It’s unclear. The press doesn’t help…but the people most likely to pay attention are already partisans; most swing voters aren’t reading political news anyway.
Therein lies the rub; you can’t force “accurate/good” information on anyone lest the partisans discover your plot and label it “propaganda/bad”. So what to do?
There’s also that thing that his supporters admire about him, which is the ability to sound as if he’s “not a politician” and “tells it like it is”. What they don’t understand is that so-called plain speaking is really just a constant stream of lies. They like the mob-boss, tough-talking persona. If they could elect Tony Soprano for President, they probably would. They automatically resist smart, educated people because they see it as an indictment about themselves. I’m talking, of course, about the true believers, not the 1% who approve of him simply on the grounds that they can make more money and pay less in taxes with Trump in office, because they won’t ever suffer the consequences of his fascism.
The Shorter: Trump is a dealer who delivers validation hits to resentful junkies desperate for social approval. They don't care if he's a criminal - dealers are, by definition. They need the dope that makes them feel superior to those hated smartypantses.
We're all validation junkies. What separates the sheep from the goats is what we find gratifying.
It amazes me how many rabid Trump supporters have no clue about his decades of grift and sexual misconduct; despite that ignorance, they didn’t seem phased by “grab ‘em by the pussy”, Stormy Daniels, E. Jean Carroll and 34 felonies.
Because Trump's behavior is precisely their fondest misogynist fantasies. If they could get away with being similar swine, they would. But when they get arrested, they get fined and do time...
The secret sauce of criminality is the ability to evade detection. While it's not magic, his pathological ability to bullshit with unassailable confidence, which is in the range of a superpower, is clearly a factor in both his popularity and—with the exception of courtrooms—his criminality. His masterclass bullshit works politically because it inspires awe in those who, like Trump, like the idea of playing God with the truth.
Ever since I took a look at the voter registration stats in my state, I've been bleating that so-called non-partisans and undeclareds are Republican-lite; they're just too enamored with the fantasy that they're wise, impartial, critical thinkers and not blind, unthinking bigots to admit it. But their voting record tells the tale.
“What is my life like right now?” Someone doesn’t have to be overtly racist, sexist, or otherwise bigoted to only care about themselves. That’s been the biggest challenge for Democrats when voters would claim that most of Trump's first term was better than Biden's only term because the price of eggs were cheaper.
He would be more unpopular if the press were more willing to call out all the BS he and his people speak by presenting the actual truth.
It’s unclear. The press doesn’t help…but the people most likely to pay attention are already partisans; most swing voters aren’t reading political news anyway.
Yes but those 10% of “independents” aren’t getting accurate information.
Therein lies the rub; you can’t force “accurate/good” information on anyone lest the partisans discover your plot and label it “propaganda/bad”. So what to do?
There’s also that thing that his supporters admire about him, which is the ability to sound as if he’s “not a politician” and “tells it like it is”. What they don’t understand is that so-called plain speaking is really just a constant stream of lies. They like the mob-boss, tough-talking persona. If they could elect Tony Soprano for President, they probably would. They automatically resist smart, educated people because they see it as an indictment about themselves. I’m talking, of course, about the true believers, not the 1% who approve of him simply on the grounds that they can make more money and pay less in taxes with Trump in office, because they won’t ever suffer the consequences of his fascism.
The Shorter: Trump is a dealer who delivers validation hits to resentful junkies desperate for social approval. They don't care if he's a criminal - dealers are, by definition. They need the dope that makes them feel superior to those hated smartypantses.
We're all validation junkies. What separates the sheep from the goats is what we find gratifying.
"Don't look up" - Going on the talk show and announcing the big, bad meteor only to be told to stop sounding so negative.
It amazes me how many rabid Trump supporters have no clue about his decades of grift and sexual misconduct; despite that ignorance, they didn’t seem phased by “grab ‘em by the pussy”, Stormy Daniels, E. Jean Carroll and 34 felonies.
Oh that’s fake news. Everyone is out to get Trump. He’s god’s current messenger on Earth. /s (obviously I hope).
Because Trump's behavior is precisely their fondest misogynist fantasies. If they could get away with being similar swine, they would. But when they get arrested, they get fined and do time...
The secret sauce of criminality is the ability to evade detection. While it's not magic, his pathological ability to bullshit with unassailable confidence, which is in the range of a superpower, is clearly a factor in both his popularity and—with the exception of courtrooms—his criminality. His masterclass bullshit works politically because it inspires awe in those who, like Trump, like the idea of playing God with the truth.
I’m just really skeptical. I think his constant lying is part of why he’s always unpopular.
Then again, there is the old saying that the most striking difference between intelligence and stupidity/ignorance is that intelligence has limits.
Ever since I took a look at the voter registration stats in my state, I've been bleating that so-called non-partisans and undeclareds are Republican-lite; they're just too enamored with the fantasy that they're wise, impartial, critical thinkers and not blind, unthinking bigots to admit it. But their voting record tells the tale.
“What is my life like right now?” Someone doesn’t have to be overtly racist, sexist, or otherwise bigoted to only care about themselves. That’s been the biggest challenge for Democrats when voters would claim that most of Trump's first term was better than Biden's only term because the price of eggs were cheaper.
I, tiny gnat voice whining in the wilderness, suggest a simple new Democratic slogan to help get the point across:
REPUBLICANS RUIN EVERYTHING
Yes, no information voters are a problem.
Most people just aren’t going to pay attention to politics. They find it boring or actively painful and disempowering. And you can see their point!
Shades of Jim Crow, but maybe a qualifying question like “who won the last election” before counting a vote would help…