Pretending objective facts about economic reality are "LIBERAL ELITE ATTITUDES" is why the republican party is a shambling skeleton which could only win with the grassroots support of actual fucking neo nazis last year. And only because Hillary is the worst candidate the Democrats have posed in decades.
The republicans better realize they are SO fucked long term over this. They have absolutely no good qualities for moderate voters.
Have you seen the unemployment numbers? Basically every single measurable indicator of success in our country going up up up? Better healthcare, less unemployment, more money, none of these things helped "small town" people at all?
The "downturn" most republicans pretend exist simply does not agree with objective fact. That's why they go for anecdotes over data. Someone's always doing like shit, and all they need is one sob story to ignore all the facts and data in the world.
And pray tell, what has glorious master race trump, god king of coal and slaughterer of the horrid brown hordes done for small town america? Aside from trying to revoke their health care and move their taxes from science to war without actually decreasing the overall budget.
All the walls and muslim bans in the world aren't going to bring the economy back to the, uh...what economy do they even want? The 60s? The one that led to a massive bust and inflation almost immediately after in the 70s? Like I said, the economic expansion they're pining for is...the fucking Obama years. Morons, every single one of them.