Here is how broken we are as a society.

[Eliot Rosewater]

Last edited Thu Nov 19, 2020, 03:04 PM - Edit history (1)

Every reasonable, unbiased human on earth would describe Joe Biden as a decent, kind and caring man as well as extremely intelligent and knowledgeable about government.

Every reasonable, unbiased human on earth would describe Donald Trump as an extremely unintelligent, corrupt liar who cares about nobody but himself who also knows nothing at all about government.

And half the country is in LOVE with the second one. This is broken. Badly broken.


edit

As many have pointed out, it is really only 35%...what is the total number of voting age adults in USA? If we know that, we know the percentage.

[idziak4ever1234]

1. It is beyond broken. It is dangerous

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Chin up! We've been in worse shape in the past.

[Eliot Rosewater]

5. Other than the actual civil war, I dont think so. We are close to that again,

if not for the level of comfort most of us enjoy, we would be at that now I think.

[unblock]

12. They are at war already. We just haven't fought back.

So their use of overt violence is comparatively limited. But you know they're itching for it.

[hadEnuf]

40. The only thing this element understands is authority.

There can be no negotiation with them, no bipartisanship. Offer the olive branch to them once and when they throw it back, keep it.

They don't need to be rehabilitated, they need to be beaten.

[wnylib]

55. They are the result of years of RW programming

that appeals to their fears, problems, and concerns by ramping up emotions against the people and issues that RWers tell them are the "causes" of their problems.

But how do you deprogram millions of people?

[TreasonousBastard]

32. Well, we don't have any real night riders these days, although the fake ones do case trouble...

No Rosewoods or Tulsas. Or trails of tears. Or Hoovervilles.

No killings at the railroad strikes, or even railroad strikes much at all. And hardly any Triangle fires, although some elements want to bring back those conditions.

Every generation thinks it's living in the best of times and the worst of times, but it's the fundamentals of human nature that cause the problems, and then save us from them. Trump allowed us to go two steps backwards when we usually only go one, but we still have gone four or five steps forward in just my lifetime. I see these last four years as a blip, not a complete reversal.

[unblock]

45. I always expected a backlash from Obama getting elected

But I didn't expect it to be this blatant and to combine with undermining democracy, though in retrospect I think this is something that should have been foreseeable, if not obvious.

Hopefully, indeed, the bigots and fascists will fade back into the woodwork and historically, this will all be seen as the last gasp of white oppression we all expected.

But there is much work to be done to ensure that....

[wnylib]

59. But we do have concentration camps,

government kidnapping of children, a quarter of a million dead in a rampant pandemic that still rages unchecked, racist cops murdering people in their homes and in the streets, and RW hate groups trying to provoke a civil war.

There are 3 bright spots in this year that I can see. The election of a competent president, a vaccine on the horizon, and massive turnouts to protest murders by cops and systemic racism.

[czarjak]

71. Warped speed!

[XanaDUer2]

3. He hurts, in their view, people

they don't like. He's hurting them, too, but they're so blinded by hatred they don't know or care. It's pretty sick. Also, some may be single-issue voters. And that issue is probably abortion or guns.

[CatMor]

4. Yes, it is badly broken and I don't think it can be fixed.

[Laelth]

6. That depressing conclusion is difficult to deny.

I can bicker about percentages a bit. I suspect that it is only about 35% of the people who are die-hard Trumpers. Even so, that presents a serious challenge to the long-term survival of the republic.

-Laelth

[Mike 03]

7. It's depressing. And the same people who adore Trump are threatening the life

of my Secretary of State here in AZ, and threatening the lives of her family. She ran a near perfect election here. She worked hard, shrugged off constant criticism, and did a great job. And that is her reward: Death threats.

Only consolation: I don't think it's really "half" the country. It's true that 47% of people who voted in this election voted for Trump, but a lot of people still don't vote, and some of them vote for Trump not because they are in the cult, but for other reasons.

I think it was Steve Schmidt or one of the other guests on Deadline White House today who put the number at around 30%. I know that's not any comfort, but it's better than 50%. It's still enough to destroy the country and a new presidency.

[XanaDUer2]

9. I heard him say that too

and it made me feel slightly better.

[roamer65]

8. Maybe it's time for a divorce.

BLUE STATE SECESSION.

[Eliot Rosewater]

13. iF WE did what they are doing we would be shot dead by now, most of us

[roamer65]

15. Of course. Double standard has always been in favor of the flying monkey right.

[Lonestarblue]

26. I agree, though the logistics would be difficult.

We’ve reached a point where a significant portion of the population is refusing to respect and accept the results of a legal, fair election. We have no common understanding of facts and truth on which we can build. I truly hope Biden can bridge this enormous gap, but I’m skeptical that it can be done.

[roamer65]

29. The logistics are gonna be difficult anyway.

https://m.

Under this scenario, the northern states are better off under alliance with Canada and a very hard border instituted to the southern border of the new alliance.

Consider moving while you can.

[GoCubsGo]

10. Actually, less than half is in love with the second one.

And, of those people, a good chunk of them hate him. But, they love a lot of what he enables. They don't care who is in there, as long as they get their tax cuts, destruction of environmental, health and labor regulations, destruction of rights and liberties, and other things that allow them to cheat and steal.

[JGladstone]

18. Well said

The majority of Trump's base are not poor, are not struggling, are not suffering "economic anxiety", are not "voting against their own interests." They know exactly what they're voting for and why. They don't call it cheating and stealing though. They call it "capitalist values" and the "American Dream." The ideology of "I got mine and fuck all those struggling losers draining my tax dollars and prosperity."

[unblock]

11. Less than half is in love with the second one. We just counted.

Only by a few percent, but we have enough of a majority to get through our shambles of a democracy.

But I agree, it really is group insanity. If anyone else generated government billing for their personal business, they'd be in prison. If anyone else advocated people spreading a lethal disease, they'd be in prison. If anyone else "started fires" for the new administration, they'd be in prison.

Republicans have already seceded. They just haven't told us. They see democrats as dangerous foreigners, and view wartime tactics as justified.

Some may think this is an exaggeration, but really, it's the only thing that makes sense. How else can they think all the things they do are ethically justified? Because they think they're at war. Sabotaging the enemy is ethically fine when you're at war.

And this is why we're a tiny spark away from civil war or genocide. Because they think it's war already.

[peacebuzzard]

14. This is in plain view in the red states.

Such as he incident described by a DU poster(rustysgurl) that is trending first in Greatest Threads is a prime example.

Just today (red state) I had to confront my next door neighbor's yard person regarding : he cannot pile his leaves on my property. I bag mine up and set it out on trash pickup day. This particular neighbor has a habit of dumping on my property. Of course he is a citizen from the other half of the country. I felt bad for the yard person employed by the homeowner, since obviously he was under orders.

They just don't get it do they?

[A HERETIC I AM]

16. I've said this before, but it is clear that Trumpy is the man all those Americans....

have been waiting for all their lives.

He says the things they want to hear a president say, he does the things they have been wanting a president to do and he ignores all the "norms" they don't give a shit about anyway.

They love him because he is the quintessential American; Loud, obnoxious, racist, mean, petty, selfish, greedy and as far as they know, rich.

The popularity of Trumpy is a testament to the media age, I think. It goes to show how utterly gullible so many humans are, to believe a deliberate lie perpetrated by a TV Show producer, and take it as irrefutable truth.


It's enough to make one question whether or not this country can survive.

[Eliot Rosewater]

23. There it is

[Tumbulu]

62. Exactly, I do not know if it can.

And I expect T will shut the government down and drop a nuclear bomb on Iran.

And his people will love him for this.

[Yeehah]

17. It's mind-boggling and depressing

I like to be optimistic but I don't see a happy future for a democracy with deep fundamental flaws such as two senators for arbitrary parcels of real estate and the electoral college. What a better nation we would be if President Al Gore and President Hilary Clinton had served.

[bdamomma]

28. Or a

President Kerry.

They just hate Democrats we know how to govern, the Repigs do not. They have proved that over and over again.

[Mr.Bill]

31. Republicans run for office on the platform that government doesn't work.

Then they get elected and prove it.

[myohmy2]

19. I don't know...

...that sounds like a poor excuse for us not doing better with the 99%...were not resonating like we should...

...we need to ask ourselves how we can connect and do better...

...time for some soul searching...

[Squinch]

24. Oh, for fuck's sake.

[Tumbulu]

63. No way!

These people want us dead!

And torturing us first was way way too much fun for them.

[Rice4VP]

20. They are broken, not the rest of us.

Screw them!

[bdamomma]

36. that's

propaganda. Screwed them so bad, they believe this cult leader.

Damn I could never be like them, full of hate and rage. We need a massive mental health intervention to get these people de-programmed or maybe they just what to feel like victims forever.

[zentrum]

21. They hate us, you know.

He gives them permission to hurt the ones they hate.

Us, the racially and sexually diverse, educated, non-fundy, feminist, progressively minded, ecologically minded, masked ones.

[hibbing]

22. Of all the people to die on a hill for

I'll never understand it. I get the worship of Reagan, he at least had some redeeming qualities as much as I couldn't stand the man. But this, this is something else entirely.


Peace

[Mr.Bill]

33. Reagan was nothing but Trump

with better ability in acting.

[bdamomma]

25. Once we

lose our moral compass we are careening towards societal anarchy.

[Kaleva]

27. Only about 1/5th of the nation voted for Trump.

[GoCubsGo]

37. Yes. This.

And, of those who voted, it was under half. Not by much, but still...

[Kaleva]

52. Only a small, vocal minority support Trump

They could only muster 10k-12k from across the nation to show up at the protest in Washington D.C..

[SunSeeker]

49. Thank you! nt

[warmfeet]

30. It is indeed, very broken.

I have no idea what comes next. I will do my best to help those in need - 99% of all life on this planet.

Things are not looking good, currently. That will not dissuade me from trying.

[Roc2020]

34. The country is Broken. War destroys the country

Attempting to destroy the country could destroy them. All they can do is stew in anger bitterness and regret. Go right ahead.

[roamer65]

35. This is what will truly break the back of what's left of the United States.

https://m.

[llmart]

38. I agree with everything you've said in your post except...

I do not agree with your assessment that they are half of the population. I would say it's closer to 30%. I actually do know a few people who voted for him who are decent people overall but wrongly believe that he's singlehandedly responsible for their 401k's growing. (He isn't.) They are one-issue voters.

[StClone]

39. Toxic turmoil as they are Republicans not Americans.

[world wide wally]

41. WTF has Trump ever done for this country?

Tax cuts for billionaires, and..... uhmmmm... uh .... uhhh... duuuh.... and what else?

[marieo1]

42. President Biden is a kind, intelligent man

Because they are just like DJT. They love his rude behavior, his incompetence and stupidity and they don't care if our country survives or falls. President Biden is just the complete opposite of DJT and all of his followers. DJT's followers are just like him, incompetent, stupid, incapable of caring about anyone but themselves, they haven't figured out yet that DJT doesn't give a whit about any of them and is incapable of caring about anything but his own hide.

[Aussie105]

43. Trump has enabled some wrong thinking and unrealistic expectations.

He promised everything and delivered nothing. And made things much worse by his inaction on the pandemic.

Those who accepted his promises now have the difficult job of getting back in touch with reality.
Those who always saw Trump as a snake oil salesman knew things would fall apart eventually, and there'd be a mess to clean up.

The votes are in, as expected, the reality of that isn't acceptable to some, and they are kicking off.

Meanwhile the President-eject is making life difficult for the President-elect.

Trump basically hates everybody. He hates those who didn't vote at all, they did him wrong. He hates the Trump voters as well, they didn't vote hard enough. And the Biden voters? Traitors, one and all!

Trump had a vision for America. Him as a Putin style president for life, and a Kim style leader living the high life off the backs of impoverished workers.

My wish for Trump? May a hundred prison inmates beat him to death with rolled up copies of the constitution, while prison guards look the other way.

[Eliot Rosewater]

46. You are right

[SunSeeker]

51. Exactly. nt

[BobTheSubgenius]

48. But you know what?

If he was smarter and lied at around the level of the average human being, they'd still love him. As long as he gives voice to their fears, rage and feelings of impotence...and gives them license to hate.

We sometimes marvel at how counter to their own interests these people often act, and certainly vote. They don't care anywhere near as much about their own penury and precarious future as they do with being able to poke another, different person in the eye.

They'll go to their graves cursing liberals and immigrants for their lot in life. They'll rail that their pensions, if they still exist, force them to live in some relative's carport and eat pet food, and that's someone's fault, as well.

There are still Russians that long for the days of Stalin...although I'm sure that cult must literally be dying out, though.

[IsItJustMe]

79. LBJ's words are as true today as they were back then

“If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.”

[ancianita]

50. Only 22% are in love with the second one. Let's please stop amplifying the numbers.

WE are the 78%! That's a Big f'n deal! AND we are not broken!

Please give up the idea that we're broken. This election won by almost 6 MILLION more voters than the 22% prove that we're not broken!

As Obama would say, Come ON, now.

[Eliot Rosewater]

61. ...

[ancianita]

64. ...

[Jon King]

53. Its only about 20% and dying off....

This stinks but its getting better. Add in kids and non voters and its down to about 20% of the country. Its an older demographic, not attractive to the young or immigrants, so their percentage will decrease going forward.

The suburbs of GA, TX, NC, AZ are rapidly growing which means they will be reliably blue states going forward. The Trump voters also only represented 29% of the economic output of the US, so their financial power is limited and decreasing. If they want to sit in the middle of the country and spew garbage, while the progressive kids own the future of technology, oh well.

Lastly, some will peel off once Trump is powerless and humiliated financially and criminally. I think going forward we can get the ranks of the scum down to about 15% of the population. Thats manageable.

[Aussie105]

56. +1

Trump needs to be dismantled in public after Jan 20th and the layers of deceit peeled away, one at a time.

First, the negative effects of his 'Presidency' needs to be examined.

Then, the 'thinking' that went behind that.

Let the Trump humpers see him for what he is. Manipulative, deceitful, and just bad for the country.

[Evolve Dammit]

54. It is insanity. And only 150 million cast votes. What about the other 170 million?

[Aussie105]

57. Some would be too young to vote.

But there would be a large group that are too busy with their own lives and feel politics doesn't really affect them.

So they can't be bothered.

Those people will never see the connection.

Besides there is comfort in being able to say 'This mess? Not my problem, I didn't vote!'

[JGladstone]

66. The majority of eligible non-voters are the poor and struggling

The political narrative is geared towards the "middle-class" on all levels including local. Help for the poor and struggling is often reduced to an afterthought and opportunist campaign slogans. Many of the poor and struggling feel their voices and grievances are not heard by the politicians. Lip-service and platitudes about "ladders and bridges" to the middle-class don't cut it for most. "Pragmatism", "that's not how government works", "we're all in this together", "unity" and campaign slogans don't pay the bills for most. When lip-service and platitudes about help for the poor and struggling are turned into reality then those votes will materialize. Until then...those who feel they have no skin in the game will not play.

[ancianita]

65. 74.2 million of them are minors. Another 10 million are undocumented immigrants who can't vote.

Last edited Thu Nov 19, 2020, 12:43 AM - Edit history (1)

The total eligible adult population = 245,800,000

Of that, registered to vote as of Nov 3 = 213,799,467
( https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/number-of-registered-voters-by-state )

So the question is: What about the other 32 million?

Numbers help to keep perspective accurate.

Since this past election had the greatest turnout in U.S. history, and since in the last election, almost 100 million didn't vote, this was actually a great improvement in their engagement.

The Knight Foundation has a report on why many might not have voted.

From Sept, 2020: https://knightfoundation.org/reports/how-media-habits-relate-to-voter-participation/

The look at 2016 non-voters from the original report in Feb, 2020:
https://knightfoundation.org/press/releases/new-study-sheds-light-on-the-100-million-americans-who-dont-vote-their-political-views-and-what-they-think-about-2020/

[Evolve Dammit]

69. Thanks much. I was going to look for those numbers. 32 million is still a big number

[ancianita]

70. But do you feel just as outraged?

You did unwittingly inflate the number of non-voters by four to five times. Just sayin'.

We really have to commit to commanding fact better than Republicans -- they'd luv for us to think they're as big a political presence as we are -- especially when we critique the party or the country. Just sayin'.

[Evolve Dammit]

73. Yeah. I think voting should be required as a right of citizenship. Sorry the numbers did not account

for non-voters. My bad. I will wear the Badge of Shame.

[ancianita]

75. Heh heh.

Fine.
Badge of Shame isn't my thing, but credibility is, so if you can get my point about credibility that outthinks the baseless outrages of our opponents, then we'll be listened to by those who haven't yet voted.

I totally agree with you about mandatory voting. The idea is that if people want the benefits of democracy, then like it or not, they'd better show up to properly uphold it. I'd include in such a constitutional amendment a declaration of a national vote day holiday.

In Australia, not voting is fined, double fined, then subpoenaed in court.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/22-countries-voting-mandatory

[Evolve Dammit]

76. The US of A is stuck with millions of knuckle draggers who are still fighting a Civil War from 1860

They hate black people. I have met them. It has been passed down through generations. I like Australia's model.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

58. It is deliberately, systematically, scientifically broken.

Those targeted do not know they are targets nor do they recognize the finely designed instruments used to manipulate their emotions and perception of reality. Social media provides for rapid analysis and adjustment of 'marketing' messages.

[Aussie105]

60. A good reason to stay off social media, surely?

The mainstream media are bad enough.

But part of being an intelligent human being is to have some critical thinking skills. And be cynical enough to try to read the motivation behind the information you expose yourself to.

ie 'What is in it for the poster?' and 'What is in it for me?'

The second question often stops the absorption of information in it's tracks.

[TigressDem]

67. It has to be subliminal messaging on FAUX and alt websites

Deranged.

[radius777]

68. Once Biden is sworn in the RW will devolve in infighting.

They will tear themselves apart and what will remain is a smaller Trump base than currently exists. The 'regular' Koch Repubs will attempt to retake the party, knowing that Trump is causing them to lose women and the suburbs. The Sunbelt again shifted blue, as it has been steadily over the past decade or so. We won AZ and GA and even the states we lost (TX and NC) we did better in than '16.

[flying_wahini]

72. The broken half won't stop until Trump is off the airwaves. Now that tRump crapped on Fox

& OAN network will go bankrupt covering him. This is how you end brainwashing.
Get him off and Keep him off.

[Hortensis]

74. 55% of Americans believe we had an honest election. More than

that still aren't sure but WANT it to be so. Most of us were among the fearful doubters coming up to November 3. I was.

28% insist Trump won -- not that they all believe that.

Half of Americans are emphatically NOT "in love with him."

Choosing to see America as a glass half full, and more, of "broken," contemptible people is a piss-poor, defeatist, making-bad-trouble attitude. There ARE those who looove this view, but to support it they require distortions and even lies every bit as much as the trumpsters to support it and also never seem unable to come up with them.

Meanwhile, many incoming Democrats are excitedly planning to make huge differences over the next two and four years.

[ancianita]

77. Totally agree.

[FakeNoose]

78. Thanks for this! Hope is important right now