19% of the American People are Jerks

Over the last few weeks, I've watched Trump rallies in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and Montana.  At each of these rallies, Trump says racist and sexiest things.  He touts his policies based on ignorance, wild guessing, and self congratulatory motivations.  He basks in his hostility towards certain religions, certain sexual orientations, and certain Democrats, wallowing in victory speech pablum a year and two thirds after his tainted win.  And I've watched his crowds, even after all the missteps, bigotry, hatred, bone headed stupidity, lies, and embarrassments give him raucous welcomes, standing ovations, and cheer hotly at Trump lines, especially when he targets individuals with thuggery and violence.  After watching these rallies, I've come to one simple reality.

19% of the American people are Jackasses.

I know some people will say, "how dare you Matt!  You're not seeing the nuance to these people."  You're right!  I've looked to see what is their driving motivation.  There is NO nuance.  Their intent on being jackasses IS their motivation.  I'm certain some will insist I'm assaulting small town American values, or blue collar workers, or religious purity.  THIS POST ABSOLUTELY IS NOT.  Because these jackasses label someone like myself pointing out their prickishness as attacking those individual groups, we've allowed a belief there's something us Democrats just don't understand.  There isn't!  This isn't about small town verses big city.  This isn't about blue collar verses white collar.  This isn't about dismissing Christians (I'm Catholic!).   The day after the election I stated "idiots and racists are the people who voted for Trump," and after watching these rallies 21 months later, I'm convinced my original assessment was correct.

First, where did I get 19%?  Only 19.5% of the American people voted for Trump.  That's it!  19.8% voted for Hillary.  29.9% didn't even vote (SHAME!).  I would guess .5% of Trump voters have woken up, realized the massive mistake they've made, and have, either vocally or silently, moved away from the Moron in Chief.  That leaves 19% of America who have watched what has happened, and are still giving it a thumbs up. These jackasses love Trump because he represents exactly who they are, and gives them something they've always desired; validation.

Jackasses have always existed, and jerkishness knows no political boundaries.  The person who cuts in front of the elderly person at the grocery store checkout, the person at work who blames all their failures on others, the person who says the things with racist undertones, the person who brandishes a gun in front of everyone to act tough; these people have always etched out a niche in our society.  Now imagine if instead of condemning these reprehensible people, you had someone say, "good for you! Keep pushing grandma out of the way, because you're in a hurry!"  That's Trump!  In Trump they see a warped version of their life goals reflected; a cheap fast food hamburger served on a silver platter.  Trump validates their "its not me, it's them" myopic view of life.  Why fix yourself, when you can just blame everyone else for your problems; Trump makes it possible!  Us trying to label this lemming parade as 'nuanced' is marketing other people's bitterness as some sort of misunderstood political lightning.  It isn't.  They're just jackasses.

They can't be supporting Trump because of his 'successes.'  Every Trump diplomatic attempt has been an absolute failure.  His trade policy is nightmarish, even making conservative Wall Street do a spit take.  He's screwing everyone out of affordable healthcare.  His tax cuts for the wealthy will double the national deficit, and he's promised the middle and lower class will pay for the exploding monetary crisis.  His immigration policy is so bad even church leaders who love his Administration are condemning it.  He's failed to help this country during natural disasters, with possibly the worst federal government response ever in Puerto Rico.  His public revelations of porn star affairs and monetary payouts, along with his ongoing multiple sexual scandals, are a national embarrassment.  He's already one of the most scandal draped Presidencies ever, and we are only halfway through his second year.  He attacks anyone he feels is challenging him, usually with language more suited for a bad TV talk show.  There are VERY legitimate questions on whether he's been undermining America with a foreign government for years.  The world, outside of despots and dictators, HATES him. Because of all of this (plus much much more!) there's no valid basis for liking Trump on merit.

What makes his supporters still love him even though many of them have already been damaged by his policies?

• AT BEST, his supporters approve of the undeniable racism.  At worst, they're Nazis, KKK, and white supremacists.
• AT BEST, his supporters, while claiming to be 'the most Christian people ever,' have embraced the most anti-Christian leader our country has ever seen.
• AT BEST, Trump supporters condoned violence, smiling while Trump and his enforcers repeatedly threaten assault against anyone who disagrees with them.
• AT BEST, his supporters condone lashing out with furious viciousness at others.  At worst they applaud it.
• AT BEST, his supporters will always blame whomever Trump tells them to blame; "they're the real enemy," regardless of how outrageous their vilification is.
• AT BEST, they have embraced a political doctrine whose underlying fundamentals are meanness, discrimination and hatred.  For many, it's because they're convinced these policies will allow them to see their enemies suffer before they're consumed as well.
• AT BEST, Trump supporters HATE Democrats more than they love their personal well being, their religion and their country.

"Wow Matt, that's really harsh."  YES!  Yes it is, because we have to label this 19% correctly.  I know some Trump fans insist "I don't support everything Trump does.  Some of this stuff upsets me too." Funny, they NEVER criticize Trump.  Their silence isn't fooling anyone.  They smile when they hear Trump say these things, because (once again) it validates them.  They gleefully wallow like bloated swine in this vicious circle of jackassery, insisting their silence offers a veil of cover.

This validation has led to Trump supporters allowing their hideous persona to step out of the shadows.  They scream in minority's faces, call police of non-infractions because a minority is involved, constantly throw a shamefully revised version of Jesus at others, harass the GLTBQ community for being an 'abomination,' and proudly sceam "Get out of my country!" For them, Trump's the "greatest president ever" because they can now yell "you people are a disgrace!"  As long as they feel they no longer have to keep their true feelings out of sight, they'll always support Trump.

They're jackasses.

Now that a large portion of the 81% has woken up, here's what can we do:

1) Stop thinking a cardboard box with a sharpie slogan written on it is doing something.  Stop thinking social media posts matter.  What's done is done, so focus; move with a purpose.  Don't ignore the hard work needed by mistaking 'ease' for 'effort.'
2) Stop trying to win these Trump supporters over.  They'll never come to the light as long as their pied piper is playing their tune.  Focus on the 110 million who didn't vote, not on the jackasses who did.
3)  That doesn't mean don't challenge Trump supporters.  On the contrary, you HAVE TO challenge them.  The only way we can take this ugliness out of the mainstream is by shaming these people for unleashing this hatred from their darkened hearts.  Indeed!  Shame them for what they've done to the United States of America.
4) Find your local Democratic candidate and volunteer to help.
5) Vow to help whomever is victorious in the Democratic primary, even if it wasn't your first choice.
6) Get out of your district!  Find a Democrat running in a Republican district and volunteer for them.
7) If you're in a metropolitan area, get out of the city and go help the Democrats in rural America!  They need volunteers and donations.  The Democratic platform has a lot to offer rural America!  Remember: we're all in this together!
8) Challenge Republicans on health care, trade, guns, baby prisons, wealthy only tax cuts, net neutrality, and the failure to take care of the American people.  These are policies Republicans can't defend, so our silence on these issues validates them.  Don't let Republicans off the hook.  Challenge them in EVERY district!
9) Make sure you're registered to vote.
10) Make sure your friends and family are all registered to vote.
11) When that one friend says "I don't vote because I don't agree with either candidate," remind them you need to vote to prevent a horrific candidate from gaining power, even if that means voting for someone you might not agree with!
12) Make sure you, your friends and your family know where to vote!
13) If your state has early voting, vote early!
14) On Election Day, November 6th, 2018, if you haven't already voted, make sure you vote!
15) Then, on Election Day, call your family and friends and ask everyone of them, "have you voted yet?" If they say no, ask if they need a ride.

You may look at this post and insist I didn't need to become mean.  To that I say please shut up! The Democrats have been trying to take the high road ever since Reagan, and it's gotten us Donald F-ing Trump!!!  I'm not making up anything!  I spent a lot of time thinking about this piece.  I'm not just screaming insults like a Trump supporter, rather I'm making my case.  You don't agree with me?  Fine, but don't act like Democrats are missing some unexplained, Loch Ness, Sasquatch, Canadian girlfriend mystery when it comes to understanding Trump supporters.  I understand them completely.

19% of Americans are complete and total jackasses.