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In at least one survey of self-identified MAGA, conducted at the end of 2021 and right after Jan. 6, 2022, conducted by Blum (asst.prof. at Univ. of Oklahoma) and Parker (Univ. of Washington), 1,348 respondants across 50 states: MAGA consists of about 60% men with about 52%of them being retired men over 65 yrs. These statistics shine a l…
In at least one survey of self-identified MAGA, conducted at the end of 2021 and right after Jan. 6, 2022, conducted by Blum (Asst.Prof. at Univ. of Oklahoma) and Parker (Univ. of Washington), 1,348 respondants across 50 states: MAGA consists of about 60% men with about 52%of them being retired men over 65 yrs. These statistics shine a little light on the characteristics you state, don't they? Do men naturally get grumpy as they get older? And, about 50% of those men have an income over $50.000. And, since such a large proportion of the survey respondants are over 65 yrs., it is no surprise their education level would be lower. (You didn't need a college degree to get a good job when they were working.) "MAGA presence was not constrained to rural areas, as contemporary rhetoric about the urban-rural divide might lead us to expect. In most states, MAGA respondents were clustered around major cities like Atlanta, Chicago, and Dallas.": from the survey.
And, for perspective: In 2022, 37.7% of the US population age 25 and older had a college degree or higher. About 30% of MAGA had college degrees.
I'm finding it interesting that my impression of our opposition is changing as I get more information.
I do know, however, that Trump is pure shit!
Many young men voted in this election, as well as older folks who supported Trump evidenced the characteristics that I noted. Income over $50,000 is middle to lower middle class. Red states consist of cities, suburbs and rural areas. Their public education rankings are near the bottom of the 50 states, as well as income level. Adherence to authoritarian leaning religious groups is added to the mix. Also, racially , predominantly white.
Yes, young men, too, but, OVER HALF of MAGA is retired old men. The other half is split among old women, young women (old & young women = 40% in this survey) and young men. That is a different picture than I had in my mind. What I see is old men must be having a problem accepting and dealing with this brave new world and they're pissed! That's the core of MAGA. And it is not surprising they would have less liberal attitudes than younger people do. They also would have a stronger working class attitude which includes respect for people who are richer than you are.
And education: At least a college degree (2022): US general population= 37.7%, not so far from MAGA's 30%. These are not knuckle draggers.
As we go through this Trump thing, we are going to have to deal with MAGA. Trump's shine will tarnish, as it has already started to do. Trump's approval rating dropped drastically over his last administration It will do the same this time. Knowing who MAGA is will be helpful.
I am a Senior and everyone who I know is educated and voted for Harris. They are also financially secure. Many of us who are retired are wealthy and not looking for government handouts. We are liberally minded and modern in our thoughts and ideas. I personally have never voted for a Republican, running for any position in government We are not an educated country , statistically or any other way that you want to define it. Reading and writing is at a fifth grade level, mostly related to MAGA voters. When you are uninformed and cannot accept all people equally deserving of respect, then I guess you need to vote your fears and prejudices, which are well represented in the Republican Party. Those sentiments have been recorded and expressed publicly by these voters.
MAGA is over 50% retired old men!!!!! They are dragging our country around (with their Trump support). Their attitudes are lagging behind younger people's attitudes. That's what we're dealing with!
I'm a senior also. I want to know who we are dealing with here so we know how to solve our Trump problem. Don't you?
Did you note educational achievement comparison between US population and MAGA? Not that starkly different.
The theory that MAGA people are just defective people doesn't cut it. No wonder we lost. Besides the old guys' problems, something else is going on.
There are other factors in play: demographics, religious adherence, race, misogyny, lack of understanding of human sexuality and the equal rights fought for and won by both women and the LGBTQ community. Intelligence is another variable, as well as critical thinking skills. Lots of young men are caught up in the culture of MAGA and many stormed the Capitol in 2021.
"The House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack put the crowd number at 53,000, ..." - Politifact.
How many young men could it possibly have been with a total mob of 53,000? Maybe it was 52,999. Out of a voting population of about 35x,xxx,xxx people. One of my points is that a small, small number of people are dragging around the majority of people. What's going on here?
As I enter discussions on lefty sites I am horrified by the smug, demeaning attitude of the posters toward all MAGA, the fury unleashed on me for daring to say we need to look closer at MAGA and why we lost the election.
First, take out about 50% of MAGAs who could be anticipated to be intransigent, defiant of change in the culture. These are the MAGAs cited on lefty discussion boards. Their numbers will inexorably diminish before long and that's not enough people to win an election with anyway. There has to be something else going on.
Begrudgingly I have to credit Trump's ability to mesmerize some people.
But the group who tipped the scales in the election were the independents. Why did they vote Trump and not Kamala?