r/politics • u/ben_watson_jr • May 19 '24

How Can This Country Possibly Be Electing Trump Again? Soft Paywall

https://newrepublic.com/article/181287/can-america-possibly-elect-trump-again
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u/Necrowaif May 19 '24 edited May 19 '24

I attribute this to two factors: first, people are really hurting from the cost of living crisis, and are perhaps desperate enough to believe that Donald Trump is the answer because they remember how food prices were cheaper pre-pandemic. (He’s not the answer, to be clear, but it’s easy to see why Johnny Lunchbox might see it that way.)

Second, there is a tremendous array of forces working in Donald’s favour: the entirety of conservative media, a fair portion of non-conservative media, an army of evangelicals, a large swath of social media (including the hellsite formerly known as Twitter), rich people who want to keep their tax breaks, Russian trolls and more than a few idiot lefties who look at politics as an all-or-nothing exercise - either they get everything they want or they kick over the gameboard.

However, there are also factors working against Donald: his criminal trial, his worsening finances (and that of the GOP) and his deteriorating mental state. In six months, it might be a completely different ballgame.

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u/crudedrawer May 19 '24

Second, there is a tremendous array of forces working in Donald’s favour:

This is the oft unspoken truth rihght here. The most powerful people in the world - from the supreme court to media CEOs to Putin and Musk and an entire universe of right wing podcasters and youtubers with huge reach - all want to make Biden lose. If he wins it will be the greatest victory of people over The Powers that Be and they'll STILL frame it as the elites keeping regular folks down.

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u/Outside_Function_726 May 19 '24

We have seen both of these 2 geezers run the show and it's a shit show......all politicians must go we need new leadership

20

u/Adoneus May 19 '24

But if you don’t participate you’re still stuck with one of the geezers. Doesn’t it just make sense to think logically and help the least bad one win?

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u/Successful_Car4262 May 19 '24

These are not rational people you're talking to.

18

u/POEness May 19 '24

Cool. Believe that all you want. If nothing matters and everything's horrible, use that as an excuse to vote Biden and downticket left.

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u/Outside_Function_726 May 19 '24

No you are still playing the game I refuse

10

u/heelstoo May 19 '24

If you’re not playing the game, the game still exists and you automatically lose. But, by not playing the game, you also hurt others on your team.

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u/ilfusionjeff May 19 '24

By simply “not playing the game” you’re voting for Trump. Thanks disaffected American for being so apathetic that we get a dictator.

3

u/Automatic_Rock_2685 May 19 '24

You're not doing anything novel. In reality, you're having the same effect as someone who is totally apathetic, so you might as well be too.

3

u/Elegant_Plate6640 May 19 '24

Except that we’ve seen one of those geezers act relatively competent. 

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u/doom84b May 21 '24

Allowing Trump to win doesn’t mean all politicians leave, there’s no clean slate we get to build back from. The total opposite happens, the current conservative hegemony becomes permanently entrenched. If you want new leaders you have to get involved with local politics, unionize your work place, volunteer for progressive candidates, actually do the work to build that change. Instead it sounds like you are choosing to give the politicians you despise so much unlimited power