it's all pandering!
there was an article i read a couple months ago that details how Trump is basically following some Right-wing political strategist's playbook. I can't remember the guy's name, but the article says it's the same one Buchanan tried to follow in '92 & '96, but didn't quite have the stones to go all-in on the white-nationalism like Trump has. nor was Buchanan willing to make a clown of himself for media coverage.
The article is really worth reading, edit: but i cant fucking find it now!
basically the thinking is: fuck the GOP Establishment; all the things important to them: tax cuts for the wealthy, anti-regulation, cutting social security, free trade agreements, outsourcing jobs, cutting disability benefits, and social welfare... none of those things actually appeal to their voting base, who are the middle-and-lower class whites who have lost jobs and income due to pursuing those policies since Nixon was in the WhiteHouse. all those things are actually contrary their interests. and fuck the GOP Establishment for being foolish enough to convince themselves otherwise. What a candidate needs to do is point out the avg. white working man is poor, is screwed by the big corporations, and what not. he needs to admit it! and he needs to blame someone the avg. GOP voter can get enthusiastic about hating: minorities and foreigners.
Trump has simply followed the playbook to perfection. It is 1930's white nationalist populism; old-school fascism. The only difference between Trump and earlier generations is that he has twitter.
He's essentially done nothing but follow the playbook. he's never held office before, never governed anything, laid no groundwork for a political coalition, done no public service or organizing. Trump's actual domestic and foreign policies will be made up as needed. he had no agenda coming in.
