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[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

My grandfather was a swing voter. He was a consummate moderate. He wanted a good deal for himself, but wanted to keep everyone else in solid shape (owned businesses reliant on local consumers). If everybody had a few bucks, they cycled back to the merchants (Henry Ford theory).

I don’t think he’d have a candidate in the last few elections. He was anti-war (but a veteran), and detested bullshit. Never vote for Trump.

I don’t think anyone speaks to your grandfather or mine anymore because they were people existing at a time when politics mattered and politicians were connected to demographics rather than special interests.

They were also fucking normal. Pre-24/7-news-and-internet people could disagree and do the Reagan/O’Neill dance until they found a middle ground.

They’ve been forgotten because the Blight Generation - the Boomers - has poisoned everything. And Gingrich has destroyed politics.

Democrats spoke to older whites by defending Social Security and Medicare. Republicans speak to them by promising to cut other people's benefits, but not theirs, and by playing to racial and cultural resentments. My grandfather wasn't long on resentment.