Probably to my sanity’s detriment I still can’t get over how many (by all estimates at least 30%) of Americans are completely and utterly devoted to Trump. One theory I have is that the greatest power a conman has is a reliance on the shame of the conned. That admitting one has been conned is so shameful that one would rather double down. This is as true for the street side hustler who cheats you as it is for a politician who has stolen an election.
Ofcourse the implications are a tad more intense in this case.
I don’t think it’s that difficult to understand. Economic growth, tax cuts, conservative political appointments, tariff protection, and so on. People who liked what Trump was running on are generally happy with what he has done and the direction of the country.
It is a fact often reviewed and debated in political parties regarding so called “rusted-on” voters.
In Trumps case, while some of this alleged 30% support would clearly be better off under a Trump regime, most do not even consider this and their allegiance is more like being a footy club supporter with factors like following parents and just wanting to belong.
In fact, interviews done in many parts of the world show that those who change voting intention understand more on policy and actually care about politicians action. There will be a horde of social scientists doing doctorates on Trumpism, and the results will offer nothing much new in understanding why some are so farked in the head.
They learnt it from Obama, biggest conman ever. Promised so much, delivered so little. It’s about sound bites not substance these days. Trumps the ultimate sound bite, the worst kind but the greatest at it.
What were the major things Obama promised that he didn’t deliver? 8 years of economic growth, the largest expansion of the social services in decades, saved the car industry etc.
Yeah, dodgy post IT. Up against it for 8 years with a blindly hostile opposition and don’t forget the significance of cultural tone. The current conman has turned his country into a dangerous joke and a pariah.
Here’s a brief and very entertaining reminder of how charmingly ‘normal’ things were back then.
I can only speak from my experience having lived in the US for all of President Obama’s tenure. Back in '08 I had colleagues losing houses and then eventually their jobs. The jobless rate was on its way to 10% while 2 wars were being funded by taxpayers. The US economy was hanging on by one fingernail. 40 Million Americans did not have health insurance. The US had been taking a backseat on combating climate change. Gay marriage was not legal (Obama himself was on his way to evolving his stance on it).
Obama fixed (as best he could) all of the above. Despite the vow by Republicans to make Obama a “one term president”.
Was he perfect? No. Drones. Losses in local elections. Haphazard implementation of Obamacare. Letting Syria and eventually Myanmar get away with genocide.
Still, in my humble opinion, the greatest president of my lifetime.
He is not wrong though. Plenty on the left aren’t exactly glowing in their assessment of 44. ObamaCare is a great example, it was a Conservative program, Mitts too. History probably won’t look back on his term as being anything but middling
Nah, they are very different. Trip was a full blown Murdoch trained monkey. IT is a very religious man who is coming from a quite different angle. More Pence than Uncy Rupe. And at least IT’s opinions are all genuinely held.
I’m curious what 44 could have produced without such an adversarial relationship with Congress. It crippled his ability to implement policy. So I completely get the attack that he was far less effective than his stated goals.
Hillary would have had less power than Obama. If the GOP were out to block Obama wherever possible, their hatred of Hillary would have brought the government to a grinding halt.
