White rural Trump voters and "small government"

The people voting for Trump wanted something. It was maybe jobs now, not community college. Or maybe it was the "somebody is getting something I'm not" feel of middle class and poor middle class. The poor folks in cities were maybe getting something.

They got Trump:

That winning was going to be something. They wanted to cut down government, cut down regulation etc etc. They were suspicious of government spying on us.

Guess what? They got a little. A few dollars in the paycheck. Trump himself saved millions in taxes, if he pays any. They got an impression of EPA held back and coal jobs coming back a bit. It's not doing much for jobs.

But the whole thing is pretty much a front. Trump is running a public relations campaign, mostly about him as the tough guy, savior of capitalism and the white folks old world, where gay wedding cakes do not make the press.

But the BIG government is still there. The military is big government, we spend a lot on that and they spy for "homeland security" as needed. No domestic terrorism goes undetected for long.

Corporations own government. Monsanto still writes the farm bill. In fact almost nothing has changed in the way things are done. Corporations do not care about Mexico walls, Trump war with press, abortions etc etc. They run strictly on profits. Oil rigs still are as unsafe as before Deepwater Horizon. National parks are open for drilling. Despite some friction with Trump, the Koch Brothers still dictate energy policy.

Big Government is run by corporations and Trump cut their tax. You've been had. Your hourly wages went down as far as buying power. They have gone down for decades.

I’ve neglected a small group of Trump voters who actually do know where the money goes. These people do not mind the money going to corporations. ”As long as it does not go to the poor people in the city. They should get a job!” Most of them have a job. At minimum wage, some of them have to have two. No such problem in Denmark. See the video.

Meanwhile in Denmark, with 56% tax:

All those decisions were made by voters and politicians. Not corporations. But the corporations adjust.

Finally, a small anecdote from a bike tour on the prairie:

A rancher allowed us to set up a rest stop across his ranch entrance. He told us about his 200 bison and thousands of acres. And he sounded very involved in county level matters.

People in these counties are 90% Republican. They support county spending. You need three things: roads, water supply and storm water/creek management. Healthcare? You just die and hand over the farm or ranch to kids.

If a rancher were able to control his tax money better, he would pay. Lets say he pays 5% state and 30% federal, he would be happier taking that 30% and sending 20% to the state and 10% to feds. He gets farm insurance, flood insurance, subsidies back. But why route that money through the feds at all? Just keep it here.