Jonathan Metzl

I mostly skimmed this, not because it is bad or poorly written, but because I already "knew" the book's thesis and the conclusions the book details. Most of the book is the research and supporting data for its conclusions (basically that many of the policies Republicans/Trumpies propound are "bad" for their supporters, who fail to recognize this). I didn't feel the need to go into all this (again) that deeply at this point. However, from what I read, as well as what I skimmed, it is well-written and well-researched, with lots of anecdotal evidence and interviews as well.

In its opening pages, the book gives us the example of Trevor in Tennessee, who is dying of severe liver disease. Trevor states he would "rather die than sign up for Obamacare," because "no way I want my tax dollars paying for Mexicans or welfare queens." (And in fact Trevor died shortly after the interview). Trevor is an example of how the politics of Trump is actually killing his supports--physically, not just economically.

The book supports its thesis by taking a deep dive in three areas:

1. Missouri and the loosening of gun laws there. Since the gun laws were relaxed more white males have died from guns (often through suicide) than any so-called protection they provide.

2. The Tragedy of Tennessee. Tennessee's rejection of the expansion of Medicaid and Obamacare has had severe consequences on healthcare there.

3. Brownback's massive tax cuts in Kansas. These tax cuts have backfired, and led to substantial deficits (rather than prosperity), with resulting cost-cutting with severe declines in things such as educational quality.

Recommended if you want to know more about this issue.

3 stars… (more)

Jonathan Metzl is a professor of psychiatry at Vanderbilt University Medical School. In his medical and psychiatry he has seen many white southern Americans living dangerously unhealthy and shortened lives. Metzl lives in Tennessee and grew up in Kansas City where Missouri and Kansas border and share cities with the same name. He looked how white people in the states of Tennessee, Missouri and Kansas voted for political candidates who made their lives worse instead of better and continued to support those politicians despite their misery and suffering. The author looked at health care in Tennessee, gun laws in Missouri and school funding in Kansas. He interviewed many of the subjects of this book both in focus group and individually. The common theme that came out of it was one of white people trying to hold on to the privileges of being the dominant racial group even though it was hurting them. As one man in Tennessee said he would rather die than see "Mexicans and welfare queens" get the Affordable Health Care Act coverage. He did not want his tax money to support people he didn't like. What tax money I asked myself. He couldn't work, he was getting SSI benefits and he certainly paid no Federal Income Tax. Similar issues came up in Missouri about guns and in Kansas about schools. Is hanging on to racism holding all people back from better lives? Is racism the reason politicians like Brownback and even Trump can gain power and make our states and whole country worse instead of better. Certainly looks that way to me. Thanks go from me to Dr. Metzl for a well done book. Warning: whatever you think about these issues reading Dr. Metzl's book will not make you feel good.… (more)