Reasoning on Trump

I have been wondering for a long time what could possibly be the reason for such a large portion of the American electorate supporting a president with such obvious and blatant personality flaws. I gained sudden insight while watching a PBS program on artificial intelligence (AI).

Picture a man who spent 35 years working in an auto plant in Ohio. During his working years, he paid off his house, sent his three children to an in-state college, vacationed each year traveling in the U.S., and retired comfortably with a pension in addition to Social Security. A solid middle-class family.

His son, now in his late 50s, is working in the same plant. As robots have been introduced, jobs have been lost. His pay has not kept up with inflation, his wife has joined the work force, and they are one major medical problem away from financial distress. Robots at the plant have led to increasing productivity that, in turn, has led to increased corporate profits. He sees these profits being shared by the stockholders and CEOs. He is left wondering why he will never be able to enjoy what his father had been able to achieve. He has obeyed all the rules, accomplished all his father did, and yet he does not enjoy the same benefits. He feels the usual way of doing things that worked so well for his father is not working for him.

Therefore, the usual way must be scrapped and some new way, as yet unknown, must be attempted. So every time established politicians take exception to Trump’s disregard for the established rules, this man cheers in the hope that new rules will help his situation. If his situation does not improve perceptibly and he sees no hope for improvement, I fear what he may be encouraged to try next. I do not want to be alarming, but I believe income inequality and the disappearance of a middle class needs to be recognized and addressed. RICHARD PICARD

Little Rock