Why a CS degree guy voted for Trump...

by moehoward ( 668736 ) on Monday May 08, 2017 @10:07AM (#54376067) 

My 2 cents on why I voted for Trump as a white male, middle-class, technology-employed, highly-educated (CS degree and 2 Masters) guy.

1) Taxes - As someone fairly educated on economics, Clinton had zero tax/economic policy. I wish she did, so I could compare. I easily could see myself voting for Clinton, despite her personal failings. But, Trump campaigned on a reasonable corporate tax plan that I see as key to growth.

2) Education - As a father of 2 kids who went through (or finishing) a public education in a wealthy suburb, I was horrified at Common Core and other federally mandated (dept of ed) baloney. My gosh. Clinton had really no stand here (other than free community college), while Trump was clearly against central federal involvement to the level that we had achieved over the previous 16 years.

3) Illegal immigration - Yes, I took all those many hours and tons of effort to actually type the word "illegal" in front of the word "immigration". Amazing how this issue is talked about as the "immigration" issue, as if it is so freaking difficult to put the word "illegal" in front of the word. I have illegals living in a rental next door to me. It is a revolving door of tenants, but the drug dealing, uninsured driving, drug use, and other bad behavior makes this issue VERY local for me. All politics are local and I ALWAYS will vote in my own self interest. My local police behave in sanctuary city mode (even though we are not), and refuse to turn these folks over to ICE after the continuous strings of arrests/traffic stops. Clinton framed this issue as nothing more than "Trump is against immigrants." Why couldn't she just propose a comprehensive low-wage immigrant worker program? I mean, that is what the country ultimately needs. I would have voted for her if she had such a plan. She did not.

4) Open source - Well, I mean "open". Trump talked to the press and anyone who would listen. Clinton gave canned speeches to small groups of supporters. She basically never gave press conferences. I just wanted to hear what she had to say about issues, but I strained to hear her message from her mouth during any phase of the campaign. If she would have been able to explain her positions (whether I agreed or disagreed), then I would have been comfortable voting for her.

5) Terrorism/Syria - The Benghazi thing sort of put a lot of questions in my head. My feeling is that Clinton phoned-in her tenure at State. She was granted a Senator seat in NY. Trump, though, had a well-storied history (past and current) of being a tireless 16-hour-a-day worker. I suppose that this sort of goes to character for me. I didn't like either of their personalities, but so what.

6) ACA - I can do math. I have an understanding of models. The ACA is doomed by math. Clinton would not say the obvious. Why not?

Ultimately, the president in the US is not king/queen. But, because it is our only elected national office, it gives our nutty press/entertainment industry something to rally around. I thought the election was totally entertaining. I love watching all the "protests" and the frothing at the mouth by singers and actors. If the corporate tax rate gets lowered, illegal immigration is somewhat stemmed, the dept of ed gets a smack down, and the ACA gets replaced with a workable plan, then I'm good and we will have moved forward, as we always do.