J.D. Vance, the author of 'Hillbilly Elegy' and a venture capitalist in Silicon Valley, admits in his book that he is a huge beneficiary of government aid (Pell grants, military service, GI Bill, scholarship to Ohio State, Yale education), yet refuses to acknowledge that the government should provide the same assistance to the people he left behind in Ohio.

factualpending

Speaker

Frank Rich

Evidence Quote

here's a guy who's very very successful...he's a huge benef a beneficiary of government aid pell grants...gi bill...went to yale all of this and yet cannot bring himself to say that the government should do any of this for the people he left behind in ohio

Source

Nancy Isenberg - White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in AmericaRoosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College
Created: 8/12/2026, 6:12:44 PM

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