The Cartman Candidacy
For people from my generation, there was nothing quite like the show South Park. It is still going on, but like most things it has lost its edge after awhile. While the show centers more or less around four characters, the single thrust of the show seems to be the antics of Eric Cartman. The show’s creators (Trey Parker and Matt Stone) once called Cartman “the junk in everyone’s soul.” Nearly every episode has him doing something incredibly stupid, evil, or better yet, evil and stupid at the same time. He is incredibly manipulative, devious, and yet his plans usually always fail because he doesn’t know basic things that would be necessary to make such plans work.
For most of us that have watched the show, Cartman reminds us of someone we see in the news. Of course, the difference is that Cartman is a child and fictional. He has a plucky kind of charm even though there really are no redeeming qualities there. He is sexist, racist, and anti-Semitic and fairly obvious about it. I just can’t put my finger on who that sounds like.
We are usually shaped by those that we grew up watching on television. Our parents grew up watching Ronald Reagan in movies and on television and it made perfect sense that he should become president because people felt familiar and comfortable with him Fast-forward to our current generation and it makes some sense. We grew up on talk shows. Not everyone watched all of them, but between us we can probably recite memories of watching Geraldo, Sally Jesse Raphael, and Jerry Springer. The general idea about these shows follows a pretty precise formula.
Those talk shows provided for a pretty interesting dichotomy that I am sure is the basis of some pretty comprehensive psychological study. On the one hand, we enjoyed them because we could feel superior to someone. As messed up as our lives might have been or might be, at least we aren’t THOSE people. The ability to feel superior to someone is powerful and that power is pretty alluring to those that don’t have any.
The second part of that dichotomy is fact that a little piece of all of us wishes we could act like those people. The idea of telling people exactly what I think of them is alluring, but we know we can’t do that and maintain our careers or our relationships. These talk shows have found a magic formula that has us simultaneously feeling superior, disgusted, envious, and wanting more all at the same time.
The talk show generation is now in their forties and fifties. We are the prime age for most voters and provide for the base of people most likely to vote for the real life Eric Cartman. Younger voters don’t really get the whole talk show thing. They can stream their entertainment. They don’t have to worry about what is on the television at that particular time. They can choose their programming and they aren’t motivated by the same primal forces we were.
I think the biggest swing between 2016 and 2020 was the group of people that really didn’t agree with Trump but were oddly entertained by him. He said things we would never think of saying, but many secretly hoped they could. They felt disenfranchised from politics and felt the system had failed them. So, why not install the real life and adult version of Eric Cartman?
A majority of Trump voters would never vote for a Democrat and so you aren’t winning those folks over. However, enough switched because they saw what an Eric Cartman presidency wrought. They simply need to be reminded. As they told us when we were kids, “it’s all in good fun until someone’s eye gets poked out.” The pandemic wasn’t fun. Being a laughingstock around the globe wasn’t fun. Watching kids in cages and racists emboldened wasn’t fun. Eventually, you find something that touches on something that directly impacts them and President Cartman wasn’t good for any of that.
I am of an age where I saw Ronald Reagan in the movies and hawking 20 Mule Team Borax on television. I never bought him as anything more than a shill. The worst day in my life was the day he was elected. Though I can’t lay that all on his sorry butt, as my father passed away that same day. He proved to be as banally evil as I thought he could be.
1I would rate Cartman as about 10 times smarter than Trump.
We all know that Trump’s great appeal to his fanatic base has to do with his venal antics. The more evil he gets the more they like it. His current schtick is to proclaim anyone who is not MAGA will be purged from government.
Serious people are not only appalled by the threat of the act itself, but that they have to take it seriously. The reason that they have to take it seriously is that today there are only two types of Republicans: the full on MAGA types and those that are terrified of full on MAGA types.
2The only time the word smart and trumpf can be used in the same sentence is when it refers to him as a smart ass. Make that a dumb smart ass which fits his cult, as well.
3The sentence from Nick’s piece said that most Trumpf supporters would never vote for a Democrat. I think that is probably true for a large portion of repugnanticans. Question is, would those who don’t support him and are afraid of what he would do in a second term just not vote or vote or vote for someone like Jr RFK? Will his coat tails be poisonous for other races? Sure wish he’d get convicted but it’s looking more and more doubtful.
Nick, you wrote: “…A majority of Trump voters would never vote for a Democrat and so you aren’t winning those folks over. However, enough switched because they saw…”.
Which just doesn’t compute.
[The whole concept of a ‘Trump’ goes way beyond any comedic or scary theme, he, his followers and minions are just pure evil.
And need to be treated as such, to –whatever– degree becomes necessary. Are y’all going to be prepared?]
There are NO tRump voters who would ever vote for a Democrat, not just a “majority”; and none of them “switched”.
All present day self-identified ‘Republicans’ are now willing MAGAots. Or more realistically, authoritarian-worshiping present day Nazis.
Let’s call them all “Razis”, a fitting blend of the two group’s names.
Pronounced as ‘Ratzis’, as most people put a ‘t’ before the ‘z’ in Nazi, per the German pronunciation.
“more closely matches the German pronunciation [ˈnäːtsi]”
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Nazi
.
4BTW– I have never seen any of those TV programs or characters that you write about; of what little TV that I did watch, I carefully avoided crap like that. Even now when reading or hearing about today’s ‘celebrities’, I recognize none of them [including most ‘musicians’, etc].
Life’s too short to waste on crap. Even commercials today are getting so stupid and obnoxious that my remote can’t hardly jump channels fast enough.
Trump has no trouble acting like, even seeing himself as a cartoon character.
Today he reposted on Truth an AI generated “photo” of himself, in church, hands folded in prayer. I suppose an AI image is the only way Trump might appear in a church.
Best part? His hands have 6 fingers. Either he didn’t notice when he reposted or didn’t care. Either way, is that someone you’d want to vote for? Many would answer yes.
5Sandridge,
I actually know people who switched to Biden from Trump. None were lifelong Republicans and thus my carefully crafted statement. Most were some combination of disenchanted with the Democratic Party, Hilllary, or simply captivated by the spectacle. They generally were political neophytes who thought “how bad could it be?” Well, they found out. You generally had enough of them and Jill Stein voters switch to Biden to turn the result. It wasn’t a hefty percentage and it won’t be this time around either. You just hope a percentage point here or there either stay home or vote for someone else.
6I also didn’t follow the cartoon South Park, but my son who was just entering his teens along with his friends liked it.
7On a serious note, a presidential candidate who would sabotage bills to help Ukraine against Russia and deal with border issues just because it might take away campaign ammunition for him is not humorous or a cartoon. It’s his malignant narcissistic dimented self coming out. He is also hoping the economy tanks for the same reason.
Nick @5, Well I guess we’re on the same page then. Though I don’t think that I’ve ever seen those types of critters, we live in very different areas.. They weren’t inherently MAGAots or actual Rethugs then.
But having to depend on a percentage point or three of marginally sane voters for a Biden win in either 2020 or 2024 is damned scary.
Let’s hope that the margins will turn out much more bulletproof in November.
8At least 10%+, for a solid win.
It’s going to take a flawless superhuman effort to make it happen. And to overcome the Razi chicanery that will be everywhere.
You’ll know the metaphor has taken flight when you see Trump giving a stump speech and proclaiming, “You WILL respect my Authoritah!”
9I don’t know about South Park and the like, but I have found the proliferation of competition on TV seems to have seeped into our politics. You can pick a person to leave an island, make the best apple pie, and any sport on earth has a team for you. There are still some Oiler fans who follow the Titans now. It seems like the tfg people have picked their “team” and are standing by them. GOP pols have cheered on their team, providing a sideline show to entertain those die hard fans. Sadly, they will wake up when the crazy GOP laws take effect, like no Social Security, Medicare, etc!
10I never really watched those talk shows of which you speak. I think I dodged a bullet there.
11Ratzis!! Defined by the repugnant way they act, the act of throwing a rasberry in the general direction of one in a repugnant act, Republicans standing for the overthrow of the constitution by way of electing a dictator(sidebar: Putin was elected and so was Hitler) instead of a leader. I nominate this word for OED! Perfect Sandridge!!
12H and I forgot to add. Rat bastards to the definition.
13@Cathy, Yep, our own special Razi ratbastard Guv. Greg Abbott is pushing as hard as he can.
President Biden had damned well stomp on Abbott’s latest Razi moves ASAP!
The SCOTUS has given him cover to really come down hard on this effing border powers usurpation deal.
Biden needs to act, and quickly.
Abbott’s border shenanigans are just a probing move that presages some later insurrection-like efforts.
Even though the Texass Razis appear to have stifled their earlier efforts to write ‘secession’ right into their party platform [wink wink], everybody knows it’s still right up front in their minds.
President Biden had better get some overwhelming forces onsite by the first of the month, equipped with wire cutters and heavy moving equipment.
And federalizing the Texas Guard forces away from state Razi control is already way overdue.
The TNG is totally obligated to the federal government first and foremost, it’s hardware is completely provided and owned by the feds.
The TX Army&Air NatGd force strength is ~24K personnel, all bases and equipment federally owned.
Their CiC is nominally Abbott, but they can be, and should be, federalized in a flash and stripped away from Greg.
The whole idiotic ‘open border’ hysteria is an absurd non-event, but is whipped up and served to hordes of eager-eater MAGAots who slurp it down.
14I’m sure It’ll be a long time before E G Carroll gets any money (now up to $85 million+) from the former “grab em in the …..” sexual assaulter president, but at least symbolically he’s getting hit in a place he understands. Hope he goes whining all the way to the bank.
15How can there be a problem on the southern border? Trump built the wall, didn’t he? And Mexico paid for it.
16For all of the Rethugs that continue to maintain that Bush the Elder did not strike a deal with the Iranians to release the US hostages after ReaGUN was elected, please factor in Tumpf’s current attempt to make US policy when is he is currently holding NO office whatever in order to get leverage in the election.
17Nick, we have high hopes for Texas this election cycle. Teddie Crooze will be on the ballot, so our best wishes for all you good Texans to succeed in ousting him. As some say, “all politics is local.” Here in Nevaduh we’re doing our best to oust Mark Amodei (NV-02) from the House.
Our best defense should with some miracle of stupidity TFG defeat President Biden and VP Harris, we deliver a Congress that can thwart Donnie. Albeit our preference is that we deliver a Congress to work and actually govern with President Biden.
SMDH That too many of our electorate do not grasp the basic fact that if we want what 70+% of polled Americans want, then we need a Democratic President backed by a fully Democratic Congress. Seriously. If one isn’t an uber wealthy white male, why would one evuh pull the “R” lever against ones’ own interests? Habit because it’s what Grandpa and Daddy did? I dunno. If it is “habit” it’s a habit that needs to be broken.
Wowzah. 2024 – most important year since we kicked King George and his troops back to their islands.
18Texas R politicians are just all giddy about a civil war along with several other repugnanticans around country. They all complain about the border policies using highly exaggerated and false accusations against Biden but in truth, they don’t want anything to happen that would make things better so they have campaign fodder.
19Cathe, the term I have always used is ‘ evil rat bastards who will burn in hell.’. Unfortunately, the list just keeps getting longer! And while I’m at it, prayers are offered that Ms JJ is doing well and about to unleash a load of whoop ass on those who really need it!
20I have no inside info on the other writers. Like you, I’d love to hear from more of the regulars. As for Texas, Ms. Carraway works in the space industry and I have no idea what would happen in the case of secession. She can move but with aging parents that’s tough and I’m close to retirement. I can technically teach anywhere that offers reciprocity on my teaching licenses. I’m sure SPED people are in demand everywhere but our daughter is also a year of graduating. I hope whatever happens happens after 2024.
21All I’m going to say is that I learned this morning (from watching GQP “news” clips on Morning Joe) that many of America’s problems can be traced to low propensity women who practice idolatry by worshiping Luciferian Taylor Swift.
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