The great American mystery of why some people choose to vote for Donald Trump has been explored extensively. Theses, books, and op-eds have delved into what drives the Trump movement forward. One thing is clear: “At least he’s not Hillary! At least he’s not Kamala!” But what do Trump supporters really gain by choosing him as their champion? Consider those struggling Southern whites—clinging to their economic challenges while desperately trying to maintain a sense of superiority over those worse off. It’s an identity crisis!

The Underdog Story

As society raced forward in its pursuit of success, a significant portion of the American population, especially downscale whites, has been left behind. They face the worst relative declines, including rising mortality rates among some sub-populations. The white American poor are economically insecure and feel alienated from mainstream society. The Great Recession, from 2007 to 2009, was more severe than many family reunions. With banks acting as if committing systematic perjury after losing mortgage documentation (something we thought only happened on Netflix!), $8 trillion disappeared faster than your paycheck after a trip to Target. The housing market hit rock bottom so hard, it practically reached the Earth’s core. Meanwhile, some subpopulations face rising mortality rates, as if competing to drop off the grid most spectacularly. Realizing that mainstream society was as welcoming as a nightclub bouncer with too much power, these economically insecure individuals formed their own voting bloc and showed up at the polls. The impact? Profound. In 2016, 2020, and 2024, we witnessed divides more astonishing than any plot twist on reality TV. Democrats became favorites among college-educated voters, while Trump cornered the market of white voters without degrees.

Lessons from Trump’s Unconventional Circus

This idea eerily recalls those mortifying school gym class moments when you anxiously awaited your fate: “Will I get picked first? Will they save me until last?” Once in charge, Trump effectively catered to the interests of poor whites to ensure they were no longer the last ones picked. His unconventional approach isn’t surprising, considering he’s acting on behalf of poor whites who feel federal policies hold them back while benefiting their rivals—Blacks and Latinos. Trump and his team have been attending community council meetings with a megaphone, highlighting ways to pit Black and Latino voters against each other. At his rallies, Trump warned minority communities that immigrants are coming for their jobs. And let’s not even mention how he depicted cities as “invaded” by “bad guys.” Trump’s approach is “us versus them,” a classic tactic but lacking creativity. There are only so many times you can play that emotional card with minimal variation. Trump thrives on antagonizing “them” and relegating them to his fictional purgatory known as “the other side.”

Redistribution of Wealth and Clutching Wallets

Survey data reveals a rather amusing twist on this economic drama: individuals earning slightly above minimum wage often throw enough jealous shade at any proposed increase to make even the sun jealous. The looming specter of sitting precariously close to the abyss of poverty sends many into a tailspin. As times get tough—and let’s face it, they’ve been tougher than finding toilet paper during pandemonium—this aversion only intensifies. Instead of uniting together for higher wages (or perhaps even considering an upscale upgrade on their meal plans), many people cling fiercely to what little they possess while keeping an eagle eye out for anyone attempting sneak attacks from below. In short, let’s not be surprised when working-class folks clutch their wallets tighter than they would their dear grandma’s secret cookie recipe during times of economic turbulence. Who knew jealousy could run so deep within our economic psyche?

It’s from Princeton So It Has To Be Good!

Why is treating some people so bad so good? Enter Ilyana Kuziemko from Princeton—a true economic wizard! She sheds light on the phenomenon known as “last-place aversion.” Sounds fancy, right? But don’t let the big label scare you; it’s simply our natural instinct at work. Nobody wants their ego deflated along with their socioeconomic status. Kuziemko explains that people often resist policies aimed at uplifting those below them because who wants to look down and realize they might be at the bottom? They prefer to cling to their current rung rather than risk falling—it’s survival of the most insecure! In summary, voting for Trump isn’t about winning; it’s about ensuring someone else is losing. Sometimes it feels better to be just above someone else, even if it’s only by an inch or two! Who knew politics could be this entertaining and sad at the same time?

Game Theory from Reality TV

You don’t need to be the fastest animal in the herd, but being the slowest is something you’d like to avoid at all costs. People exhibit “last-place aversion.” We loathe being near last place, much less in it. This fear can lead those near the bottom rungs of income distribution to oppose redistribution efforts because there’s always the chance that those at rock bottom might catch up or even leapfrog past them—and who could handle such humiliation? It’s like we’re all competing in our own version of Survivor; you don’t need the most votes, you just don’t want the least. In this quirky economic reality show we call life, nobody wants to be voted off the island!

Democrats Got Too Complicated

Trump brandished his trusty toolbox of short, snappy slogans like “Trump Safety – Harris Open Borders” and “Trump Will Fix It.” Meanwhile, across the aisle, we have the Democrats thought they were playing chess while Trump happily played checkers. Democrats tossed around phrases like “collective realization” and “inclusive economy.” It sounds grand and sophisticated until you realize it also sounds an awful lot like trying to explain quantum physics at a keg party. They’re out here proposing we all hug it out and pool our resources as if we’re at some hippie commune rather than a cutthroat political arena. Newsflash: working-class and middle-class folks aren’t exactly jumping at the idea of sharing their pie when they’re already worried about where their next slice is coming from!

In their quest for inclusivity, Democrats seemed oblivious to one crucial fact: sometimes less really is more. The ambitious vision got tangled in its own ornamentation—an intricate tapestry everyone had to struggle through just to form an opinion. Who has time for understanding when Trump’s slogans are easier to remember than your Wi-Fi password? So maybe next time we should leave the circus acts for the ringmasters and pick up some banner rhetoric while trying not to trip over our own too-complicated messages!

Citations and Further Reading

Cooper, R. (2016). Why poor whites flock to Donald Trump; It’s not just racism. The Week. https://theweek.com/articles/642979/why-poor-whites-flock-donald-trump

Cooper, R. (2015). Why poor white Americans are dying of despair. Racism is to blame. The Week. https://theweek.com/articles/587242/why-poor-white-americans-are-dying-despair

Hamilton, M. (2016). Why Are White, Uneducated Voters Voting for Trump? Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/why-are-white-uneducated-voters-voting-trump-515368

Kuziemo, I. & Norton, MI. (2011). The “Last Place Aversion” Paradox. The surprising psychology of the Occupy Wall Street protests. Scientific American. Https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/occupy-wall-street-psychology/

NPR. (2011). Avoiding Last Place: Some Things We Don’t Outgrow. https://www.npr.org/2011/09/04/140116142/avoiding-last-place-some-things-we-dont-outgrow