American politics has a funny way of working. Between the superdelegates, the Electoral College, and the (outdated) two-party system, it is understandable why someone from another country would find our political system bizarre and unappealing. Here's one more thing that I happen to find unusual: The tendency for the two major parties to completely switch with one another with regards to policies and their respective bases. Although the Republicans and Democrats have largely been in control since the Civil War, the two modern parties are unrecognizable compared to those of the late 19th century.
Today, conventional wisdom says that those with wealth and status are Republicans, while the opposite is true of those who vote Democrat. However, I beg to differ. Despite the Democratic Party priding itself on looking out for the poor and marginalized, this election cycle has, in a way, completely disproven that idea.
Look at the respective bases of the two major candidates, for example. Republican Donald Trump has seemingly tapped into a real fear and anxiety within a previously underestimated constituency: The white, middle-aged, working class male without a college degree. When you think about it, it seems that this is the last demographic that is socially acceptable to make fun of or criticize in any way (I wonder how these people feel about the idea of "white privilege?") This demographic is often portrayed in the media as backwards and unrefined, and they know it, too.
Conversely, take a look at who comprises Democrat Hillary Clinton's base. Although I rarely come across a true, ardent supporter of the former Secretary of State, all you need to do is turn on the TV to hear about another high-profile endorsement that she has earned. Usually, it will come from some multimillionaire celebrity or a billionaire CEO. It seems that her only enthusiastic supporters reside in elite, high-income zip codes in New York, San Francisco, or Beverly Hills. Furthermore, it seems that those who comprise her base often arrogantly look down their noses at working class average Joes in the middle of the country (Social Justice Warriors on college campuses are often guilty of this.) This is a trend that I have noticed before, but it seems that it has become much more pronounced in this election cycle. Mr. Trump keeps arguing that the system is rigged against him, and I can't help but think that many of his most ardent supporters have been saying the same things about their own lives for years. For decades now, these people have seen their jobs shipped overseas, leading to increasing poverty and marginalization within their ranks. These people need to be listened to, not scorned.
Regardless of what ends up happening on November 8th, I hope that this election will teach the Democratic Party a valuable lesson. If they want to continue to be known as the party of the everyman (and not the coastal elites), they will need to prove it, as opposed to writing off half the country as "deplorables."
