It’s eight weeks since Liberation Day (better known as Election Day). Thankfully, we are immersed in the political and legal removal of Donald Trump from office. Over the coming months, there will be much to explain and explore.

While Political Scientists et al are studying why the polls were wrong in many states, we have only recently learned about the ethnic and religious breakdown of voter support. Remarkably, around 30% of the Hispanic community voted for a man who, on the day he began his campaign, called them “rapists,” “drug dealers,” and “criminals.” Also, while it has not become that unusual for a Republican to secure about 25-30% of the Jewish vote, Trump was and is a different-type candidate: an exploiter of racial and religious division with a long family history of anti-Semitism. Thus, for both the Hispanic and Jewish communities, Trump is not the obvious “chosen” candidate. Is this a mere aberration in voting patterns, or a fundamental shift in political behavior?

In general, I have argued in other posts that Americans voted for Trump in 2016 for three primary reasons: racism, ignorance, and greed. Jews and Hispanics fit into that explanation, but why in such large numbers?

Both groups live in many different parts of the country and have been quite mobile over the years. With Puerto Ricans residing primarily (within the continental United States) on the East Coast, their significant presence in Florida and Nevada has been a relatively new development. Mexican-Americans can be found throughout the West Coast, the Southwest and Gulf States. Cubans have been a major segment of Florida’s populace since the 1960’s. Residents from other nations in Latin America are scattered among the 50 states.

Jews, since the late 1800’s, have settled primarily on the East Coast and in major cities throughout the country. With assimilation a major factor, they nevertheless tend to vote Democratic, especially for President, and usually by at least a 3-1 margin. But, never before did they knowingly vote for an overt racist, especially in such large numbers. Why? The simplistic explanation is that they are comfortable with someone who has a Jewish son-in-law and Jewish grandchildren. I would contend you need to probe deeper for an answer. Racism, and especially greed, are more likely explanations. Countless numbers of Jews have forgotten their pasts as victims of massive oppression. Also, too many have demonstrated increased avarice along with rising wealth.

The American Jewish community has done well for itself economically, yet have too often forgotten the biblical mandate “to repair the world.” Support for Donald Trump is an inexcusable result.

For Hispanics, it is important not to overgeneralize their voting behavior. Voters of Cuban and Venezuelan heritage supported Trump in higher numbers than other Hispanics. Identification with anti-Communism (despite Trump’s love affair with Putin, they haven’t forgotten Castro and Chavez), is an obvious explanation. For Puerto Rican and other Trump supporters, those who voted for him regardless of his racism, probably did so because of a sharing of views on such religiously-charged issues as abortion and same-sex marriage. I am at a loss for other significant explanations.

Clearly, the 2020 Presidential election will be studied for years to come. Based upon the data available so far, with 74 million people voting for Trump, the need to improve education, especially in the areas of diversity and tolerance in, would be a good beginning. Remember, these people voted for a con-man and easily identifiable racist. Thus, the American future, based upon the probable reappearance of a similar candidate (Ted Cruz or Josh Hawley for example), leaves me with little optimism. Biden has his work cut-out for him.