I do not know about the rest of you all, but I just do not give a rat’s ass about what Republicans, especially Trump voters, think. I see no point in castigating them publicly for their past actions, but I will be damned if we need to try and understand or empathisize with them any more. Some thoughtful progressive and moderate voices, the media, and the political establishment have spent more than enough time and effort analyzing what a MINORITY of voters want. There is more than enough data in to surmise an ugly truth: Trump voters are not rational or persuadable. Why are we catering to the whims of an irrational minority of voters?
Think about it. What is the one theme that keeps coming back to smack us in the face for the last eight months? Trump is politically unpopular, but the Republican base is supposedly sticking with him no matter what happens.
However, a MAJORITY of the public disapproves of Trump.
I do not recall another time when so much time was spent wanting to know what a minority of voters wanted though. I do not remember endless TV and radio interviews with Carter, Mondale, or Dukakis voters after they lost. No Republican officials said that we ought to address the concerns of those Democratic voters. Our candidates lost, and Democratic voters had to lump it.
Fixating on a what a minority of American voters is bad enough. What makes it worse is that more than a few of this minority is willfully ignorant and stupid. There was recent poll that found 32 percent of Trump voters do not believe that Donald Trump Jr. met with the Russians. Only 45 percent believe that the meeting took place.
Let that sink in for a moment.
Donald Trump Jr. ADMITS that the meeting happened, but only 45 percent of Trump voters are sure it occurred. Thirty-two percent say, “No! It did NOT!” And Trump Senior admits it happened, but never mind with the Trump voters.
There is plenty of other polling data and anecdotes that demonstrate Trump voters will believe what they want to believe and everything else be damned. This is not rational thinking. Yet, I read and hear voices saying we need to understand Trump voters in order to someday persuade them of the errors of their ways.
You cannot persuade anyone who doesn’t want to be persuaded. And Trump voters do not want to be reasoned with. They know what they know.
Maybe the rest of you want to waste your time with Trump voters, but my advice is to spend it trying to convince those who did not vote to become politically engaged and vote. Republicans and Trump voters do not care what I think, and the feeling is mutual.