Author: Emily Doyle

Short Essay #7

Hanson’s reasoning as to why Trump won the 2016 election, has many positive points. However, Hanson’s points were not as strong as they could have been. America has been advancing socially for years. Racism, sexism, xenophobia, and homophobia have been lessening in America. At the time of this election these four discriminatory thoughts were at the peak of change. Therefore, the possibility of them playing an important role in the election is relevant but Hanson’s argument of Trump wanting to make America successful again is what won his election overall.

Hanson discusses the differences between Hillary’s campaign and Trumps. Hillary’s campaign was focused on being the first woman president, rather than Trump’s campaign whom focused on America and making our country better. Wanting success for America and to create a better life for Americans, is what drew in the working class citizens towards Trump. Crediting those who have been forgotten by former politicians, which is a great deal of Americans allowed Trump’s outcome to be successful. Three swing states, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin helped in Trumps’ success. With these three states voting for Trump allowed him to win the presidency. These three swing states have the so called “blue state-model.” This model entails social media, steep taxes, big government, social liberality, smaller families, sophisticated culture, and high incomes (Hansen 34). This model has been a focus throughout America, the average families, not those who are apart of the cultural elite but those who are everyday, working citizens.

A “cultural elite” has always been in existence and continues to be. This group of people are the ones who control the government, the lands, and mostly everything around them because of their income status. Those who are not considered to be in the cultural elite such as African Americans and Hispanics took over inner city living. Privilege and success were camouflaged by progressive politics, allowing for zoning restrictions and high taxes decimate the middle class and leaving some homeless. If there was an option to allow hillside estates be built and allow middle class citizens to afford a home versus keeping green spaces, the elite metalism always won (Hanson 39). Those who are affected by the cultural elite is whom Trump connected with in his campaign, these are the people who are in the swing states as well as many others. The focus of Trump’s campaign rears out of making the cultural elite more accessible to the lower classes. “Trump certainly felt that making everyone wealthier would make them stronger and happier and thus the country as a whole more unified, safer, and more stable” (222). This goal of Trump’s campaign is the evidence needed to show that the cultural elite does exist in America.

Americans have found it hard to accept the fact that Trump was elected as our president, they say he is discriminatory to all Americans that are not like him. However, Trump did not win the election due to America being prejudice. He won because America needed change in the economy. Citizens needed to be able to afford their lives in America and the government needs to focus on the struggles happening within America’s land rather than foreign affairs.

Reading and Film Presentations and Discussion

The Case for Trump Ch7 ERA

This chapter focused on the aspect as to why Trump’s slogan was “Make America Great Again” and how it involved a variety of citizens. The election of 2016 was based on the point how America was in decline and needed reformation, however Hillary Clinton thought differently. Hillary’s campaign was not focused on America, however to claim herself as the first woman president. The separation of focus between Trump and Hillary’s campaign was a realization to all Americans. Trump was there to help America become what it once was, a success. Trump once stated, “We’ve made other countries rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has disappeared over the horizon” (Hanson 218). With this statement Trump’s main focus was to allow America to focus on itself rather than the countries around us. Focusing on our country’s wealth and our country’s success will then transfer to American citizens who will become more successful as well. With this, Trump appealed to the middle and lower class based on the argument of “unfairness.” Bringing less attention to other countries and more on ourselves. Trump felt that it would allow everyone to become wealthier. Therefore American citizens will be stronger and happier, allowing our country to be more stable and unified. To create a more stable and unified country Trump promoted the aspect of “ buy American, and hire American.” This slogan was to promote the opportunities that are in America to be given to Americans, rather than those around the world. Jobs to be focused on employment of Americans and for Americans to support companies that are Amercian made rather than those from other countries. With these two simple changes in America, Trump promoted that America will become a great success again.

Reading and Film Presentations and Discussion

ERA CH1 A Case for Trump

President Trump’s election campaign and presidency is one that America will always remember. His antics, vocal opinions, and the contribution to the “American Split” will always be remembered. The Divide in America has always been based off of class, social jobs and race, however the divide is beginning to change with Trump’s election. Trump won the election due to winning votes in three swing states, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. The win of these states has been focused on the social media beliefs and information. The new divide is based on the internet and social media, where class and cultural tensions can be exaggerated. With this, politicians now rear their campaign towards social media. Campaigns are now not based off of privilege and success, rather “trendy progressive politics” (Hanson 39). With this politicians are able to respond faster with events, comments, and political drama happening in the world. Trump is an example of using social media in connecting with America, he loves to voice his thoughts and opinions through Twitter especially. However, Trump did not win his campaign for this factor. He focused on those who were forgotten in America, the average store clerk for example. Trump is trying to end the division in america, therefore focusing on those in both parties who feel neglected and betrayed. This division within America was drastically seperated with Obama’s presidency. With Obama’s views toward white people and expressing these views have allowed for white citizens to not follow Obama and therefore not vote for him. These people who Obama labeled as “zombies of xenophobic and racist” (55) where the ones denied Obama for presidency, allowing Trump to secure votes from them. Overall, Trump focused on those in America that politicians normally forget about and find as liabilities, with this strategy he was able to win the election and become president.

Catch-All/Student Discussion Questions

We Wanted Workers Class Discussion

Post author By Emily Doyle
Post date October 29, 2019
7 Comments on We Wanted Workers Class Discussion

The main question that was discussed in class was “what are some of the things we should consider for immigrants to have access to welfare?” At the start of this discussion we focused on the difference between a liberatarian state and a welfare state. A liberatarion state is where no welfare benefits are given and described as a free market of capitalism. However, in a welfare state taxation is implemented to the citizens to help those in need receive welfare. Therefore, America is a welfare state. Citizens pay taxes to the government, which then the government uses to pay off of what is needed in America. When considering immigrants access to welfare, the factors vary. Freidman states, “you can’t have free immigration and a welfare state.” His statement is true. If immigrants were to freely enter and be given money to survive then the population of immigrants would overload and be a higher demand than natives. Immigrants of no skill, no talent, and no demand will enter and live for free, because there would be no skill necessary to live. The government would pay for all of your finances, which is better money than they would be receiving in their homelands. Therefore, immigration should not be free. Just like every other citizen, they should be paying taxes as well. In today’s world immigration is a strong political topic because some citizens benefit from immigrants such those who are owners of companies, properties, and businesses. But others suffer from the immigration because the work they once had is taken by those who are willing to be paid less.

Reading and Film Presentations and Discussion

we wanted workers ch9 era

Post author By Emily Doyle
Post date October 27, 2019
No Comments on we wanted workers ch9 era

Borja’s emphasizes the two views of immigration: “immigrants as workers or immigrants as people.” Immigrants are people, and not just robotic workers that help our economy. They have a world bigger than just the workforce, they have a family to feed, hospital visits to pay, clothes to buy, and rent to pay. Immigrants clearly have needs and the welfare state helps with these needs.The safety net that America produces for immigrants allows for a more secure and comfortable life than they would have in their national country. Because of this safety net, it raises some questions of whether the immigrants are benefiting the economy around them. Borja’s own view states, “the decision of whether or not to admit an immigrant should depend on the long-term implications of that decision, including the immigrants’ choice of how many children to have and whether the government will have to fund the services provided to those dependents” (179). He states this because the children who become US-born from immigrants would not exist and welfare expenditures would not be admitted, which leads to US taxes being used in other ways. Welfare recipients are people who would do poorly in the workforce which tend to be immigrants. They use welfare more often than natives, not because they are immigrants just simply because they are less skilled. When looking in the future, immigrants may have a result on the welfare system however, they benefit America because the more immigration the more taxpayers. As a result to imigration, the native wealth has increased due to the fact the immigrants participate in the productive life of our country.