I Think We Just Found What it Takes…
Most of us normal people regularly ask the question, “What is it going to take to get Trumpists to turn against him?” Thousands of lost jobs from his trade war didn’t do it; his sucking up to Vladimir Putin and other despots didn’t do it; North Korea caught building more nukes didn’t do it; roller coaster markets didn’t do it; his continuous lying didn’t do it; his globally embarrassing performance at the Paris Armistice Day ceremony didn’t do it; not showing up for Veterans’ Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery didn’t do it; his incessant sophomoric tweeting didn’t do it; 22 indictments, 5 guilty please, and 8 convictions of his cronies didn’t do it; it’s seems that NOTHING gets through.
Until yesterday. Yesterday, Trump, while visiting wildfire ravaged California with Gavin Newsom and Jerry Brown, Trump babbled really stupid shit about Finland and raking forest floors. He made these idiotic statements on national television in the wake of thousands of destroyed homes and businesses, over 70 confirmed deaths and more than A THOUSAND people missing. Apparently, we’ve found the limit; doing that is what it takes to turn Trumpists against him. Kirk Ellsworth, whose family suffered catastrophic losses in the destruction of Paradise, California, responded to Trumps idiocy, saying:
“My kids lost everything. I voted for him – and now? He can kiss my red ass. What he said was ridiculous. It hurts my heart. A lot of us voted for him and he [talks] down to us?”
There you have it. Apparently for Trumpists to see the light, they (and their families) have to suffer catastrophic personal losses before the scales fall from their eyes so they can see the light. Such is the totality of the delusions of the Trumpist hoard.
Well, that’s one. At least it’s a start, I suppose.
1Well, that’s one. At least it’s a start, I suppose.
2Conservatives only care about something if it affects them personally. They have no empathy. Soulless creatures.
3We’ve seen this over and over. I don’t want to go dig out dozens of examples, but it could be done. Rightwingers in the USA don’t care about X until X affects them or their family. One such obvious example is Dick Cheney’s attitudes about gays. There have been many more.
4And, sadly, that too will go right over the heads of many of those idiots who support him until they lose their homes, businesses, pets, and maybe families as well in some disaster he is too clueless to comprehend.
5El Jefe, I think you’re optimistic.
6I agree that some maga’s would open their eyes if they saw, heard, or read Mr. Ellsworth’s story and comments. But most never will.
The triumph of the right is that they’ve completely deligitimized the actual fourth estate in the minds of a third of our fellow citizens. And have installed a propaganda machine that Joseph Goebbels woulda given all his children and both testicles to have at his disposal. Just my opinion, but in my mind, it’s even worse than what they’ve done with the judicial system.
But I hope you’re right.
7Mark, yes. Empathy gap. Some people don’t get it until it happens to them.
8Accept in your mind that anything that can happen can happen to you.
9At least he didn’t toss them paper towels.
10Yup “catastrophic personal loss” helps see the light but bigoted Hate is not always conquered in a single lifetime. Look what it took for McCain to finally vote for affordable health care.
11Wait for it….
12Soon this nitwit is going to blame initial fire on evil bureucrats and regulations and continue his journey into ignorance and bigotry by becoming a LIEatarian.
Pity the children exposed to this depravity.
Every time Trump has gaffed, people [myself included] have said, “OK, that tears it! This time they’ve GOT TO turn against him!” And then they didn’t.
Trump’s supporters don’t, imo, comprehend catastrophes that occur to ‘those other people.’ They certainly didn’t put themselves in the shoes of the people of Puerto Rico last year. And, somehow, I don’t think the fact that more white people live in California while the majority in PR are brown was the only cause.
So, it seems what you’re saying is that massive fires and floods will have to hit all 50 states. Then Trump will have to come out and blame the victims 50 times. And THEN, maybe, possibly, perhaps – – – his followers MIGHT turn against him.
I’m not going to hold my breath this time. I’ve tried that before and all I got was a blue face and a lot of gasping.
13Watch for the newest Fox police drama, about square jawed sexy young cops who never cave on their principles when personal tragedy tempts them to.
14Rake Forest? Isn’t that a college??
15two crows – keep in mind that empathy is not going to be extended to Californians by a lot of his base because it is a blue state and collectively not of their tribe. I’ve lived in Texas for over 35 years and I’ve heard well educated R’s say they could not envision retiring in an area where there are too many liberals or send their kids out of state colleges because they might be exposed to leftist ideology. My reply to them is all four of my kids graduated from Texas A&M, were glad they went there, but all retained their core liberal principles in spite of the conservative nature of the campus.
16Sadly, I suspect that the greater the damage to Blue state interests, and in particular 44’s legacy, the more personal damage Hair Furor’s followers will be willing to endure. Otherwise, how to explain avoiding healthcare…
17Jace:
If he’d been less distracted due to events of late, he might have tossed them some marshmallows.
18OK. when running smash into a closed mind let alone heart, I always fall back on Eric Hoffer’s book The True Believer. At least i have some idea of what make a true believer tick. its called cement.
19Mr. Ellsworth said something else that we should note. He said the small-handed vulgarian talked down to them. I think that’s at the core of right wing resentment. They think liberals talk down to them (some actually do, others just use big words…), and they don’t like it.
After this, maybe a few more will see what’s truly at the heart of Trump’s existence. He looks down on them even worse than any liberal ever did, and so do his financiers. Melania’s jacket that said she didn’t care would have fit him just fine.
2098% of the MAGAots will never change or re’think’ their belief in such things.
BTW: A “Hoard” means a stash or collection of objects, as by packrats, hamsters, various collectors, etc.
A “Horde” (which you meant to use) is a group of vicious animals, opposing enemy troops, raving lunatics, etc., (take your choice):
“Such is the totality of the delusions of the Trumpist hoard.”
21@ Mark:
Agreed. I might even go further. If they have friends and/or relatives in the burned out areas, they might take pause — but the only catastrophe they recognize is one that affects them and theirs. Even if this had happened in Alabama — and they themselves weren’t residents of Alabama — it still might not register.
As to your later comment, it just blows me away that college educated people are THAT frightened of views that differ from their own. How deeply held ARE their views if simply being exposed to something else is that threatening?
Speaking of which, I hold no respect for those who jumped the GOP ship after Trump got on board. Here’s a guy I do have respect for — he left BEFORE the worst of the clown car escapades began. I highly recommend reading his story. It will wring your heart.
22http://www.salon.com/2012/09/10/why_i_left_the_gop/
The Magats being led by the mega Magass lack empathy and compassion, thus fail to recognize that their feckless leader also lacks those qualities. That subset of the species has to experience jumping or falling off the cliff before learning how painful the landing will be. Honduran, Guatemalan, or El Salvadoran children in cages is too much for them to extrapolate that they or their children can and will be next, if the authoritarian Orange Foolius isn’t checked. Likewise with every fool thing this maladministration does. Until the Magats literally choke on the air they breath, deregulation is a good thing and, if given a chance trickle down economics would really work despite 40 years of facts proving otherwise. Dubya gave them a view of things over the cliff, but until they go splat with Donnie they’ll remain clueless until they experience the very direct personal impact.
23During the 2008 election cycle I became quite fascinated by the Sarah Palin phenomena and made it a point to keep track of her post-election. This included closely following for years her internet fan sites and reading a huge number of disturbing comments from her rabid supporters. There were a number of sites: Conservatives4palin, Immoral Minority, Malia Litman, etc.
For a few years her base remained relatively undiminished: She cold do no wrong. But then, little by little, almost one-by-one the herd started to die down. Not because she had committed one big faux pas but because she had breeched an individual’s “do not cross” line. Every one has one, although in cults a lot of rocks generally need to be turned over to get to it.
My point? Trump obviously has a larger support group than Palin but he will probably loose ground with them bit-by-bit.
24We can hope that the Mueller probe will turn will turn up something that will resonate with this mob and cause a fan hemorrhage otherwise it’s going to be a long slog with those folks.
@two crows, that’s why extreme “Christians” home-school their kids and don’t let them go to college: they might be exposed to actual ideas, such as the crazy notion that not every word of the Bible is literally true. Can’t have that. Their religion is so weak that sunlight or a breeze from outside will blow it away, and they know it, so they try to prevent outside contact.
Speaking of which, isn’t an anniversary of Jonestown coming up…?
25Won’t change his vote … though
26Their underlying faith, of course, is that God’s true Chosen People are the white “race”. Jesus was white. Santa Claus is white. It was Trump’s first move from the get-go, and still the basis for most of his actions and statements.
And no matter how many times it’s disproven, this myth of white supremacy is their first article of faith. I think the only remedy is to wait for most of them to die off, augmented by the occasional adorable biracial grandbaby.
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