Do you know someone who voted for Trump in 2016 or is planning to vote for him in 2020? How would you characterize that person? Do you know or have an idea about why he or she voted for Trump?
Dissuading Trump voters continues to be important in securing a win for Biden. A strange sort of asymmetry is at work in this election, wherein a cluster of personality values and social fears tends to hold voters to an overtly authoritarian leader (Trump) at the expense of other considerations and ideals. Trump voters may be highly educated or affluent, but they’ve lost faith in the federal government. They are pessimistic about citizenship and politicians. They think federal action is harmful to their own interests. They don’t want the government aiding or protecting “undeserving” groups at their expense.
Trump voters seem to think that if other groups gain, they themselves will suffer, as if there aren’t enough American “goodies,” like wealth or respect, to go around. They want to keep black America down, newcomers out, and like the idea of forestalling true equality even if that isn’t a realistic possibility.
Your thoughts? Help me round out what I have gathered from personal observation by writing a detailed comment. Many thanks.
Image: from this source.
I know of three people who voted for orange head, two for sure. They are all very wealthy and voted for him in 2016 knowing orange head would cut taxes. I like them all but, sadly, it seems they just “turned the other eye” to all his hateful, vicious behavior and constant lies and trickery.
This time around, I’m not sure if I know anyone who is going to vote for him. I’m not going to ask because I don’t want to alienate anyone.
For all you readers out there-when one asks another-even if one knows that person well–how he or she will vote, it is a mistake. A wall is immediately formed in that relationship.
I’ve known this for years, made that mistake once or twice many years ago, and won’t ever to do it again, especially not during this election, when so many people are truly and really zealous about their political stands.
Isn’t it sad, though, that we do talk openly and extensively about politics with one another when we are more or less likeminded?
To me, the idea that it’s impolite or “risky” to talk about politics with someone “on the other side” is unhealthy. It leads to polarization and limits the influence that “good” citizens can have. Part of the problem today is that most of us have abandoned that conversation to cable news etc, instead of meeting red voters where they are and gently planting a constructive thought or two in their minds. Many of the reasons people support Trump are morally destructive and unAmerican. When people come to realize this their allegiance to him weakens and they are ashamed.
Even if voters turn away from Trump, we still face an epic struggle to understand one another and get back to a healthy system of delegated government. Biden’s election would be a modest first step but we still have a broken party system and a Congress that’s clueless and pretty corrupt.