Another thing which makes me go "huh?"

       Most of you know that I live in a community of seniors, some 120,000 strong. Some of you may also be aware that this is also a "Repugnican" stronghold. I'm reminded of that every time I see someone wearing the ubiquitous "make America great again" ball cap.

      Now here's the weird part, although now that I reflect a bit, it's  actually more "pathetic" than "weird." Many of the retirees here are living in the life style they have because they are retirees with pension plans, supplemental retirement benefit health care plans and, with Social Security, are (very) comfortably financially able to be part of this community which has a mean household income of more than $57,000 annually. 

       A significant number are retired members of the law enforcement and fire fighter communities. Many others are former employees in  other major industries. I cite these examples only to point out that many who support Trump are beneficiaries of organizations he loathes, and of which he has demonstrated this loathing in his business dealings over the past 25 years.

       Allow me one quick example of what (some) unions have done for members:  The United Auto Workers spends $4 billion annually  solely on health care benefits for its roughly 70 thousand retired members. A quick trip to the calculator shows that the math works out to $57,000  annually per retiree and dependent(s).   I am not justifying or supporting this incredible figure, just pointing it out.

         I cite these examples only to point out that a  significant common denominator of this group is their vociferous support of the current menace to world peace who occupies the White House. The other common factor is that they were/are essentially all (wait for it)  union members. Their retirement , benefits which are, as I pointed out earlier,  extremely generous, especially for those from the Northeast, were negotiated by their labor organizations. The man they support has shown, time and time again, his hostility to, and disdain for, unions such as theirs. He has refused to pay several for work done and has underpaid many more, daring them to spend even more to sue him. 

      Donald Trump is far, far from the supporter of working class Americans he portrays himself to be. Sadly, his flagrant support of the players of the race card resonates with some former unionists because, truth told, the history of labor unions and minorities for most of the 20th century has been one of racism as well.

        Working class white men and women who act surprised and nonplussed when Blacks point out the continuing vestiges of racism in America have their feet firmly in the muck of time, if they were union members even into the 1950s and 60s.  Unions were  the "white privilege" bastions of labor for longer than most want to admit, or sadder yet, than many even know. So in summary, perhaps sadly, Trump's appeal to the worst in their natures is what stimulates their "bite the hand which fed us" response to his shameful treatment of working class Americans.