Posted on 12/28/2015 2:25:51 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Outraged by what Donald Trump says? You are not alone. No high-polling presidential candidate in the modern era has so intrepidly drawn the ire of so many within the American electorate. And there remains no end in sight.
Yet in rendering one voting bloc utterly apoplectic, he has appealed viscerally to another. The balance of middle ground politics is not, shall we say, Mr Trump’s bailiwick. But America is no longer a middle ground country. We are already scared by our division — and it is getting worse.
The simple truth is, the more provocative his language, the deeper and more passionate his support. He is no dummy; there is a method to his proverbial madness. Mr Trump says — to the growing legions who will listen — what tens of millions of Americans are already thinking. Respect or revile him, the man has hit a vein.
I spent three hours in a deep dialogue focus group with 29 Trump supporters. The phenomenon of “The Donald†is rooted in a psyche far deeper and more consequential than next November’s presidential election. His support denotes an abiding distrust in — and disrespect for — the governing elite. These individuals do not like being told by Washington or Wall Street what is best for them, do not like the direction America is headed in, and disdain President Barack Obama and his (perceived) circle of self-righteous, tone-deaf governing partisans.
Trump voters are not just angry — they want revenge.
Mr Trump has adroitly filled the vacuum of vitriol, establishing himself as the bold, brash, take-no-prisoners megaphone for the frustrated masses. They see him as the antidote to all that Mr Obama has made wrong with America. So to understand why millions love Mr Trump so much, you have to take a step back and listen to why they hate Mr Obama so much.
Here, my Trump voter focus group was particularly illuminating. Some still believe the president is not Christian. Many believe he does not love America. And just about all of them think he does not reflect the values the country was built upon. Indeed, within this growing faction, Mr Trump has licence to say just about anything. As we have seen repeatedly, the more outrageous the accusation, the more receptive the ear.
Mr Trump delights in unleashing harsh attacks on Jeb Bush, the Republican establishment and the “mainstream mediaâ€. His childlike joy in ridiculing his critics is tantamount to healing balm for the millions who have felt silenced, ignored and even scorned by the governing and media elite for so long. Is it any wonder that his declaration of war against “political correctness†is his most potent and predictable applause line?
Straight-talking candidates are nothing new in American politics. From Ross Perot in 1992 to John McCain in 2000, from Howard Dean in 2004 to Sarah Palin in 2008, they rise like a rocket on the fuel of their seemingly fresh and unencumbered aversion to traditional politics. They purport to say what they mean and mean what they say — bucking established electoral trends and ruffling established political feathers. Then they crash. The media turn sour. The message grows stale. The electorate gets bored.
Mr Trump is different. The media attacks on him have been fast and furious. Yet he has defied electoral gravity because the blows are delivered by an institution that is distrusted and an elite political and business establishment that is detested.
Meanwhile, voters consistently tell pollsters like me that negative attacks do not work; they hate the ad hominem assaults. Mr Trump? He dines out on them. As his devotees see it, it is not Mr Trump going negative. It is him telling the truth. And when he fights back, he’s throwing punches on their behalf. He said something outrageous? “He’s simply raising an important issue nobody else has the courage to talk about.†He insulted someone? “That’s just him campaigning. He won’t do that as president.†He changed his position? “That was a long time ago. Everyone’s entitled to change their mind.†He doesn’t have many policy specifics? “He doesn’t need them. He’ll surround himself with smart people.†They will justify any action, explain away any contradiction, and dismiss any criticism because they are so personally and passionately invested in him.
And here is the prediction that will furrow brows on both sides of the Atlantic. Mr Trump’s supporters today will be Mr Trump’s supporters next November if he is still a candidate — no matter what party banner he runs under. Half will follow him out of the Republican Party if he breaks his promise and declares as an independent. For better or worse, his supporters will follow him to the ends of the Earth — or to the White House. Whichever comes first.
LOL! :)
At least enough pikes to surround the Castle! :)
It’s the same article with a different title and from a different site. At the time I posted it, I didn’t realize that FT was a pay site.
Good idea. I wonder if a pitchfork mounted on my truck back window is legal where I live? Probably not a good idea to also have a decal made up that says "Trump - We want Revenge!".
“Yet he has defied electoral gravity because the blows are delivered by an institution that is distrusted and an elite political and business establishment that is detested.”
Give CREDIT where it is due, and that is here. What we see, down here IN THE BASE, is a fire and an anger in Republican leaders that we have NEVER SEEN before - and instead of being directed at Democrats, it is directed at Trump, and also DIRECTED AT US.
We find people who have spent decades BEHIND THE SCENES now coming out, but not to attack the left, but to ATTACK US.
Those assholes NEVER HAD A CHANCE when they expected us to trust them over Trump, it was hopeless from the start. They may have done better by keeping their mouths shut and letting the candidates and media work on Trump.
Wow when someone fights them like they fight us there’s a hellvalot of squealing.
An Ammo Box?
The same... The fourth, and final 'box' that our way of life rests on. It should, in a perfect world, never come to that, but, alas...
the infowarrior
I am angry and frustrated, but I do not want revenge as much as I want things right. The MSM is another story.
Like many here, and elsewhere, I *am* seeking something, but it isn't revenge. You seek the same thing I seek as well. To make things right, in short we seek, not revenge, but justice which is a far harder task overall. My prayers are that we obtain what we seek, with no shortcuts, nor compromises of our basic understandings of how this world should operate.
It's my desire to obtain a measure of justice, while at the same time, remaining true to what I have always held myself to be...
the infowarrior
Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay
Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay
WTP WANT JUSTICE...SOON!
WE STUMP FOR TRUMP
AND CANNOT LOSE WITH CRUZ.
THE TWO ON A TICKET WILL SHOW WHERE TO STICK IT
AMERICA WANTS JUSTICE FOR HER COUNTRY AND PEOPLES.
DESTROY ALL WHO WISH HER DAMAGE...ALL OF THEM!! NO PUNISHMENT IS TOO SEVERE!
If JUSTICE = REVENGE then REVENGE it shall be. Painful revenge for all thieves, liars, crooked politicians, pundits, bandits, talking heads WTP have suffered for years and now we have an opportunity to turn the tables. SWEET, SWEET REVENGE.
MAKE AMERICA GREAT FOR GREAT AMERICANS
WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER WTP deserve nothing less!!
“Yep. Me too. In fact, I may have to go buy a pitchfork, so that if he wins, I can join the rioting hoards that will surge through the streets, pausing only to toss our McDonalds wrappers in the trash receptacle, because unlike liberals, that is how we are.”
I’m looking for DYI guillotine directions.
Revenge is a good thing when the other side is fundamentally wrong. It makes them think twice about wronging you again.
“Good post, lol! No matter how angry we are, we are always neat!”
And I bet you two wear cute hats!
More and more I fear such talk will lead to an attempt to stop Trump with a bullet or bomb. Trump supporters—what will you do then?...
Put a 3% sign on my gate. Too old to fight but not to old to support.
Out of revenge, some will vote for a dictator whom they think will be “their” dictator (using executive orders) and he will punish those who have made them angry.
However, if the dictator is elected, he will BE a dictator and do HIS will which may not be theirs as a dictator is true only to HIS desires.
I could care less what he says about Juan McStain.
I DO care that he’s a socialized medicine supporting, Hillary contributing, gun grabbing, pro- homo liberal who was a Democrat until about 20 minutes ago.
Hank
They will be the useful idiots that would go first under their elected in despot dictatorship.
America is following the very same path as the Roman empire..
Rome was a Republic before it became a empire.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results....If you want REAL change, then it is insane to NOT vote for Trump....I STILL haven’t had ONE GOOD REASON as to why “not”....Does anyone REALLY think he would be worse than the treasonous idiot in the White House or the establishment candidates being FORCED on the American people?
Donald Trump is the last best chance at a bloodless Revolution.
You didn’t read the article. Clearly, you mistook who said what about Mccain. I WAS REFERENCING THE AUTHOR OF THE ARTICLE
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