Nostalgia is a powerful driving force. I'm convinced Nostalgia, more than fear or hope is what got Trump elected, and why he'll win again. People seem to be desperate to always want to return to 'how things were'. It's fascinating.
And sometimes things were actually better. Of course it is surprising that people want to go back to something like coal. But it isn't surprising that people want to go back to a time when their communities had a purpose and a future.
Yeah it had nothing to do with his opponent being a corrupt insider who ran an awful campaign.
Tribalism seems to pop up in all different populations. Fear of changing demographics, fear of others coming into your city/country, fear of change. Definitely a lot of parallels between the logic of this article and the logic that got Trump elected.
As the owner of a CNC machine shop in Madison, IL, I can tell you it has nothing to do with such wishy washy nostalgia. The steel mills have reopened and are running at capacity. Hard work for an honest dollar is dignity that transcends skin color. The renaissance of modern American manufacturing is beautiful. Trump will win because he promised dignity and delivered.