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"Trump Voters Are Not Just Angry - They Want Revenge"
Authored by Frank Lutz, originally posted at The FT,
Outraged by what Donald Trump says? You are not alone. No high-polling presidential candidate in the modern era has so intrepidly drawn the ire of so many within the American electorate. And there remains no end in sight.
Yet in rendering one voting bloc utterly apoplectic, he has appealed viscerally to another. The balance of middle ground politics is not, shall we say, Mr Trump’s bailiwick. But America is no longer a middle ground country. We are already scared by our division — and it is getting worse.
The simple truth is, the more provocative his language, the deeper and more passionate his support. He is no dummy; there is a method to his proverbial madness. Mr Trump says — to the growing legions who will listen — what tens of millions of Americans are already thinking. Respect or revile him, the man has hit a vein.
I spent three hours in a deep dialogue focus group with 29 Trump supporters. The phenomenon of “The Donald” is rooted in a psyche far deeper and more consequential than next November’s presidential election. His support denotes an abiding distrust in — and disrespect for — the governing elite. These individuals do not like being told by Washington or Wall Street what is best for them, do not like the direction America is headed in, and disdain President Barack Obama and his (perceived) circle of self-righteous, tone-deaf governing partisans.
Trump voters are not just angry — they want revenge.
Mr Trump has adroitly filled the vacuum of vitriol, establishing himself as the bold, brash, take-no-prisoners megaphone for the frustrated masses. They see him as the antidote to all that Mr Obama has made wrong with America. So to understand why millions love Mr Trump so much, you have to take a step back and listen to why they hate Mr Obama so much.
Here, my Trump voter focus group was particularly illuminating. Some still believe the president is not Christian. Many believe he does not love America. And just about all of them think he does not reflect the values the country was built upon. Indeed, within this growing faction, Mr Trump has licence to say just about anything. As we have seen repeatedly, the more outrageous the accusation, the more receptive the ear.
Mr Trump delights in unleashing harsh attacks on Jeb Bush, the Republican establishment and the “mainstream media”. His childlike joy in ridiculing his critics is tantamount to healing balm for the millions who have felt silenced, ignored and even scorned by the governing and media elite for so long. Is it any wonder that his declaration of war against “political correctness” is his most potent and predictable applause line?
Straight-talking candidates are nothing new in American politics. From Ross Perot in 1992 to John McCain in 2000, from Howard Dean in 2004 to Sarah Palin in 2008, they rise like a rocket on the fuel of their seemingly fresh and unencumbered aversion to traditional politics. They purport to say what they mean and mean what they say — bucking established electoral trends and ruffling established political feathers. Then they crash. The media turn sour. The message grows stale. The electorate gets bored.
Mr Trump is different. The media attacks on him have been fast and furious. Yet he has defied electoral gravity because the blows are delivered by an institution that is distrusted and an elite political and business establishment that is detested.
Meanwhile, voters consistently tell pollsters like me that negative attacks do not work; they hate the ad hominem assaults. Mr Trump? He dines out on them. As his devotees see it, it is not Mr Trump going negative. It is him telling the truth. And when he fights back, he’s throwing punches on their behalf. He said something outrageous? “He’s simply raising an important issue nobody else has the courage to talk about.” He insulted someone? “That’s just him campaigning. He won’t do that as president.” He changed his position? “That was a long time ago. Everyone’s entitled to change their mind.” He doesn’t have many policy specifics? “He doesn’t need them. He’ll surround himself with smart people.” They will justify any action, explain away any contradiction, and dismiss any criticism because they are so personally and passionately invested in him.
And here is the prediction that will furrow brows on both sides of the Atlantic. Mr Trump’s supporters today will be Mr Trump’s supporters next November if he is still a candidate — no matter what party banner he runs under. Half will follow him out of the Republican Party if he breaks his promise and declares as an independent. For better or worse, his supporters will follow him to the ends of the Earth — or to the White House. Whichever comes first.
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We're a divided nation all right, with the entire citizenry firmly entrenched in one of two camps: red pill takers and everybody else. The former group seems a bit outnumbered, I fear.
The only problem with trump is that he spit up half of the red pill.
What an arrogant jack-ass... I am talking about the FT writer.
Just because you losers in the media don't like Trump doesn't mean you speak for "most of the electorate". Fuck you, and the media outlets who pay you to lie.
Trump is "winning" (note the air quotes) because most of the electorate can't tolerate another term of the criminals you media shits are trying to jam down our throats.
Any "profession" (note the air quotes) that thinks Hilary Clinton is honest cannot complain about any other candidate. You losers have discredited yourselves to the point where people won't even buy your crap to get the sudoku puzzles.
We the people would rather xerox the sudoku puzzles, knowing this will deprive arrogant pricks like the FT to lose money. That is what we think of your so-called writing skills.
The media is upset that the mud covered masses aren't blindly voting for the liars and crooks that would benefit media outlets.
There is a reason your circulation numbers / TV ratings keep falling, and it started long before Trump said a word.
Steve Carrell outed in a Hollywood Reporter interview as a Trump supporter.
Guess Steve will never work in Hollyweird again.
Who is Stevie Carre-double L? And who is simple enough go care?
When fake news channel drags out Frankly A. Duntz it's obvious he has carefully selected simpletons to push whatever concept he is paid to claim are "the opinion of the people".
We do not want revenge. We want justice.
Getting it will involve sending a lot of people in high places to the prison, and to the gallows. Including, I dare say, a few of their propagandists.
You wanna stay alive, Mr. MSM Hack? Take a tip from your Russian colleagues and start telling the fucking truth.
It is true that we want justice. Luntz says that the media is distrusted and govt is detested. Actually, it is media that is detested, through their dishonesty. If Trump says some illegal immigrants are rapists, the media changes it to all Mexicans are rapists, so that they can outrage Mexicans. Instead, it outrages all of us that heard Trump's message correctly and see the clever word changes the media tries to convey. We've had it with the lies.
Chumps on the stump for Trump
"Change you can believe in"
"Hope for dopes"
"Change hope"
USSANS get hopified every time no matter how often they've been screwed.
"They will justify any action, explain away any contradiction, and dismiss any criticism because they are so personally and passionately invested in him."
THAT, is the spot on PERFECT description of an Obama Progressive...
It's not just revenge that they want...
...It's a RECKONING!
Former U.S. Senator & presidential candidate BOB DOLE presented the Robert J Dole Institute of Politics award to Dole's former opponent & good friend, BILL CLINTON.
Another Backslappin Gimme Award to promote comity & good fellowship in the solemn & important work of Constitutional governance.
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/kevin-mcdermott/bob...
More than exacting revenge , it would be useful if there was another Senator McCarthy to persecute the traitors journalists employed by the mass media owners/ criminals . Thet are the most evil creatures in the USA landscape .
Those criminals must learn that to tell BLS to the masses has deadly risks . What annoys me is that they never ever ask challenging questions to the creeps in power .
I LOVE all the ranting and raving....but NOTHING happens until the "system" crashes and the Free Shit Army stops watching the Kardashians and Star Wars long enough to take to the streets and YOUR home.....THEN the shit will get real and change will come...but THAT could take decades. Those in control(Fed, Bankers, 1%, Jews, etc(pick your bogeyman) will keep this bullshit going a LOT longer than you think...it matters not who the President is....we simply need Term Limits, a Balanced Budget Admendment to the Consititution, a flat tax system and a end to corporate money in politics. Those 4 simple changes would make the USA a MUCH stronger country again.
If you support a pre-approved bought-and-paid-for politician Frank will say you want "accountability", but to get behind an outsider is to want "revenge". Screw this phony hack.
This place needs to be burned down. Traitors must be hanged. Fake laws must be wiped off the books. The central bankers' wealth must be confiscated.
When this is done, then we can reestablish the written Constitution and not the bullshit spewed by the assholes in black robes.
The longer the Trump media firestorm continues, the less the media has to deal with the one who truly makes them afraid - Rand Paul.
Love Trump - Hate what "they" will do to him once in office.
The crypto-crown will not allow the *people* to overthrow their diabolical technocracy.