I was a little disturbed by a post in Diane Ravtch's blog about how to appeal to rural voters. Of course we ought not to ridicule them, and of course we ought to treat them with respect. I'd argue that's what Joe Biden is doing right now, and that Hillary blew it big time by calling them, or at least all Trump voters, "deplorables."
This notwithstanding, I'm not sure at all how to appeal to Trump voters. Right now, their man is openly rejecting democracy and a whole lot of them are buying it. Anything he lost is "rigged," because it's impossible for him to lose anything.
Clown on demand Rudy Giuliani got up in front of Four Seasons landscaping and ridiculed the networks calling the election. This is simply unheard of, he suggested. Rudy said the networks don't call elections. The courts do. In essence, Rudy said the people don't call elections.
Over and over, Republicans went to court and were tossed out for lack of evidence. This isn't Bush v. Gore, and it isn't even close. But that's the way things go in Trumpworld. Whatever Trump wants, Trump gets. It's that simple when you have the sort of personality flaw that can never admit a mistake, that can never admit defeat. (I actually knew someone exactly like that, and if I saw that guy today I'd walk across the street to avoid him, even if there were no pandemic.)
If you don't believe they're selectively looking at facts on the ground, take a look at this:
BREAKING: President Trump and Senate Republicans win Alaska, overwhelmingly and by a massive 20 point spread!
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) November 11, 2020
Put AK in the books for @realDonaldTrump! Congratulations Senator @DanSullivan_AK!
Thank you Alaska! 🇺🇸 https://t.co/pr7Gz0S7q1
When they win, it's in the books. When they lose, it's rigged. So how do you appeal to people who are taken in by obvious lies? How do you appeal to people who turn away from Fox News when it veers too close to reality? Do you offer them things that actually benefit them? Do you turn away Trump's tax cuts so the federal government can invest in the country instead of the people who least need help? Do you offer universal health care so Americans don't go broke paying hospital bills?
Well, it turns out things like that are socialism, or Marxism, or something, and to America, that's really scary. America isn't exactly sure what socialism is, but we know it's bad somehow. We know that because Republicans win by labeling anything that might help us as socialism. Maybe we ought not to let them label what we do, but it's hard rolling back years of stereotyping and name-calling.
As if that's not enough, last time Democrats controlled the country they simply did not do a whole lot to help us. Obamacare is an improvement but not a cure-all. In education, they were outright hostile to public school teachers and unions, following Bill Gates' hurtful test and punish philosophy. Arne Duncan was just inches away from Betsy DeVos, and he was a whole lot more effective in demeaning public education than she was.
A good first step for Democrats would be to stop taking suitcases full of cash from health insurance interests and education privatizers. If they can persuade me they're 100% on the side of We, the People, it will be a good first step toward reaching the Trumpies in red states.
Nonetheless, the Trumpies are on board with the Conman-in-Chief. How do you persuade people taken in by the likes of him? To support him even as he blatantly undermines democracy is unconscionable, but it works for them. I'm sure not all his supporters are fanatical ideologues, but I know people who are, including teachers. There's clearly no sense of right or wrong in a party that won't put up a Democratic SCOTUS nominee months before an election, but nominates Amy Coney Whatever eight days before Trump's given his walking papers.
And the big con doesn't end with Trump's whining. They're actively talking about subverting electors in the swing states controlled by Republicans. A whole lot of them have no issue overturning a democratic election that didn't go their way. I don't think they'll ultimately do that, but they're absolutely unscrupulous. If they could manage it, if they could get away with it, they'd do it.
The Democrats need great tactical minds, and they need to consistently support us. It's uphill now, with the need to take two GA Senate races. But alienating those of us who stuck with Biden despite our reservations if foolish at best. We need to move forward, and bring along all the Americans we can.
Stacy Abrams has proven relentless in registering and empowering voters. She can continue her work right up until the election. People are tired of being erased and disenfranchised by absolutely anyone. There's a chance here, but the nonsense has to stop.
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