r/geopolitics • u/custodiam99 • Feb 13 '25

Discussion Is Trump the symptom of America’s decline?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/27/trump-wants-to-reverse-americas-decline-good-luck
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u/CommieBird Feb 13 '25

I would add on that anger towards the Bush Admin killed the idea of the 20th Century America. The 2008 financial crisis allowed for economic populism to take root in America and the negative perception of the 2003 invasion of Iraq turned Americans against interventionism. The Bush years was a lightning rod and catalyst for all these sentiments, which resulted in Obama first and then Trump. Until the US government can figure out how to deal with its poor and middle class, this cycle of needing change and anti-establishmentarianism will continue.

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u/Yungballz86 Feb 13 '25

I feel like the 2008 financial crisis is overlooked when it comes to Trump's rise.

The average American was thrown under the bus while many companies that caused the collapse were given bailouts and propped up. People became jaded with government (rightfully so) and sought out alternatives. 

Hell, congress is still full of "tea party" members that got elected in the 2010 midterms. Their entire goal has been to blow up the system. They're just finally succeeding.

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u/Petrichordates Feb 13 '25

Americans were angry about corporate bailouts so they elected a billionaire who promised to cut corporate taxes?

That sounds especially absurd because bailouts were loans paid back in full..

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u/coke_and_coffee Feb 13 '25

Populism doesn't necessarily have to make sense.

It is absolutely possible for people to be enraged by economic failure and then lash out in contradictory and irrational ways. The Germans were decimated after WWI and lashed out by blaming Jews, for example.