What next from Trump's America?

I think perhaps 'middle America' is an isolated and insular phenomenon. Hence the millions who voted trump into power.

day6, I think a lot of Trump's problem is his isolation from what we know as normal society and from the political system. In general, when someone rises to the top of the political system, they have worked their way up that system, in the UK they would start as a humble researcher for an MP, then go through the strenuous and gruelling selection process, learning on the job so to speak. Compare Trump: not only does he have no political experience, he has never even been an employee! He has never had to be a team player, to accept order which you may be unhappy about, all the things which us normal humans do as part of our career. He was given money by his father, probably because Trump senior recognised his son was unemployable. He is such an idiot he even lost money when running a casino. So, such a good idea to elect this well rounded, balanced, experienced person to run your country.

So, such a good idea to elect this well rounded, balanced, experienced person to run your country.

But this is the American Dream in action. Anyone can rise to become POTUS.

With regard to the people who elected him, I keep wanting to say "Brexit parallels are evident " but I'll just leave it there...

Seeking asylum is not illegal but it seems many are not being persecuted and so are justifies in seeking asylum but simply would prefer a better life in America. In other words economic migrants. America cannot accommodate all Mexicans. The Mexican parents should not be so irresponsible as to put their children in a position whereby they would be classed as illegal immigrants.

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free."

newnanny the situation is more complex than this and it is not just about Mexicans. Basically there are three types of people crossing over - criminals of one sort or another, those seeking political asylum ( so they are not entering illegally) and the third group who enter illegally - this is a misdemeanour under US law. Trump introduced 100% arrest when basically only the first group previously had been prosecuted as criminals.The second group should be processed as political asylum seekers and the third are usually detained and then deported. We have no idea into which of the last two categories the children we have seen belong and probably neither do tbe authorities. And now we learn that some of the children have been bussed hundreds if not thousands of miles away from the boarder and there are serious concerns that some will not be reunited with their parents ever. I can just imagine all the faulty paperwork that underpins this.

As others have said, most of the people living in America are economic migrants or are descended from people who were economic migrants, ie who migrated to America for a better life. Additionally, they originally achieved that goal by massacring a large proportion of the indigenous population, displacing the remainder and seizing power for themselves.

Thank goodness the majority of Gransnetters on this thread, whatever their political persuasion, deplore the way these families have been treated.

The majority of the American people voted for this man - and by all accounts most still support him - so it doesn't reflect well on them either and shows the US in the worst possible light.

There are no Brexit parallels.

Trump was always going to be a loose cannon, hard to see anyone at all voting for him, if only there had been a good Democrat candidate instead of Clinton, they had better start thinking ahead for next time!

Thank goodness he has reversed the policy of separating families, what a terrible thing to do, children crying for parents in cages! Barbaric.

There certainly are brexit parallels -

Cambridge Analytica, the Russian connexion, strong support from Putin, the ultra-right media, downmarket tabloids targeting immigrants, encouraging racism amongst the poorly educated and disaffected sectors of the electorate, illiberalism, intolerance, a preference for fake news rather than true facts, preying on the negative emotions of the fearful, the old, the marginalised sections of society who are looking for someone to blame. - and many more

Trump supporters are in the main white voters without a college education. Parallel with Brexit?

Sigh

Wanting to leave the EU has nothing to do with voters in the US voting for Trump, there were two unpopular choices, Trump and Clinton.
Negative emotions of the fearful, yes, there was that, Cameron and Osborne promising the world would end if we left!
However, some posters constantly bring any thread round to Brexit, this one is supposed to be about Trump and his policies, nothing to do with anything the UK does.

Trump supporters are in the main white voters without a college education. Parallel with Brexit?
stereotyping again

I am a Remainer, out of step here because I am living in neighbourhood of people with PhDs, Masters degrees who, in the main voted Brexit and I despair of remarks like that.

Back to Trump!!

It is some of the people who are surrounding him and advising him who are questionable, not just the man himself with his over-inflated ego.

The Republican party with a Senate majority supports him. Don't tell me that they are all white voters without a college education.

The fact is Trump supporters are in the main white and who do not have a college education. Why is that stereotyping? A stereotype is created out of a factual base. Sorry if some people find that truth uncomfortable.

This is not to say no Trump supporters are non white and none have a college education, it’s just a statistical fact that the majority of those who support Trump would come into that category. Nothing wrong with that.

With regard to the people who elected him, I keep wanting to say "Brexit parallels are evident " but I'll just leave it there

That is very below the belt MaizieD. I voted Leave but if the likes of Trump were in any way likely to run the show after the event I'd have stuck with the hideous and anti-UK Barnier and Juncker. Talk about Hobson's Choice!

It is grossly unfair and rather simplisticly pro-Remain to suggest that those who voted Leave are akin in any way to those Bible Belt uber right wing Americans who adore Trump.

But there is a common thread of populism

GillT57 - thank you! In a nut-shell! Your last post sums up for me exactly why Trump is a clueless, unthinking, self-absorbed, naive, unfeeling, arrogant and dangerous President. He reacts to situations all the time, never considering the consequences of his actions.

He's been give his rich-boy life on a plate. He is running the USA as if it were his business, his empire. I can only watch aghast as he blunders on in his power-crazed way.

Varian in response to your post, you do know there is huge left wing anti EU support, don't you?

The sainted Jeremy is probably the biggest Brexiteer now Benn and union man Bob Crow are no more. (Even though he ditched his principles - life-long held - on becoming Labour leader.)

Leaving the EU is a left wing cause. (Unless you are a closet Capitalist?)

As Ive stated many times,

But there is a common thread of populism

It isnt just USA and the UK who are leaning ever more more to right wing populist politics. In 2018, the following countries were deemed to have burgeoning right wing populist parties:

Australia - One Nation
Canada - Social Credit Party of Canada & The Reform Party of Canada
Austria- Freedom Party
Belgium - Vlaams Blok
Cyprus - ELAM
Czech Republic- ANO
Denmark - Progress Party
Finland - Finns Party
France - National Front
Hungary -Fides
Germany -AfD
Greece - Golden Dawn
Italy - Lega Nord
Netherlands - Party for Freedom
Poland - Law and Justice
Slovakia- Smer
Sweden - Sweden Democrats
Switzerland- Swiss People's Party

They haven't all voted to leave the EU. Neither have they all herded migrating children into camps and cages. Sweeping statements obscure the facts.

Thanks Chewbacca. Excellent post.

Remainers will of course retain their blinkers. It's quite obvious those sore losers will resort to slurs even when presented with facts.

There is a lot about EU jurisdiction that people of all colours, creeds, incomes and levels of education do not like. I have a masters degree. I voted to leave for many and various reasons and I know many like me who did the same.

It's becoming apparent that Remainers are time and time again resorting to the " thickos" slur. It's shameful.

Elitist and blinkered....and mostly left wing. Sadly, their glorious leader St Jeremy is extremely anti EU. They'd know that if they'd genned up on their political history.

Resorting to tired old slurs is the last resort of the defeated, maybe?

Theresa May's husband 's company has billions invested in the firm that runs Trump's detention centres.

Should our Prime Minister be making money from a set-up where thousands of children have been separated from their parents?

www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2018/06/21/theresa-mays-family-is-profiting-from-donald-trump-caging-children-in-detention-centres/

fivethirtyeight.com/features/education-not-income-predicted-who-would-vote-for-trump/

For those who think it’s some sort of slur or stereotype rather than a sociological analysis.