Angry voters love America -- the country, not the place

An obscure independent candidate for president just completed a 14,000 mile trek across the United States and reached this conclusion: “The spirit of America is strong; the state of our union is fragile.”
Lynn Kahn of Maryland, traveling by car to 34 states over 100 days, came away with a view of Americans that easily explains the voters’ preference for an outsider presidential candidate in 2016, whether it be Republican frontrunner Donald Trump or the independent/socialist Bernie Sanders.

In a guest column written for the Independent Voters Network, Kahn explains that she engaged in informal conversations with a vast array of voters, more than 1,000 people, individually and in small groups.  

Kahn

The overall message confirms the results of a new poll by Esquire Magazine that found 53 percent of Americans now believe that the “American Dream” no longer exists.

Kahn found that people no longer trust politicians or the media at the same time that they struggle to get by, paycheck to paycheck. Many are overwhelmed with student loans and other debts that convince these voters that the system is rigged. They now regret the Iraq war and they’re incensed that the VA can’t do a better job caring for those who suffered long-lasting wounds or the loss of a limb while fighting overseas.

In her travels, Kahn became convinced that official government statistics about the lackluster economy are far off the mark. She asserts in her column for IVN that the true unemployment rate is above 10 percent and that the realistic poverty rate is 34 percent – roughly 100 million people.

The author of two books on government reform who holds a PhD in clinical psychology, Kahn was well-equipped to get at the heart of the matter and understand why ordinary people believe the federal government has failed extraordinarily.

It’s no surprise that Trump’s “Make America Great Again” message has resonated far and wide.

Here are couple of overarching conclusions Kahn reached on her journey:

“Two themes stand out. The good news is that I heard over and over again – even when followed by angry or traumatic personal stories – “I love America.” Our identity as Americans and our love of freedom is easily expressed.

“The bad news is that there is much more pain and everyday struggle across our nation and deep in our communities than politicians and journalists generally speak or write about. To say We the People are frustrated with our government is an understatement.

“There is anger bordering on rage about the appalling waste of taxpayer money and the broken promises of every single one of our federal departments. There is disgust about Wall Street still trampling on the good will of Main Street. Whatever government or politicians or conventional media announce — there is no trust, no respect, no belief and no faith.”