As establishment leaders lose touch, Trump’s rise underscores the growing frustration of a struggling middle class tired of empty promises.
By Rahul Sharma
Like so many others, I am mighty unhappy with the outcome of this presidential election.
Coupled with Donald Trump’s authoritarian mindset, the 4,000-plus political appointees he will select in the next administration could alter the fabric of this country for years to come. Our children may pay a heavy price.
We, the losers, along with professional pundits, have assigned blame and credit for this electoral outcome in every direction. Democrats, who once criticized the U.S. electoral system for previous defeats, are now grappling with the fact that Trump won the popular vote as well.
I personally blame minorities; some blame Democrats, others point fingers at the MAGA movement, and, unsurprisingly, Democrats blame Trump and each other.
Regardless of who deserves the blame or credit, paradoxically, democracy has prevailed. The majority of people chose their leader—that is democracy. So, rather than dwelling on the “outcome,” I want to briefly focus on the “cause.”
Ever since World War II and the Baby Boomer years, the United States has been built on a dream for all. One could be a full-throttle capitalist, a rocket scientist, a teacher, or a member of the working class, and all had the opportunity to share a decent version of the American Dream: fair wages, a small house, a modest truck, sports, church, and community.
READ: Trump immigration agenda: From H-1B visas and H4 work permits to family sponsorships and deportations (November 9, 2024)
Gradually, over the last 30 years, that dream has all but evaporated for a significant portion of the population, particularly the working class. Both political parties have neglected Middle America—geographically, economically, and demographically (the middle 68% in a standard distribution). It’s worth remembering that in 2016, Trump first defeated establishment Republicans in the primaries before going on to beat Clinton and the Democrats.
Both Democrats and Republicans have lost the trust of the majority, as they say, “lost the room.” Both parties have consistently broken their solemn promises to the American people. The movement that prevailed today is not Republican; it is Trumpian—an evolved version of the Tea Party.
The rich are getting richer (Democrats call them oligarchs) through tax advantages, loopholes, and access to exclusive opportunities. The disadvantaged receive handouts in the form of government assistance, distributed across sporadic programs and policies.
Meanwhile, the middle — where the majority sits (within one standard deviation, or 68%) — gets the leftovers, or at best, is treated as an afterthought. Pundits call them the “working class,” but I call them the “middle class.”
The situation worsened when Bill Clinton, under pressure from corporations, granted China “Most Favored Nation” status. Those jobs are never coming back.
There was — and still is — a huge void into which Trump successfully inserted himself. The forest was dry, the tinder was there; it just needed a spark and the right winds—Trump provided both. He spoke directly to the working and middle class, making them believe he was their salvation.
Is he a narcissist, a liar, and much more? Yes. But morality and righteousness are easier to afford when one is well off (and even then, they remain a challenge for many). For others, such ideals are a luxury; their first priority is meeting basic needs.
READ: Trump making moves to bulldoze Biden’s climate initiatives (November 10, 2024)
Whether by chance or design, Trump skillfully exploited people’s fears and the elitism and deafness of the existing political parties. He preyed upon and amplified the middle class’s economic anxiety (rising costs of basic needs), their anxiety over illegal immigration (crime and drugs), and their anxiety about China (job losses).
Yes, he is surrounded by sycophants, ideologues, and opportunists, and he is himself a con artist who outmaneuvered tone-deaf establishment politicians. Yes, I would have voted for an empty plastic bottle over Trump—and I did (pun intended). But that’s not the point. I could afford to maintain my sanity, but a large segment of this country could not, or they were simply tired of the same old BS from both parties.
I am, and will remain, deeply concerned for the future of my kids unless tone-deaf legacy politicians finally gather their wits.
(Rahul Sharma, based in the Washington, DC, area, is a serial entrepreneur in telecom, data science, and multiple other verticals.)