US Politics

oneniltothearsenal said:
So I just want to share a few insights from the informal groups of working class I listened to over the last two weeks. This wasn't a formal focus group but most I'd guess were in the moderate, independent, centrist-libertarian camps. I didn't participate, I just listened at lunch. The two selections were 80-85% male and skewed towards minorities but include white, black, Latino, Arab, Persian, Korean and Chinese Americans. The main insight confirmed my belief that identity politics is a big loser for the Democrats.

Big talking point over both groups. No one likes it in these groups. Not the females and not the minorities. Several claimed to have gay/lesbian relatives that didn't even like identity politics. One example that got brought up multiple times was local - Cal State Long Beach removing their old mascot Prospector Pete. In general everyone believed this was unnecessary and yet another example of the 'left going too far'. I wasn't even aware that "prospectors" or "49ers" were now considered racist symbols.

Immigration was a mixed bag of both Dem and Rep policies. Most people supported stronger checks on illegal immigration, believed in stronger policies at the border but also opposed Trump's separation policy and generally supported a path to citizenship for those brought to the US as minors. Other examples were that the US is already easier to immigrate to than places like Japan or the UK or Australia. Whether that is true, I am not sure but the perception is definitely that its easier for a UK/Japanese person to immigrate to the US than a US person to immigrate to the UK/Japan.

Trump's protectionism wasn't talked about much but I was disappointed the talk wasn't more negative. Trump is generally perceived as good for most businesses with some exceptions. In short, Trump is seen as an asshole but who cares if he is good for business.

Civility wasn't a thing. No one cared that Trump calls people names or is mean. No one cares that Democrat activists are accosting Mitch McConnel in restaurants. Let them voice their opinions. No one mention anything like that online Hannity meme "mobs not jobs" or whatever.

All US governments are too easy on Saudi Arabia. Because oil and money. Both Dem and Rep are weak to standing up to Saudi Arabia.

Health care wasn't discussed. More a private topic I think.
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Of course that's it for almost all people. Though his rating could have be higher if he was not a very obvious asshole.

It is up to the Dems for educate people with other issues which they fail to do most of the time.

Trump is shouting shit most of the time but he is making sure his side is heard all the time which keeps his base very solid.
 
oneniltothearsenal said:
So I just want to share a few insights from the informal groups of working class I listened to over the last two weeks. This wasn't a formal focus group but most I'd guess were in the moderate, independent, centrist-libertarian camps. I didn't participate, I just listened at lunch. The two selections were 80-85% male and skewed towards minorities but include white, black, Latino, Arab, Persian, Korean and Chinese Americans. The main insight confirmed my belief that identity politics is a big loser for the Democrats.

Big talking point over both groups. No one likes it in these groups. Not the females and not the minorities. Several claimed to have gay/lesbian relatives that didn't even like identity politics. One example that got brought up multiple times was local - Cal State Long Beach removing their old mascot Prospector Pete. In general everyone believed this was unnecessary and yet another example of the 'left going too far'. I wasn't even aware that "prospectors" or "49ers" were now considered racist symbols.

Immigration was a mixed bag of both Dem and Rep policies. Most people supported stronger checks on illegal immigration, believed in stronger policies at the border but also opposed Trump's separation policy and generally supported a path to citizenship for those brought to the US as minors. Other examples were that the US is already easier to immigrate to than places like Japan or the UK or Australia. Whether that is true, I am not sure but the perception is definitely that its easier for a UK/Japanese person to immigrate to the US than a US person to immigrate to the UK/Japan.

Trump's protectionism wasn't talked about much but I was disappointed the talk wasn't more negative. Trump is generally perceived as good for most businesses with some exceptions. In short, Trump is seen as an asshole but who cares if he is good for business.

Civility wasn't a thing. No one cared that Trump calls people names or is mean. No one cares that Democrat activists are accosting Mitch McConnel in restaurants. Let them voice their opinions. No one mention anything like that online Hannity meme "mobs not jobs" or whatever.

All US governments are too easy on Saudi Arabia. Because oil and money. Both Dem and Rep are weak to standing up to Saudi Arabia.

Health care wasn't discussed. More a private topic I think.
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Everything in bold, except not talking abut healthcare, lines up with polling.
 
Eboue said:
the democratic party had TWO YEARS to come up with a compelling message to voters. what is it?
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Yep, mostly agree with you. We may have fecked this up big time by, once again, not coalescing around a strong message & somewhat hoping the ‘wave’ will be enough to see us through. Healthcare is being touted by many Dema who are running, but I don’t see any focused message from Perez et al as a true platform.
 
Talking about identity politics


Embracing people like Kelly into #MeToo while at the same time touting virtues of Kaepernick is just brain dead stupidity from the libs. Choose your fecking allies.
 
Sadly not a surprise. The one thing that does surprise me is that none of these nutters (aside from the Scalise shooting) have gone on gun rampages targeting politicians.
 
I'm sure Trump will denounce this behaviour in the strongest terms.

Or say he can understand it.

One of the two.
 
Soros too. I guess the propaganda coming out of Hungary and Fidesz about Soros being part of some Jewish conspiracy that's planning to flood Europe and America with immigrants has been eagerly lapped up by right wingers in America as well.

What a timeline lads. It's like watching a train crash unfolding in slow motion.
 
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langster said:
Yeah but we are just over-exaggerating and fear mongering. Nothing to worry about really. (According to some of the Trumpers on here)
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Whoever's not worried about what's happening in US and Europe right now is burying their heads so deep, they might resurface in China.
 
They are saying it's the Democrats ,who are trying to rile up their base for the Mid Terms.
 
Revan said:
He was the Speaker of the House for a few years.

I think that the shift to the right started under Reagan, continued under Gingrich and the Tea Party and then Trump was just a natural extension to it. However, Reagan nowadays would look one of the most moderate Republicans, heck, he was more moderate than the so called moderates like McCain, Romney and co.
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Well, Bill Maher might have you think different of Reagan.

 
Eboue said:
yeah but that was the 2016 message. and now republicans control all branches of the federal government and a vast majority of state governments
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Doesn't matter. The Dem establishment and the Republicans are all funded by the same big money donors who will benefit irrespective of whether it is the Rs or Ds controlling DC.
 
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