGA ever suggested deporting Elon Musk or Melania Trump, even though they were born in other countries and both broke the rules of their immigrant visas (and are thus both legally subject to deportation). Those who say "immigrants" should be deported ALWAYS mean NON-WHITE immigrants should be deported.

Homophobia/Transphobia: This is the feeling, especially among men, that LGBTQ+ people, especially Trans people, have been granted special legal protections AT THE EXPENSE OF STRAIGHT PEOPLE. These men want a return to the time when straight people were granted exalted status in legal affairs, in society, and in the family, simply for being straight.
Homophobia/Transphobia is also a major issue in Religious Extremism.

Note that when MAGAs say "Stop WOKE" they mean: Bring back Misogyny, Racism, and Homophobia/Transphobia.

Religious Extremism: This is a huge and complex issue, so let's look at the component parts:

Religious Extremism - Privilege: This is the feeling among some Christians that their religion is being diminished. These Christians want a return to the time when the Christian Religion was granted exalted status (even exclusive status) in legal affairs and in society.

Religious Extremism - "Morality": American law and American society have long been dominated by "conservative" "Christian" views toward "morality" regarding marriage, family, sexual orientation, birth control, abortion, "Protestant Work Ethic," and more. These "Christian" Religious Extremists want a return to the time when THEIR version of "morality" was the basis for American law and American society.

Religious Extremism - "Protestant Work Ethic": The Protestant Work Ethic is the view that a person's religious duty "is to achieve success through hard work and thrift, such success being a sign that one is saved." Among many other ugly side effects, this leads Protestant Religious Extremists to oppose most social programs, including subsidized healthcare, SNAP, WIC, UBI, etc.

Prices/Rents: Nationally, rents have increased 20% from 2019 to 2024. In some areas the increase has been much greater. In my part of Florida, rents are up 50% from 2019 to 2024. Many Trump voters were INFURIATED by Biden and Harris and their surrogates continually harping on "declining inflation & rising wages!" REAL people demand MORE than that the rate of increase of prices slow, AND they demand more empathy from their leaders! Probably there is nothing any President could have done to bring rents and other high-impact prices (groceries, gas...) back to 2019 levels, BUT they could and should have acknowledged the PAIN, rather than telling Americans they were just crybabies for complaining!!!

Israel/Gaza: Very few if any voters voted for Trump because of the Biden/Harris decision to support Israel's genocide of Gazans through weapons, money, and pressure on the UN & American allies, BUT a lot of voters chose to vote 3rd party or not to cast a ballot in order to avoid supporting either genocidal Biden/Harris or genocidal Trump. [remember that I am reporting, not condoning anyone's vote]

Change: Some voters just wanted change, and would vote for any candidate/party who was not the incumbent. This has been a global trend recently.

Smash the System: Some voters just wanted to destroy the status quo (legislators who get rich from billionaire and corporate money and stay in office for life, income inequality, Capitalism in general, etc.)

There are probably other crucial reasons Trump won, what have I left out?

What is "Freedom?" My very personal perspective

 

For *ME*, Freedom (should we call it #HumanRights?) is:

1) The right to do whatever I want as long as it doesn't cause undue harm to another.

2) Being protected (by my government) from being harmed by others.

Some of the freedoms I personally have and am grateful for:

The right to eat what I choose.

The right to live where I choose.

My right (as an American citizen with a passport) to travel almost anywhere in the world.

My right (as an old American on Social Security) to work or not work as I prefer.

Clean water, safe food, emergency medical services and hospitals

Some of the freedoms I do NOT have that I personally think I should have:

The right to #DeathWithDignity.

The right to use whatever drugs I want for whatever purpose without needing a prescription. (Why should anyone else have the the right to prevent me from controlling my pain.)

The freedom to live without fear that my car will be stolen or my home broken into.

The right to have a bumper sticker on my car without being harassed and threatened.

The right to use the phone, messaging, and email without being assaulted by spam.

Some of the freedoms that I have to a large extent, but NOT enough:

The right to access everything that exists electronically (internet) and on paper.

The right to live without religion being imposed on me.

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Is freedom anything else than the right

to live as we wish? Nothing else.

- Epictetus

Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.

- John F. Kennedy

Majority rule only works if you're also

considering individual rights,

because you can't have five wolves and one sheep

voting on what to have for dinner.

- Larry Flynt

Reparations are NOT the Answer

Black Americans have been treated terribly for centuries, but Reparations are NOT the answer.

1) We need to make life better for ALL disadvantaged Americans on a CONTINUING basis. A few of the many crucial steps are better schools for all kids, pre-school education for all kids, healthcare for everyone.

2) MANY groups have suffered grievously at the hands of our government or through the inaction of our government. Native Americans as a group have suffered even worse fates than Black Americans. Hispanic-Americans, Asian-Americans, LQBTQ Americans, Female Americans, Muslim Americans, and more have suffered grievous harm. If Black Americans deserve reparations, all these other groups do also.  

3) Where would you draw the line for which Blacks get reparations? Those who can prove slave ancestors? Those who claim slave ancestry? Everyone with African DNA? Everyone who "looks Black?" 

Let's raise up EVERYONE who has been discriminated against, and let's help each of them every year for all time.