By Terry Manning
I have to admit after my last column calling Trump supporters “dummies,” I expected there to be a little more activity in my inbox.
There wasn’t. For the most part, the readers who responded were in agreement. They shared their concerns about the country’s future with the nation’s controversial 45th president being returned to the Oval Office.
One reader wrote:
“Our nation’s justice system, shifting populations, and especially the health of our planet, are under relentless, pernicious — unprecedented? — attack; I see only darkness ahead. I don’t expect the light cycle to kick in again in my lifetime, and, frankly, with the depredations currently underway in so many areas, with the full acquiescence of leadership and (apparently) much of the American citizenry, I lack hope.”
Another reader, a passer-through, described a restaurant encountered after leaving Beaufort. Their first impression was a good one, based on a full parking lot. But they were taken aback by a large “Trump” sign just inside the door.
“Not a person of color to be seen,” the writer stated. “Wonder why? A Whites Only sign is not needed. Bigots got Donald (from New York, wow!) and the gutless Republican Party (everywhere) that looks the other way in the face of bigotry and religious tyranny.”
There were other comments on social media, mostly supportive, but I want to reiterate the reason for my initial judgment: Many Trump voters claimed to be principled, informed voters worried about the issues — especially the economy — and the fact is, they were not.
Trump is not even in office yet but, as reported by the New York Times and other news outlets, Republicans are suddenly optimistic about the economy.
“Republicans, according to the [Morning Consult] survey, now feel better about the economy than at any time since Mr. Trump lost his bid for re-election four years ago,” the Times reported.
Even though Joanna Hsu, director of surveys for the University of Michigan, told U.S. News and World Report, “the resolution of the election exerted little immediate impact on the current state of the economy.” Well, duh.
In other words, Republicans had been down on the economy since Trump lost in 2020, and no matter what the Biden administration did to help, the GOP’s Shleprock routine became the popular position. Until they got their boy back. Now they’re happy again. But for how long?
More than a couple of pundits have suggested we all write down the inflation rate, stock market, gas prices, and other numbers that reflect how well things are going and compare them to when Trump actually takes office. For a while, at least, he’s going to be coasting on a good economy Joe Biden left him. But then it’s all on him, with his misguided tariffs and other bad economic plans.
I literally laughed out loud at the man interviewed last week who was carrying on about how Trump’s tariffs were going to help his T-shirt business by making China pay more. Until a passerby explained the tariff would be passed on to him and then he would have no choice but to raise the price of his T-shirts. Similar to what will happen with other good and businesses that will be affected by the tariffs.
“Oh no, I don’t like that,” he groaned.
Maybe he should put “Trump Buyer’s Remorse” on a T-shirt. Should be a popular item in a few months.
His early regret was reflected in a story I read about some Texas voters wondering if they could go back and change their votes. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram quoted social media users:
“I regret voting for Trump,” one wrote. “I’ll reiterate that I live in an always very red state so it didn’t matter but I still symbolically am starting to feel quite dumb about it.”
And another user:
“Already regretting voting for you … these cabinet appointees are just not it Trump.”
Of course, they can’t go back and change their votes. If only they’d listened to the millions of people who tried to warn them.
Like those of us who tried to warn about Project 2025, which the Trump campaign claimed said they had nothing to do with, which has been openly accepted now as their anti-government playbook for the next four years.
Toss in watching the incoming president nominate a veritable rogue’s gallery to stock his Cabinet and it’s hard not think we’ll all get to find out — the hard way — the answer to the question Trump asked when begging for votes in 2020: “What do you have to lose?”
Terry E. Manning is a Clemson graduate and worked for 20 years as a journalist. He can be reached at teemanning@gmail.com.
