Trump’s Song to the Disaffected is Pitch Perfect

President Obama’s time in office, against massive opposition, has by all standards of reality been highly productive. He pulled the country back from the brink of economic collapse, brought affordable healthcare within range of millions while at once dramatically lowering the rate at which healthcare costs rise and put laws on the books that will make it much harder for Wall Street to destroy itself and main street.

Unemployment has dropped from over ten percent to under five, gas is cheap and Americans exposed to combat has been reduced by ninety percent. The only real fly in the ointment is that income disparity between the super rich and the rest of us is at an all time high. But this is Bernie’s message not Trump’s. Some citizens, however, seem as unhappy as ever.

This somewhat reminds me of the old adage that people are never more discontent as when they almost have it all, as when they have very little.

For those who see their lives as somehow terribly spoiled and are looking outside themselves for scapegoats, there is the Donald who is going to make America great again. Indeed, the disaffected looking for a way around their failed lives are desperate to lose themselves in some overwhelming strongman cause. Their wounded egos crave to follow one who appears courageous, invincible, acts with absolute certainty and most of all fires up their tribal impulse to want to see themselves as the good guys and those unlike themselves as the evil ones who bedevil and spoil their lives. Trump’s message in regard to those of low self-esteem is pitch perfect. He will raise them up and protect them with a massive wall that is more than just of material substance.