Democrats Would Be Foolish To Turn Away Disgruntled Trump Supporters

Over the weekend, Arthur Delaney penned an article for The Huffington Post detailing the sticker shock that has come with the Trump tax cut and how it could potentially adversely affect support for Trump's re-election bid in 2020. Delaney highlighted the plight of one disaffected Trump supporter:

Beth Callori of Long Island, New York, said she was thrilled to receive about $90 more in each paycheck last year. Thanks to the new lower federal income tax rates, Callori’s employer, a financial services firm, was withholding less from her paycheck for federal tax purposes.

“I thought, ‘Wow, Trump is great, I love him,’” Callori said.

But last week Callori heard from her tax preparer that she owes the federal government more than $5,000 ― almost five times as much as she had to pay in previous years.

“I almost fell out of my chair. I could not believe it,” she said. “I voted for Trump. I thought he was going to be good for this country, but when I got that phone call, that’s it, I’m done.”

Now one would think those who oppose President Trump (especially Democrats who want Trump out of office) would jump for joy at this particular development. But judging by Twitter this isn't the case. After Kyle Griffin, producer of MSNBC's The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, tweeted Callori's quote from the Delaney article, she would trend on Twitter on Presidents' Day. Unfortunately, when one trends on Twitter it is seldom for good.

Amee Vanderpool, Girls Really Rule: "Beth Callori just found out the actual cost of her bigotry and hatred: it's $5,000, with interest, to be paid over the next 10 years."

Nick Jack Pappas, "Comedian": "Beth Callori, Trump voter: "I thought he was going to be good for this country, but when I got that phone call [about the taxes I owed], that's it, I'm done." Beth Callori, translated: "Racism, misogyny, treason, kids in cages... that's all fine! But MY taxes? I'm done!"

Mayday Mindy: "Let’s all give Beth Callori a trump supporter who’s upset that her taxes are so high a Nancy Pelosi F*#k You Clap 1, 2, 3 Go."

If this is what Democrats have to say to Callori for abandoning Trump then I can only begin to imagine what they would have said to her if she was still supporting Trump.

Let me pose three questions to Democrats who pillory Callori for abandoning Trump because of her tax bill.

First, do you want President Trump defeated in 2020?

Second, do you want the Democratic candidate for the White House to get every vote he or she possibly can?

If Democrats answer yes to both the first and second questions then here is a follow up question.

Does it really matter why voters choose not to support Donald Trump in 2020?

Yes, there is no doubt Trump has said and done many horrible things when it comes immigration, tolerating bigotry and his acquiescence to Russia. But whether Democrats like or not, a majority of voters cast their ballots on pocketbook issues and always will. People look out for themselves and their families and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. This is the real world. It is part of the reason why reliably Democratic voters in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania turned to Trump in 2016. However, if these same voters in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania feel the same sticker shock on their tax bill then chances are they will abandon Trump in 2020 and return to the Democratic fold. That is unless Democrats think they can do without their votes and insist on insulting Trump supporters who have buyer's remorse and see fit to revive Hillary Clinton's "deplorable" and "irredeemable" tags. Unless Democrats prefer four more years of Trump then they ought not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Democrats need all the Beth Calloris they can find.