Republicans spent decades railing against welfare recipients. Now, they’re deeply reliant on them to win elections.
Why it matters: The explosion of people getting 25% or more of their income from government aid — and Republican reliance on their votes — vividly explains the rise of former President Trump and the remaking of the Republican Party.
The big picture: Trump rose to power with the backing of the working class, then reoriented the party to focus on them as much as big business.
- This helps explain the massive surge in government spending under Trump, his continued opposition to trade agreements, his scorn for GOP ideas to gut Social Security and Medicare, and his us-vs.-them rhetoric.