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What Democrats Still Don't Get
Townhall ^ | September 11, 2018 | Allie Stuckey

Posted on 09/11/2018 12:22:23 PM PDT by real_patriotic_american

Since the election, there has been ample speculation about how Trump “happened.” Last week, Obama offered his hypothesis: resentment and paranoia on the right. He lamented the destruction of the Republican Party and the ensuing demise of America because of the divisiveness and bigotry propagated by the president and those who support him.

It seems that most on the left agree with Obama’s view. Progressives purport that enthusiasm for Trump is bolstered by “white fragility”— an insecurity that white voices, once dominant, are now being drowned out by increasingly influential minority groups bolstered by demographic changes. Trump is their “white knight,” ushered in to defend their right to power and superiority.

While it may be easy for Trump’s opposition to dismiss him as the personification of white supremacy, it is also ignorant of the meaningful concerns of the Americans who voted for him. Real, significant changes in American culture and morality that have occurred over the past decade have varied the priorities of the populace, and it is unproductive to discount these in favor of blanket accusations of racism and resentment.

As America has moved quickly and drastically to the left, it has abandoned a portion of its citizenry who still hold to what are now considered “traditional” mores. So, while many who voted for Trump may have indeed done so out of insecurity and fear, these feelings were primarily instigated not by changes in demographics but by changes in values. CARTOONS | AF Branco View Cartoon

The progressive revolution has taken on many forms since the turn of the century, successfully shifting opinion on issues like sexuality, gender, race, immigration and welfare. Take gay marriage: In 2001, 31% of Americans favored same-sex unions. In 2009, the percentage had only increased to 37%. By 2017, that number had surged to 62%. In only eight years, public opinion changed by 25 percentage points—more than four times than it had during the previous eight years.

Regarding racism, in 2009, only 26% of Americans viewed it as a “big problem.” By 2017, that number had more than doubled to 58%. Along party lines, 32% of Democrats and 18% of Republicans saw racism as a major issue in 2009. During the eight years of Obama’s presidency, those numbers shot up to 76% for Democrats and 37% for Republicans.

A month after Trump’s election victory, Issie Lapowsky of Wired noted that, despite a Republican win, the country is indeed moving to the left:

“Over the eight years Barack Obama has served as president, public opinion in the United States has shifted decisively leftward. Think about it. When Obama came to office, he still hadn’t publicly supported same sex marriage. Last year, the White House was lit up in rainbow colors to celebrate the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage. Over the last year, bottom line-driven businesses have boycotted entire states over discriminatory policies against LGBT people. A law prohibiting transgender people from using the bathroom of their choice just cost North Carolina’s Pat McCrory the governorship. Undocumented immigrants have come out of hiding, banding together online to discuss their struggles. And in November, California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada all voted to make recreational marijuana legal.”

She’s right: the majority of Americans are becoming more progressive, particularly on social issues. This isn’t surprising. Evolving views on things like sexuality, race and immigration are to be expected after eight years of the most progressive presidency in history. Plus, millennials, soon-to-be the largest generation in existence, are extremely left-leaning, and, now in their 20s and 30s, have an influential voice in civic discourse. By nature, progressivism continually advances, conquering new moral, cultural, social and political territory with every step. In recent years, the movement has been extremely successful in gaining ground. Those left behind have barely had time to take it in.

Yes—there is real fear, and, to Obama’s point, perhaps some resentment amongst those who are not on board the progressive train. But, despite what many on the left claim, this has more to do with the changing moral, social landscape than it does racial identity and so-called bigotry. And it is not only the changes themselves that have caused anxiety, it is the attitude of those who promote these changes.

Ben Shapiro correctly pointed out that Obama’s lectures are exactly what got us Trump in the first place: Obama, like many on the left, is incessantly dismissive of the concerns of conservatives and Trump supporters, condescending their beliefs as a hatred for diversity.

Even moderates and conservatives who may agree with progressives on social issues like gay marriage and racism are resistant to the left’s apparent self-righteousness and the hyperbolic emotionalism with which their ideas are pushed. They observe the left’s unwillingness to engage in intellectual dialogue, their ceaseless patronization of opposing views and their growing distaste for America, and they recoil.

After Obama, Americans weren’t necessarily looking for a Republican hero. They were just looking for a hero—a leader who would defend them rather than demean them. They weren’t looking for eloquence, politeness or even decency. They wanted to be seen. They didn’t care much whether or not Trump mirrored their values, as long as he protected them.

What Democrats still don’t get—and may never understand—is that there are good, decent people who voted for Trump because they have genuine hesitations about the direction the left is headed. Trump may not be a beacon of morality or even a champion of conservatism, but he is, whether progressives like it or not, indicative of more than “white fragility.” He represents the concerns of millions of Americans who feel that their country is being overtaken by postmodern, morally relative cynics who favor socialism, hate religion, deprioritize the family and stifle patriotism—people who are against many of the principles and institutions many argue have made America so successful.

As of late, Democrats, with the fearless leadership of Barack Obama, have only confirmed their fears. Time will tell how their strategy plays out.


TOPICS: History; Hobbies; Miscellaneous; Society
KEYWORDS: 2018election; 2020election; abortion; cannabis; democrat; democratic; democrats; dnc; dnctalkingpoint; dnctalkingpoints; election2018; election2020; globalwarminghoax; homosexualagenda; libertarians; marijuana; mediawingofthednc; medicalmarijuana; northcarolina; partisanmediashills; patmccrory; pot; presstitutes; smearmachine; wod
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To: GOPJ
It's a blessing we're up against people w/ only an ideological hammer......to them, the whole world is a nail. (hat tip GOPJ)

Good one.

21 posted on 09/11/2018 12:58:13 PM PDT by Liz ( Our side has 8 trillion bullets; the other side doesn't know which bathroom to use.)
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To: real_patriotic_american

22 posted on 09/11/2018 12:59:33 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: StoneRainbow68
The left gins up the impression of racism because it's one of the few cards they have to play.

Democrats write fake letters to our Representatives pretending to be us - expressing ‘racists’ views.

It's similar to the long list of ‘hate crimes’ that were really done by liberals - from the KKK scare at Oberlin (done by a white liberal) to the lesbian who carved hate messages into her own skin and blamed white men. The left is evil. And they do evil things - to us AND to the black community.

23 posted on 09/11/2018 1:01:14 PM PDT by GOPJ (Deep State power peaked during the McCain funeral - it's down from here on out.)
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To: real_patriotic_american

We who voted for Trump see very clearly that young people and the cultural revision is exchanging the truth for a lie


24 posted on 09/11/2018 1:10:36 PM PDT by RatRipper (Unindicted co-conspirators: the Mainstream Media and the Democratic Party)
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I am soooooo sick of the divisive label. Conservatives just want to quietly live their lives and take care of their families and communities. They are not the ones in the street constantly spewing vitriol. I want these people accusing conservatives of being divisive to produce a single example of a conservative being divisive. We are not the ones in peoples faces. We are not the ones harassing people at restaurants. We are not the people showing up at ofher peoples rallies with masks and weapons


25 posted on 09/11/2018 1:10:57 PM PDT by dsrtsage (For Leftists, World History starts every day at breakfast)
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To: Vigilanteman
I'm not going to fry my brain smoking weed. But I am also not going to support spending an inordinate amount of law enforcement time and dollars on a problem which, by most reliable measures, has less of an negative impact on society than DUI.

The problem with legalization is that many who are not inclined to be lawbreakers will now toke themselves into befuddled unemployability, and we'll end up paying as much or more supporting them as we would have for enforcement.

26 posted on 09/11/2018 1:17:47 PM PDT by JimRed ( TERM LIMITS, NOW! Build the Wall Faster! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
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To: PSUGOP
Public opinion of many of these things has not changed at all....that is bullshit. What has changed is the reaction to folks who disapprove of anything the progressives demand. You get shot. You get called a racist or bigot. You get censored. You get marginalized and bullied. Things have not changed nearly as much as the writer thinks it has......the election of Trump proves as much.

One thing that remains constant, is that a lot of this "change" in opinion is that the Millenials, and whatever generation is after them, are coming to the age of being included in these polls.the most important thing to these kids is not a reasoned opinion based on the facts, but their obsession of needing to be one of the "cool kids". I've never seen as much group think in my 66 years than now.
27 posted on 09/11/2018 1:25:39 PM PDT by rickomatic
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To: PSUGOP; bitt; Jane Long; Liz; ZULU; NFHale; LUV W; JLAGRAYFOX; Howie66; raiderboy; Albion Wilde

Madd Maxine, an example of Marxist RAT refuse, IMO.

Madd Maxine threatening President Trump and his supporters!

http://redstatewatcher.com/article.asp?id=136491

Please share.


28 posted on 09/11/2018 1:34:30 PM PDT by ExTexasRedhead
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To: ExTexasRedhead

Where is the secret service?


29 posted on 09/11/2018 1:37:21 PM PDT by raiderboy (Trump promised “shut down the government” in September; if no wall!!)
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To: JimRed
The problem with legalization is that many who are not inclined to be lawbreakers will now toke themselves into befuddled unemployability

Seems unlikely - the same sense of responsibility that disinclined them to be lawbreakers should keep them from indulging to that degree.

30 posted on 09/11/2018 2:17:12 PM PDT by NobleFree ("law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual")
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To: JimRed
My father, who grew up though prohibition, said he never saw a drunken man in the street until prohibition was repealed. And he grew up in the major city on an Indian Reservation!

All the problems you mention with weed apply to booze and probably by a factor of 10 or more. But in the end, repeal had to be done because enforcement was simply unsustainable.

31 posted on 09/11/2018 2:53:11 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (ObaMao: Fake America, Fake Messiah, Fake Black man. How many fakes can you fit into one Zer0?)
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To: real_patriotic_american

“It seems that most on the left agree with Obama’s view. Progressives purport that enthusiasm for Trump is bolstered by “white fragility”— an insecurity that white voices, once dominant, are now being drowned out by increasingly influential minority groups bolstered by demographic changes. “

I see... Blacks and Hispanics defending their interests and bashing whites night and day is heralded as pride in their communities and social justice.

Whites wanting to protect their interests and defend themselves from the constant racist attacks and demonization is “white fragility”.

If we’re going to play the identity politics game it’s about time whites get in it with everything we got, or else we’ll soon be like the whites in South Africa.

Don’t let them guilt you, shame you, or distract you from defending our common interests - which at the end of the day is survival itself.


32 posted on 09/11/2018 2:53:27 PM PDT by aquila48
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To: Vigilanteman

trying to stop people from being happy is a losing proposition and violates a principle right as Jefferson outlined in the declaration.


33 posted on 09/11/2018 2:54:35 PM PDT by morphing libertarian (Use Comey's Report; Indict Hillary now. --- Proud Smelly Walmart Deplorable)
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To: real_patriotic_american

“Progressives purport that enthusiasm for Trump is bolstered by “white fragility”— an insecurity that white voices, once dominant, are now being drowned out by increasingly influential minority groups bolstered by demographic changes.”

The commies have been pushing this racial narrative since the 1970s. Back then, they claimed whites would be a minority by the year 2000. Wellllll, guess what happened, the rats aborted all their minority pet blacks after Roe v Wade.

Oops.

So, let’s pump up the hispanic population to make whites a minority. That didn’t work either because hispanic birth rates leveled out in 2007 and haven’t grown.

Oops.

So the only way to make whites a minority is to import millions of alien invaders from sh*thole countries.

Whites still make up 70% of the population, and Trump is closing the gates on the alien invaders. The final chapter is being written, and there’s a whole bunch of ways it could go.


34 posted on 09/11/2018 4:19:11 PM PDT by sergeantdave (Teach a man to fish and he'll steal your gear and sell it)
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To: dead

Agreed. The left is obsessed with race, conservatives aren’t.


35 posted on 09/11/2018 7:24:29 PM PDT by EdnaMode
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To: PSUGOP

Your point is excellent.

“She’s right: the majority of Americans are becoming more progressive, particularly on social issues.”

The author is right that the Dims don’t know who were are but, apparently, neither does she. We aren’t moving to the left socially, we are just refusing to voice opinions that will get us either shouted down or hunted down, something that we have neither the time nor the energy to put up with, what with doing our jobs and making the country work and all. She mistakenly thinks that void of conversation means that we have changed our minds. She couldn’t be more wrong.


36 posted on 09/11/2018 8:04:51 PM PDT by mom of young patriots
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To: dsrtsage
I want these people accusing conservatives of being divisive to produce a single example of a conservative being divisive. We are not the ones in peoples faces. We are not the ones harassing people at restaurants. We are not the people showing up at ofher peoples rallies with masks and weapons...

You're 100% right dsrtsage...

37 posted on 09/11/2018 8:47:53 PM PDT by GOPJ (Deep State power peaked during the McCain funeral - it's down from here on out.)
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To: Vigilanteman
I'm not going to fry my brain smoking weed. But I am also not going to support spending an inordinate amount of law enforcement time and dollars on a problem which, by most reliable measures, has less of an negative impact on society than DUI.

If only life were that simple. Seattle is Ground Zero for lefty pathologies such as drug use and homelessness and the resulting crime. This a result of decriminalization of drug use, homelessness and smaller crimes.

Locally many have concluded that homelessness, drugs and crime are linked and feed each other.

Local estimates say that two-thirds of local PD time is related to these three issues. So there's already a substantial cost in PD time, not to mention medical care.

Then at some point someone will have to be paid to water these house plants and change their diapers.

So I'm not sure how you're going to get to where you say you want to go.

38 posted on 09/11/2018 9:23:55 PM PDT by gogeo (No justice, no peace.)
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