Polling data is increasingly pointing to a propaganda coup rather than actual radicalization of Republicans as the best explanation for the rise of Trump and Trumpism.
Great point: "It was a propaganda coup, not a philosophical transformation." Though I still think part of it was Clinton cleared the way for a libertine to assume the Oval and Obama made it okay to straight out lie (keep your doctor) without any political repercussions. So the GOP figured why not a libertine who lies a lot?
But at every turn, from Cruz and Christie in 2016 primaries, to Pence, to later McCarthy there were moments of true break and no one took it. And note that RDS and Haley are still silent on the indictments and as I write this, are fighting each other.
I engage with a lot of conservatives. A lot. (I spent most of the 2020 election cycle working as a gun outfitter at Cabela's, so you can imagine). I've gotten pretty good at using the Socratic method to draw out people's stances and beliefs without having them feeling challenged, and then subtly getting them to challenge themselves by asking just the right questions. And, time after time, once the layers of talk radio talking points get peeled back, I find Reagan Republicans who believe what they've always believed.
Great point: "It was a propaganda coup, not a philosophical transformation." Though I still think part of it was Clinton cleared the way for a libertine to assume the Oval and Obama made it okay to straight out lie (keep your doctor) without any political repercussions. So the GOP figured why not a libertine who lies a lot?
But at every turn, from Cruz and Christie in 2016 primaries, to Pence, to later McCarthy there were moments of true break and no one took it. And note that RDS and Haley are still silent on the indictments and as I write this, are fighting each other.
I engage with a lot of conservatives. A lot. (I spent most of the 2020 election cycle working as a gun outfitter at Cabela's, so you can imagine). I've gotten pretty good at using the Socratic method to draw out people's stances and beliefs without having them feeling challenged, and then subtly getting them to challenge themselves by asking just the right questions. And, time after time, once the layers of talk radio talking points get peeled back, I find Reagan Republicans who believe what they've always believed.
The hard part is finding those uncompromising voices -- or at least any to whom the GOP base will listen.
(There's an important caveat, but I'm going to save it for a bit. 😉)
*"uncompromised voices"
I'm on my phone. Damn autocorrect.😄