Gleichschaltung?

[Dill]

(01-29-2017, 01:05 PM)CageTheBengal Wrote:  How is it that Trump had a laundry list of issues and moments were you saw who he was as a person and yet plenty of Americans decided not only to vote for Trump but the rest can't see what a national security threat he is and are unable to unify against him? They were too busy pretending it was just another cycle and another Democrat vs Republican. I could literally make a list that would be more then a page long of moments throughout the campaign were Trump showed how low his morality can go. We knew Trump was a horrible person but the big knock on Hillary was "I don't know who she really is though and she's not very likeable." oh yeah and the E-mails which are totally irrelevant today (And were then when compared to Trump and his problems.) considering what we've seen from Trump so far.

 I think it comes down to our culture. We glorify celebrities, cash and shiny things over substance, intelligence and facts so of course a portion of the country isn't going to be able to grasp the concept that this man is totally unfit and that he ran businesses of his into the ground. (Yet he's still a business man with good business experience.) Americans prioritize voting for reality TV over voting for the president and neglect their obligation to be responsible, educated members of our democracy. Why else would anyone care whether Hillary is likeable or not? Like that is one of the most important attributes to someone leading a country. Why else would anyone think a spoiled, entitled punk like Trump is likeable over someone who has fought for social rights, stood for American values and was actually making this country a better place? She has been smeared time and time again because she was a strong woman and a force the Republicans have had to deal with way before she was first lady.

 Obviously a lot of people don't even grasp the big picture. I doubt most of Trump's supporters even knew any of the implications his rhetoric or policies would have on our country when they voted for him and didn't care. There was just a shiny rich businessman who talked tough and promised to put America first. I get the outsider appeal and wanting someone honest for office but no matter how much people wanted to pretend he was Trump never was and never will be that guy.

I agree with all these points, but it is the first one that bothers me especially. People who were not fanatic Trump supporters still act as if Trump will soon settle down and the country will go back to operating as normal, just with some conservative policies and maybe a few more jobs in the rust belt.  Like both sides are really the same, Trump won't all that much different from Hillary.

The business about glorifying celebrities ties into Trump and Trump supporters inability to vet news and other sources of information effectively.  He got a huge proportion of voters who still think Obama was born in Kenya and Saddam really had WMDs. His core supporters side with him against the CIA and believe Trump has "secret" proof when claims that over three million voted illegally. They aren't upset that tweets diplomacy because they would too by god!  Laying down the law to other world leaders feels great when they identify with that powerful authoritarian leader.