Trumped in West Virginia?

[JA]

Washington Post

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Hartford Courant

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New York Times

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You could be forgiven for mistaking these article as coming from the 2016 Presidential Election, rather than the 2000 election. It seems like Democrats have had the same problems in this part of the country since the Clinton era due to a combination of socially progressive policies that appeal to suburban voters, such as gun restriction and abortion rights, and policies perceived as anti-job, which include environmental regulations without corresponding investments in new jobs and presiding over manufacturing decline.

[Hindsight was 2020]

An we all know how great that turned out

[JA]

An we all know how great that turned out

Indeed. Interestingly, this helps to confirm my belief that Trump is a reincarnation of George W. Bush, albeit crasser and even less intelligent. The specific issues may have changed, but Bush also ran on a platform of isolationism, "compassionate conservative" economic policies, identity politics, emphasized a campaign of "jobs jobs jobs," support for domestic energy production, and open hostility to the "cultural elite."

Of course, a lot of his rhetoric was simply deceptive and intended to distract voters from his actual policy agenda of tax cuts for the rich, assaults on social welfare programs, and stuffing his administration with war hawks. Wait... that also sounds familiar!

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

An we all know how great that turned out

Indeed. Interestingly, this helps to confirm my belief that Trump is a reincarnation of George W. Bush, albeit crasser and even less intelligent. The specific issues may have changed, but Bush also ran on a platform of isolationism, "compassionate conservative" economic policies, identity politics, emphasized a campaign of "jobs jobs jobs," support for domestic energy production, and open hostility to the "cultural elite."

Of course, a lot of his rhetoric was simply deceptive and intended to distract voters from his actual policy agenda of tax cuts for the rich, assaults on social welfare programs, and stuffing his administration with war hawks. Wait... that also sounds familiar!

Meet the new boss....


...same as the old boss.


There are some differences though, but one thing is clear and that is that the Republican think tank governing approach is un-electable, now even to GOP primary voters. Which is why Trump got nominated despite their best efforts.

[Indy Texas]

The people of West Virginia want to be lied to. Starting in 2000, the Republicans told them better lies than the Democrats did.

You don't win an election there by telling people coal is never coming back and if they want a better life, they need to either go to college or move somewhere else. But that's the ugly truth.

[Yank2133]

The people of West Virginia want to be lied to. Starting in 2000, the Republicans told them better lies than the Democrats did.

You don't win an election there by telling people coal is never coming back and if they want a better life, they need to either go to college or move somewhere else. But that's the ugly truth.

Pretty much this.

State and local Democrats can get away with lying their asses off about coal and it's future. But that isn't going to work in the presidential elections.