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The One Weird Trait That Predicts Whether You’re a Trump Supporter
Politico ^ | 1/18/16 | Matthew McWilliams

Posted on 01/18/2016 8:47:32 PM PST by Another Post-American

f I asked you what most defines Donald Trump supporters, what would you say? They’re white? They’re poor? They’re uneducated?

You’d be wrong.

In fact, I’ve found a single statistically significant variable predicts whether a voter supports Trump—and it’s not race, income or education levels: It’s authoritarianism.

That’s right, Trump’s electoral strength—and his staying power—have been buoyed, above all, by Americans with authoritarian inclinations. And because of the prevalence of authoritarians in the American electorate, among Democrats as well as Republicans, it’s very possible that Trump’s fan base will continue to grow.

My finding is the result of a national poll I conducted in the last five days of December under the auspices of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, sampling 1,800 registered voters across the country and the political spectrum. Running a standard statistical analysis, I found that education, income, gender, age, ideology and religiosity had no significant bearing on a Republican voter’s preferred candidate. Only two of the variables I looked at were statistically significant: authoritarianism, followed by fear of terrorism, though the former was far more significant than the latter.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/01/donald-trump-2016-authoritarian-213533#ixzz3xf7hJoqW


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Massachusetts; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 1stcanadiansenator; 2016election; alreadyposted; amherst; assclownposting; authoritarian; bushbotposting; clintonclowns; clownpost; cluelessmorons; demagogicparty; election2016; erickerickson; igornacedisplayed; itstdstimekids; liberty; massachusetts; matthewmcwilliams; megynkelly; memebuilding; moronsforsanders; newb; newyork; partisanmediashill; partisanmediashills; pinkstain; pinkstate; politcoagain; politico; redstate; redstategathering; rogerailes; tds; thetdsisstrong; thetdsistrong; tostupidofrwords; totalitarians; trump
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To: Another Post-American
No, we want COMPETENCE
101 posted on 01/18/2016 10:54:12 PM PST by kabar
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To: kabar

Achtung, you WILL vote for Trump.


102 posted on 01/18/2016 11:01:01 PM PST by flaglady47 (TRUMP ROCKS)
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To: one Lord one faith one baptism

pssst! The emperor is nekkid!


103 posted on 01/18/2016 11:01:32 PM PST by roamer_1 (Globalism is just Socialism in a business suit.)
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To: Another Post-American

And we believe ANYTHING in Politico because...???

Without strong leadership, small-government liberty-minded conservatives are much less effective.


104 posted on 01/18/2016 11:14:50 PM PST by JimRed (Excise the cancer before it kills us; feed & water the Tree of Liberty! TERM LIMITS NOW & FOREVER!)
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Comment #105 Removed by Moderator

Comment #106 Removed by Moderator

To: Another Post-American; kabar
"People are frustrated and/or scared, and they are looking for a strong leader to fix things. The problem is, this is precisely what small-government, liberty-minded conservatives don't need."

So, was Reagan a strong leader? (At least in his 1st several years as Pres.)

See what I'm getting at?

I am not equating Trump with Reagan at all. It's just that the premise here is ludicrous.

107 posted on 01/19/2016 12:18:48 AM PST by Paul R.
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To: JimRed

I cannot think of anything more needful of a strong leader than the dismantling of the nanny state. It would take an extraordinarily strong leader just to slow the growth of the bureaucracy...


108 posted on 01/19/2016 12:24:39 AM PST by Paul R.
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To: Another Post-American
I don't think the author's core finding is valid at all; but then again, this is an author from Politico, so that already bodes wariness.

Government is authoritarian by nature: We have it as a means of setting up rules (laws) and provide structure. In our Republic, for which our flag stands, many of us vote for those who we believe will be good stewards of that authority and this country--unless your a Democrat or a RINO. Unfortunately, many of our politicians are corrupt in their stewardship and have stabbed us in the back so many times to the point where our back is beyond sore. Many of us want our freedom from government, not authoritarians to rule over us. We want stewards who can live and abide by the same rules as we all do; not this crony-corrupted polity where the political class has a separate set of laws for themselves and their cronies that's above the rest of us. Many of us want our politicians to work for us and listen to us, as it should be, not the other way around. When we say, we want a wall built on our borders, we expect our government to build it.
109 posted on 01/19/2016 12:30:34 AM PST by hawaiianninja (Palm note to self: "Prepare for some serious 2016 house cleaning. Trump/Cruz or Cruz/Trump 2016!")
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To: Another Post-American
Shocker. Those who want Trump to the President are those who tend to take charge of a situation and get aggressive about getting it solved. Those who would do what it takes to Make America Great Again.

Uhhhhh.....yeah.

110 posted on 01/19/2016 12:59:56 AM PST by grania
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To: Another Post-American

So. Someone who doesn’t flip-flop on the issues is an authoritarian? Common sense and basic beliefs are now wrong? Hmmmmm


111 posted on 01/19/2016 3:26:22 AM PST by stilloftyhenight (In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act. George Orwell)
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To: Another Post-American
This was a "light bulb on" type insight for me - I think it explains a lot of what I've seen (on FR not the least) the last few months. People are frustrated and/or scared, and they are looking for a strong leader to fix things. The problem is, this is precisely what small-government, liberty-minded conservatives don't need.

Standard Dem line: Republicans are Fascists!

112 posted on 01/19/2016 3:34:30 AM PST by PapaBear3625 (Big government is attractive to those who think that THEY will be in control of it.)
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To: P-Marlowe

Exactly!


113 posted on 01/19/2016 3:45:02 AM PST by ru4liberty (I wish FR were still "The Premiere *CONSERVATIVE* Site on the Net" :'(.....)
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To: Another Post-American

We’re not going fix anything by “trimming around the edges”, so yea, a strong leader is needed.


114 posted on 01/19/2016 3:47:31 AM PST by BobL (Who cares? He's going to build a wall and stop this invasion.)
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To: Another Post-American

I call BS. You’re a serious statist if you like either Hillary or Bernie.


115 posted on 01/19/2016 4:29:56 AM PST by Pearls Before Swine
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To: bigbob
BigBob nailed it! Trump all he way. America First! Leaders not Lawyers!
116 posted on 01/19/2016 4:45:32 AM PST by Awgie (truth is always stranger than fiction)
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To: Another Post-American
This was a "light bulb on" type insight for me - I think it explains a lot of what I've seen (on FR not the least) the last few months. People are frustrated and/or scared, and they are looking for a strong leader to fix things. The problem is, this is precisely what small-government, liberty-minded conservatives don't need.

I do find some of the commentary in the article a bit goofy/biased, given the overt statism of Democrat policies for decades and their obvious tie to authoritarianism. But nonetheless I think the core finding here is valid.

Then you miss the real point Politico was trying to impress - it ignores the authoritarian despotism/tyranny of an Obama and tries to put it off on Trump.

They're saying we want an Obama - not a strong man.

On the flip side, the People want a strong man who has some sense of moral decency about him - something Politico would never say when trying to describe us - we're Politico's enemies.

117 posted on 01/19/2016 5:06:02 AM PST by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
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To: Another Post-American

Pure hysteric nonsensical BS.

What we HAVE now is Authoritarianism by a DC Uniparty that basically does NOTHING but what the Donor class wants.

Trumps supporters don’t want a “Dictator” they want a LIBERATOR from the tyranny of the DC Political/Media/Business Oligarchy that pisses all over their concerns in order to keep feeding at the taxpayer money trough.


118 posted on 01/19/2016 5:42:08 AM PST by MNJohnnie ( Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered)
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To: Another Post-American

Well if they equate authoritarian with strength then illary would be a shoe-in for obama’s 3rd term. But it’s Strength that is actually Trump’s trump card and Americans want that, now more than ever!


119 posted on 01/19/2016 5:59:38 AM PST by Harpotoo
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To: pieceofthepuzzle

Social psychology = Marketing. Who will be best? The Messiah.


120 posted on 01/19/2016 6:53:03 AM PST by huldah1776
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