Angry and frustrated upstate New York swings behind Trump

BSS/AFP ^ | April 16, 2016 | BSS/AFP

[GonzoII]

BINGHAMTON, United States, April 16, 2016 (BSS/AFP) - What do a New York lawyer, a business owner who calls himself a left-leaning Republican and a construction worker who elected Barack Obama have in common? They're voting for Donald Trump.

None of them live on the breadline. They share surprisingly varied opinions. Yet they are profoundly frustrated -- with the economy, with career politicians and with perceptions of declining American prestige.

The Republican frontrunner's supporters are often portrayed as undereducated, underearning whites.

But in upstate New York, where Trump calls himself "the most popular person that's ever lived," the breadth of support spotlights his enduring appeal, albeit as the Republican elites plot to bring him down. The most divisive presidential campaign in a generation hits New York on Tuesday.

"I don't think he's the Hitler everyone puts him out to be, I really truly don't and as a New Yorker I grew up with the guy," says Lloyd Knecht, 59, who owns a heating and air conditioning company that employs 30 people.

Knecht works in Binghamton, one of the fastest-shrinking towns in America and a pale imitation of an illustrious past where IBM was founded more than a century ago and where the flight simulator was invented.

The gradual departure of IBM and other manufacturing corporations, taking jobs and technology overseas, has left behind unemployment above the US average and a poverty rate higher than the state average.

Knecht worries about rising insurance and wage bills, though he believes in "some sort of national health plan." He fears the economy is becoming sluggish. He supported Obama's decriminalization of petty drug crimes.

Trump's populist message promising to bring back jobs and restore national pride with his say-it-how-it-is manner strike a deep chord...

[zzwhale]

The republican party is FINISHED...
the leadership is owned by the 1% ultra elite Bush / Romney / NWO crew
they feign conservatism but act liberally and support the UNIPARTY
the PEOPLE are not FOOLED..... repubs will PAY THE PRICE.......

[mac_truck]

We all know my assertion is correct.

Lol...sure we do...and yet you can't name a single example.

[Liz]

Whew....that’s a relief.

[ladyjane]

You’re right. What used to be a thriving string of cities in upper New York State has turned into areas of devastation.

If you drive from Plattsburgh west toward Syracuse the poverty is incredible. Some towns have contracted to have huge wind farms to try to stave off bankruptcy. Alcoa just shut down its last remaining plant in Massena. The only thing keeping the area afloat is the Indian drug trade.

[orchestra]

(”Mrs. Clinton... I don’t understand why you’re even on this stage and not in prison...”)
Devastating, or will it just elicit sympathy... doubt it. I’m sure it’s going to be scorched earth between Mr. Trump and Clinton, but it has to be handled adroitly by Trump.

[Savage Rider]

So they all have New York liberal values and are going to vote for Trump. What a surprise!

[Pravious]

“Devastating, or will it just elicit sympathy... doubt it. I’m sure it’s going to be scorched earth between Mr. Trump and Clinton, but it has to be handled adroitly by Trump.”

Oh, I completely agree. If he gets too rough, they’re going to play the “big, nasty man picking on poor, helpless female” card. Who knows, the vile creature might actually summon up a tear or something.

On the other hand, I’d love to see Trump nail her on ALL of her scandals, going back to Whitewater... one by one, until the overwhelming pile of BS she’s shoveled out over the decades buries her. I doubt it would happen like that, but it’s a nice fantasy.

[SkyPilot]

Upstate NY has such amazing potential. Some of the country is the most beautiful in the US. Much of the Upstate economy has been destroyed by high taxes, regulation, and bad foreign trade deals. Obama is pumping in thousands of Muslim invaders into rural districts. Also, many communities are being ruined by the Section 8 Takers that Obama is demanding be allowed to ruin communities.

[JonPreston]

Accuweather is showing NY City & state will have beautiful weather Tuesday. The voting lines will be gigantic.

[SkyPilot]

OMG those people are retarded. Anyone who's not a liberal pro-abortion/homosexuality is OK Catholic is a Nazi to them.

Unfortunately, you are correct. Much of Buffalo is the same mindset and economic doldrums as Scranton PA or Youngstown OH. Out of work blue collar Democrat Catholic on unemployment or SSDI who holds secular liberal views. If it were not for EBT or Social Security, the entire regions would starve.

[GOPJ]

Rigging the system for oneself in full view of voters is not very smart.

Ding, ding, ding - we have a thread winnah!

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

*************

The DEFINITIVE thread on the Cruz delegate hunt ...

Smoking Gun — it was rigged.

************

Colorado Caucus Volunteers: Ballot Errors Hurt Trump Delegate Candidates

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3421308/posts?page=56#56

[In other words, it was just as rigged as Trump delegates claimed. Several links added starting at post 56 to help connect the dots.]

[ladyjane]

Northerners have a very negative view of southerners and they don’t hesitate to say it aloud. I’ve heard the following comments made to southerners and people who had moved south:

- “You must love the warm weather down there. And when you want culture you can come back for a visit.”

- “I suppose when you’re down there a while you’ll start hating blacks too.”

- “How can people down there wave that flag around. Don’t you realize it upsets people?”

- “ That college was ruined when they started admitting a lot of southerners. The southern kids couldn’t keep up academically. They didn’t have the background.”

I’ve heard every one of those comments. The last one was said with a straight face by a New Yorker to a (southern) Harvard post-doc. LOL He just sat there and I thought he was going to start laughing - but it didn’t. He was polite. I’m not sure she realized what she was saying.

[GOPJ]

bump to the top

[Sacajaweau]

The suburbs opened up...and people had cars. Why stay in the city?

[Captain Peter Blood]

The Late Senator Pat Moynihan ended up regretting giving up his seat to Hillary when he retired and came to see her as the incompetent, slimy, liar, she is.

[Sacajaweau]

Also Pa...IMHO

[LucyT]

I am simply befuddled by the fact that there are “conservatives” who do not recognize that the ONE & ONLY chance that we have to save this Country is to kick the status-quo to the curb.

FGS, millions of middle class Democrats have realized it and are willing to cross over to vote for Trump...and they will never, ever vote for Cruz.

While he may not be perfect, Mr. Trump obviously loves the Country and is clearly motivated by the opportunity to leave a legacy of “throwing the bums out” at all levels and fixing decades of poor policy decisions.

"...How anyone could not support this EXTREMELY RARE opportunity to restore our Country without some sort of mayhem is beyond me.

Cruz is not likeable, has clearly shown his colors by throwing in with the establishment, and would lose in a landslide.

[stephenjohnbanker]

“igging the system for oneself in full view of voters is not very smart.

As MIA-ecc11212 insightfully opined: “the stench of Cruz’s behavior is not playing well with middle America. America is on to Ted Cruz!!!”

This is amply demonstrated by Cruz collapsing in most polls. “

Y U P

Fun to watch, ain’t it ?

: )

[Roses0508]

My husband’s uncle is a mid level Democratic functionary in Buffalo. Hubby left NY at 12 and is thoroughly southern. He didn’t remember his family’s prejudices until this trip. His uncle made the statement to my face that all southerners hate black people. Hubby was stunned. Then hubby explained that I had a black roommate starting at age 14 in boarding school all the way thru college, who is still my best friend. Uncle didn’t ever apologize. Don’t think he believed it. Did’t fit his belief system.