I grew up in north central Wisconsin’s paper making region. For many decades, there were plenty of good paying union jobs in those mills. And then the industry collapsed not long ago. Many of those jobs and mills are now gone.
What has happened in my home state is a microcosm of what’s been going on now for over 40 years. Corporations were allowed to chase cheap overseas labor, supply chains got longer and weaker, and Americans got used to cheap products, forgetting the cost is the lost jobs behind said products. Money certainly talked when state and federal politicians took the short view, accepted those corporate campaign donations, and let it happen.
Millions of Americans have been sold a bill of goods that isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.
It’s a prime ground for a false prophet. And the false prophet has now won.
Do I like paying higher prices? Nope. But, I am now immune to inflation. High prices don’t hurt me like they did 30 years ago. Economics has always been more about feel than facts. Telling someone who feels that they are struggling in making ends meet that the facts say otherwise is a losing argument. People have voted their bank accounts and decided to risk the high ideals of democracy. It’s baffling, it’s scary, and it’s completely understandable.
And it’s time that the losing party bucks up and changes its ground game to one that wins elections.
