Robert Reich talks to Trump voters in TN
I don't have a lot of sympathy for Trump voters in general, and definitely have a grudge against "Never Hillary" voters and Stein voters because it really was a binary choice and Trump really was a known quantity dangerous candidate who has absolutely lived up to the billing and then some.
BUT, I also know that there are a lot of people out there who don't follow politics AT ALL and therefore don't really know a damn thing except what a few blaring headlines here and there -- and a bunch of Russian bot FB and Twitter posts might throw at them -- and so voted for Trump in our of personal anguish and utter ignorance. It's hard for me to remember this, but I do try to remind myself now and then.
And Robert Reich has been talking to some of them and brings us some good news, I think. I post it here because open hostility towards these people won't help us out of our present early fascist state.
Today I'm in Tennessee (I just met someone who knows Dolly Parton but that’s as close as I've come to my idol).
Kentucky and Tennessee voted for Trump. In my free-floating focus group over the last couple of days in both states I’ve spoken with nearly 20 people who said they voted for Trump. Almost all of them told me this:
1. The reason they voted for Trump is they “hated Hillary” or “wanted to shake things up” in Washington, or "thought we needed a businessman."
2. They don’t like the job Trump is doing as president. (“He’s embarrassing,” “makes me ashamed,” “behaving like a child,” "chronic liar."
3. Every one of them told me they regret voting for him (“never would have if I’d have known what an as*hole he is,” one told me).
4. They said their own personal economic position hasn’t changed from what it was last year, and Trump’s policies favor the rich (“he just cares about wealthy folk,” “said he’d drain the swamp and the swamp is worse.”)
5. Most are worried about Trump's mental capacity (“I don’t think the man has all his marbles,” “he could get is into a goddamn nuclear war,” "weird as hell,” “crazy as a loon.”)
6. Most don’t think he’ll finish his first term (“he’ll be impeached,” “kicked out,” “removed,” “he’ll resign.”)
7. Most don't trust him ("hasn't got a goddamn thing done," "blowhard," "huckster," "conman."
8. Most would support a Democrat in 2020, if it was the “right” candidate ("both parties are rotten to the core," "sure, I'd vote for a Democrat," "used to be a Democrat but party got too liberal."
9. Most said they’d support someone who “cleaned up the mess in Washington,” “got big money out of politics,” “made the system work for ordinary people.”)
10. Several of them told me that they'd support Medicare for all, or any system that lowered their health insurance costs. ("Spending a fortune for insurance," "insurance companies are the worst," "can't afford to insure my family."
11. Several put education at the top of their list.
12. Not one of them supported spending money on a wall along the southern border of the U.S. ("stupidest goddamn idea I ever heard," "plain dumb," "guy ever heard of airplanes?"
More to come.
https://www.facebook.com/RBReich/photos/a.404595876219681.103599.142474049098533/1737735859572336/?type=3
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There's a very "centrist" (for want of a better word) strain here that disturbs me. I saw someone complain about Common Dreams as a source because it "took a hard left" turn or something sometime ago.
?????
I don't understand that attitude, and certainly don't feel comfortable with it. By those standards, I suppose I'm "hard left."
And, according to some, not entirely welcome here.
Not everyone does.