how do you talk to a Trump voter ...
Answering questions: Trump voters experiencing regret or even those showing the slightest sign of it.
I don't like the thought of telling someone they made a horrible decision when it was exactly that, their decision, not mine. Efforts can be better spent moving forward.
drummerboy said:
I don't follow? Who are we asking to join the ACLU?
CompassRose said:
DB, I don't think we need to bring it up. When it comes down to it, only the individual can decide if they have made a horrible decision or not. I think a better use of words might be to talk to those voters tactfully about actions they can take now with non-DJT voters, simple small steps such as becoming a member of the ACLU or other important organizations.
drummerboy said:
Regardless of what you say, or how you say it, at some point you have to bring up the fact, however tactfully, that the voter made a horrible, horrible decision.
People don't really like to hear that.
South_Mountaineer said:
I agree with this comment. Just stating the facts (he registered, he's not a criminal, he checked in as he was supposed to do) is considered insulting to some people. My general comment is that those with an aversion to facts express outrage when given facts.
ml1 said:
What if a fair description sounds like an insult? It's pretty hard to objectively report something like this without making the people involved seem stupid
tjohn said:
In answer to the original question, based on the story below, the likes of which I am seeing more and more, I have no idea how to talk to a Trump voter. Just don't insult them. That's the only idea I have right now.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-supporter-my-husband-is-being-deported-friday-193439132.ht
I'm not the biggest Bill Maher fan, but he kind of gets to the point here:
“I know you real Americans hate being called stupid, [but] you gotta meet me halfway and stop being stupid,”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35T9jC_MASQ&feature=youtu.be
I am familiar with the area in this article and thestar.com is not local news (The Newark Advocate and The Zanesville Times Recorder might be more reliable sources?). While I grimaced reading this, I'm starting to wonder if quotes in the news should require sobriety tests or some kind of pub disclaimer, although I did absolutely love the "turd" quote. 
Sadly both areas are known for an increase in alcoholism and drug use over the last decade or so. Urban sprawl and drugs from Columbus, OH has been an increasing problem in both towns.
While I don't expect you to get to know anyone in either place, what would you say to a person who has lived decades in quaint and lovely rural surroundings until the millennium methamphetamine surge? What can we say to pub crawlers to change their minds and convince them the government and the former President are not responsible for their hardships?
It is one thing to ask a person how they feel about something for a news story. It is an entirely different thing to ask a person why they feel the way they do and to listen and have empathy for them and then try to mention alternative beliefs. I find it telling that there are highly intellectual people living in both of those towns and your news story interviewed zero of them, Denison University, Ohio University, Ohio State University? Were none of them DJT voters?
drummerboy said:
sigh
https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/03/26/donald-trump-voters-we-like-the-presidents-lies.html#pq=5Sha2X
Reading the article (and having known and admired some good "storytellers"), I was thinking one approach would be to stay away from huffing about Trump (much as I enjoy some of that) and talk with these guys as time goes on about what/whether the administration is accomplishing the things they wanted when they voted for him. Things other than wanting to ruffle feathers in Washington. Of course, it would be helpful to have sound alternative Dem policies to talk about....
Then this morning on the radio, as the discussion was turning to whether Russia interfered with the US election, a guy called in and said he didn't care, he was glad about anything that kept Hillary, the Antichrist, from winning. And this was NPR. And I don't think he was speaking metaphorically. Holy blank, it would be hard to keep a policy chat going after that.
When you read what a lot of these people are saying, and you read stuff on FB or Twitter, you get the clear sense that a big proportion of Trump voters did it because they resent the people they consider "elites." They voted the way they did so that Trump and his staff can stick it to the people those voters hate. The sad part is that the "elites" will do fine, as they always do. Trump is so far trying to stick it to poor people, older people, rural people -- anyone but the elites.
It's pretty remarkable what motivated a lot of Trump voters. I doubt very many Clinton voters were consciously deciding to vote in the hopes that the result would do harm to people not like themselves. I can't believe too many of them were thinking that a vote for Hillary was a vote to stick it to rural white Christians.
mjc said:
Reading the article (and having known and admired some good "storytellers"), I was thinking one approach would be to stay away from huffing about Trump (much as I enjoy some of that) and talk with these guys as time goes on about what/whether the administration is accomplishing the things they wanted when they voted for him. Things other than wanting to ruffle feathers in Washington. Of course, it would be helpful to have sound alternative Dem policies to talk about....
Then this morning on the radio, as the discussion was turning to whether Russia interfered with the US election, a guy called in and said he didn't care, he was glad about anything that kept Hillary, the Antichrist, from winning. And this was NPR. And I don't think he was speaking metaphorically. Holy blank, it would be hard to keep a policy chat going after that.
or in short - how could anyone interested in sticking it to the elite pick Trump as their champion?
I mean, are you kidding me?
ml1 said:
When you read what a lot of these people are saying, and you read stuff on FB or Twitter, you get the clear sense that a big proportion of Trump voters did it because they resent the people they consider "elites." They voted the way they did so that Trump and his staff can stick it to the people those voters hate. The sad part is that the "elites" will do fine, as they always do. Trump is so far trying to stick it to poor people, older people, rural people -- anyone but the elites.
It's pretty remarkable what motivated a lot of Trump voters. I doubt very many Clinton voters were consciously deciding to vote in the hopes that the result would do harm to people not like themselves. I can't believe too many of them were thinking that a vote for Hillary was a vote to stick it to rural white Christians.
mjc said:
Reading the article (and having known and admired some good "storytellers"), I was thinking one approach would be to stay away from huffing about Trump (much as I enjoy some of that) and talk with these guys as time goes on about what/whether the administration is accomplishing the things they wanted when they voted for him. Things other than wanting to ruffle feathers in Washington. Of course, it would be helpful to have sound alternative Dem policies to talk about....
Then this morning on the radio, as the discussion was turning to whether Russia interfered with the US election, a guy called in and said he didn't care, he was glad about anything that kept Hillary, the Antichrist, from winning. And this was NPR. And I don't think he was speaking metaphorically. Holy blank, it would be hard to keep a policy chat going after that.
he's rich, but he's not "elite" in any sense of the word. He's not particularly worldly or educated, he's vulgar and uncultured. He's what most of the rural guys in MAGA hats would be if you handed them vast wealth tomorrow.
drummerboy said:
or in short - how could anyone interested in sticking it to the elite pick Trump as their champion?
I mean, are you kidding me?
ml1 said:
When you read what a lot of these people are saying, and you read stuff on FB or Twitter, you get the clear sense that a big proportion of Trump voters did it because they resent the people they consider "elites." They voted the way they did so that Trump and his staff can stick it to the people those voters hate. The sad part is that the "elites" will do fine, as they always do. Trump is so far trying to stick it to poor people, older people, rural people -- anyone but the elites.
It's pretty remarkable what motivated a lot of Trump voters. I doubt very many Clinton voters were consciously deciding to vote in the hopes that the result would do harm to people not like themselves. I can't believe too many of them were thinking that a vote for Hillary was a vote to stick it to rural white Christians.
mjc said:
Reading the article (and having known and admired some good "storytellers"), I was thinking one approach would be to stay away from huffing about Trump (much as I enjoy some of that) and talk with these guys as time goes on about what/whether the administration is accomplishing the things they wanted when they voted for him. Things other than wanting to ruffle feathers in Washington. Of course, it would be helpful to have sound alternative Dem policies to talk about....
Then this morning on the radio, as the discussion was turning to whether Russia interfered with the US election, a guy called in and said he didn't care, he was glad about anything that kept Hillary, the Antichrist, from winning. And this was NPR. And I don't think he was speaking metaphorically. Holy blank, it would be hard to keep a policy chat going after that.
good point. I guess a lot of people just bonded with his stupidity, because, you know, they need to be represented too.
Oh no, I just called some Trump voters stupid. There I go again.
Sponsored Business
Promote your business here - Businesses get highlighted throughout the site and you can add a deal.
Featured Events
Advertisement
I don't follow? Who are we asking to join the ACLU?