Author Explains Trump's Appeal In Rust Belt
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Author JD Vance spoke with Dom Giordano on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT about his book, Hillbilly Elegy, which details his struggles growing up poor in the rust belt.
Vance, who is both a former Marine and Yale Law School graduate, hopes his work can have a positive impact on communities resistant to change.
"I'm certainly not denying my roots. I'm very, very proud of where I came from and I think a lot of the values I grew up with are really important and have served me well. But, we've also got to recognize that there are some self destructive habits and self destructive values in these communities. We've got to be up front about them and I think people like you and me have to be involved in these communities. Outsiders are never going to be able to deliver a message that communities need to change but I think insiders and folks who have a lot compassion and a lot of appreciation for where they grew up, they can deliver that message. That's, hopefully, what I'm trying to do with this book."
He thinks people in places like the one he grew up in are one of Donald Trump's main constituencies for a variety of reasons.
"If you look at the areas where he's most popular, it's areas in this country that have seen rising mortality rates. In a world where everyone is living longer, these parts of the country have seen rising mortality rates, rising heroin addiction rates and, of course, some declining blue collar jobs that people see all around them. I definitely think there's a sense of desperation. It's not just economic desperation. I think it's also cultural desperation and a lot of folks are turning to Trump in response."
