The parts of The United States not locates in a major metropolis have been on an economic decline for a very long time. A candidate comes along and promises changes to policies that may help reverse that economic slide and they win.
> A candidate comes along and promises changes to policies that may help reverse that economic slide and they win.
Hasn't that already been a conversation since way before 2008 ie: "Joe the Plumber"'s candidate?
There is something more going on here. My own opinion is that the current potus is an appeal to nationalist authoritarianism where other more conventional republicans were not.
He's been doing so much to weaken the federal government (ending health care subsidies, weakening EPA, etc etc, pro gun laws) that I'm surprised you believe he's appealing to national authoritarianism. If anything he's given a rise to state's rights advocates.
I think it depends on how you define "nation". I believe for many in the USA, "nation" is far more personal, and aligned with community, than merely the "nation state" presided by the federal government.
