Stupid American Voters

Deplorables

They Hate Blacks and Women

Ignorant Hillbillies 

Stop me when I get to an epithet that I haven’t been called by the Left recently.  These “Elite” “Super Educated” talking heads in “thought-leadership” positions throughout Government and the Main Stream Media (MSM) still can’t figure out Trump’s popularity given his penchant for constant gaffes and downright ignorant and reprehensible bulletin board material.  Why isn’t it as obvious to them as it is to me… what drives Trump’s popularity.  I’ll pick on Jonathon Bernstein of Bloomberg View (The same Bloomberg View that is about the closest thing to a non-partisan publication going) to highlight a few reasons:

Point #1 -  The condescension felt by many Americans during the Obama years is difficult to accurately summarize.  Everyone consumes news in different amounts and with different personal attention.  I know that “Stupid American Voter” really stung me because it had huge policy implications, but also because I acknowledge that it’s probably accurate to a certain extent.  Americans are not as engaged in news and politics and civics as our ancestors.  But some things, while probably true, shouldn’t be said or be said in private and not leaked to the media (see “shithole countries”).   But when Obama left, the condescension didn’t.  Enter Mr. Bernstein, chief expert talking head who can’t figure out why Trump isn’t doomed yet. This is an excerpt from today’s column speaking to Trumps current popularity:

For all we know, he rallied in part because a lot of people think it's really cool he had an affair with a porn star and paid her off to be quiet, and then it started falling again as people forgot about that. I'm only partially joking

Not sure how this can be considered anything but condescending.  May as well call Trump supporters cheaters and perverts while you are dancing around the subject (never mind the thick, thick hypocrisy of Jon’s deafening silence during the Clinton Caligula White House remake).  But in this day in age, quotes like this pass as thought leadership, and I’m not even partially joking.  I’ve been called names before, and while they certainly don’t bother me (I’m from the bygone sticks and stones era)… micro aggressions, triggers and safe space warriors would not appreciate this line of attack on them, so I’m not sure why Jonathon feels its ok.  Understand that some people, when called deplorable or hillbilly or supporter of adultery… get turned off.  Again, luckily I’m a sticks and stones guy. 

Point #2 -  Transparency and Media bias.  Even with Trump’s onslaught of lies (remember, once upon a time lies were no big deal  – see: If you like your Doctor, You can keep your Doctor), the main draw to Trump is his transparency in spite of his tall tales as well as his David vs Goliath struggle with the media landscape.  Take this recent excerpt example of Media Bias from said talking head:

By any reasonable measure, the Trump-Russia scandal already ranks as the biggest since at least 1986, when Iran-Contra…Nothing else needs to emerge and none of the unproven allegations need to be confirmed, either.

Wait, what?  Bernstein argues that ‘none of the unproven allegations need to be confirmed’. Come again?  This is thought-leadership?  This is the typical lens/filter through which an independent news (opinion) reader has to view/sift.  And this is a so-called middle of the road outlet.  Imagine the spin from NYT, CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, WaPo, BostonGlobe, etc...  The bias is very clear to engaged Americans and it appears to be helping Trump maintain some level of sympathy in the polls (if anyone is still trusting polls.)

And Transparency?  More from Mr. Bernstein-

What we know about this scandal so far is:
i. Russia attempted to influence the 2016 election.
ii. The Trump campaign, including the candidate himself, openly welcomed those efforts.

I remember watching the television when Trump said ‘Russia, if you’re listening. I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.’ I’m not sure how Jonathon Bernstein can’t grasp the fact that the large set of voters who aren’t jerks at either end of the hyper partisan spectrum would rather have an independent newcomer OPENLY tell a broadcast audience that it’s bullshit this evidence wasn’t turned over via the FOIA laws and instead we need to rely on hackers to provide our transparency.   Apparently by Mr. Bernstein’s logic, its far better to have an insider use a cutout to get things done in Foggy Bottom.  Also note the fine use of a non sequitur.  Russian attempts to influence the 2016 elections, and apparently succeeding, could be seen as an indictment on the administration that was tasked with preventing said influence (Hint – the previous one), not necessarily evidence of collusion on Mr. Trump’s part, not that evidence is necessary anymore.   

Point #3 - Most importantly, why can’t experts understand that Trump is essentially an Independent and an outsider and maybe we are all better off for that?  A Democrat on the Republican ticket.  Maybe get some things done, call it compromise.  Newsflash, most people are essentially independents just to the right or left of center on most issues.  They just aren’t the loudest jerks in the room.  So while the press gets giddy over Trump flip flops or Trump’s less than strict ideological boundaries and goes crazy – average people understand that’s actually how people live.  Some people like guns and Medicaid.  Some people agree with abortions and shrinking our military.  Some people were against gay marriage before they were for it. Go figure.  It seems like the litmus test that politics and the media love so dearly ignores real world people.  I would argue that Trump and most of Americans are Independent people who reject the “we’ll tell you how to think on issues” mentality of the Political Parties.  I don’t think this is rocket science.  But “they” just don’t get it.  Actually, maybe the experts do understand that Trump is essentially an Independent and an outsider and maybe we are all better off for that, except for those entrenched “Elite”, “Super Educated” talking heads in “thought-leadership” positions throughout Government and the Main Stream Media (MSM)… and to them the Status-Quo is the only thing that matters.

Footnotes:
• www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-02-26/good-news-for-trump-as-approval-rating-rallies
• www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-02-28/trump-russia-is-biggest-scandal-since-iran-contra

'Big Jim Slade’ resides in Western Massachusetts.