Raw Story

When Donald Trump narrowly defeated Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in the United States' 2024 election, he did so with a combination of MAGA diehards and independents. There are huge differences between the between the two: While Trump's hardcore MAGA base consists of true believers, many independents and swing voters favored Joe Biden in the 2020 election but —feeling frustrated over inflation — went with Trump four years later.

In a guest op-ed published on June 9, sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild examines an area that's full of MAGA diehards: Eastern Kentucky. And he wonders if draconian cuts to safety-net programs could possibly turn MAGA voters against Trump.

"In the first months of Mr. Trump's second term," Hochschild observes, "his story of loss, shame, blame and retribution has split the country into two emotional zones. Many in America's blue half have begun to feel a strange fear. They suddenly have to worry about losing college scholarships, jobs, grants, medical care, and protection from the prying eyes of government officials gathering information from their social media posts. They have heard themselves described, in Mr. Trump’s Memorial Day tweet, as 'scum.' Public officials whose security detail he's withdrawn fear for their safety. Federal judges who've ruled against Mr. Trump have received threatening phone calls."

Hochschild continues, "What do things feel like, I wondered, to the people in Kentucky’s Fifth District? Are we approaching a tipping point when they might start to question Mr. Trump — either because of his threats to democracy, or because his economic policies will make their lives tougher? After all, experts predict Mr. Trump's tariffs will raise prices, and his budget cuts will hit some of his strongest supporters the hardest."

Andrew Scott, the pro-Trump mayor of Coal Run Village, Kentucky, doesn't believe support for Trump will waver among his hardcore base — regardless of economic policies.

Scott told Hochschild, "You know how proud and stoic Appalachians are — we know how to take a little pain. People may have to suffer now to help make America great later. Trump's tariffs could raise prices, but that will force companies to gradually relocate to the U.S."

According to the sociologist, many of the Kentucky residents he interviewed "recognized that" the budget cuts in Trump's One Big, Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 "would create some pain for them or their neighbors, but that didn't seem to bother them."

But drug counselor James Browning isn't so sure that Trump voters in Kentucky will stick with him if his policies cause them hardship.

Browning told Hochschild, "A lot of people around here are living on the edge. If we start to see Trump policies lead to price hikes and benefit cuts — especially Medicaid and Social Security and food stamps — some people will begin to say, 'Wait a minute. I didn’t vote for this.'"

Arlie Russell Hochschild's full New York Times op-ed is available at this link (subscription required).

Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi has been looking closer at the May jobs report, which was released last week. The more he examines it, however, the more his concern grows.

In an X thread Monday, Zandi confessed, "The more I cogitate on the May jobs report, released last Friday by the BLS, the more uncomfortable I get about the economy’s prospects. There are a bunch of reasons why."

He thinks that job growth has actually screeched to a halt, and the reason might come from the impact of Trump's mass deportations.

"Given the new population controls, measuring labor force growth is tricky, but by my calculation, it’s at a standstill. Look to the severe restrictions on immigration," Zandi wrote. "This time last year, the foreign-born labor force was growing 5%. It’s now declining. The native-born labor force remains moribund."

He went on to caution that large industries will suffer as a result of the deportations. When Trump was campaigning in 2024, he said that he wanted to deport only criminals. Instead, it's been a broader targeting of all immigrants. Federal agents have shown up at schools to target children.

Even the Latinos for Trump co-founder has spoken out against the way the policy has widened.

"The implications of a flagging labor force are disconcerting," said Zandi. "It means serious disruptions to businesses that rely on immigrant labor, ranging from construction and agriculture to hospitality and retailing. It also means higher inflation, just when the higher tariffs are set to push up prices."

"It also means the economy’s real potential GDP growth – that pace of growth consistent with stable inflation – is much lower," he added. "It is currently closer to 1% than the 2% we have come to think of as typical. Think of what this means for everything from asset returns to our already dire fiscal outlook."

Listen to his full podcast, "Yellow Flags," here.

The Supreme Court ruled Friday that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has access to Social Security data. Bloomberg Opinion columnist Noah Feldman believes that is “one more substantial step in the direction of turning the U.S. into a country like China.”

The columnist claims in China, “the government has a 360-degree view of every aspect of its citizens’ lives.”

He called the court's 6-3 vote “particularly troubling” because the ruling means any information about you can be accessed by any part of the executive branch of government “indefinitely.”

Social Security data holds information like your job history, where you’ve lived, if you’ve ever been on Obamacare, and more. It also means more than just the White House can access this information.

Any agency that falls under the Executive Branch can see it, including the IRS, the Federal Election Commission and Health and Human Services. Feldman believes this would allow “any part of the government it wants to leverage for political purposes,” like the Department of Justice.

According to Feldman, “The executive order that created DOGE commanded all agencies to allow access to their data ‘consistent with applicable law.’”

He went on to say, “The applicable law in this case is the Privacy Act. It says that agencies can only disclose personal data in narrow circumstances, such as when agency employees ‘have a need for the record in the performance of their duties.’”

Noting the court did not expand on their ruling, Feldman was left to wonder, “Perhaps they think that DOGE has a need for the records, so the Privacy Act doesn’t apply.”

He went on to say, “Or, more radically, they may think that the Privacy Act is unconstitutional when applied to stop one part of the executive branch from seeing data collected by another part.”

“We are heading toward a government that knows everything about us,” Feldman said. “That used to be a concern for conservatives just as much as it was for liberals. Indeed, privacy should be a nonpartisan, bipartisan matter.”

“Someday, we may forget Musk’s foray into government. But its long-term effects may now include the rule of the all-seeing technologists.” He added, “The DOGE of Minerva is spreading its wings — even as the dawn is breaking.”

Ted Cruz was ridiculed by political experts on Sunday after sharing what appears to be outdated video footage in an effort to prove violence at L.A. protests over immigration enforcement.

Cruz took to X to share a video posted originally by conservative actor James Woods, who said he will "throw up" if people refer to the protests as peaceful. The video shows police vehicles burning.

The fact check came quickly.

Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan said, "It’s also not from today or this week. It’s an old video. You’re a US Senator so you should apologize and delete this tweet. It’s pure misinformation."

Republicans against Trump noted, "This…is……from 2020."

Liberal activist Harry Sisson said, "This video is not from this year. This is blatant misinformation. Why are you lying? Delete this and apologize."

Brandon Richards, who works for California Governor Gavin Newsom's rapid response P.R. team, added, "Also ... not from this year ... sorry Senator."

Former government official Neera Tanden said, "It's amazing a Senator keeps up a video that is a lie. This is from 2020."

It’s also not from today or this week. It’s an old video. You’re a US Senator so you should apologize and delete this tweet. It’s pure misinformation. https://t.co/Zyt7bUYMti
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) June 9, 2025

Donald Trump on Sunday evening raged against California Democrats, demanding they issue an apology.

Trump weighed in the protests in Los Angeles, which are related to Trump's immigration enforcement efforts in the state.

After a day of tense stand-offs between protesters and authorities, the president took to his own social media site, Truth Social, to send a message to California Governor Gavin Newsom and other locals.

Referring to Newsom by a derogatory nickname, Trump said, "Governor Gavin Newscum and 'Mayor' Bass should apologize to the people of Los Angeles for the absolutely horrible job that they have done, and this now includes the ongoing L.A. riots."

"These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists. Remember, NO MASKS!" Trump raged over the weekend.

In a follow-up post, Trump simply stated, "Paid Insurrectionists!"

See Trump's social media post here.

Raw Story reported on Donald Trump falling up the stairs of Air Force One on Sunday, and the internet noticed, too.

The moment was notable because Trump often criticized then-President Joe Biden for videos of Biden tripping up those same stairs.

After the fall, video quickly spread online, where notable observers weighed in.

Conservative attorney George Conway joked, "This just raises more questions about Biden."

The conservative Lincoln Project said, "Concerning."

"This demands coverage," the group added Sunday.

Independent voter Keith Mullen said, "TACO DOwN!"

Ex-GOP lawmaker Barbara Comstock chimed in with, "Not looking well…taking the breakup hard," likely referring to the fallout with Elon Musk.

Republicans against Trump wrote, "Weak. Feeble. No stamina. Can’t put two sentences together."

"Trump is the laughingstock of the world," the conservative group added.