I find interesting that most comments here are about the Democrats.
However I should point that this is not an American-only issue. Poor people are strong supporters of the AfD in Germany, Bolsonaro in Southern Brazil, the National Rally in France, Erdogan in Turkey, Bukele in El Salvador, Orban in Hungary, etc. On the last Canadian election a great part of the votes lost by the socialist NDP went to the Conservatives, not to the Liberals.
And, also, is not new. Mussolini, Franco, Vargas (Brazil), Peron (Argentina) and other fascist dictators had a strong support from poor people. Gramsci complained a lot about it.
My take: what poor people like in these strong men is a feeling of stability and security. They all promise to be a guardian about some sort of external threat: immigrants, criminals, minorities, etc.
Poor people are scared and they desperately want stability.
However I should point that this is not an American-only issue. Poor people are strong supporters of the AfD in Germany, Bolsonaro in Southern Brazil, the National Rally in France, Erdogan in Turkey, Bukele in El Salvador, Orban in Hungary, etc. On the last Canadian election a great part of the votes lost by the socialist NDP went to the Conservatives, not to the Liberals.
And, also, is not new. Mussolini, Franco, Vargas (Brazil), Peron (Argentina) and other fascist dictators had a strong support from poor people. Gramsci complained a lot about it.
My take: what poor people like in these strong men is a feeling of stability and security. They all promise to be a guardian about some sort of external threat: immigrants, criminals, minorities, etc.
Poor people are scared and they desperately want stability.