Many Trump Supporters Standing Firm, Theories Abound
Here’s a subject on which a great deal has been written over the last few months: how do we explain the fact that Trump’s actions that most U.S. voters deem as patently deceitful and un-American have caused such a relatively minor erosion in his support base? People have suggested that Trump supporters:
• tend to live on a diet of Fox News (that is almost never critical of the new president)
• are racists (not all his supporters are racists, but almost all American racists support him)
• have inadvertently joined what’s tantamount to a cult, the leader of which has clouded their vision
• voted for him, but don’t keep up on current events
• are embarrassed to admit they were bamboozled
This article in the current edition of The New Yorker seems to offer a different explanation, though it’s not at all aimed at a certain group; it applies to all of us, regardless of our political stripes. The author takes us through some high-impact studies that have been conducted recently on human psychology, the summary of which is as follows: once we form a viewpoint on something, coming across new facts on the subject has little bearing on that initial viewpoint.
Great reading, and reminiscent of the cartoon above.
Craig,
Good grief why look for really complicated answers to self seving questions ?
It’s exactly this sort of delusional thinking by his opposition that won Trump the election. You must always phrase the question in a way that ensures the answer you want.
Deriding the Presidents supporters as ‘racist’ ‘stupid’ or ‘deplorable’ morons addicted to Fox news and of course nowhere near as smart as you or as virtuous. Altogether, very inferior beings!
Ever thought maybe, just maybe, a huge percentage of the populace have grown tired of self-righteous, sanctimonious, finger wagging elitists, sneering at them ?
The President resonates with them. His appeal is he’s an everyman, or what an everyman would like to be if he was rich. He talks their talk, dreams their dreams, and say how they feel. He’s Teddy Roosevelt, Andrew Jackson, P.T. Barnum and George Patton, he’s an egotist, but he’s likeable.
Most of all, he hated by the liberal establishment and doesn’t give a damn about political correctness.
Those progressive liberals like Elon Musk and James Hanson who are prepared to work with the President are surprised at his charm, capacity for listening, intelligence, willingness to learn and open-mindedness. (Their words, not mine).
His supporters understand that he often speaks what’s on his mind, without having it carefully vetted by spin doctors. They understand every word isn’t an Olympian statement.
Most of all, he’s doing what they voted him to do once elected.
I believe it’s just that simple, but the left will continue to revolve themselves in contortions to prove they’re right, and they really won the election.
I believe the left understands that it lost the election, but simply wants Trump to be removed before he does irreparable harm to our society and the environment.
In my estimation, the person with the lowest opinion of Trump supporters isn’t the left; it’s Trump himself. Here’s a man who consistently tells lies that any 10-year-old with a smartphone can debunk in a matter of seconds. How much respect does that show for the intelligence of his believers?
I would also add that comparing this liar to Teddy Roosevelt is a terrible idea.
Craig,
I’m the first to admit I’m not a Trump supporter, but I try to remain objective. (even you must admit, objectively is not among the foremost of your many fine qualities).
The “lies” you so joyously pounce upon, are in the main just opinions. Opinions can be wrong, or inaccurate, but not lies.
It’s true the press misreport Trump. Seldom do they publish his prefix qualifications. Thus when trump says, “I believe many children and families have suffered greatly from compulsory immunization, we must do something to stop this suffering”.
And ” I’m informed of evidence shows immunization causes autism”.
Media like the NYT, indignantly report ” Trump say he wants to stop immunization, claiming he has proof it causes Autism”.
Thus a perfectly harmless and even compassionate concern, is reflected as “lies” and extreme behaviour. The prefix “I believe” and “I’m informed” omitted.
Part of this is caused by his irritating reliance on “twitter” to convey his message, but partly because he speaks in the language of the ordinary Joe. He doesn’t speak with the crafted and skilled style of professional politicians.
Like many citizens, he speaks his beliefs and opinions as if they are established fact, not mere opinion. That’s not really lying, in the normal sense. (it maybe wishful thinking, poor judgment or getting information from the wrong source, but not lying).
Now he’s President, it might be more insightful to try and understand who Trump really is, than just continue shouting a negative image and pretending he’ll go away.
I’m not sure I could find a single American out of ~320 million of us who would disagree with your statement that: “Government spending, particularly investment lending, needs careful, objective monitoring and scrutiny.”
And that gets to an important present-day issue here in the USA: Trump’s mandate for tax cuts for the wealthy, which, with all his other spending, will raise the government debt by somewhere between 2.9 and 5.4 trillion dollars over 10 years, per the politically neutral thing tanks. Here’s the interesting part: When Democrats are in office, deficit spending in tantamount to criminality. When Republicans are in office, it’s generally ignored.
In terms of my objectivity, I honest don’t know how to respond. Is anyone objective in any important sense of the word? Who comes across the news of the idea with no preconceived notions? I wish I knew such a person, but I don’t.
Craig,
Thank you for your candid response. I think bjectivity is something we should all strive for, even if we only obtain a percentage of our aspirations.