This would be a valid argument for Trump 2016, when people had little to no clue what we were all in for.
People believe, first and foremost, the evidence of their own lived experiences. This isn’t rational but it is how we’re programmed to operate. And the lived experience of most voters is that, financially, they’re doing worse under Biden than they were under Trump. They don’t care that most of that was because of factors that weren’t really directly connected to White House policy decisions (in the same way that the President doesn’t control the price of gas); they just see that they are suffering, and feel that the people in charge must be responsible. It doesn’t matter how terrible you tell them Trump’s policies were compared to Bidens (and in case I somehow have to spell out my position here, yes, of course Trump’s policies were terrible compared to Biden’s) because they know how much money is in their bank account and that’s really all that matters. Telling these people how much better off the country is doesn’t mean shit if they’re struggling to pay rent and buy groceries.
But in 2024, Trump wasn’t saying “I’ll help you”. Trump was actively campaigning on grabbing you by the legs and pulling you deeper underwater.
Let’s not be asinine. Of course Trump was saying “I’ll help you.” Yes, you and I have the context to examine his proposed solutions and immediately conclude that they will make things worse, but that’s not a context that everyone shares. Like I already said, these people are drowning. Most people don’t have enough understanding of policy to really judge the details of Trump’s plans, and they don’t have the time or attention to gain that understanding of policy. They’re not interested in arguing over the details of how someone plans to save them, they just want to be saved. And they don’t even have to be 100% convinced that Trump will be the better choice. Not even 50%, or 30%. What they are 100% convinced of, because it is the unquestionable evidence sitting right in front of them, is that they’re poorer now than they were at the start of Biden’s term, and that Harris, when asked what she would have done different, said “Not a thing.” If there’s even a 10% chance, in their eyes, that Trump’s bullshit turns out to work, he’s the better option, because it’s obvious to them that there’s a 0% chance that things will get better with the Dems. You can tell them all you like that Trump’s policies are awful, but when the thing you propose instead is voting for the people who - as they see it - made things so much worse for them over the last four years, they’re going to look at you like you’re crazy.
This would be a valid argument for Trump 2016, when people had little to no clue what we were all in for.
But in 2024, Trump wasn’t saying “I’ll help you”. Trump was actively campaigning on grabbing you by the legs and pulling you deeper underwater.
People believe, first and foremost, the evidence of their own lived experiences. This isn’t rational but it is how we’re programmed to operate. And the lived experience of most voters is that, financially, they’re doing worse under Biden than they were under Trump. They don’t care that most of that was because of factors that weren’t really directly connected to White House policy decisions (in the same way that the President doesn’t control the price of gas); they just see that they are suffering, and feel that the people in charge must be responsible. It doesn’t matter how terrible you tell them Trump’s policies were compared to Bidens (and in case I somehow have to spell out my position here, yes, of course Trump’s policies were terrible compared to Biden’s) because they know how much money is in their bank account and that’s really all that matters. Telling these people how much better off the country is doesn’t mean shit if they’re struggling to pay rent and buy groceries.
Let’s not be asinine. Of course Trump was saying “I’ll help you.” Yes, you and I have the context to examine his proposed solutions and immediately conclude that they will make things worse, but that’s not a context that everyone shares. Like I already said, these people are drowning. Most people don’t have enough understanding of policy to really judge the details of Trump’s plans, and they don’t have the time or attention to gain that understanding of policy. They’re not interested in arguing over the details of how someone plans to save them, they just want to be saved. And they don’t even have to be 100% convinced that Trump will be the better choice. Not even 50%, or 30%. What they are 100% convinced of, because it is the unquestionable evidence sitting right in front of them, is that they’re poorer now than they were at the start of Biden’s term, and that Harris, when asked what she would have done different, said “Not a thing.” If there’s even a 10% chance, in their eyes, that Trump’s bullshit turns out to work, he’s the better option, because it’s obvious to them that there’s a 0% chance that things will get better with the Dems. You can tell them all you like that Trump’s policies are awful, but when the thing you propose instead is voting for the people who - as they see it - made things so much worse for them over the last four years, they’re going to look at you like you’re crazy.