I WAS pleased to see that your correspondents John Carsicas and Gerrit Olivier have tackled the received wisdom that Trump voters are bigoted ignoramuses. They support him not because they are stupid, but because they are voting for their interests as they see it.
Statistics may well show that globalisation has increased world trade and, consequently, lowered poverty levels worldwide, but try telling that to workers retrenched because their factory is now in China.
These voters are interested in practical problems and immediate solutions, not theoretical ones with infinite time scales. They may be wrong in thinking Trump is their solution, and the cure may be worse than the disease, but that is the argument his opponents should try to win if they were up to the task.
On the other side, many Democrats are sick of professional politicians like Hillary Clinton, who is, frankly, dishonest.
Every word and phrase is pared to perfection before being launched.
Such is the disgust that a throwback socialist with infantile economic views more suited to undergraduate debate than high political office is able to give Clinton a run for her money.
And we thought our lot was bad!
Sydney Kaye
Cape Town
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks about the results of Super Tuesday primary and caucus voting in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, March 1 2016. Picture: REUTERS
I WAS pleased to see that your correspondents John Carsicas and Gerrit Olivier have tackled the received wisdom that Trump voters are bigoted ignoramuses. They support him not because they are stupid, but because they are voting for their interests as they see it.
Statistics may well show that globalisation has increased world trade and, consequently, lowered poverty levels worldwide, but try telling that to workers retrenched because their factory is now in China.
These voters are interested in practical problems and immediate solutions, not theoretical ones with infinite time scales. They may be wrong in thinking Trump is their solution, and the cure may be worse than the disease, but that is the argument his opponents should try to win if they were up to the task.
On the other side, many Democrats are sick of professional politicians like Hillary Clinton, who is, frankly, dishonest.
Every word and phrase is pared to perfection before being launched.
Such is the disgust that a throwback socialist with infantile economic views more suited to undergraduate debate than high political office is able to give Clinton a run for her money.
And we thought our lot was bad!
Sydney Kaye
Cape Town
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