Reagan Democrats give Trump a long leash -- but deeply distrust GOP

[DonViejo]

By James Hohmann March 15 at 11:11 AM

THE BIG IDEA: The Reagan Democrats who delivered the Rust Belt to Donald Trump last fall will blame congressional Republicans, not him, if Obamacare repeal fails.

The president is flying to Detroit later this morning to talk about the future of the auto industry during a roundtable with union workers and CEOs. He is expected to relax fuel economy standards.

Trump was the first Republican to carry Michigan since 1988 because of his outsized strength among non-college educated independents and traditional Democrats.

Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg coined the term “Reagan Democrats” in the mid-1980s to describe just these sorts of blue-collar whites in Macomb County, Michigan, mostly autoworkers, who had shifted from staunchly backing John F. Kennedy to going gaga for Ronald Reagan. He helped his client Bill Clinton assiduously court this constituency and bring them back into the Democratic fold.

To understand what happened, Greenberg went back last month to conduct four focus groups with 35 non-college educated whites who voted for both Trump and Obama.

There was no buyer’s remorse. Despite the drama of the opening weeks, not one of the participants regretted voting for the president. They described Trump as sincere, complained about unfair media coverage and criticized protesters for not giving him a chance to do good things. They love that he remains politically incorrect. They remain confident that he is a strong leader who will shake up Washington, secure the border and bring back manufacturing jobs. Their faith is strong. Their doubts are sparse.

more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/03/15/daily-202-reagan-democrats-give-trump-a-long-leash-but-deeply-distrust-gop/58c8f664e9b69b1406c75d69/?utm_term=.04b9055c28ad&wpisrc=nl_daily202&wpmm=1

[Gothmog]

1. Hopefully at some point these voters will wise up and have some buyers remorse

[SHRED]

2. Relaxing fuel standards

Foolishly short sighted.

This will set back the industry bigly.

[pangaia]

3. jesus on a stick , stupid fucking morons lke this should not be allowed to procreate..

much less vote...

[DetlefK]

4. Really? After 30 years, 4 prez, 9/11 and the Tea Party, "Reagan Democrats" are still a thing?

Is this guy's political analysis really based on the voter-landscape of the Cold War????

As if the 90s never happened?
As if 9/11 and the War on Terror never happened?
As if the Bush-Recession never happened?
As if the return of rampant racism with a black President never happened?
As if the Tea Party never drove the moderates out from the republican party?

[Historic NY]

5. Reagan Democrats give me a break.....

his term........January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989 That 36yrs ago...most are dead or about to be.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2016/11/11/daily-202-the-reagan-democrats-are-no-longer-democrats-will-they-ever-be-again/58252889e9b69b6085905df0/

[LenaBaby61]

6. People like these few Reagan voters ..

Are folks I give no care about what happens to them.

WHEN the hammer falls down on them, and it WILL, I'll be yawning or sleeping or BOTH.

[GeorgeGist]

7. Idiots then ...

idiots now. Quelle surprise.