Trumpism

Trumpism

What is Trumpism?  Who follows Trump and Why?  What is the strategy of keeping Trump followers loyal?

There are three groups of people that follow Trump:

1) Evangelists - who have one issue, abortion.

2) Trumpites - discussed here, the white working-class that has been disenfranchised

3)  Alt-Right and those who support policies that harm minorities

How were Trumpites Created

People, Trumpites, are hurting.  They have lost good jobs in the smelters, steel plants, coal mines, manufacturing, etc. for decades.  They were good jobs that you could raise your family on … buy a house, send your kids to college, have a few cars, and a big tv.  Now they have jobs in Walmart or Amazon, and their wives and kids have jobs …. And all of the family working together can’t pay the mortgage.  Drugs, debt, college loans, etc. are all the fruits of this new reality. People are hurting. Many of them are from the white working class and believe in Trumpism.

Here is what they are angry about:

• Layoffs in steel, coal, minerals, etc. that lead to a loss of their middle-class way of life
• Left out of the technology revolution without the education to catch up
• Low Minimum Wages in the jobs that are left
• Automation pushing them out of skilled labor jobs
• Outsourcing of factories to Mexico, China, and Canadia, etc. 

Retaliation is Their Creed

The hurting people are angry and they want to retaliate. Read Hillbilly Elegy.  Of course, Trump doesn’t have the answer, but he saw them. They may even know they are being exploited, but angry, hurting people just want to strike out and destroy the system.  Trump is their agent. That Hunter S. Thompson saw this forty years ago is amazing. He called it the “ethic of total retaliation” against a technologically advanced and economically changing America in which they (the working class) feel they’d been counted out and left behind. Thompson saw the appeal of that retaliatory ethic. That most of the nation and the media still doesn’t get it, is also amazing.

Bikers Were the First Wave

In the mid-1980s new motorcycles from Asia threatened to put Harley motorcycles out of business.  The new motorcycles cost less, performed better, and were more efficient.  But, they were made overseas and Harley's were American-made.  The Bikers were loyal to Harley and were angry at what was happening to their jobs and the jobs of other Americans.  And they wanted to retaliate against those that had agreed to trade deals and those that had failed to protect American jobs.  

The current wave of Trumpites has chosen Trump as their agent to push back against the elites and liberals,  who they see as being the architects of destroying American jobs.   Their contempt spreads beyond the original job loss issues and spreads to other issues dear to liberals.   The kind of thumb in your eye retaliation.

Who are the US (Trumpites) and Them (the enemies)

The US is the hardworking, mostly white men, that have lost the middle-class way of life as factories moved overseas and U.S. plants were automated.

The THEM are anyone that was responsible for the US losing their middle-class way of life including Mexico (outsourcing and immigrants) and China (outsourcing), Blacks (affirmative action), College kids (robots, technology), and Liberals (for all of the above and not seeing them).  

Trump Game Plan

The Trump game plan is to be confrontational toward the THEM.   The THEM that took the jobs whether in reality or appearance.  The THEM that offered no alternative.  The THEM that executed the outsourcing (China, Mexico).  The immigrants that are potentially taking their future jobs. The welfare cheaters that are driving up their taxes and making America poorer (preception, it doesn't have to be real).   The Wall becomes a symbol of protecting American jobs, the American way of life.  

Trump Strategy for the Trumpites

Reality TV drama.  Tie up the media.  Break the rules.   Attack THEM.  Control the Agenda.  Tell lies boldly, loudly, and frequently without apology to create a new Reality.    I would give Trump an A+ on executing this strategy.  

Impeachment

The Trump being impeached in the House and vindicated (perception) in the Senate would be the ultimate victory for Trump.  In my opinion, this would be his ticket to ride into the White House in 2020 fully vindicated and empowered to be King.

What is the Counter to Trumpism?

There is no counter to two of the three groups that support Trump.  The evangelists and the alt-right are religions and as such are not approachable by logic.  Many Trumpites are loyal Americans who want what is best of their families.  

The liberals would be helped if they let go of symbols that do not precisely support their policies.  The most glaring inaccurate symbol is the anti-WALL symbol.  Most Democrats are for good border security and actively fund policies that make the border more secure including walls, drones, border control agents, etc.  Trump has selected the wall as a symbol to represent security, let him have it.  Simultaneously, fund humanitarian changes that improve border conditions and reduces the power of the drug cartels (another blog). 

Ignore the reality tv created by Trump and the Media.  Focus on family issues such as health insurance, wages, college tuition, interest rates on college loans, affordable housing, and even issues that once were poor people issues like food stamps, lunch programs, and public housing.   

Footnote

Why are the Progressives getting more traction than the more traditional Democrats?  Because they see people are hurting and they offer solutions. The discussion at this point is not whether their approach is viable, the point is that the Progressives are acknowledging that people are hurting, just like Trumpism does.  And like Trumpism, they are advocating throwing out the baby with the bathwater, if necessary.

#trumpism #livingwage

The Case for A Universal Healthcare Option funded by Profit Sharing

My Ideal Political Party for 2020 and Beyond by the Ancient Texan

California 2084 a novel by Roe

The year, 2084. California and the NE is a separate country. Texas in partnership with Mexico is also a separate country. China's economy is four times larger than the States, the diminished country after the split. The States are spiraling toward bankruptcy in an attempt to maintain its military superiority.

In the world, ninety percent of all goods and services are made by AI and robots.  Wealth inequality in the States and much of the world is extreme.  In the States, he rich live in walled cities behind razor wire and electric fences.  The poor fill the countryside. 

In California, a socialist state deals with AI by taxing it and spending the taxes to insure a decent life for all of its residents. California has seven levels of wealth, the highest limited to 10x the income of the poorest level.  Healthcare, childcare, education, food and retirement is furnished by the state via taxes on AI.  Working is a privilege.  Bureaucracy controls everything for the individual. 

Texas a libertarian stronghold is the world leader in renewable power and deals with automation in a different way.  It requires its college and high school graduates to work a decade in a government financed "Youth Services" to absorb its extra workforce. Youth Services assist with education, caring for the old, etc.  They export their lifestyle and products to Latin America.

Jane Galt, a brilliant software developer is assigned a mundane job in the Equivalence Department in California.  For seven years, Jane works on the side to develop Lisa, an advanced AI program. The Chinese notice Jane and her prodigy and she becomes a cult figure in China before the States realize the military potential of Lisa.  When the States try to con Jane into a job to build an economic model to save the World Economy in a ruse to get control of Lisa, Jane becomes an unlikely hero. When the military in the States make a move to control Lisa,   Lisa shuts down the Missile Defense System to save herself.  Jane in trying to save herself, Lisa, and eventually Texas from being swallowed by the States military machine, she becomes the leader of the resistance.

As the states become desperate,  Jane is hunted down by autonomous killing machines used by the States to fight its wars.  Lisa and the resistance make a desperate last ditch effort to save Jane and their way of life.

California 2084 Part 1

California 2084 Part 2

California 2084 Part 3 

California 2084 Part 4  - in progress (let me know if you can't wait and I will let you read it as I type). 

Gun Violence is the Canary in the Cage - 2018 by the Ancient Texan

Children of Syria

The Good and Bad of the Republican Tax Plan by the Ancient Texan

Until Death Do Us Part: America and the 2nd Amendment by the Ancient Texan

Don't call them addicts, please, by the Ancient Texan

Healthcare for the Poor 101 by the Ancient Texan

Is capitalism still useful in America, by the Ancient Texan

As artifical intelligence and robots begin to eliminate more jobs, as our infrastructure crumbles, as our education becomes available only to the rich, as racism continues unabated, as hate enters our politics, etc., do we have confidence in capitalism to address these problems?

American's Political and Social Religions

Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.

When I look around America, the land that held so many promises when I was a child, I see several dominant "political and social" religions, most of which have grown stronger as I have evolved into an oldish man:

America-is-the-land-of-opportunity Religion. LOOR

The Liberal Democratic Religion LDR

The Conservative Republican Religion CRR

The Trickle-Down Religion TDR

The Progressive Trickle-Up Religion PTUR

The Materialist Religion MR
and finally, but not least
The Religion of Science RoS

There are several religions under each of these religions, for instance, the traditional Christian and Mormon Religion seems to fall under the Conservative Republican Religion (CRR).  The Muslim Religion is still struggling for its place, but may become the first secular religion to fall under the Progressive Trickle-Up Religion.

The hierarchy I have assumed with traditional religions falling under the New American Religions is done because I see our faith stronger in these political manifestations of religion than I do in the traditional religions.  The political parties do not look for guidance from the traditional religions, but instead the traditional religions more or less spend their time justifying the behavior of the political leaders of our country that espouse their religion.  Perhaps you see it differently.

There is an integral philosophy that sees the growth of humanity evolving from survival and mythologically based religions, through traditional religions to the individual to the collective acceptance of all.  Each religion serves a useful purpose in the evolution of humanity and all are valuable to the extent that belief in them is helpful to the followers of the religion.  They all represent a point of view that emphasises certain truths and beliefs at the expense of other points of view.  In reality, man is barely capable of recognizing that their beliefs are simply a story to explain the world to their mind that is being flooded with sensory perceptions and ancient survival instincts.  I realize that may be a radical thought that does not fit with your view, your story of the world -- and that is okay with me -- I am not here to advocate my story over yours.

Let’s look at a couple of the religions more closely:  The Conservative Republican Religion.  They love their country and have fond memories of a simpler world where traditional rights prevailed.  They see our great days as being behind us and unless we can somehow turn back the clock and restore traditional values:  people go to church, only men have wives, America’s might is right, America is Almost Always Right, Reading, writing and arithmetic should be taught in schools and should be targeted at the gifted, being born in America makes you better than those born on the wrong side of river, America First, and men lead and head up the house and the church.  They believe we should not overtax the rich because they picture someday being the rich.  They usually also believe in the religion that America is the Land of Opportunity.  They see abortion as murder and homosexuality as a sin on the whole.  In general, they hold the America of their youth as being dear and all would be good if we could restore America to those times.  They tend to see man as inherently a sinner and flawed, and that the life we have is fundamentally the one we deserve.  The believe hard work will bring success, although this belief has started to waiver because they believe the liberal religion has mucked up things too much.

The Liberal Democratic Religion sees themselves as evolved, compassionate and caring for all humanity, except possibly those that practice the Conservative Republican Religion.  They believe the potential of humanity is determined primarily by the opportunities individuals are given and that even the hardened criminal needs to be loved with compassion.  They believe in a world where the fruits of our country should be more evenly distributed to all humans, especially those that have lacked opportunity because of lack of opportunity, or good parents, or poor education, or poverty.  (The Progressive Trickle Up religion believes we should be more like the Scandinavian countries, or Denmark, where it is the state’s responsibility to feed, clothe and shelter all men from the bounties generated by our modern technology and industrialization.)  Gays, other religions,other races and immigrants should not only be accepted but their diversity celebrated as a path to making everyone’s life better.

I define righteousness as the belief that one’s religion is more helpful to the world than all other religions.

I believe the condition of America is due to extreme righteousness by the vast majority of Americans.

Do you wonder about my religion?