It’s the competition, Stupid!

  I’m keying this too late in the presidential race, but someone has to say it. 

  Many people seem to have no idea how anyone so stupid, immoral, and dishonest as Donald Trump, with nothing obvious to offer American voters, could appeal to so many voters. Polls’ crosstabs hold a strong reason.  Trump’s support furthest exceeds Harris’s among non-college Caucasian males.

  To paraphrase James Carville, it’s the competition. Although Trump seems to focus largely on deporting migrants and halting entry of migrants, his characterization of migrants as criminals is not merely incorrect, its alleged effect is too limited to influence large numbers of voters.  More impactful is his claim that migrants deprive voters of what he employs racism in terming “Black jobs.”

  Opponents, like the Obamas, are justified in criticizing Trump’s statements as racist as well as inaccurate.  But consider the reactions of non-college Caucasian males. They, like many migrants, have limited English language skills and little marketable talents. They really do represent people who might compete with American citizens for some types of employment.

  Now, beyond the impracticality and illegality of Trump’s proposals, there are flaws in non-college caucasian males’ appreciation of this threat.  First of all many of the jobs migrants have usually taken, like harvesting, have been unattractive to citizens, and vital to Americans in general.  Remember “braceros”?

  Also, Harris, like President Biden, is strongly pro union and many non-college Caucasian males are members of unions.  Harris has something concrete to offer those voters.  Trump has only pie-in-the-sky promises (e.g., lower food prices) he cannot keep.