Don’t Act All Surprised
I kinda figured that Donald Trump had a message that was ringing loud in Republican minds.
Now I know why.
In the August 6th Republican candidates debate, Trump answered the moderators’ questions with linguistic austerity. Run through the Flesch-Kincaid grade-level test, his text of responses score at the 4th-grade reading level. For Trump, that’s actually pretty advanced. All the other candidates rated higher, with Ted Cruz earning 9th-grade status. Ben Carson, Mike Huckabee, and Scott Walker scored at the 8th-grade level. John Kasich, the next-lowest after Trump, got a 5th-grade score.
I was wondering why my 18 month old grandson laughed overtime Trump came on tv. Now I know why – my grandson understood what Trump is saying. So do Republicans.
Thanks to Lindy for the heads up.
Not only does he talk like a 4th-grader, he talks like the 4th-grade bully. When the words he uses most often are simple-minded attempts at put-downs of people who don’t agree with him — “loser,” “pathetic,” “moron,” “dummy,” “disgusting” — why would he bother with a more complex vocabulary? Your grandson probably thinks the scowling, red-faced man with the badger atop his head is a clown. Your grandson is right!
1Great minds think alike – and so do the other kind, apparently.
2Republicans don’t do complexity.
3Wow! Golly gee, I’m so surprised. I thought they were all elitist intellectuals.
4David Horsey, the splendid cartoonist who did the “angry Trump supporters” cartoon in Friday’s lineup, has a column on what they’re angry about. Apparently a significant number want Trump elected because they think that would collapse the whole rotten system and we could start over.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-trump-angry-voters-20150811-story.html
5On the early news today, I saw a clip (I don’t know who the comic is) who suggested Trump was singing the Witch Doctor song … there were little snippits of Trump going “oo” “ee” “oo” “aa” … hysterical.
6Donald Trump appeals to the playground demographic? We can only hope he’ll start making fart noises the next time he comments on his opponents and blond Fox teleprompter readers.
7David Seville did the witch doctor song(My friend the witch doctor) and is the mind behind Alvin and the Chipmunks.
8Just look at his policies,
he is going to be great for women,
we won’t believe what he is going to do in Iran after he cuts off their oil,
he is going to make Mexico pay for the fence, etc.
Vague much? And when a reporter tries to pin him down, he starts reciting his resume.
9So what I hear you saying is that T-Rump is speaking directly to the T-Rump base: old, white men with a third grade education.
And it could be that he’s conditioning developing electorate larvae to vote Republican in the 2026 mid-terms.
10Fourth through ninth grade … really? Must be from the standards of one of Dubya’s “our kids be learning” schools.
11No wonder Democrats don’t like him.
12@Mary R
13I stand corrected. I saw that animal living on T-Rump’s forehead as a muskrat. But, seeing how it is T-Rump we’re talking about, badger just makes sooooo much more sense.
Muskrats,as a general rule,are fairly reddish brown and have more couth than to perch on Trump’s noggin. Badgers can be extremely pale in color and plumb unparticular whose head they reside on. Shaving brushes made from badger hair are much more particular whose mug they snuggle up to.
14Ya know all the legal & regulatory jargon written on the back of your monthly bills? In a past life I was responsible for writing all that stuff for our company. At the time, state law required it be written at a 7th grade reading level.
Color me not surprised that the Donald can’t even reach that bar.
Trump – “Make America Dumb Again”.
15e Platypus, I think the muskrat must be on Rand Paul’s head…or it could well be a squirrel.
I guess I was being overly optimistic in thinking Trump sounded like a junior high mean girl….guess I missed it by three grades.
16A good speaker will alway talk down to his audience’s level…
In the case of Republicans I think 4th grade may be an overestimation…
17OH, he is so going to run as an independent!
18Now I have to thank y’all for getting the witch doctor song stuck in my head….
Also Adlai Stevenson. “All the intelligent voters are on your side!” “That’s not enough, madam– I need a majority.”
19America, as a whole, has dumbed down. Most magazines write at 6th grade reading level or less (a decade ago it was like 8th grade). Even high school graduates and college graduates seldom write or read at their equivalent levels acording to the FK reading level test.
So this is pervasive and not just any single demographic.
(Sorry for the soap box, but I am peeved at how dumb and willful ignorance are so encroaching our society. I have to constantly watch my own and my Subject-Matter Expert’s communications in the training materials to keep it at a lower reading level than is my inclination.)
20Bullies use small words.
21The only kind that fit in their brains.
Trump is using a very competent communications strategist. Never – never – never underestimate either stupidity [since it is immutable] or a strategy that keeps everything simple. T-Rump will appeal to the under educated & under privileged. That specific appeal will likely make him the repub candidate.
Let’s just hope so.
22They don’t need words. They’ve got guns.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/08/14/1411640/-Cartoon-Republican-Guns-2016?detail=email
23Ole Scout: Agreed. Much of the Republican base is not insulted to be addressed at elementary school level–they are instead angry if addressed as intelligent, thinking, adults. Never mind that some of them are (yes, even among the Rs) intelligent; they have made it a pillar of belief that sounding intelligent and educated = a weak unsteadiness of intent.
So Trump’s communications strategist is using the language and the attitude that is most likely to attract the Republican base: short sentences, simple language, avoidance of logical argument or fact-based discussion, and insults hurled at anyone who doesn’t agree. That proves him, in their minds, a “Strong Man”, a proper Leader who won’t be intimidated.
24It doesn’t pay to underestimate someone like Trump. He is a master manipulator , deal-maker, real-life monopoly player, and
25an unabashed billionaire who is not afraid to say what is on his mind at the moment no matter how it sounds or who it offends. Personally, I think he may decide to go the way of Ross Perot, run as an independent, split the party, and allow a Democrat to win, provided the Democrats have their own act together enough to bring in the votes. My money is on Bernie Sanders . . . . except for the darned Electoral College which could screw up a one-car parade!
This is an example of how well 14 years worth of “No Child Left Behind” has worked…
Trickle Down Economics, Strong Borders, Mo Guns, Drill Baby Drill, & Abstinence, are a few of their other policies.
26It’s all opinion at this stage. I’m still supporting O’Malley – at least until he’s eliminated. He’s a proven political executive. So is Clinton. Sanders far from as much. Good ideas may make a good platform, but I don’t see any political management in his background. For you “Bernie or Bust” followers of the Senator, winning elections isn’t political management; being a governor who was re-elected is. I also fear another McGovern catastrophe. McGovern had the platform, but not the management experience. Some of our politicians are great legislators, some not. The intellectual and character traits are different for legislators and executives. Legislators seek consensus; executives act. Legislators rising to executive status wait too long to act. That’s why Clinton [him] was a good President. I think O’Malley’s as good as Clinton [him], There are too many people out there who will never vote for something when they can vote against something else. that alone presents problems for both Sunders and Clinton [her].
27@15 Loraine: …”Again”???
@21 Diane: Not just a bully, but a narcissistic, delusional bully. “Ay. You’re going to let me $hit all over you, and you’re going to love me for it!”
The Hispanics are going to love/vote for me…. “Thank you sir, may I have another”
28I won’t vote for HRC because of Israel. That and her konnections to korporate amerika.
29Yes, Old Fart, Again in honor of W.
😉
30Ole Scout – Bernie Sanders started his political career as the mayor of a small town. Not a governorship, but executive experience nonetheless. And even then, he was developing policiy positions on major social and national issues.
I don’t think executive experience is as important as a person’s intellect and personality, and the ability to grow into the job. When you consider the results, it’s a pretty mixed bag. There’s more than one way to show leadership.
Executive experience: FDR, Eisenhower, Carter, Reagan, Bush I (CIA), Clinton, Bush II.
No executive experience: Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Obama.
31@ Elizabeth Moon, your saying that “they have made it a pillar of belief that sounding intelligent and educated = a weak unsteadiness of intent” reminded me of a time just before my time, when “egghead” was a term of abuse meaning that you were smart and therefore inferior and probably a commie pinko to boot, like Adlai Stevenson.
I was so hoping that we’d gone past the recent era of “The Democratic candidate is too smart to get elected.” I do hope so, as I swore I’d leave the country if they kept that up, and moving is such a hassle.
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