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.
Amen to that. Hair-hat Frank laments that many Trump supporters think obama hates America - Frank thinks that is a personal attack. Yet the Kenyan ran, specifically calling the president Bush 43 “unpatriotic” for $5T debt during his terms. Frank “the piece” Luntz would likely consider anybody calling theOne “unpatriotic” for his $10T debt to be dealing in a personal attack.
Earlier this afternoon during Shemp Smith’s segment on FNC (Shemp not hosting) one lady guest was asked if she thought Trump supporters would actually turn out to vote for him. She replied they were LIVs and she did not think they would.
Absolutely. They are going to die on the vine and in public, soon. .)
They share the same sentiments that the Colonists had for King George III and England.
This:
“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,... “
McCain talked straight? I have no memory...
Trump is the battering ram of the middle class.
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.
Make no mistake - if the GOP puts up anyone other than Trump/Cruz in 2016, the she-devil will absolutely win. And this will likely be the last election held in America for some time. When the ballot box ceases to work, we have but one box left to turn to. Vote wisely in 2016.
Good post, lol! No matter how angry we are, we are always neat!
The comment was drawn from this ridiculas stattement by frankie:
“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,”
Saying McLame is a straight-talking really is silly.
Glad you liked it!
IL roads have always sucked; lots of skimming of funding involved. It’s the Chicago Way!
Frank Duntz
Revenge yes. And heads on pikes.
I do not want revenge. I just want the truth to come out about what liberals have done for the past 100 years. And I want to fix America.
I want a representative sample of these criminals brought to a fair trial before a jury of their peers. Upon being found guilty I want long prison sentences.
Only by sending some (all?) of these people to prison will we begin to get this under control.
Yes, Rummy chick just enlightened me. Thanks for helping me out.
How can anyone respect a wealthy man who can’t buy a decent toupee or learn to go bald??
McCain was a straight talker. He told conservatives what he really believes - that we are losers for thinking the way we do. But we voted for him, anyway.
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