A Word From the “Rust Belt”

While Trumps unconventional rhetoric continues to appeal to some voters, people in the “Rust Belt” of America aren’t on the same page. This may come as a shock to you as it did me, the people in the states with run down closed factories aren’t siding with the candidate who wants to get these factories back rolling. These people aren’t voting for the candidate who promises to create more jobs and put higher tariffs on foreign goods. Why are the people who should be supporting these ideals, seeing as it would bring back jobs within their states, not on board with Trump?

A poll done in Mid October showed the “Rust Belt” choosing Clinton over Trump. The poll looked at Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio which are all states known for certain industries. We know that if Trump has any chance of winning he needs the state of Ohio and Pennsylvania’s vote. According to the polls he does not have it. Lets look at what these groups of people have to say about Trump’s proposal on trade and why they are against it.

When looking at what the polls have to say we see two obvious reasons as to why they favor Clinton over Trump. Trading with foreign countries often decreases the cost of products. Clearly in our economy saving money is on everyone’s mind. Secondly they said they doubted trump could keep his promises of restoring the manufacturing sector of the U.S.

We see parts of the challenger style at work in Trumps side of the trade argument. While Trump has effectively used all parts of the Challenger Style for this certain issue I want to emphasize two points in particular. He is indeed calling for a change, which is why candidates run for office. Opening factories, punishing China for rotten deals, and increasing rules, regulations, and tariffs are major changes from what has taken place in the last eight years. We know that in the Challenger Strategy you are supposed “Speak to traditional values rather than calling for a value change. These changes he is calling for sound like changes to take us backwards rather than forward. His ideals are those of the past, it seems as if Trump wants to take us backward rather than taking us forward. Trump is clearly appealing to the white conservative males, and definitely the Tea Party when speaking on this certain change and reverting back to this old traditional value.

While Trump thinks his message is reaching the audience he is targeting it is clearly not. The audience for his message would clearly be these residents who live in the towns and states of these shut down factories. He will most likely not have their vote in the election and it is crucial he wins two of the three states mentioned.

In closing the“Rust Belt” voters seem to have this take on Clinton and her trade policies, “Clinton has offered a more tempered approach, saying she would seek to re-evaluate NAFTA if elected and that there were problems with some aspects of the TPP.” Her rhetoric is the opposite of Trump’s and wins plenty of voters over by appearing to be rational and level headed versus Trump’s temper and fiery rhetoric. With only a few days left until the election we will soon see which way these states vote.