Williams: Donald Trump Rode to Power on the Populism of the Past. Now, What About the Future?
Greetings, emerging from the depths of liberal, multicultural fear.
We find ourselves in a state of shock, seeking solace in our neighborhoods and workplaces, attempting to comprehend what has just transpired. How did we arrive at this bewildering juncture?
Centrist and conservative critics have taken to proclaiming that liberals have failed to grasp the essence of the United States, becoming disconnected from what was once referred to as the "Real America" by a Republican vice presidential candidate. Some, including certain individuals on the left, argue that Democrats lost because they perceived the country’s growing diversity as a substitute for reaching out to white, working-class voters.
There may be some truth to aspects of this criticism. Perhaps we progressives have lost sight of the nation we currently inhabit. However, our country, a vast and intricate entity, is constantly evolving. The demographics of the United States are shifting, a transformation most evident in our educational institutions. The disparity between the 2016 voting populace and the 2016 kindergarten class is profoundly striking.
You see, native-born Americans are barely replenishing their own population through reproduction. Since 1990, the growth of the child population in the United States has been solely attributed to children of immigrants. As a result, our education system is becoming wonderfully diverse, with a majority of students being of non-white ethnicity. Additionally, nearly one third of Head Start students speak a language other than English at home.
These demographic trends, among others, are not only adding to the pluralism of American society but also making it more prosperous, secure, and captivating.
It was this diverse nation that liberals believed to be the reality. We observed the diverse coalition of voters that elected Barack Obama to two terms in office and concluded, perhaps reasonably, that we understood our country. Progressivism seemed to be on the rise. We celebrated pluralism and embraced healthy eating habits.
And yet, here we stand, anxiously huddled together, fearing that Trump, his party, and his supporters will discriminate against the members of this diverse generation of children and their families. Maybe Donald Trump will soften his stance on certain issues. Perhaps he will appoint competent leaders and maintain a level of disinterest in the presidency that will prevent authoritarian nightmares from materializing. However, his abnormal behavior on social media, peculiar actions during the transition phase, and the disconcerting pattern of his consistently erratic behavior are enough to ignite a sense of impending doom within the left. This is why it is difficult for liberals to accept conservatives’ reassurance that things won’t be so bad and that there will be opportunities to collaborate on education reform.
The truth is, this election was only minimally contested based on substantive issues. Ultimately, the American people don’t desire for Trump to fulfill most of his promises. His blend of xenophobic, racist populism has not generated newfound support for traditionally unpopular GOP positions such as tax cuts for the wealthy, reduced regulations on corporations (particularly in relation to climate change), and looser restrictions on gun ownership. The majority of Americans want to uphold our treaty commitments within NATO and do not support the construction of a wall on our southern border.
No, this election was primarily about the kind of country we believe ourselves to be, and whether our growing diversity is a strength or a threat. Many of Trump’s supporters were motivated by his calls to resurrect "American greatness" through a range of unspecified aggressive actions against immigrants, Muslims, people of color, and various other groups of Americans. In the end, Republicans secured the presidency and maintained control of Congress by mobilizing a voting base that is whiter and older than the overall population.
A post-election analysis by FiveThirtyEight.com uncovered that Trump’s support was strongest in counties with higher concentrations of elderly individuals, white residents, fewer immigrants, and/or lower levels of education. A staggering 87 percent of Trump’s voters were white, and 62 percent were over the age of 45.
Considering Trump’s early indications of how he intends to govern, it is easy to envision his administration embodying the nostalgic cultural rage that resonated with his coalition of supporters.
According to my colleague Janie Tankard Carnock, the current challenge we face is not merely reconciling the differing visions of America held by the left and the right; rather, it is about advocating for the rights of future generations and combating the negative influences of the past. Our goal is to prevent the anxieties of older generations from disproportionately hindering the opportunities available to today’s young Americans.
Conservatives should approach their own self-assurance with caution. The country will not become less diverse. In fact, there has been a significant increase in the number of English-language learners in Trump Country from 2002 to 2014. States such as South Carolina experienced a 437 percent growth, North Dakota with 211 percent, Kentucky with 209 percent, Mississippi with 192 percent, Kansas with 154 percent, and Arkansas with 136 percent. If progressives are currently experiencing a period of reckoning, it is likely that conservatives will face the same in the future. If Republicans fail to distance themselves from the image presented by their party’s leader, they will face electoral consequences when these young and diverse children come of voting age.
Please note that the views expressed here belong solely to Conor Williams.