Low-Information Voters
“But that is what he ran on, what the people who elected him wanted him to do,” the TV journalist said in response to the interviewee’s criticism of some of a deluge of executive orders. If what he ran on grants license, Trump has license to do almost anything.
Say a presidential candidate runs promising to lock up their opponent if they win; would their winning legitimize their doing so? What if they won by appealing to prejudices and racism; does that legitimize prejudice and racism? What about rants, raves and mumbles; are they enforceable? And, what about anything they may have said that some of their supporters might have liked? Extending a wee bit, what about the unsaid?
If, in America, anything is alright as long as it’s what the voters want, then there was never a need for a congress, a constitution, or the courts. Jefferson, Hamilton, Adams, Madison et al did understand this; knew to avoid direct democracy. Thus the representatives, the constitution and the courts. How, after nearly two-hundred and fifty years, could the TV Journalist not know?
Who knows what the voters who twice elected such a despicable person were thinking. When asked, as evidenced in interviews, many of them don’t. For sure, they were not of one but of several minds. To date: It is known that at least three significant white christian/evangelical nationalists groups coalesced with a similar number of Silicon Valley/Tech $Billionaire led libertarian groups to form the core of his support. None of whom were advocates for democracy. With a coalition coalesced around religion, greed, and unbridled ambitions, what could possibly go wrong? The first amendment of a new and better (next?) constitution would guarantee politics/government free from the influence of wealth,and religion.
Surveys show that a majority of his supporters are what is known as ‘Low-Information’ voters.
Are willfully uninformed, mis-informed or both. Information is for thinking. Thinking, for a majority of his voters, is left to Fox News, NewsMax, et al; and a slew of right-wing podcasters. Where thinking and propaganda are one and the same.
Thinking that low-information voters know what is best for society, the country, and the world is not thinking. It is a recipe for really bad decision making. What kind of leader would follow the advice of low-information voters? The kind who would deliberately choose the so obviously unqualified Tulsi Gabbard, Robert Kennedy, Pete Hegseth, Pam Bondi, and Kash Patel as advisors. The kind who would use the ill-informed to further his own (not the voters nor the nation’s) agenda. It is all so banana republic.
Of late, we hear a lot of media personalities and newspaper columnists opine that Democrats should have courted these low-information voters that supported Trump in large numbers. To these opiners we ask, should the Democrats have adopted the positions of: any of the various Silicon Valley libertarian utopian groups, The New Apostolic Reformation’s (N.A.R.), Russell Vought’s Center for Renewing America, The Heritage Foundation, …? They should, all politicians should, listen to the voters’ concerns, and proffer legislative solutions in their campaigns.
Most if not all members of Trump’s coalition have no use for democracy; do have an agenda. Trump, too, doesn’t like democracy; has an agenda. In 2024, as in 2016, he used them to gain the office. This time, they demanded and got a seat at the table. How will Trump and the groups in his coalition split the baby? Can Trump be dictator to a bunch of John Galts’ libertarian utopias for the uber rich, and a multi-sect theocracy?
Roger Ailes’ 1971 memo to then President Nixon spoke of the willfully low-information voter as low hanging fruit and of how to manipulate them. Since 1991, Fox News and a slew of right wing talk shows have been ready and willing to tell them what to say and think; and, what they want to hear. Doing so has proven to be most profitable.
Ever since, Republican politicians have pretended to care deeply about the concerns of the low-information voter while serving the political and financial interests of their real constituents — the wealthy and powerful who fund their campaigns. The Republican party is now the Grand Old Party of Prostitutes.
Ailes was right; low-information voters have been a low maintenance gold mine for the Republican party. Feed them a few cultural platitudes and pretend that you agree with their beliefs, prejudices, conspiracies, etc. and they will follow you anywhere. If need be, give them conspiracies and bogie men/women. They love to be outraged.
It worked so well until it maybe didn’t. This time, more than a few of the coalition’s groups demanded, and got, power. They and the despicable one are the only ones left at the table. Your grandmother’s Republican Party is no more. Both Trump and his coalition’s members intend to end democracy in America.
Yup we are experiencing a moment that our past experienced. When the identity change of one or both of the 2 political parties is solidified. It is as historic as when the 2 parties flipped their ideological identities.
I suggest we are also entering a 3rd alignment of this nation. The first being the Revolution, the second being the Civil war. Don’t know what this will be labeled, though the Coup would be appropriate.
Yup, we are in a historic moment. The moment when one or both of the political parties solidified the change to their identities. As significant as when they flipped over each other.
I suggest we are in this nation’s third alignment. The first being the Revolution, the second being the Civil war. Don’t know what this will be labeled but the Coup would be appropriate.
I can speak for most in my party that we wholeheartedly wish you continue upon this path. We set the traps and you all just keep falling into them. Your hubris and pomposity cost you the 2016 election. You got Trump out in 2020 and fell right back into your old ways and low and behold, you got Trump back again in 2024. You’ll never look in the mirror and for that we know the final blow will come in 2026 when you lose the midterms and once that happens the democrats remain in the minority for at least another 10 years. But you brought this on yourselves. Now deal with it. Nothing will stop what’s about to happen over the course of the next 4 years. You can only watch. In the words of James Carville, “sit back and do nothing”, I’m sensing he said that because he knows there’s nothing that can be done. Your party is in shambles as Trump single handedly destroyed it. You can rebuild or you can try and take the other party down. My advice, try worrying about rebuilding.
Matt:
There were no traps set. What you have going on right now is millions of people not voting in both elections, 2016 and 2024. What happened in 2020? Secondly, a large percentage of votes went to Mickey Mouse in 2016. In 2024, there was an influx of candidates who obviously were not going to win. Additionally, 3 million people did not vote. Even so, Trump still, still did not get the majority vote in 2024 or 2016.
A white and then a black woman got more votes than trump. Wow!!!
Now be a good boy and go play in the street.
Matt.
Was it the title that grabbed your attention?
Low information voters are on both sides. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to discuss current events with people and they say they don’t follow the news but most of them suffer from extreme TDS. Then again I’m disappointed when I talk to Trump supporters and all they do is parrot Fox news talking points.
My advice to both sides is to read Glenn Greenwald, Matt Taibbi, Michael Shellenberger and Bari Weiss. All former democrats who have been banished from legacy media. YouTube Professor John Mearsheimer on the war in Ukraine to open your eyes.