Why Trump ignored climate change and gun violence during the State of the Union

President Donald Trump didn’t so much as mention climate change or gun violence during Tuesday’s State of the Union address, but instead focused on issues like immigration and the economy.

That seemed like an egregious oversight to people who view climate change as an existential threat and gun violence as an epidemic the government should be doing more to control.

But if you’re one of those people, you’re likely a Democrat. And Trump really wasn’t speaking to you.

Trump’s choice of topics reflected what his base cares about

The Pew public opinion poll of American adults conducted last month indicates Democrats and Republicans are further apart than ever in terms of which issues they view as being the most important ones facing the country.

Why Trump ignored climate change and gun violence during the State of the Union

According to a Pew analysis of the polling, the issues gap is especially wide when it comes to climate change, health care, and immigration:

Though gun control isn’t included in Pew’s latest polling, a Gallup poll from last year found a similar polarized dynamic with that issue:

On Tuesday, Trump focused his speech on issues of concern to his Republican base — particularly the economy and immigration. While he tried to portray himself as a unifier during the speech, he did so with platitudes about “unity” and “greatness,” not by signaling a new willingness to address issues that are top priorities for Democrats.

Trump did talk a little bit about infrastructure and health care, two issues Pew’s research indicates are more important to Democrats than Republicans. But Trump doesn’t actually have an infrastructure plan, and his comments about health care were the opposite of true — he claimed “the next major priority” for him is “to protect patients with preexisting conditions,” while in reality he has spent his first two years in office trying to strip legal protections from those same people.

Trump was mostly preaching to the choir, and the choir liked it

Polls conducted by CNN and CBS News indicated Trump’s State of the Union was mostly well received, but that’s not because Trump won over liberals — it’s because the people watching were mostly Republicans to begin with.

As Vox’s Emily Stewart detailed:

In short, Democrats and Republicans aren’t just polarized in terms of what issues they care about — they’re also polarized about whether it’s worth paying attention to what Trump says in the first place.

The news moves fast. To stay updated, follow Aaron Rupar on Twitter, and read more of Vox’s policy and politics coverage.

Sourse: breakingnews.ie

Why Trump ignored climate change and gun violence during the State of the Union

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