President Trump: Making America Great Again...

[chrisrenrut]

This type of reasoning provides the logical foundation for political violence. Particularly when paired with the dehumanizing language used to describe Trump supporters.

It’s amazing how this double standard is so easily accepted.

[Jeff Lebowski]

When my dog poops on the sidewalk, it's my responsibility.

When my dog bites someone, it's my fault.

When my elected representative hurts someone, I share the responsibility. Yes, this is the case even if I didn't vote for them. They still represent ME.

If I am actively cheering for the dog to bite or the representative to hurt, I should not be surprised if people who are being bitten or hurt call me an asshole. That's not dehumanizing. It's recognizing there is a direct path between making someone your representative and ultimately being responsible for the decisions they make. If they make really shitty decisions and you aren't calling for their replacement, the rep and others are justified in assuming you either approve of the actions or are indifferent.

Trump supporters like their attack dog. They like who he hurts. They like the way he hurts them.

I know a lot of trump supporters. Family, friends, etc. Overwhelmingly, they are not that deep into politics (low information voters), but support conservative causes generally and find the alternative less palatable. I am sure a few of them "like who he hurts", etc as you describe but this is a generalization that dehumanizes them in a manner that confirms your biases. Ultimately, you are modeling a form of tribalism that is the source of our cultural/political problems in the US, not the solution. There is a strong body of research showing that shaming someone is the least effective way to get them to change.

[LVAllen]

I know a lot of trump supporters. Family, friends, etc. Overwhelmingly, they are not that deep into politics (low information voters), but support conservative causes generally and find the alternative less palatable. I am sure a few of them "like who he hurts", etc as you describe but this is a generalization that dehumanizes them in a manner that confirms your biases. Ultimately, you are modeling a form of tribalism that is the source of our cultural/political problems in the US, not the solution. There is a strong body of research showing that shaming someone is the least effective way to get them to change.

Trump is not now, nor has he even been, an advocate for conservative causes.

I don't give a damn if these people held their noses as they voted for him in the 2016 or 2024 primaries. There were less harmful alternatives. They chose this one.

The solution is for American voters to take some responsibility for the assholes they choose as their representatives. Trump is hurting people in my name. Trump has killed children in my name. I'm not okay with that. Are your Trump-supporting friends okay with that?

[falafel]

I think the solution to Trump voters is to cut them out of our lives completely. Like, there should be camps where we can concentrate them so that we know that we are safely separated from them. To try to understand them and live beside them is too dangerous.

Sheesh Wally, where were you 10 years ago with this kind of solution?? You could have saved so much heartache, but no. So selfish.

[wally]

When my dog poops on the sidewalk, it's my responsibility.

When my dog bites someone, it's my fault.

When my elected representative hurts someone, I share the responsibility. Yes, this is the case even if I didn't vote for them. They still represent ME.

If I am actively cheering for the dog to bite or the representative to hurt, I should not be surprised if people who are being bitten or hurt call me an asshole. That's not dehumanizing. It's recognizing there is a direct path between making someone your representative and ultimately being responsible for the decisions they make. If they make really shitty decisions and you aren't calling for their replacement, the rep and others are justified in assuming you either approve of the actions or are indifferent.

Trump supporters like their attack dog. They like who he hurts. They like the way he hurts them.

By "hurt," do you mean "enact policies and practices that disadvantage certain groups firmly ensconced on the political Left?" Can Trump voters argue that they were 'hurt' by Biden policies then? Would you accept that argument? Typically when the Left 'hurts' the right via whom they elect, it is simply done more patronizingly: "we need to limit your rights/privileges for your own good, and you need to just understand that you are wrong and maybe even racist or fascist or both, to even disagree with us."

If Kamala had been elected and fentanyl deaths went up 400% with continued uncontrolled illicit migration, do Trump voters get to blame you personally for their deaths?

See, as a slightly right-leaning swing-voter who has always voted against Trump, I will totally agree that the way he goes about enacting the conservative goals is poor form to put it mildly. What I think happens in these discussions is that people want to lump in the entirety of the conservative values in with the "evil of Trump." This places folks in the middle, like myself, in a position to be hated by all sides. If i don't "call out Trump and all those who voted for him and all the other GOP politicians who have ever supported him in any way, I am a shill according to many/most Dems. If I don't fall in line, then MAGAs think I am a RINO (LoL, that is actually what I am in Utah for Primary race purposes). So what is a person to do who agrees with 80%+ of the GOP platform, sees Trump as a poor candidate, yet saw Kamala as an equally poor candidate while agreeing with only 40%% of the DNC platform?

I know A LOT of people who did the math on this and held their nose while voting for Trump.

This is part of the reason I voted 3rd party in the last election. First reason was out of principle (i could not stomach either candidate, so my moral imperative was to vote for the guaranteed loser whose platform I agreed with most), and the second reason (cowardly) was that I didn't want any of the 'blame' as you laid out in your argument. I do, however, have empathy for people who vote their conscience, yet end up helping to elect a 'net negative' as president. I have regretted voting for George W. and Obama at different times as well. This past election I felt like I was choosing between a turdburger and a shit-sandwich, so I opted for some stupid non-binary freedom fries instead.

[wally]

Sheesh Wally, where were you 10 years ago with this kind of solution?? You could have saved so much heartache, but no. So selfish.

Sorry, Bro. Here's my strategy, though: I am just gonna swing to whichever side when in power actually puts the other into camps first. I really don't want to end up in a camp.

[Shaka]

It is almost like trump supporters are the cause of trumps actions

Any corruption or immorality or bad thing trump does... is a result of their votes and thus responsibility

You should definitely tap into the young liberal's penchant for violence! We should definitely meet in a dark alley somewhere so you can hold me accountable.

[falafel]

By "hurt," do you mean "enact policies and practices that disadvantage certain groups firmly ensconced on the political Left?"

I think he probably means, at least in part, the people who were pepper-sprayed, attacked, shot, and killed over ICE and CBP policies. I'm sure he means that over "enact policies disadvantaging certain groups", although I am certain plenty of people who were physically attacked by agents of their own government probably consider that a distinct "disadvantage."

[falafel]

Trump's DOJ is now targeting E. Jean Carroll for potential perjury. Seems like a good use of their time and resources. Justice will be done!

[Maximus]

You should definitely tap into the young liberal's penchant for violence! We should definitely meet in a dark alley somewhere so you can hold me accountable.

Lol you guys and projecting words.

Do you say these things ever about trumps posts of dems being traitors ? Even once?

[frank ryan]

Trump's DOJ is now targeting E. Jean Carroll for potential perjury. Seems like a good use of their time and resources. Justice will be done!

Whatever you don't criticize MAGA. It's not their fault they are ok with stuff like this.

[Northwestcoug]

I think he probably means, at least in part, the people who were pepper-sprayed, attacked, shot, and killed over ICE and CBP policies. I'm sure he means that over "enact policies disadvantaging certain groups", although I am certain plenty of people who were physically attacked by agents of their own government probably consider that a distinct "disadvantage."

Exactly this. It's not just dueling political philosophies that favor one group over another as Wally is suggesting. It is also tangible economic and other harm to the 'other', which no one before Trump has described so viciously as he. He has stopped appropriated money going to schools and entire states, either to benefit a favored group or out of sheer retribution. And even when he's not axing these approved funds, his domestic policies do economic harm as we saw in Minneapolis. And this is to say nothing of the violence and killing you describe.

When we stop having a president that so callously harms swaths of the public, we can get back to the tamer how policies advantage or disadvantage certain groups arguments.

[YOhio]

Lol you guys and projecting words.

Do you say these things ever about trumps posts of dems being traitors ? Even once?

I admire the persistence, but I just don’t think you’re going to get Shaka to submit to a struggle session.

[falafel]

You should definitely tap into the young liberal's penchant for violence! We should definitely meet in a dark alley somewhere so you can hold me accountable.

Ha! Nice edit. The "liberal's penchant for violence" increased the effectiveness of this retort.

[Shaka]

Ha! Nice edit. The "liberal's penchant for violence" increased the effectiveness of this retort.

I meant to include Molier's thoughts but forgot to do the cut and paste. Good job on the message board policing, though. I edited it within a couple of minutes of posting.