I wishfully (and now not-so-secretly) desire that Trump supporters leave the country one way or another. Or, alternatively, that the sane part of the nation breaks off and secedes from these people. Let them form a Republic of Fools or a Confederacy of Dunces. We are in a new kind of Uncivil War, but let's be civil about it rather than violent (unlike the 1860's). Let's go through a peaceful national separation and divorce. Millions do not share the same basic values as Team Tribal Trump. Give them what they want: Let them make some territory "great" while the rest of us watch it fall it part through their hate. Then, we can mend our relations with Europe and other allies. Battle climate change. Reinstate the rule of law and democracy, and much more. Trump can rule his Island of the Uneducated with an iron fist; create a religion around his Idiotocracy; mint currency and stamps with his image on it; and run the economy into the cold ground.
3
I haven't read the research you cite but the conclusions sound very compelling and consistent with everyday observations.
This explains a lot.
Thank you.
Dems are using Healthcare to sidestep immigration so what else is new?
1
You actually can help. Stop voting in leaders that follow us into one fool hardy engagement after another. Why do you do that? (And.. please stop sending us your worst: Rupert Murdoch, Russell Crowe and Mel Gibson. Guys we have enough trouble with our own the ones already here ;- )
1
Given your support for an honorable platform for the racism of the odious Charles Murray, it’s hypocritical at best for you to attack trump who is using his honorable platform for much the same.
America is being gaslighted....but from every side....dems/repubs...liberal/conservative....all races and creeds...It is almost as if someone wants for civil war to break out... but for what possible purpose..??????????
Here's a crazy idea for my nation. Let's start a war with our allies with the caveat that nuclear weapons won't be used only conventional stuff like in WW1 & WW2. Sorry, we may need two such wars. After all Europeans still bicker amongst one another but have managed to keep their hostile aggressions at a minimum across a table for over fifty years.
We could call it 'The Yuge Purge'! We need some massive bloodshed on our own soil to cool our aggressive jets and misadventures into the future. Build bomb shelters and start a non-deferment draft now! We only need leader's wise and cunning enough to pull this off, on a grand scale? Though I must say, we have had successful isolated practice runs on persons of color so the basic strategy of deceits need only be expanded.
But God works in mysterious ways, I've been told. But He's not on the ballots so I guess we'll just have to reap what we sow! Maybe future generations will be immensely thankful to us for our great sacrifice to their world peace and tranquility.
Here are some facts about immigration.
In 2014, one in five births (791,000) in the United States was to an immigrant mother (legal or illegal). Our best estimate is that legal immigrants accounted for 12.4 percent (494,000) of all births, and illegal immigrants accounted for 7.5 percent (297,000).
The 297,000 births per year to illegal immigrants is larger than the total number of births in any state other than California and Texas.
There was no census in 2014, I would guess your source is Breitbart or Infowars.
2
The caravan issue is bluster and baloney - Trump's way of the tail wagging the dog.
Deploying troops, a few days before the election (!!), on a scale grander than the troop deployment to Afghanistan (!!), against women, children and other unarmed refugees who will arrive at the US border well after the election is crazy and a complete waste of military resources.
I would be interested how much this Trumpian excess will cost US taxpayers.
4
All those troops also get a nice monthly pay bump for an easy deployment doing nothing. Just in time for the holidays no less. I wonder if they're sending the infectious disease unit down. Do you know what it costs to deploy a highly trained medical unit on active duty? Trump is treating a mosquito bite with chemotherapy. I'll bet you though a lot of soldiers and veterans are happy right now.
Little do they know, there are not an infinite number of fictionalized domestic emergencies to which the US military can respond. America First necessarily means less military later. This batch of troops gets to skip a tour in Afghanistan. Another batch is going to be out of the job. No more enlistment bonuses. Good luck finding a decent MOS. Thanks for calling. Bye-bye now.
Not to mention Operation Caravan II will leave everyone involved a laughing stock within the military. Have fun busting out E-5 Sergeant. How did you spend your active duty soldier? Bake sale, sir!
That's a polite joke too.
2
Kristof’s opinion in “Voters, You’re Being Manipulated” truly shows how far down the rabbit hole we, as Americans, have gone. With the midterm elections dawning on us, it is important to make an informed decision that aligns with the vision we have for our country. But this is a nearly impossible feat with radical views maligning one side of the story. This is especially evident in the emphasis both the president and conservative news outlets have put on the migrant caravan. Rather than providing fact-based evidence in their argument, Republicans have been laser-focused on the consistently divisive topic of immigration. As always, Republicans and Democrats clash as moderates are left floundering in the middle, grasping for something to push them left or right. Typical fear tactics related to immigration, such as increased crime and financial burden, take center and provide this nudge. However, why is it that immigration-related fear tactics are so reliable in the country that used to pride itself on acceptance? If anything, the coming caravan should encourage an increase in liberal votes. A common value in American society is family safety, and the caravan is largely comprised of women and children. According to Vox, the caravan has grown due to the common threat of gang violence and poverty that has become more dominant in Latin American countries. These people are not trying to uproot American values. Rather, they are seeking safety from a country that betrayed theirs.
3
"The brilliance of the Trump fear strategy is that scholars find that simply raising identity issues turns whites more conservative. So while Trump’s nonsense about the caravan is easily rebutted, he arouses primal, unconscious fears in white voters that make them more likely to vote Republican."
When are we going to be honest and acknowledge that Trump supporters are racist and dumb???
2
It will be interesting to see how DoD will classify and recognize participation in this military campaign.
3
"Doubt is our product since it means competing with the 'body of fact' that exists in the mind of the general public. It is also the means of establishing a controversy."
- Republican policy on denying reality.
1
Have you seen the video of that very same caravan storming the border at Mexico? They didn't just walk through in an orderly fashion. They forced their way across the border. They destroyed a fence and large gate.
3
I think Mr. Kristof is exactly right but also misses something important. When Trump resorts to fear mongering and hateful rhetoric, Democrats get an opportunity to own a more reasonable position that could resonate with a majority of voters. But thanks to the outsized influence of out-of-touch academics in the Democratic Party, they usually blow these opportunities by going too far to the other extreme. It's "we're a nation of immigrants" with no acknowledgement that most of those immigrants followed the legal immigration procedure. Or "gender is a spectrum" with no mention of the fact that over 99% of people sit at the extreme ends of that spectrum. Or "white privilege"--nevermind the millions of dirt-poor opioid-addicted white people across rural America. Each of these overly simplistic slogans turns off many reasonable voters who might be won over by a more nuanced perspective.
3
@Mike: You are painting an overly simplistic picture of Democrats. Where do these dirt-poor opioid-addicted white people get the money from to pay for their drugs? Having them on Medicaid through the ACA will help them seek treatment, but they are often in the states that rejected the Medicaid extension...
2
I think the idea that everyone is being manipulated is the reason The Matrix was a hit. Hard to understand otherwise.
"There’s a risk that in responding to the incitement, I am amplifying Trump’s message."
The man is sending troops at weak and weary people, Mr Kristof. He wants an explosive intersection of caravan and troops, Mr Kristof.
Earlier today, in another article, a commenter from West Palm Beach sincerely requested that "the legit media" spare him the worst of bad ideas. You are to not report the dumb stuff and to take away the "bully pulpit".
That boy wants to run-away FROM the circus. His reasoning for you to improve his comfort with his life-long choice? It's your reporting that creates angry Democrats which creates angrier Republicans. (He says, in earnest.)
What a self-serving crock. The President is a lying salesman who stoops lower and lower and incites his crowds against countrymen, who sells that he's the source of all Republican legislation. In reality, "All hat and no cattle" signs whatever they hand him.
Trump uses anchor babies for votes and to move opinion far-far-right, his domain. Those tiny citizens are his newest foil, just as Dreamers were. If he could move some Senate / House votes, to pass the Republican "Corporate-sponsored Foreign Worker Plan", he'd sign it. Maybe, even with Dreamers included. But, his kind will never relinquish The Wall and anchor babies.
Your reporting and "the legit media" does not make voters more partial to red meat. The King of Debt does.
1
I beg to differ on the caravan issue. They aren't immigrants, they would be people illegally entering our country unless they seek and are granted asylum. While the caravan is somewhat symbolic in that it is a metaphor for the problem we have on our southern border, it is in and of itself a problem in that a large group of people, several thousand, carrying the Honduran flag are setting a precedent. They've been told they can't come, but they believe if there are enough of them they'll just push their way in. The makeup of the members of the caravan is also important, but the key issue is we need to keep people from illegally entering. Period. The dems seem to favor open borders, but that's ridiculous. At what point do you stop people from entering? When there are 500 million of us and a large % illegal? I guess that's OK with dems as long as these illegals vote democrat.
I'm not afraid of the people in the caravan -- few of them are going to come to CT. but I am afraid of our being unwilling to control who comes into our country.
16
@Ralphie, you are grossly incorrect. They would be entitled to seek asylum under both international and domestic law as others have done. Most get denied. They are not trying to sneak. The border has been so well-secured since at least 2010 that most likely those that do not go to an official port of entry will be met by border agents before they could try to sneak in. There is no proof that these people are criminals or will spread disease. Fox News and the Prez and others have deliberately whipped up fear to try to improve their position at the polls. This is the worst race-baiting kind of politics one can practice.
25
@Ralphie The majority of illegal immigrants come into this country by plane and overstay their visas. These folk get away with it because the of their origins and the primary focus is on those south of the border and their skin color. This is factual reality. The majority populace fear is rooted in the inevitable demographic shifts that are excellerating rapidly making this a minority majority country. Trump and his republican voters care more about this almost as much as controlling the courts. This fear coupled with pure hatred motivates republicans more than morality, economic inequality, the destruction of the country and their very livelihood relative to affordable healthcare and their kids futures. It is baffling to be motivated to act based on negative emotions while expecting positive results.
11
@Ralphie Some good points, but please don't buy the right wing propaganda that most dems want open borders. Some may, but I think most want proportional, humane approaches to the situation.
15
Your ideas are reasonable. It is not clear that the people being manipulated will see them, let alone think about them.
How do you inform people whose trusted information sources are Fox News, Donald Trump, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and the Republican Party?
2
I'm sorry to say that those who believe everything fed to them by Fox News have very little chance of heeding the warning that they are being manipulated. Critical thinking skills are not their strong suit. If they were suddenly to start investigating primary sources, or looking at history for precedents, they would have to admit that they are following a demagogic, narcissistic, blustering fool.
The only thing we can do at this point is save them from themselves (along with our democracy) and overwhelm them at the polls.
Only time and being led by rational people will show them that fearing a wagon-full of desperate people seeking asylum is nothing to be afraid of. We've been welcoming such people from our country's earliest beginnings and they have assimilated into productive members of our society. And there is a reason good-hearted people including followers of the Abrahamic faiths have been helping refugees since the beginning of time. Our world creates refugees. People are constantly moving because of war, famine, violence or persecution. Sometimes you just have to make room at the inn.
3
Boo!
The liberals are gonna get you!
2
I applaud the professionalism of the medical staff in Pittsburgh.
Certainly, the staff didn't approve of the attacker's actions, yet they attended to him. Makes me wonder why a cake baker can't bake a cake for someone because he doesn't agree with their lifestyle.
8
We must counter evil by reinforcing our trust in goodness, by striving to live as the patriotic Americans we should value and treating all our fellow citizens as worthy of our help.
1
Alternatively Democrats are trying to scare voters into thinking Republicans will take away their health care and rip babies from their mothers at the border. The are also scaring voters into thinking the world will meltdown and civil rights will disappear if Republicans win. I guess that's manipulative fear-mongering as well, Democrat style.
3
@TL These are legitimate concerns; very different from Republican fear mongering.
1
@TL: Republicans have already voted over 60 times to repeal the ACA, and they almost succeeded if not for John McCain, without a replacement. Among the parents at the border, there were indeed some who had infants taken away from them. That happened! And yes, the civil rights of LBGTQ people are at risk, with Republicans insisting that gender and biological sex are always the same and determined by your chromosomes.
Mr. Kristof gives us reasons to not worry about the caravan. One wonders what his solution is to illegal immigration. I've heard a lot of concern with the current approach. Please come up with some alternative approaches.
1
@gricheso: Climate change denial combined with denial of unsustainable birth-rates will soon make it impossible to avoid vast calamities. That is all Trump has to offer.
2
@gricheso
There is NO solution to illegal immigration.
It's like a mathematical problem that is not possible to solve. Yes, things like that exist.
PITTSBURGH was a crime done by a criminal , who he believe he was doing the right think, the big questions is why he became so hateful , you are writing every think but this point, it started 1948 when western world put Israel right between Arab world, than we know what is going on, the last one when Trump move the American Ambasy TEL AVIV to JERUSALEM and angy arabs starting fight and their fight is killing, we have closing our eyes to Palestinians , to Yemen people are dying from hunger, and western world doing nothing , why because those people are not important to them, like black an white issue , till we correct this and we start to write about them too nothing will be solve,
Not particularly enlightening.
CNN, MNBC, NYT and Washington Post are doing the same thing. Almost every article and opinion piece here refers to the horrible consequences we suffer as a result of electing Trump.....It never stops....
I find it very hypocritical...
Both the left and right wing media outlets have been using scare tactics for many years to push their's or the writers agenda and of course to sell papers to followers.
This is fake news about fake news...Ridiculous.
3
@Lindsey E. Reese
And yet, there he is, still President.
Guess the media conspiracy hasn't been successful.
2
Let me suggest that you too are manipulating voters. I can see calling this an invasion because that's what it is. Thousands of un documented or "politically incorrect" illegal aliens are storming our border and I ask why? Because they know they will not be deported or held accountable. Your next column will contain the very sad stories of children separated from parents, of death threats which is meant to what? Manipulate emotions? There is law or there is no law.
2
@greatnfi
There's more people in downtown Cincinnati having lunch every day then there are in this "caravan."
@matty And???
Faux News brainwashing is doing so much damage to the country that Fox should be branded a traitor.
1
@Semi-retired They should have their license revoked as it was in England . Murdock should have his assets seized and arrested for life as a world wide deadly criminal.
1
Trump made his bizarre, fascist and racist views known to all during his campaign for the Presidency. He was not elected by the popular vote; our antiquated electoral college system won him the Presidency, the highest honor any American can achieve.
Trump has done nothing but escalate his rhetoric during the past two years. He is determined to destroy anything that President Obama achieved. Withdraw from the world wide climate accord, break every treaty on trade or nuclear proliferation and insult our true allies. And now he orders American military to our border with Mexico, as he lies about who these people are. They are desperate, hungry and poor people living in countries controlled by criminal gangs and corrupt politicians, not as Trump claims “middle eastern terrorists”or “violent criminals”. The hate speech, his approval of Nazis marching and committing acts of terrible violence, his lying about the press (Fox News is not the press it’s an outlet for the far right), anti-semetism, sexism, and overt racism are very similar to the exact tactics Hitler used to take over Germany.
Now it’s time for all Americans, Republican and Democrat, to think clearly and vote. I am a Democrat and I know many Republicans who are now just as appalled by Trump and other Republican politicians as I am. There really is no radical left in the United States. I consider any Democrat, Republican who now opposes Trump and Independent voter as part of the loyal opposition.
3
Gosh, another extreme leftist with another hit piece against Trump and half the country. simply more Freudian projection from the angry extremists on the left..disagree with them on policy and they will call you names. dont like Hillary? sexist. Your healthcare ruined by democrats? racist. want reasonable border protections and understand the difference between legal and illegal immigration? xenophobic.Dems have names and hatred for any and all with whom they disagree, as this shopworn article proves yet again.
3
Yesterday, Oct 31, 2018, outside the White House, our Con-man-in-Chief gave an answer to a serious journalist who asked why he (Trump) was “attacking Paul Ryan?”
Think about this -- seriously.
Trump said:“Birthright citizenship is a very, very important subject. In my opinion, it's much less complex than people think. I think it says it very loud and clear in the Constitution that you don't have to go through the process of whatever they're talking about.”
Key phrase is: “I think it says it very loud and clear in the Constitution, that you don’t have to go through the process of whatever they’re talking about.”
The words “loud and clear” and “whatever they’re talking about” is a direct disconnect of the switch.
Whatever a con-man has on his mind, it usually involves baiting and switching. It’s all about the execution of an immoral con.
Always know that a con-man never intends to make himself direct, but indirect. Whenever they speak, they speak their con. Whatever they have on their mind is what they never want you to know.
Serious Americans are tired of being conned and lied to by Trump. Remove him from the office. It’s all about our mental-health and physical well-being. Trump does not have good intentions. It’s all about “I think,” “I want,” “I alone can fix it,” “I know it all,” I never make a mistake,” “I never apologize,” “I . . . .” “I . . . .”
“We” the un-informed, are being conned. It’s time to pull-back the curtain. A wizard is not there.
3
I wonder...... Did Trump contemplate what evil he had caused when he saw all the bullet holes in the walls and pews of the synagogue? Or, did he just stick his nose in the air and march around to make himself look good?
1
@Anna Luhman: Trump did not go into the active crime scene.
Nicholas Kristof: "But I believe in rationality and our capacity, if warned, to resist manipulation."
Considering the never ending advertisements in newspapers, TV programs, and purchasing cost ($39.99) the American public has shown extreme naivety - this very much includes the 100% lack of US voter rationality; it is non-existent.
So, after reading Kristoff's article and perusing the comments section, I guess the only thing for someone like me, who likes to think for myself, issue-driven politics instead of party, party, party!
I guess now I will go and read The Wall Street Journal and tonight I will watch Fox News. Not Faux News. Not Sean Hannity. Not Laura Ingraham. Not CNN (that only has one position even in their "supposed" news sections. And if I have a moment of insanity, I will turn to MSNBC where I can see Mika and Joe making kissey face.
All countries have common sense immigration laws. Everybody and anybody cannot just waltz in. There are laws in place in all countries to check for certain diseases. There are laws to check for criminals attempting to come in. There are laws protecting those who would be manipulated, like children who might be brought in so as to be sold as sex slaves. These are common sense laws that protect the citizens of all the countries, the people already living in the country, legally. There is nothing nefarious about it, Mr. Kristof. If you don't understand all this, then make an appointment with your doctor, because maybe there's something wrong with your head. If you do understand it, then it's you who is nefarious suggesting otherwise.
2
The best way to drive out the darkness, as Mr. Kristof says, is to be informed. PLEASE go out and VOTE and convince one person who has never voted/cannot be bothered/is numb from manipulation to do the same. This country is electing the wrong people to office because the voting turnout is so low! It is simply a matter of numbers and the reality show will be over. VOTE!
2
In all fairness, Mr. Kristof, is it not the mandate of this paper's Opinion section to scare voters into NOT voting for Trump?
1
I can agree that white men, especially those who have had a safe, successful life, become fearful with age. When you have been in control most of your life, you fear losing that control.
1
Once again an insightful column from Mr. Kristof, so pardon me if I touch on something not central to what he wrote.
"There’s a risk that in responding to the incitement, I am amplifying Trump’s message. But I believe in rationality and our capacity, if warned, to resist manipulation."
The flat-out lies and misinformation of Fox et. al. are not, of course, replicated by the NY Times, but the timing of some articles has shocked me and other readers. At the risk of amplifying the message, I want to question again the timing of the very recent article about a long-ago event in Beto O'Rouke's career. The events themselves may deserve coverage, though I question even this, but the timing is flat-out weird. I support O'Rourke and would do so even if he weren't running against someone almost as odious as Trump himself, but the article caused a twinge of anxiety even in me. So I wonder how many votes were changed by the NY Times...what? Carelessness? Oblivion? My goodness, hasn't the Times done this once before?
And I must disagree with Mr. Kristof (and I admire him a great deal) when he writes about our innate rationality's ability to recognize and resist manipulation.
3
If we do NOT respond to the incitement, if we stay silent in the face of such hostility and misinformation and, yes, propaganda, then we create a vacuum by which we allow others to speak and act in our place in ways which we may not agree with. So yes, it is important for us to act, to speak up, to resist the lies and hate and fear mongering.
In the near term, the most important thing now is to
Vote November 6th.
3
Has anyone investigated how many Fox Corp shares are held by Trump; his shell companies; family and Trump Organization.
2
Great article.
I, and others, have been saying for a while now, that the names of mass shooters - as well as their photos - should not be used in the media. I would love for this practice to be taken up by others.
Well done sir.
1
I think the Democrats should propose bringing back the Fairness Doctrine, that the Reagan administration did away with in 1986. They could propose this as a way of combating "Fake News". They might even propose making the laws more stringent, requiring news outlets to make every possible effort to be certain they report the truth. Of course, FOX News could not exist if such legislation were passed, but how would Trump oppose a law meant to do away with "Fake News"?
3
The Fairness Doctrine was predicated upon the idea that the airwaves used by radio and television are public property that is being licensed to broadcasters. In exchange for that, they were required to broadcast certain things in the public interest like public affairs shows and children’s programming. In addition, as it related to politics, they had to allow equal access by opposing viewpoints. None of that would apply to Fox News or MSNBC or CNN or any other cable broadcast. They are transmitted over closed systems. Fox affiliates and ABC, NBC and CBS would be covered but to their cable operations.
1
The internet and social media have created a great divide within society that is going to be very difficult to mend.
It used to be one village per idiot. The internet has allowed those once isolated "village idiots" to organize, meet, act.
But to just single out Fox News is naive. Even this paper places news about the caravan on the front page and fans the flames on both sides.
Where are the stories about Chinese spies stealing sensitive information from defense contractors or influencing politics in New Zealand?
Or India buying oil from Iran or an antiaircraft system from Russia?
Buried under the tabloid-esque treatment anything Trump tweets.
Everyone is fanning the flames of hysteria, left, right and middle.
For me the campaign rhetoric has not ceased. Nothing Presidental has emerged. Fear is manufactured at will.
" I love the uneducated" rings in my ears.
The Rallies are being held at tax payer expense?
They are nothing more than an extended reality "show". The audience gets dressed up to hoot and holler. Trump steams them up with, lies, half-truths, fear and invective. It feels like some kind of fringey nut religion. His mouthpiece Fox amplifies and increases his manipulation.
It is so destructive and wrong. Make no bones about it, this man loves, yes enjoys and relishes invective and hate. He's used this all his 71 yrs of life on this earth, but what has he given back besides one liners and lies?
Vote, vote, start to push back and stop those lies.
4
Fox used to be a rank partisan channel till recent years. Along with the wall street journal editorial it has gotten a lot worse.These are organs broadcasting hate,anti-semitism, islamophobia, and xenophobia aimed at republicans and their uneducated white supporters. Trump has no pretenses whatsover. He rabidly attacks immigrants, is trying to cut off all social programs including food stamps for them- even legal immigrants. A temporary visa holder can be denied a green card, and a green card holder refused citizenship when eligible,for taking government aid or using food stamps, and even flu shots. Trump targets babies with all of these. He cages them at the border. The gop enthusiastically supports him and enables him. Trump and the gop, and their supporters are despicable. They either vote for or enable all this. The media should at least point all this out and the rest of america should wake up and roundly reject the gop on nov 6. The fact that the gop is about to keep the senate and the house race is close indicates s sorry state of affairs in america. Divided is not the word. One side, the democrats is the good side and the gop and trump are fascists and their sympathizers
2
Mr. Kristoff, the people that need to see this don't read the New York Times...
7
Some 100 Americans are killed every day by firearms... but "THE CARAVAN!"
4
I read somewhere that someone said Mankind strives to be logical but he is, in essence, a creature of emotions. I saw a woman on TV, a naturalist, I believe and for the life of me I can't remember her name who said, paraphrasing, "You can't change a mind but you can change a heart." Republicans have played on the emotions of fear and empathy (abortion is murder) and hatred of Jews, Muslims, Mexicans, and Afro-Americans for decades. How did the nation that saved the world from Hitler, Mousilini, and the Japanese Empire let that happen?
2
Ideas like optimism are something we construct searching for how to express our reactions to events and surroundings. They fail us by freezing one feeling. They fail to evoke any real sense of just how complicated life is. They fail because our sense of things is limited and transient. They fail because we cannot fully know even what is in front of us, much less the endless unfolding we do not personally witness.
The world is on a collision course with a future we do not want nor accurately perceive. We seek deep reassurance of peace that only well run societies and full truth can hope to provide. In the Trump area, these factors of reassurance are not present. Only chaos, the chaos of a deranged mind at the helm.
That is precisely why we must keep lunatics out of high office and why this lunatic must be unseated.
1
Voters, pay attention to this article. You are being informed, not manipulated. Trust me.
1
Only those who would prefer to live in a strange, new land can view the Soros organized caravan with equanimity. Others can be justifiably afraid of its implications.
2
This country has always been a “strange, new land” and has grown great because of it. Closing our borders will make this country wither and grow more fearful.
@victor
Soros organized the caravan? Why? To support Trump?
Who in their right mind wants to be governed by fear?
3
"We have nothing to fear, but FEAR itself!"
-FDR
"We have nothing to sell, but FEAR itself!"
-today's GOP
1
A graphic of the number of people in the caravan compared to the number of people at an NFL game might give perspective on the size of the "invasion".
4
We're being manipulated? People on both sides of the political spectrum are engaged in manipulation.
1
@David Y.S.
FALSE EQUIVALENCE.
There is no left-wing equivalent of Rush, or Trump, or McConnell, or of right wing racism, lies, and manipulation.
2
The hearing for Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh was an utter debacle for the Democrats. But it also provided an opportunity for reassessing their view of the world and attitude about the American people. They clearly chose not to do so and are now doubling down on hate.
1
Whenever I peruse the right wing media it’s a cherry-picked bunch of stories carefully curated to vilify minorities and present Republicans as the only ones who care about white folks.
If an illegal immigrant commits some offense against a white person the story is repeated every few minutes with a breaking news banner. Day after day they showcase stories demonizing people of color based on the actions of a few, while ignoring similar or worse offenses by white people.
This creates the perception of an epidemic, stoking enough fear and anger among voters to make sure they show up at the polls and vote for Republicans.
When I check out the left wing media it’s a cherry-picked bunch of stories carefully curated to vilify white folks and present Democrats as the only ones who care about minorities.
If a white person commits some offense against a person of color the story is repeated every few minutes with a breaking news banner. Day after day they showcase stories demonizing white people based on the actions of a few, while ignoring similar or worse offenses by people of color.
This creates the perception of an epidemic, stoking enough fear and anger among voters to make sure they show up at the polls and vote for Democrats.
We’re all being manipulated.
Whenever I peruse the right wing media it’s a cherry-picked bunch of stories carefully curated to vilify minorities and present Republicans as the only ones who care about white folks.
If an immigrant commits some offense against a white person the story is repeated every few minutes with a breaking news banner. Day after day they showcase stories demonizing people of color based on the actions of a few, while ignoring similar or worse offenses by white people.
This creates the perception of an epidemic, stoking enough fear and anger among voters to make sure they show up at the polls and vote for Republicans.
When I check out the left wing media it’s a cherry-picked bunch of stories carefully curated to vilify white folks and present Democrats as the only ones who care about minorities.
If a white person commits some offense against a person of color the story is repeated every few minutes with a breaking news banner. Day after day they showcase stories demonizing white people based on the actions of a few, while ignoring similar or worse offenses by people of color.
This creates the perception of an epidemic, stoking enough fear and anger among voters to make sure they show up at the polls and vote for Democrats.
We’re all being manipulated.
1
Nicholas, please get yourself a spot on Fox News and on the Opinion pages of WSJ. Like most commentators in the NYT, you’re preaching to the choir. The congregants most in need attend only one church and it’s not this one.
2
Trump and Fox News display the most disgusting disrespect and cynicism towards their supporters. They know they are lying, manipulating, and misinforming. That's bad enough. But the lack of subtlety now is appalling in its rank sucker-born-every-minute fervor.
Yes, there are many suckers out there. They respond to fear, or greed, or both. Honest politicians and media companies try hard not to take advantage of that; dishonest ones weaponize it.
Trump supporters (and I speak of the rank and file, not the elected officials and other sycophants who know exactly what lies are being promoted), and Fox News devotees (those who get no monetary or fame gain out of what is going on): You are being callously played. You can be conservative without the hate for the left you're being led to, and without being willing to scrap the Constitution.
And let's be perfectly clear about one thing: the goals of the GOP as currently run is not equivalent to the ideology of conservatism; certainly not the GOP in its Trumpian incarnation. The real GOP would never have added $2 trillion to the national debt, and countenanced their President licking the boots of an ex-KGB Russian determined to displace the USA in the world. It would have been tough with incoming immigrants without ripping families apart, in what is essentially a policy of state sponsored terrorism - proven by the words of the administration in describing the purpose of its policy.
Wake up. Remove the blinders.
1
What's the real goal of Trump/FOX fear mongering? In the book, Peace Pilgrim (p. 115), the author quotes Herman Goering's "answer" at the Nuremburg Trials:
"The people ca always be brought to the bidding of the leaders.
That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being
attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism
and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any
country."
We all need to remember that there are more people full of goodness than evil by far. What many people lack is the common sense that their precious right to vote actually can help promote this goodness. When we stand by and do nothing in the face of wrongdoing we are somewhat complicit by not speaking up. Speak up and vote.
1
Politicians can tell lies and it is legal. This needs to change. Until this law is addressed we will face the abuse of politicians. The supreme court protects lies by politicians under "Free Speech". Is politics a business? Businesses cannot make false statements (although they sometimes do so). Politics is a business (but not according to the supreme courts). Politicians have a salary and benefits. It is a job with an ethical responsibility. Voters need to know they are being manipulated by lies. Demand change.
Mr. Kristof, a segment of the population wants be manipulated, needs to be manipulated.
1
My entire life race has been used as a fear tool by the GOP. They have no collective shame and never will .
1
When we voters are being manipulated by the properly owned corporate media and all the so-called properly educated people serving this corporate power, we're enjoying democracy; but when others are now getting in on the game, we're now alarmingly told: "Voters, You're Being Manipulated".
Kristoff's now telling us that we voters are now being manipulated makes Noam Chomsky's quote below most apropos:
"What is important in the present context is the contribution of the harshest critics (within the mainstream) to reinforcing the system of indoctrination, of which they themselves are the victims—as is the norm for the educated classes, who are typically the most profoundly indoctrinated and in a deep sense the most ignorant group, the victims as well as the purveyors of the doctrines of faith . . . "
After reading this article I looked at the front page of the Washington Post and found,
"As Venezuela’s health system collapses, disease spreads beyond its borders"
"The country’s health-care system has virtually broken down, allowing once-eradicated illnesses to reemerge in a population facing acute shortages of food and medicine. Now, a historic outflow of migrants is helping spread infections to other countries."
Any Venezuealins in the caravan?
1
go read why Venezuela is collapsing it's because of our economic sanctions.
@mce Venezuelans are staying in south American countries.
Maybe those foolish Fox viewers understand what happens if the Caravan does make it to the border and even some of them get through. A Caravan of Caravans, never ending will follow and we, the Voters, understand the Truth of that. Write all the opinion pieces in the world pretending to not understand if you want, its not going to change a single mind, or a single vote.
An excellent column. Unfortunately it is preaching to the choir, the "choir" being readers of the NY Times who, while not immune from it, are the least likely demographic to be blindly manipulated. The "others" will probably never have contact with writing like this.
And what is that ribbon for?
What? That?
Oh, I served in Mattis' Marauders back in '18 when Trump pulled the pre-election stunt on the border.
1
Meanwhile, the Post today has a story about the outbreak of measles and mumps in the Amazonia region of Brazil from all the escaping "refugees".
1
Isn't it amassing how illegal immigration has now become immigration.
1
It never ceases to amaze me how 40% of such an innovative nation who sent men to the moon and won two world wars, can believe that their country is in imminent danger of being invaded by 5000 mainly terrified, women and children. The very idea of 10-15,000 troops at the Mexican border is absurd.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
Next you will be shipping the good lady Liberty back to France.
Looking on in horror.
Those death panels are coming from Sarah Palins very own party. She should be so proud.
"I believe in rationality and our capacity, if warned, to resist manipulation."
Oh, how naive.
The brilliance of the Trump fear strategy is that scholars find that simply raising identity issues turns whites more conservative. So while Trump’s nonsense about the caravan is easily rebutted, he arouses primal, unconscious fears in white voters that make them more likely to vote Republican.
___
Delineate between the Hispanic whites and the Non-Hispanic whites. There's a difference; Q8 & Q9 2010 Census: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/documents/the-2010-census-form
Great title Mr. Kristof. Thanks for being so honest about what you are doing in this column and more generally what you do as an op ed columnist.
>> "So, no surprise, Fox News is worrying aloud about the caravan bringing disease for want of vaccination. "
Wait a minute. Isn't it the home schooling sect, and maybe others, of the Right Wing that hates government vaccinations?
I really don't see the point of this article.
Faux News invests roughly half of it's budget and airtime into discrediting the legitimate media and sources of actual investigative journalism. Therefore, the likelihood that someone who watches Faux News would read a column such as this in an actual legitimate media outlet such as this is somewhat less than 1,000,000,000:1.
That's the point. That's why it is referred to as a "bubble".
#45, always quick to back one misguided agenda with another, asserted that there may be people from the Middle East [read: Muslims] "hidden" within the caravan. Hearing about what the Muslim community is doing in the wake of the synagogue attack, I say "Please let there be Muslims hidden in the caravan!"
Another article that's preaching to the choir.
1
I don't understand how people can be so fearful of immigrants, yet completely dismiss something they should fear - climate change.
144
@Steve. Why not fear both excessive CO2 emissions and unsustainable population growth in the US thanks to excessive immigration? Both climate change and immigration (i.e. overpopulation) are inextricably linked.
1
@Vincent Tagliano
US birth rate is at a record low:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/17/us/fertility-rate-decline-united-states.html
5
@Vincent Tagliano Extreme weather conditions such as drought, flooding and famine, due to climate change, are driving the mass movement of people. Fewer immigrants are coming over the border from the south than 15 years ago.
9
Kristof is spot on when he observes that the worst often brings out the best. Alas, the worst usually makes good headlines and the best often ends up on the back pages if at all. Perhaps our current political situation gives all of us an abundance of opportunities to stand up for the best, as that Muslim group did in raising money after the Pittsburgh shooting to support the Jewish group. That was an especially powerful opportunity that the Muslim group didn't let slip by. Hey, if those two can reach out to each other, what's the matter with the rest of us?
The reason why imagining one's own death in detail causes a rightward shift in outlook is that the average American doesn't really believe in either heaven or the Resurrection.
A doctor friend of mine says that, in his experience, evangelicals cling to life more fiercely than any other group. Anything to delay that "come to Jesus" moment.
Seems like more people have died recently at the hands of an anti-semitic white guy, natural born US citizen than immigrants from Central America...
1
The attacker "blamed Jews for bringing in brown people in the caravan from Central America."
This is my problem with Republicans. Supporting Trump is inexcusable because, in addition to being a greedy degenerate pervert, is an inveterate liar. He is a textbook malignant narcissistic demagogue, and this is exactly the brutal insanity to be expected by elevating such a moral monster to the highest office in the land.
To "win" the midterms, Trump is spewing hate against the caravan -- it is classic scapegoating. And when a compulsive liar in charge starts scapegoating, foreseeably -- entirely foreseeably -- innocents will get killed.
The Republicans enabling Trump share the blame. They really do.
3
The uncanny liberal default position is to assume that American people outside of NYC are too stupid to analyze and make their own well informed decisions. The assumption that we can be “scared” by the news media into voting a certain way is exactly why we have President Trump. The only thing I am afraid of is the idiocy of this article.
8
@Joe
In 1964, the Democrats used a particularly effective scare tactic against Barry Goldwater (the "Daisies" ad) and it worked. Conservatives using the media to scare voters dates back to the Nixon administration. The assumption that Americans can be scared by the news media into voting a certain way is a proven fact. Dr. Kristof's op-ed is spot on.
3
Of course, the voter is being manipulated. It always has.. by the media. The journo biz just doesn't like it when they lose their sole franchise to string puppet Americans who go to the polls. See: Nicholas Kristof. See: You don't have the right to complain if you don't vote.*
++++++
* Someone stole our 1st amendment?
2
FDR said best: "we have nothing to fear but fear itself". For decades we adhered to this bromide. Now, it appears, the only thing we have to fear is the ignorance of old White Americans, whose ancestors took FDR's words to heart, now succumbing to the tactics of this imbecilic con man in the White House who is using FDR's words against them, and they are buying into it hook, line and sinker. How stupid is White America? Let US.count the ways. Pretty darn stupid from the looks of it. The rest of US. better get out there and vote unless we want the last gasps of old White folks to still be having a dominant say in how this country is run. Wise up, America. Anyone who follows Trump and his Fascist Republicans must be negated. Vote next week to rid ourselves of the Liar-in-Chief.
DD
Manhattan
2
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
The Republicans? NOT so much! No Brotherhood allowed here unless you are white, male and have the means to have the time to feel the stupidity of HATE. VOTE for the People who truly have American Values. NOT the Ugly American Trump!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Trump, Fox News(?), the GOP in general, and others have nothing but FEAR to sell. The share of the American people believe this stuff and it's a sad situation that so many people have lost their common sense abilities.
In any case, justice will prevail in the mid-terms. Get out and vote everyone.
We will know in five days if rationality and Americans' capacity to resist manipulation exist in the majority of the electorate, unless gerrymandering and the electoral college thwart the will of the majority yet again.
@jean wood
Don't have to wait. Dems fail to take the House and lose additional seats in the Senate. Electoral College not a factor in the mid-terms so guess you will blame it all on gerrymandering, and of course, Russia.
If we could have a test, such as those psychologists use to measure intelligence, that calculates a person's "basic goodness," we would be able to allow only those citizens with a score in the average and up range to vote.
We'd never again have to worry about the worst of humanity choosing our leaders.
1
What kind of heroism could defang the hatreds and fears Trump is inflaming? Perhaps a significant number of Americans might volunteer to escort the caravan, walking with the migrants, publicizing their stories, exposing the lies, offering support and aid, and perhaps most importantly, bearing witness, on the journey and, if they ever arrive, at our border. Somehow I suspect that the spectacle of two US soldiers armed and equipped for battle confronting every exhausted, unarmed, impoverished parent or child in arms at our border might be enough to shame even the most frightened white citizen claiming the need for such military protection. Or maybe not. At least, the shared journey of solidarity would be a worthy one to set against the Trumpian cowardice.
According to Jane Meyer's Dark Money, the Republicans discovered the art of mass manipulation for electoral purposes and put it into practice first, but it isn't like the Democrats didn't try/aren't catching up.
No side is innocent in this story. Let's just remember: the Democrats' official policy is still against universal health care. They are not the left-wing many Americans -- specially Americans from the upper middle classes of New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco -- think they are.
1
@VK
I think the upper middle classes on American's coasts understand exactly what the Democratic party's policies are. They also understand that the Democratic party is not racist like the Republican party.
Voters working long hours vote based on the ads they see this week. Short, punchy, bullet point policy ads might work where attack ads turn off.
Interestingly, the media treats "the caravan" as a genuine news story. I see trump proclaiming imminent danger, stated out of whole cloth, but then the announcer does not refute with facts.
2
Spot on about vaccinations in Latin America. I have many Latino patients first or second generation from Latin America and they all vaccinate their children. The patients who refuse vaccines are white many generation Americans.
1
The GOP seems to have elections down to a science.
And yet conversely they are proudly anti-science.
Yet another contradiction from the right-wing 'biome'.
1
@Mikeweb
The Republicans profess to hate the social sciences but depend on their findings to control the base.
1
Let's make it "Voters, they're *trying* to manipulate you" -- and not only because it's impolitic to tell people they're putty in somebody's hands when you're hoping to win them over. (Not that they read your stuff....)
About ten days ago, I declared that the refugee caravan was going to work in the Republicans' favor in the mid-term elections. Now, I think I've spied a formidable ally riding to the rescue: Donald Trump.
In trying to use the fear of refugees and immigrants to capture voters' attention, Trump has outdone himself and thereby possibly undone himself. At least some of his intended audience must now have their attention fixed on his use of thousands of soldiers at great expense as extras in an empty show. His scaremongering has been drily dismissed even on Fox News, by Shepard Smith.
This clumsy ploy is only one of several that Trump has tried over the past week, and the cumulative insult to voters' intelligence is bound to be felt by a portion of the people who have made excuses for him up to now. As if his caravan stunt weren't ridiculous enough, there's his impetuous one-man promise of coverage for pre-existing health conditions.
I know, Trump's "core" will never change, but the outer layers of his onion are another matter. Some of the people who have put up with his incompetence in governing are bound to turn away in disgust at his pathetic incompetence in manufacturing October surprises.
"... candidates conjure monsters to terrify us on a predictable election cycle ..."
A truth for as long as there have been elections! Well said, Mr Kristof.
How I wish that this wise column could be read by people outside the New York Times audience. Sometimes I think the biggest threat to our democracy is the fractured media landscape that has become an echo chamber of lies, fear and conspiracy theories.
2
If you've read Machiavelli you know leaders manipulating subjects is not a new practice. What's news are the tools available - Twitter, Facebook and a million other channels that allow manipulative messages to spread more quickly and unchecked. It's hard to shine light in all the dark corners of the web. Add to that AR-15s and numerous other weapons and we have a toxic mix with an amoral, insecure president who only knows how to pour gasoline on the fire.
Mr. Kristof, you are preaching to the choir. The majority of the demographic that is influenced by the GOP's and Fox's fear and hate mongering do not read the NYT. If they do, it is to take quotes out of context for their echo-chamber blogs and social media. Let's face it, the caravan is not news insofar as it has little to no effect on the issues that matter in the U.S. Nevertheless, thanks for bringing it up. There is a small chance that one person may be influenced by your column.
But could you and the rest of the NYT staff do some of us a favor? My name, Diego, may sound like a brown name, but at a glance I am considered a white man (all four of my grandparents were Italian immigrants). Could you folks please stop with the vile-white-people broad brush just for a day or two?
You conflate human behavior with influencing the white vote. I believe Trump and Fox News are trying to manipulate anyone that is malleable to the message. It just so happens that the majority of those are white, which also happens to match the demographics of race in the U.S. Well, that is when one is narrow-minded enough to believe in the myth of race and the absurdity of the term "people of color".
3
Nielsen ratings for Fox News in Prime time (Mon-Sun) show that the number of viewers in the coveted 25 to 54 years old bracket in August 2018 was 422,000. Source: Adweek.
Only a tiny fraction of those viewers reads newspapers. Yes, we are amplifying Fox News.
A system similar to old fashion speakers connected to an amplifier. Just like that. Prone to a power outage. No?
If members of the jewish community and the muslims could come together in a place like Pittsburgh, is this not a lesson to learn for our politicians?
There are many issues that need to be addressed. Imagine, how great it would be, to see both Democrats and Republicans coming together to seek the solutions. Instead, what we see is both sides claiming to be better than the other. Whether these politicians, like it or not, they are all responsible for the current state of affairs in our country. The country is divided.
There is no doubt that the Pittsburgh incident is the result of hate and fear that has been allowed to spread. The perpetrator of this heinous crime was emboldened to commit the crime. He was motivated in what he believed in. And, that belief was pure hate.
To talk about the Caravan, deployment of troops at the southern border, Birthright Citizenship, are not the priority today. Instead, the leaders should explain how they propose to fix areas such as Healthcare, Climate Change, Infrastructure, the growing deficit and debt. Importantly, unify the country.
46
@citizen - Yes, the country is divided and your points are valid. Each side of the aisle is looking at the same issue with myopic blinders.
The rising costs of healthcare and the 14th Amendment are closely linked. ER visits and city/County Hospitals that provide taxpayer funded healthcare for the low income regardless of immigration status are a big driver in the insurance market.
If providing quality healthcare and avoiding skyrocketing premiums for everyone is a priority issue for the (D)s AND the (R)s believe immigration enforcement is a priority and will benefit the economy, isn't that addressing the same issue circuitously?
The same argument could be made about implementing an EFFECTIVE infrastructure program that is climate friendly. Congress MUST work together to find solutions.
@citizen
Liberals aren't shooting you synagogues.
So both sides are not to blame.
There's NO equivalence.
4
@Stephen Meyer, no it does not cost anywhere close to that level. You are just concocting false numbers. We have not and are not being invaded. That is crazy talk. We had a peak in the year 2000 of people crossing the southern border illegally and the numbers have been dropping for over a decade until last year and the increase was a blip. Of course, Obama administration deported many more than Trump administration so far has.
2
I was consumed by a deep funk for 2 or 3 weeks after the 2016 election. I fear I will again. I try to prepare myself for the unlikely, but still possible, result of a Republican majority in the House after the mid-terms, but it seems to me we "ain't seen nothin' yet" if Trump continues unchallenged by Congress for another two years. God help us, because there isn't any coming from the another Republican Congress.
Thank you, Mr. Kristof, for being the voice of reason in this very disturbing period of time that we find ourselves in. May your readers be able to find their voice of reason within themselves as well.
I enjoy your articles so very much. Keep up the good work.
1
I much admire Mr. Kristoff. A good soul, and smart and insightful. But I take issue with the title of his op-ed today, only because manipulation, deception, fear and blatant lies have been standard in politics all of our lives. Television and telecommunication have simply heightened the ability to indoctrinate, program and produce an electorate who ‘parrot’ advertisements, adopt beliefs about candidates that are typically totally untrue, one wonders if mankind is in fact a sentient being. Money, gerrymandering, celebrity worship facilitate the appalling self-interested legislative bodies people keep electing, most typically against their own best interests. With faint hope, I pray a huge turnout for this midterm election will effect a sysmic change in the members of the Senate and House.
2
All true, and reasonable. Unfortunately, nobody who should read this will even see it, mainly because they DON'T want to see reason. The fear, anger, hate trilogy has been in the US political arena for about two decades but they have been forcefully deployed in the last 6-8 years with intent to twist the vulnerable minds.
Make no mistake about it, there is a war going on between data vs dogma and science vs belief. Regrettably, for many it is easier to lean on the belief systems and embrace the dogma. The next enlightenment period couldn't come sooner!
1
The two great telltales of the US rejoining the real world will be adoption of the Metric measurement system used by all other nations, and official renunciation of the claim that the US operates "under God". It really operates with specific powers delegated by the people to government to be exercised for the benefit of all.
1
And don't demographics and poll-taking show that men tend to be more conservative as a group than women? So doesn't that mean that men are (at least most of them) are constantly more fearful than women?
1
@Mark Why do you equate conservatism with fear? Unlike most of the people reading this, I don't know anyone who's afraid, liberal or conservative. They just have different views on how to do things. Not that big a deal.
@Mark In the US, reactionaries call themselves "conservative" as they conserve nothing. Liberals liberate, conservatives conserve, and reactionaries react like a herd of stampeding cattle.
"But I believe in rationality and our capacity, if warned, to resist manipulation."
I appreciate your optimism in this statement, Nicholas. But the evidence, as indicated by who won the last presidential election, show that you are wrong.
We need more sophisticated strategies than blind optimism to counter the braying legions at Fox, the AM radio spectrum, Roger Ailes media empire, Rupert Murdock's international media empire, the Koch brother's billions, and Sheldon Adelson's billions, to address the manipulation on the easily persuaded masses.
1
Before I had lived outside the USA I truly believed that US health care, seen from a Public Health perspective must be the best in the world.
Now with 18 consecutive years of living in Sweden and therefore monitoring US and international health care, in part as a translator-reviewer-editor for Swedish medical researchers and in part because of interest in the US medical researchers' fixation on "race" as a study variable I know how easy it is to find documentation that US health care loses when seen from Public Health perspective.
Kristof did not have much difficulty finding countries in which various forms of vaccination are carried out far better for the public than in the US.
Just one recommendation, made over and over again, not just by me but by others next to other columns, even today:
Give us these comparisons in table form, not just in isolated sentences, and make those tables accessible over time - long time.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Citizen US SE
6
@Larry Lundgren: Nobody says "a gram of prevention is worth a kilogram of cure" in the US.
Thank you. Journalists and news organizations have difficulty calling out Fox 'News', as if they are 'colleagues' that deserve latitude in their opinions. Fox is not news, and they have given away access to rural cable providers for decades making Fox the only 'news' available in many basic, rural cable packages. For 2 years prior to the 2016 election, Fox railed daily about the Hilary email 'scandal'. Words matter, and eventually it is easier to believe them than to validate them.
Fox is the Republican Propaganda Ministry, and nothing more
3
This article is 100% correct, that the President and the GOP are trying to spread fear and hatred as a reason to vote Republican.
The only thing we have to fear is the Republican Party which has become the most anti American party since Trump became President.
5 days, vote.
3
Not me. I'm an independent who's been "manipulated" right into the arms of the Democratic Party.
7
Thank you Mr. Kristof, if for anything you didn't mention the shooter's name, too bad no one else in your field did the same. Good article.
3
@Margo Channing: I have never
understood this idea that the media
ought not to name these criminals.
what are they supposed to do when
they are reporting the news? will
not naming them bring back the
victims or assuage the pain of their
survivors?let us have the media
do their jobs as well as they can.
1
When the truth becomes lies, those lies soon become the truth, designed to confuse then frighten, then convince those who want to believe the worst to not only believe it but to also believe those who peddle it by promising themselves as the saviors for righting the incorrect wrongs they themselves created.
And what is the single most powerful antidote that strikes the greatest fear into those fear and frenzy mongers?
Your vote.
If you don't, they win.
When you do, they lose.
Make next Tuesday Truth Tuesday for our democracy.
1
There is another emotional dynamic I wonder if anyone has ever studied: annoyance at being manipulated. Everyone knows what that is - it's the feeling you get when a pressure salesman buttonholes you and won't go away.
Now most people would just turn around and leave if they ran into a salesman like Donald Trump on a used-car lot, but somehow, Trump voters are not picking up on being in the same position when it comes to their vote.
Perhaps they can be conned forever, but it might be possible to break through at some point if Democrats would be better at flagging things as political stunts while they are happening, instead of just getting outraged. There is latent resentment at being used ready to be tapped.
2
Check out Thomas Edsall's column today. The views of Republican voters changed from fluid to rock-hard fixed beginning in the 1990s. Guess what cable news network began broadcasting in the mid-90s?
The problem is that these folks have been brainwashed for about 20 years. To reverse that, if possible, will take years...if we survive that long.
2
I wish your stories were all fake news but am convinced they aren't. What what worries me more, and I feel free to write this because it is true in Europe as much as it is in the US, that we're wasting our time paying so much attention to the fearmongering populists (as you say: quite possibly even helping them) that we don't get around to getting our own effective story together and across. So: less "them" and more "us" perhaps?
4
Are you kidding Mr. Kristoff? If there wasn't FOX news, there would be no reporting balance.
I never saw it before the 2016 runup, but glaringly, mainstream media promoted Clinton and liberal politics constantly. And as intelligent viewers can understand, if the owners of these stations are Liberals, then the slant of the news reflects. Same as with newspapers: The Times, has been after the President from the getgo. The public sees this. I never watched FOX news until after the election!
8
What a rambling diatribe from Kristof that is scattered with some good sense as well as some nonsense.
First, let’s call out and recognize gestures - good and bad - for just being that, gestures. HIAS may be a wonderful organization, but it getting a one time influx of funding due to the Squirrel Hill mass shooting is just an attempt by Kristoff and others to feel they’re doing something in the face of the daunting and overwhelming horror of it all. Noble, but ultimately ineffectual. People of good will should be giving year in and year out to those charitable organizations who’s mission they relate to.
Gestures also go for the negative, the gist of this piece, such as Trump’s decision to send troops to the border. As Kristof rightly points out, this is a complete waste of money that could be better allocated to other needs.
However, what Trump’s action does buy right in to is the on going sense of crisis that many Americans feel about our immigration policies and border patrol. Here, I believe Trump and the Republicans are right that we need comprehensive immigration reform before we start letting more masses of immigrants in to the US. Kristof disagrees with that. That’s a policy difference that rightly should be determined by our election choices.
Yet, the optics of the immigrant caravan has been used by Republicans to highlight how porous our borders are perceived to be, much to the chagrin of Democrats.
Voters are only being fooled as much as they want to be.
5
@Common Sense
If the GOP, or more accurately, their wealthy business interest benefactors who benefit greatly from immigration, legal or otherwise, (a cheap, easily intimidated labor pool? bring it on!) really wanted immigration reform, we would've had it already - probably 10+ years ago.
No, the GOP uses immigration as a wedge issue and a distraction from their actual theft from the Treasury and gutting of any and all regulations and funding for the social safety net, education, infrastructure, etc.
1
The tried and true republican strategy: lie, scare and lie. Now we have someone who thinks he has top billing in the best rated reality show of all time. We see someone who promotes himself first, who even speaks of himself in the third person. Someone who thinks he can sign an executive order to undo a constitutional amendment. We see someone who can , like the carnival barker that he is, talk people out of democratic notions and ideals. Yes, he is successful - he is scaring me.
3
Yes, voters are being manipulated, but we have to ask ourselves what is it about the voters that allows this manipulation. It takes two to dance this dance. We are forced to ask ourselves, "What is wrong with us that would allow this to occur?" In the near future, we will be able to answer that question.
Soon we're going to program the human mind in the computer, which will provide irrefutable proof that the mind's operation is based on a "survival" algorithm that we have tricked with our ridiculous beliefs about what is supposed to survive - producing minds programmed de facto for destruction. When we com to understand this, we will begin the long trek back to reason and sanity.
See RevolutionOfReason.com
2
This year I had the occasion to live in Columbia, SC for several months. A merry band of retired liberal 70-something women brought me to every Confederate Flag protest, Anti-NRA rally, women's rights march held in the city. It was illuminating.
The white male poor working class (they're not middle class by any definition) I met needed to believe that they were important again. They did so, consciously or otherwise, by attaching themselves to a hate filled movement.
Times were good for the white southern male ego under W. He was a good old boy, just like them! Alas, then came Barack. The Obama effect is real, and still motivates Trump's base. Obama's mere election stoked resentment, fear and hate in the hearts of far too many white men in the south. How can any self respecting white man be lead by someone who should be a slave? Thinking they were better than the black man was the last bit of pride these whites have to hold onto.
Enter savior Trump! The same marginalized poor white men feel a new level of skyrocketing importance because of him.
It doesn't matter to the Trumpster base that he lies to them. What matters is that Trump's southern "base" believes he makes them feel relevant and important. Hate, it seems, is the ultimate unifier for Donnie.
4
We focus so much on Donald Trump and his supporters and thereby overlook and fail to scrutinize the purveyors of Trump's hatefulness, the propaganda arm of the Republican Party, primarily Fox News.
Fox News traffics in lies, distortions, conspiracy theories, many of which they fabricate. Pointing this out is not news, nothing new.
But, Instead of just reiterating this truth, how about asking, "What is the ultimate agenda of a propaganda outlet that is devoted to inciting hate towards Democrats, distrust of our government and institutions, the promotion of racial divisiveness, the subjugation of women?"
I would answer, such a propaganda outlet is un-American, anti-democracy, pro-authoritarian, anti-The People, pro-The 1%.
Fox News is not accidentally veering away from American values, it is not skeptical of American values, it hates American values, it is out to destroy American values.
What is Fox News if not the tool of our enemies?
Of course Fox News is not alone. It's subversion of America has many allies. Limbaugh, Hannity, Carlson, Ingram, the Republican Party and others.
We must be honest with ourselves. Trump is dangerous. His supporters are dangerous. But what has created the room for their harm is Fox News, et al.
If we are to save America we must go beyond taking back Congress, we must go beyond cleaning the White House of Trump.
We must learn a lesson from the last 2 years. The existential threat to America is Fox News et al. We need to end this threat.
2
Yes, voters are being manipulated, but by whom?
I encourage people to explore the web. In particular look at the Wikipedia article for the migrant caravans.
A disturbing point is that previous migrant caravans were supported by Pueblo sim Fronteras, an immigrant rights group which seems to be centered in the US, funded presumably by donations by liberals who want to push for open borders.
According to Wikipedia, "the October 2018 caravan was not directly organized by Pueblo Sin Fronteras, with the group instead offering logistical support."
This is a strange wording. To what extent is Pueblo Sin Fronteras trying to incite unrest, and create an immigration incident to challenge the government to defend the border?
George Soros funds other groups which argue for immigrant rights, but his involvement with Pueblo Sim Fronteras is not clear, at least to me.
Of course, it is appropriate for Trump to oppose political actions of Soros. This might have nothing to do with Soros being a Jew who survived the holocaust.
But Trump's rhetoric is inflammatory. To what extent does he know that statements that Soros might be involved could be misinterpreted?
However, it is a major leap to draw the conclusion that Jews are implicated, since people of all religions have political views that run the gamut.
To me, it seems that many groups are partially responsible for the toxic political environment, including Pueblo sim Fronteras.
It seems unfair to blame only Trump.
3
Amen. Now how do we preach this to other than our own choir?
2
Ignorance is bliss, exploitation of such people is an effective political strategy.
Tapping into the frustration which comes from an inability to succeed in an era which requires a higher level of intellectual capacity comes with risks, but some leaders don't care.
Currently the people who back the Don are enjoying being part of the power drunk mob, the fact that they are trashing their own house hasn't sunk in. Once they sober up, they will insist the "snow flakes" and the "smart ones" to fix the problem.
I know I will try to help, because that is what a patriotic American does. Not because it will be easy, but because it is the right thing to do.
1
Those portions of the human mind that are not filled with educated thoughts, analysis, objectivity and curiosity will be filled with fear, hatred, delusion and a need for simplicity.
Dictators know that and depend on it.
Unfortunately for those in the former group, 35 percent of Americans fit into the latter group and have a dictator in place who is dead set on filling up the vast expanses of his obedient followers' unused minds with absurd conspiracy pablum.
1
I have two words: Pat Salazar. Look it up and read what this brave man did. This Bolivian immigrant died this week saving a woman he didn’t know. The man assailing the woman turned his violence on Mr Salazar and beat him to death.
Tell me about the occasional bad apple that comes to America and I’ll tell you about the bushel of good ones that Make America Great (no need for the again part because it never stopped being).
1
There is a saying that you can't con an honest man.Trump and Fox couldn't manipulate people who have no objection to being manipulated.There is no way that anybody with a room temperature IQ does not know Trump is lying about most things he says.The problem is Trump's base does not care if he is lying or not. Trump's base are not the victims of Trump's lies they are volunteers. If we were able to be honest we would ask ourselves if you vote for a racist what does that make you? Remember after WWII Eisenhower made the good people of Germany walk through the camps.He made them do that to let them know that their hands were not clean.Trump has put to rest the lie that we are in a post racial America.
2
Fear sells the guns...which make us more fearful, so we buy more guns to feel safer...and more people get shot...which makes us more fearful.
5
My happy go lucky 102 year old Mother-In-Law has now become a frightened, unhappy, and negative American as a result of all of this misinformation. How sad is this? She was smart, upbeat, optimistic and well read, what happened? And how do I convince her that she need not feel this way?
107
@Yolanda: First, congratulations to you and to your mother-in-law!
We indeed live in a frightening, unhappy, negative time, but here in the US we have so much to be upbeat and optimistic about. Most of all, we have each other, people whose ancestors brought their cultures here from all over the world. If we cherish what they have given us, we will reject those who would divide us.
Advise your mother-in-law to vote on Tuesday for those who are smart and well-read. Bring her to the polls yourself. Whether or not the results help her to feel happy-go-lucky again, she should know that by voting, she shows that even at 102, she cares about those who will have to put us back together. Thank you.
19
@Yolanda give it time
1
@Yolanda Maybe find a way to get rid of her TV.
13
Of course voters are being manipulated. That's how we got Trump in the first place.
2
What disappoints me more than anything Trump and the Republicans could do to this country is how the educational system and parents failed their children.
Because, anyone with a modicum of ability when it comes to reasoning and critical thinking shouldn't be duped by the fear mongering and lies perpetrated by Trump, the Republican party and Fox News.
And if people can't reason, think critically and evaluate, they've been failed somewhere along the way.
3
Thank you. I live walking distance to the border with Mexico. I literally can see Mexico from my back porch.
We are NOT being invaded. We do not need 15,000 armed troops here.
3
“There’s a risk that in responding to the incitement, I am amplifying Trump’s message.”
Mr Kristof, your columns are usually well written and frequently address serious issues that are off the national political radar. However, it doesn’t matter what he says, it’s working. The media - all of the media - pick it up and run with it, regardless of interpretation.
I see much of the media as passive, awaiting “news” and filling column space. Why are the media not seeking and pushing people and politicians to speak about healthcare, infrastructure, emerging industries, education and teachers’ pay, destruction of public lands and resources, veteran services and homelessness, urban regeneration, drug costs, pollution, or a host of other issues?
Forget about Trump. Each utterance is not newsworthy. If he stumbles upon something relevant, great, go get it. But he’s sucking the oxygen out of the room with his diversions and deflections.
Repeating his lies not only reinforces his messages, it gives credence to them. Just stop. Serve the public interest. Right now the public is not interested in Trump’s ignorance of the world, the nation, or the Constitution.
3
It seems so obvious to people outside the Trump / Fox bubble that they are manipulating these people. Trump is a very talented con man, and Fox makes an effective propaganda machine to keep the scam going.
It seems so obvious that Trump is lying, and it seems so obvious he has little interest in anything except for his personal gain. Why do people believe him ? Is it an intelligence thing ? Do they WANT to believe he will help them, so the look past the obvious ? Can they not see the scam ?
The trump situation has gone past sad, and is full into scary territory.
2
Trump is showing his incompetence by doing his closing arguments in very safe, extremely red districts. He doesn’t seem to realize that there are places in CA, WA, and OR where there are historically GOP districts and Trump is nowhere to be seen in these places.
While Dems should know not to be overconfident until the last vote is counted, next Tuesday will be part of the slow unraveling Trumpism.
3
..."Trump's nonsense...arouses primal, unconscious fears in white voters that make them more likely to vote Republican." Come on, Mr. Kristof, this is not Trump's game plan. Trump doesn't want his base to vote, he's inciting them to attack. It's apparent that our 2nd Civil War has already begun to anyone who's been paying attention. There will be blood in the streets in the coming weeks. American democracy must now rely on our armed forces deciding to protect and defend our constitution. If the military decides instead to obey their commander-in-chief, our cherished way of life will be dead by Christmas.
Trump is trying to instill fear in his base.They are supposed to be fearful of immigrants, the “fake press” and liberals.Why doesn’t he give them something real to be fearful of.How about being fearful that 46 or more people die of an opioid overdose everyday or how about being fearful that 96 individuals are killed by guns in the United States each day.His base are more likely to face drugs and guns than they are immigrants.Trump is manipulating his base to be fearful of others but will not let them know of the real problems they face.
1
What do you mean "trying?" They are succeeding all too often.
Mr Kristof
Your commentary demonstrates the fact that ignorance has a higher price to pay than education.
There has been a deliberate attempt to render the majority of Americans as ignorant as possible by rendering access to higher education nearly impossible due to extortionate tuition rates encouraged by the federal government.
To cap things off, the United States also has a stridently anti-intellectual president who only uses gut instincts to guide his policy. America is in more dire straits than we care to think.
And yes, similar cracks in the edifice of democracy can be seen in France as well whose president feels we are on the cusp of a possible third world war....
1
"There’s a risk that in responding to the incitement, I am amplifying Trump’s message."
Trump voters aren't paying any attention to this column. You're just preaching to the choir.
Now, if you could regularly get on Fox and talk about these issues, that could make some headway where it really counts. If not, be composed and rational and expose them for the cowards that they are because they refuse to talk with you.
3
Ah yes disease and pestilence. Right around the corner. And the uptick in new Measles cases? Compliments of American families refusing to get their kids vaccinated. How many troops are needed to fight that scourge? Wonder what that $35 million could do for a dangerous bridge in the rust belt? Or flying all those people down to Florida so Trump can play golf. How much does that cost? And all those dangerous caravan members. What, exactly, will those troops do when they arrive? Gun them down? Force them back into the Rio Grande to drown? Or just stand there and look at them. A Mexican standoff as it were. Watch what happens.....November 7th, another few millions will be used sending them back to their bases. No longer needed. They need to train and study up. There's another election in two years. They will be needed again. To fight off invading destitute women and children. Can't have all those soldiers and all that technology sitting around getting rusty.
1
Thank you for not naming the suspects in these cases.
1
The Democrats don’t manipulate voters?
4
@Chris: Nobody does "You did it first!" in a more consistently juvenile manner than Trump's bawling minions.
2
I hear you. However, Fox and Trump are not manipulating these voters. Fox and Trump are giving legitimacy to hate already there. Hate based on race, religion, nationality, on everything that is perceived as "different".
That America was already there. Now they have a leader to follow for that leader's personal gain. The "manipulated" feel free and entitled to act with violence. Fox is just enjoying the power and the access.
1
Who is not??Manipulating??
2
The press shares a good deal of the responsibility for the spread of these tools of manipulation. I am starting to see networks calling out Fox news finally for the propaganda machine that they have been for years. Finally. This should be called out every day and detailed as propaganda with a major news special or show(s) detailing their tactics. This should include the web outlets, "news" orgs, etc. Until the press checks it's peers, they will continue to have free reign to distort the message and manipulate those who are vulnerable or willing to listen. Unless of course they are afraid of stones coming their way?
2
In other news: water is wet, Jeff Bezos is rich, and Donald Trump has been known to tell lies.
3
The demo Mob party left me and my moderate values a long time ago.
The only con job is leftists trying to con moderates that they represent American values.
3
@obummer: What do you value? Please don't answer with a tautology.
According to Mr. Kristof, anyone whose thoughts, opinions and beliefs differ from his own are easily manipulated rubes marching in lock-step like lemmings to the sea. I would submit that indeed it is the Democrats who do the manipulating as they have a lock on the minority vote by using just such tactics—“the greedy Republicans will not support you cradle-to-grave like we will.” For your information Bill, there are many highly educated, socially liberal people in this country who voted for Trump PRESISELY because thy so ardently oppose illegal immigration.
4
Thanks for your piece, Mr. Kristof. I read it--then something occurred to me.
So--I clicked out of The New York Times (online) and went to YouTube. To look up something.
Something being Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical "South Pacific." Ring any bells?
"You have to be taught to hate and fear--
You have to be taught from year to year.
It has to be drummed in your dear little ear--
You have to be carefully taught.
"You have to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are differently made.
Of people whose skin is a different shade.
You have to be carefully taught."
And so, Japanese children in the 1930's were carefully taught--to hate and loathe people in China. To focus their energies (someday) on KILLING those people.
German children were carefully taught to detest and abominate the Jews. Learn to accept their steady disappearance from German life. Learn (in a few cases) to PARTICIPATE in that--um--disappearance.
And we all remember with what zeal, with what application the Hutus in Rwanda learned their own dreadful lessons. They learned them well. Oh so well!
You see where all this is leading.
Our President--God help us!--our President is now leading the class.
The GOP--God help us!--are all classroom aides.
Fox News--but you see where this is going.
And so many Americans--
--TOO MANY AMERICANS!--
--are picking it up.
Day by day.
Year by year.
And so--to repeat myself--
--God help us!
2
Politicians manipulate voters? When did this start?
I had no idea.
3
Words of admonishment tend to fall on deaf ears, as Polonius found. Some of the most painful lessons of life seem to be learned the hard way. Those on the far right, the Trumpists, the White Nationalists, all those who have thrown their support behind bigotry, hatred, and chaos will continue to do what they are now doing until their own choices start hurting them --- really hurting. Then and only then will they begin to awaken to the truth and stop allowing themselves to be snookered. It's a shame that that's what it will take, but this is life -- some people always need to learn the hard way.
Currently, Fox News is the provider of Trump's Official Daily Briefings, as Trump finds the government provided briefings too boring and tedious to read.
Whatever conspiracy theory is getting good ratings is the topic of the day. No facts or proof needed if numbers are good.
If it stokes fear, anger and resentment, viewership goes up.
Trump is set, and Fox will back up whatever he says, since he's repeating what Fox & Friends told him.
Republicans are good with it.
McConnell and Ryan look the other way as Trumps spews evermore hate and lies and fact-free statements.
The GOP's main tactic, convincing the lowest white person they are better than the best minority person, is out in the open and and there's no need for restraint or political correctness.
During the Bush/Cheney years, Fox News and Republicans coordinated coverage and talking points. Now Fox News is the official Trump Cheerleader channel. A 24/7 infusion of lies and hate, much of it with pretty women to watch while you listen.
Works great.
Every Republican in office, from Trump on down, has broken their Oath of Office. They claim "America First", but it's really "Older White GOP Males First, Screw Everyone Else."
Vote Democratic on Tuesday.
Every seat, every office.
Changing Majorities in Congress is our best course of action.
Vote.
1
Trump and Fox don;t need to scare anyone into voting Republican - white or otherwise.
The paragons of leftist progressivism - Hillary Clinton, Dianne Feinstein, Barack Obama, and Nancy Pelosi - have already handled it.
They're relentless ideologues, tone deaf, and ruthless - and the rest of the nation has awakened and taken notice.
Thus, the election results of the past ten years: the elitist lefties have lost control of the House, then the Senate, and finally the Presidency.
3
While Fox News reporters have been abominable in pushing the caravan scare for the past several weeks, there has been one notable exception – Shepard Smith, who on Monday declared on his 3 pm program “There is no invasion. No one’s coming to get you. There’s nothing at all to worry about.” He went on to add, “Tomorrow the migrants, according to Fox News reporting, are more than two months away — if any of them actually come here. But tomorrow is one week before the midterm election, which is what all of this is about.”
So, let’s give the guy credit for being a voice of reason at a network, which is joined at the hip with a president, who happens to be the most preposterous liar to have occupied the Oval Office since the founding of the republic. After November 6, when we are remembering the many heroes that saved America from blatant and crass manipulation, let’s not forget to acknowledge Shep Smith’s contribution. It will help in bringing the country together.
2
And the NYTimes is trying to scare voters into voting against him. I'm not seeing a real difference.
3
The Republican Party and 45, faced with the incontrovertible, immutable fact that persons of colour are the fastest growing segment of America, revert to yet another new low in the descending nadir of racial demagoguery. Absolutely positively right. The GOP and 45 desperately incite, foment and engender divisive racial fear mongering, desperate xenophobia, and extreme anti immigrant backlash. Bluntly speaking, look at the itinerary the GOP and 45 focus on for the remaining 6 days. They know the that the intellectual capacity of those supporters in those states are especially limited, motivated simply by preserving, protecting, and defending their Caucasian privilege, though woefully lacking in higher education. Their pale racial complexion is their sole ticket to privilege., armed with the false belief of racial superiority and unjustified entitlement.This recent expression by the diminutively short, small handed chief executive is not new. Race has been, is, and shall remain at the forefront of GOP politics. The statement that he was told, presumably by undisclosed leading experts, he had the authority to issue an order, obviously failed constitutional law or refused to read Dred Scott, the series of Civil Rights Acts enacted post-Civil War, and is clueless about Reconstruction and Plessy v. Ferguson. The GOP and 45 conveniently refuse to disclose their identities because they don't exist. Those counseling 45 share this racial superiority agenda & program. Race matters.
2
Ailes was an evil genius. he figured out
that the average cable viewer was a white
male age 45 to 75 years. then he found
attractive women willing to make a deal
with the devil. he would pay them well
in return for them showing off enough
of themselves just this short of indecent
exposure and parroting any right wing
garbage he put in their mouths.he then
added male blowhards, names withheld,
and surrounded them with stunning blonds,
many of whom later sued for sexual harassment. 30 years later and slightly
poorer(though still making obscene
profits) the formula is still working,
appropriately, for Donald Trump.
2
..."scholars find that simply raising identity issues turns whites more conservative."
I do hope that the activist wing of the Democratic party will take this in and be advised.
1
Trump gaming his voters? Say it isn't so.
Mr Kristof - I would like to know why Rupert Murdoch isn’t held to account for running a propaganda network. Every time anyone in the legitimate media refers to Fox News, they should say Rupert Murdoch’s Fox “News” (with News in quotes). This guy Murdoch makes millions off of gullible people yet is never held accountable. He should be dragged in front of Congress to testify as to how and why his network is allowed to spew whatever garbage he chooses, and then to put an end to it. Having him own and run a “news” organization is no different than if Putin we’re doing it instead. There is a difference between airing different points of view but Rupert Murdoch’s Fox “News” broadcasts is pure propaganda.
1
Fascism in full swing right before our eyes.
2
Of course the NYT and its columnists and writers do not attempt to manipulate people into voting for Democrats.
Never.
Right.
4
Gee, and when I read the headline, I thought the NYT was finally going to confess to being a propaganda outlet for the Democratic Party. Silly me.
4
Yes. And the NYT, WP, CNN, and MSNBC are not trying to maneuver white voters into voting by Democrats, by scrupulously avoiding innuendo that the most pro-Israel and pro-Jewish president in history is dog-whistling racists, and by never seeking to link in people's minds the association between a desire for national borders with racism. Also, through never labeling of any political view that is not doctrinaire left, such a desire for restrictions on third trimester abortions, as SIXHIRB -- sexist, Islamophobic, xenophobic, homophobic, intolerant, racist, and bigoted.
3
The NYT wants us to believe that we are being manipulation.
The NYT is trying to manipulate people into voting for Democrats. I guess anyone who votes for the GOP are white supremacists, including all the non white people who voted as well.
What message do the Democrats have for us? Higher Taxes, letting illegal migrants in their thousands enter the USA everyday. Yet it's a non story for those living in New York of course because they are not dealing with these illegals. I'd like for them all to move to NY and start living in your homes.
4
Four days after the worst known anti-Semitic attack in the nation’s history—the massacre of 11 worshippers in a synagogue—Donald Trump again today repeated the same anti-Semitic propaganda that the killer believed and that drove him to commit this atrocity.
Anyone who enables this despicable administration has blood on their hands.
1
Really tired of hearing about White Fear. People of color in America live in fear daily. Will their sons make it home from school? Will someone call the cops while walking while black and such. Pandering to White Fear is like playing a record that keeps playing the same old song over and over
3
More evidence that "Fox News" is not and never has been a news channel. It is Republican right wing propaganda channel masquerading as a news channel that would have made Goebbels proud. How so many people can dumb enough not to realize this is astonishing.
3
The Times has an article this morning about the democrats trying to figure out Ohio. What is there to figure out? Do the democrats have a position on various issues? Why not just tell the people of Ohio what they plan to do? Trying to figure out Ohio suggests a type of manipulation is coming. Just tell people what you stand for. How hard is it to understand that? Enough with the manipulation techniques based on fakey psychology.
2
The emotionalism in this essay is the real problem, not whether white (and other voters) are being scared into supporting Trump.
I think it's common sense to believe that not all the migrants will be seeking asylum.
It is feasible there might be criminals among them. They are on a voyage north with nothing to lose but greater chances for criminality in the U.S.
It is feasible there are going to be numbers of them merely seeking economic opportunity, but they just don't want to wait in line like everyone else.
These people number in the thousands. Who knows who they are, what they will say, and how they are being coached.
It is common sense to recognize that incentives matter. Make it easier for the caravan members to enter, and more will flood the border.
What if they become violent? How persuasive will that make their cause? Will that make them look more like an invasion or not?
Americans need to learn their history. A lot of people don't remember the aftermath Mariel boat lift of 1980. Idealism and naivete led Americans to believe these were Cuban refugees fleeing oppression. It was only afterwards that it was discovered numbers of them were prisoners and patients of mental facilities released as part of a safety valve so that the U.S. might deal with Cuba's problem population.
3
In his November 2016 interview with Leslie Stahl, Donald Trump reportedly admitted he disparages news media to bulletproof himself from criticism and boost his credibility among supporters.
Stahl said Trump responded on this topic as follows: “You know why I do it? I do it to discredit you all and demean you all so that when you write negative stories about me, no one will believe you.”
That alleged statement speaks volumes on how shallow Trump is and how utterly despicable his 'winning at all costs' approach is.
2
Is it fear or more malignant than that, looking for scapegoats to justify an in-bred historical malevolence toward others? I don't think Republicans are scared, most of them are well armed and many, though not all, are looking for fake reasons to excuse their nastiness. A proportion of them are looking for excuses to justify their violence against, and oppression of, those they do not like, even hate.
Really, sending the best armed troops in the world to the Mexican border to threaten a rag tag bunch of poverty stricken brown refugees heading north and crowing about it? This is one of the most embarrassing and bullying things a US adminstration has done since the Grenada invasion. Someone in Washington must not give a hoot about these optics or the inevitable future foreign policy repurcussions for American citizens at home and abroad.
1
I just spent 30 minutes reading comments on the foxnews website (3 different opinion pieces).
I am now on my way to take a nice hot shower.
God help you people.
1
The clicking truck is not a focus on scarin’ white folk..... but a devastating wising up of the Black and Hispanic electorate. The Democratic Party is running out of chumped over suckers
2
Republicans play the game better than democrats, it’s just a fact.
Dems will trip right before the finish line as usual.
2
Niccolò Machiavelli would be ashamed by this mockery of his genius.
‘On Principalities’ primarily argues the “hearts and minds” approach. Unfortunately, no one actually cares what a sovereignty is.
Ironic that this is happening on the 80th anniversary of Orson Welles' "War of the World" broadcast. The same people who had never either thought or heard of "Martians" before, were grabbing their guns, and the further away away from ground zero, Grovers Mill NJ, the more hysterical they were. Today, their equally ignorant grandchildren, many rarely having even met a Jew or Hispanic are defending the homestead. Welles, who denied it was ever his intention to cause a panic, and Trump who revels in it, both understood the yahoos they were dealing with.
1
No, no, a thousand times no. I'm not a Republican, but I can truly understand and even sympathize with them, what is going on is a form of blackmail. Personally, I can (and do) go without their religion(s) and the "Holier than Thou" attitude that usually accompanies them. Plus, I'll listen to a scientist, long before I'll take any advice from either a religious figure or a radio talk show host.
But what really gets to me, and many others I know, is that apparently, they feel that the biggest insult, the most degrading thing that they can call someone now, is a racist. You don't like 25 illegal aliens living in a 3 bedroom house next door to you, with the heavy traffic, many cars, noise and attendant problems like property values, I guess that makes me a racist. I don't like it when construction companies go out of business, when things are BOOMING here, because the owner does the right thing and hires legal, American citizens, but cannot put a competitive bid out against someone that hires guys under the table with no benefits or protections for his crew. But that makes me a racist. When we demand that the police do something about having the highest hit and run numbers in the country, directly related to unlicensed, uninsured drivers, resulting in much higher insurance premiums for the rest of us, we're called racists. I guess we are.
4
I gave up a long LONG time ago telling Trump supporting Republicans they were being conned or “manipulated” as you so politely put it. I have resigned myself to hopelessness because Trumps con has proven over and over to run much to deep to have any hope of people snapping out of their catatonic stupors. You will drive yourself crazy trying to convince Trump supporting Republicans that they are being played so I have given up and cast my hope upon the next generation. It will take decades for the Trump administrations corruption to rise to the top and I surely do not envy future Trump historians because boy oh boy do they have their handsful!
1
I'm a fan of yours Nicholas but this column seems stale news. Trump got elected by frightening White voters and he hasn't stopped since.
So to say that the Republicans are trying to frighten White voters into voting Republican simply states the obvious, that older White men are easily manipulated by a lying con man.
Perhaps you might want to consider writing a column on why older White men are so easily frightened by Trump's lies when nothing he ever says to frighten them is true.
Sorry, couldn't get past the headline..."trying"? This in not news.
They ARE NOT Immigrants.....they are coming here Illegally with the intent to BREAK our Sovereign Border and Laws to gain Rightful entry into our Country....the only Voters who are being Manipulated are the Democratic Voters with a GUILT TRIP being played on them by Big Media End of Story!
2
It seems that across the world those who tolerate lies and ignorance of the most obvious facts will support those with money and political influence who spread those lies and ignorance.
The fault we all must face is fundamental - our tolerance of falsehoods and hatred no matter what the source. Education is really the only hope we have to stop the power of lies and ignorance, but you can't teach those who don't want to learn and would rather celebrate their own intolerant ignorance.
It is not that Trump is a hypocrite, a liar, racist and xenophobe. It is his cluelessness that is most disconcerting.
Although we have suffered horror during many weeks during the Trump reign of terror , few weeks have rivaled last week’s for horror and sorrow. Had a mad bombing Trump supporter not been inept, he would have perpetrated the worst political assassination spree in our history. A racist murdered two African Americans, and a self proclaimed “nationalist” murdered 11 Jews at prayer on the Sabbath.
The latter murderer did so in derrogation of immigrants in particular the “mitzvah” of resettling refugees that the Pittsburgh congregation supported.
Trump decries hate and denounces political,violence. He places stones on the mock tombstones of the victims of such hate and violence.
Immediately after his “paying his respects” to those murdered in the name hatred of immigrants he foments more hatred by maliciously lying about the threat posed by the “caravan”of desperate people seeking refuge from violence in their homeland.
His nearly three year campaign demonizing immigrants unleashed irrational fear into the already divisive political atmosphere. Instead of learning from the deadly consequences of of stoking this fear and the resulting hatred, Trump resumes his vicious campaign against a phantom menace.
Was Trump complicit in last week’s carnage? Of course. But now that he mourned with the victims of his malicious folly, he has
run out of excuses.
1
Think about it. It only takes a moment. But fear cancels out thinking.
We are some 330 million strong and Trump wants us to fear perhaps 3,000 mostly starving men, women and children whose only crime has been to seek a better life? Bring out 10,000 troops to face this 'terror'? At how much cost? There is much more 'threat' that a few terrorists might sneak across our Canadian border while we look at the brown skinned people travelling in Mexico. But Trump would have us fear Canada as well.
It is so absurd as to be almost laughable and Trump would be laughable if he did not pose such a real threat to our internal Democracy. But I am preaching to the choir. Vote and lets stick together as we challenge the real threat from this mad man.
Yes, these voters are white. I am white and male and disagree with everything Trump and his hateful ilk represent. I don’t wish to lumped in with this mindless mob. We need to find another name for his blind followers and the people who watch FOX for anything other than a laugh. Maybe the President latched onto a good tittle: Nationalists. It doesn’t offend. It isolates that sort of racist undertones of the movement and it has the advantage of both FOX and it’s loyal viewers wearing it proudly. FOX can change its slogan from Fair and Balanced, which it never was to: The Proud Home of Nationalism since 1996.
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@Tedsams
And finish off the slogan with, "Arbeit Macht Frei."
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@Tedsams, we already have a word (or two) for this. These people are fascists. They are latching onto 'nationalism' cuz you COULD think of it as a good term. Nazi, fascist, dictator, white supremacist, racist..... Why do I have to worry about offending people like that?
You say it isolates that sort of racist undertones of the movement....
That's precisely why we call out 'nationalism' as the fascist ideology it truly is. Let's call out the racist undertones of this movement!!
After all, the mantra of nationalism is "Jew(s) will not replace us!" chanted by polo shirt wearing, identical nazi haircut-wearing, torch carrying proud boys, no? Sheesh, FOX can call them simply nationalists, but we in the real world will call them fascists.
My 2 uncles died in WWII fighting fascism in Europe. My grandfather was driven out of his country for being a Jew. Our military-worshipping society now would throw that away for someone like trump?? Not my family!!
trump likes 'strong' leaders like Hitler, and would call him to congratulate him on his election victory like he did Bolsonaro in Brazil.
Nationalism is the opposite of America!!
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@Ted Pikul
I beg your pardon? Is there something other than respect my fellow human beings that I should be doing? Yes I am sure and I would direct your pro bono and insults to people who deserve it.
3
And yet invasion remains an accurate description of the caravan. Most of its member are military aged men. Factor in chain migration and you start looking at D-Day numbers, at the very least Omaha Beach numbers. If Omaha Beach - part of the unauthorised entry of Allied Forces into Europe, wasn't an invasion then what pray tell was it? The big difference is Omaha Beach was justified. This caravan not so much!
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@Andrew Mason
Most of its members are women, children, and male teenagers fleeing gangs. To call this an invasion is to have vision clouded by fear and propaganda. A lot of easily panicked people is a recipe for disaster.
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@Andrew Mason
You are comparing an organized invasion by Allies to bring freedom and safety to Europe to a ragtag group of poor men who are seeking safety from crime, poverty and oppression. I'm not sure how you got there, and not interested enough to figure it out. The "military age" men are no threat; you know that.
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@Andrew Mason
Sorry Andrew, from what I see, most of the invaders are poor women, and children in rags trying to escape oppression. I am embarrassed that the mightiest nation in the world is considering throwing as many as 10,000 trooops against this "threatening horde". This is so obviously a political ploy to satisfy his base.
1
Kristoff is always bending over backwards to empathetically understand Trump voters, implicitly arguing it’s the Democrats fault for their allegiance to Trump, and that Democrats have failed them. He also dislikes unions, who are important for getting working people to understand their interests lie with the Democrats. I can’t take him seriously.
I am so proud to be living in America even though the few liberals left in this land are hopelessly outnumbered by conservatives who consider normal rational behavior a serious disease. I could do worse if I lived in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan.
So Trump is using our tax dollars and the military for his own political purposes. What a shock. Color me furious.
Your argument would be persuasive, except the alternative is that you among the many other writers at the NYTs "manipulate" in the exact opposite direction in the framing of every story portraying Trump as a monster, etc. There is not even the slightest attempt to offer a neutral frame in every editorial and almost every news story. This dynamic has forced me to try to read multiple news agencies in order to find some semblance of what might really be going on -- typically reading both Fox News and the NYT, and assuming the truth is likely in between.
1
"As I’ve written, most in the shrinking caravan will never enter the United States and they would amount to less than one-tenth of 1 percent of immigrants this year."
So what? The real problem with these caravans are that they are emblematic of the mindset of both illegal immigrants coming from Latin America and their apologists in the US such as the NYT. The mindset is this: The US is obligated to allow unlimited numbers of people to enter this country at any time, regardless of what American law says, regardless of what American citizens may want, and most of all regardless of what common sense dictates. And for good measure, any American who dares question any of the above is labeled a "xenophobe", "racist" and the like. Enough is enough. Build that wall.
3
URGENT message for Donald Trump, Commander-in-Chief, United States.
We in Australia are alarmed by the imminent invasion you say is facing your country on its southern border. Since we have fought along side you in every war in which you have been involved in the last one hundred years, we won't let you down this time.
Please advise as quickly as possible the nature of the invading force - details such as the number of troops, the armaments in their possession (including tanks and the like), the likely air power they have have (numbers and types of aircraft), support provided to them by naval vessels, etc. Is there any chance that they may be in possession of chemical or nuclear weapons?
Any other information you can provide which would help us make rational choices and decisions should be sent as quickly as possible. For example, at what speed is the invading force traveling?
Should the impending invasion require the mobilization of an international coalition, we would be pleased to speak on your behalf at the United Nations or directly to our partner countries in the Afghanistan theatre.
The integrity of the United States cannot be compromised! Fear not - we are with you!
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God bless you, my Aussie friend, I knew we could count on you. Early reconnaissance of the invasion force seems to indicate that they are poorly armed, poorly fed, and poorly trained. However they do have one very powerful weapon, one that poses a grave threat to America: they are brown. Therefore, we would greatly appreciate rapid deployment of multiple tanker trucks of Benoquin Cream to be used for dermatological warfare. G’day, mate.
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To BWS, brilliant piece of writing, mate, can't wait to hear Mike Pompeo's response. The Aussies have always had our backs, WW1 and 2, Korea, Vietnam, and now, The Southern Border. Ready to leave the motherland, travel thousands of miles across the ocean and lay down their lives in defense of Western Democracy. I only hope they get here in time, you know, before we're overrun.
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@BWS I LOVE IT!!
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Why shouldn't Trump say outrageous stupid things all the time when Democrats and the NY Times take the bait over, and over, and over again?
1
How is it possible to fool so many people with such blatemts lies. There more to this than ignorance.
If voters really believe Trump's babble, or his Fox News Pravda, they deserve what they get.
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@Christy, if only trump voters got what they deserve, we'd all be happy. Unfortunately, trump and his cowardly congress critters affect us ALL.
I and other Americans, for whom facts matter, do NOT deserve what his minions howl for.
23
@Christy
Unfortunately if Trump voters get what they deserve, I do too.
12
@Christy I would agree with you in that they deserve what they get. However, I don't want to live with the results of their ignorance e.g. Trump and soulless Republicans.
11
Things couldn't be clearer to the American voter than they are now. Mitch McConnell spelled it out for us plain and simply.
If you are not concerned about social security, medicare, or medicaid, vote for supporters of this current administration.
Also, If you want the continued ignoring of global warming, and not concerned about the increased intensity of storms, vote GOP.
If you are content that this administration llies about tax reforms helping the middle class, vote GOP.
If you do not care about out National Park system, and preservation of such, vote GOP.
If you do not care at all that our educational system is being constantly degraded, vote GOP.
If gay rights, and racial animosity does not bother you, vote GOP
If you are content that this adminstration turned this once proud and respectable country into a a nation uncaring of it's own citizens, and the rest of the world, thereby making it a mockery, and is developing an inane, and insane foreign policy, vote GOP.
These elections are a life preserver thrown to us. If we use this life preserver, we MAY begin the process of extricating ourselves from this cess poool we have created. To ignore this life preserver, and vote for this current administration, or not vote, will seal our doom.
This nation messed up once before, by voting this maniac into power without considering what sort of damage this idiot can do. LET US NOT MESS UP AGAIN.
1
To whom do you write?
Do you think anyone reading this didn't know already?
Do you think one person who needs to know will read this?
Just watched report from Florida with the White mindless support for Trump to disgrace the Constitution of the United States— here we go with the “welfare queens” Republican / Trump White strategy...
Unreal mindlessness...
Wait I thought Don Lemon was trying to scare white men into voting Republican. I mean, isn't that what he meant last night on CNN when he said that "something should be done about white men" because, apparently, they are the true terrorists in this world?
Trump voters don't read the NY Times. They are un-American. Its time to get us out of the Confederate States of America.
Here’s what scares voters:
1. Angry threatening leftists stalking off-duty Republicans at restaurants.
2. Leftist mobs turning out to harass the President while he tries to pay his respects to he victims of a murderous anti-Semite.
3. A wholly unhinged and biased media too arrogant to admit to its own bias that serves as an unapologetic wing of the Democratic Party and has abandoned any semblance of objective journalism.
4. Democrats and liberals who have no concern for the damage low-skilled, massive illegal immigration does to the country, want to abolish our immigration enforcement agencies and, most frightening, want to abolish our borders.
That’s what scares voters.
1
NYT you should post on a map the exact location of those poor migrants , on a day to day basis, with photos (a lot of) these people.Trump is a manipulator of the voters and he will do anything to WIN, anything with your money, of course...
Sorry to keep repeating myself, but as I’ve said many times, "It worked for Hitler."
That is what is so frightening. The other scary thing is that so many Americans are post Hitler people so I might as well be saying that it worked for Attila the Hun or Ivan the Terrible. Too many people only know about Hitler but weren’t around then. The American troops who found those camps and the inmates dead and alive saw just what this kind of talk can lead to.
In our country it led to internment camps for folks born and raised in the good old USA and their children.
So, three generations on and now we have a president who says whatever comes into his head and a Congress that is afraid to stop his foolishness. He knows better; Congress knows better, but the big man with a little soul wants to win at any cost and claim that all the things that are wrong in his administration are somebody else’s fault.
All together on the count of three: It worked for Hitler!
Do we really want this to work for us?
I really think the nytimes opinion writers have run out of ideas. Could be they"ve become brain damaged trying to come up with new ways to invisorate Trump and anyone not one of them? I know its hard to write the same thing over and over for nearly two years but really to compare that monster to people concerned about illegal immigration. What foundation are ideas like that based on?
Dismissing concerns over the Caravan loses votes for Democrats. Calling people Nazi's is a lie.
You want to pretend that Chicago, Baltimore, St. Louis, NOLA, Detroit are pleasant safe cities?? If so, please don't bash Fox for lying.
@me I can't speak to the other places, but Chicago is a fairly safe city as long as you can afford a decent neighborhood. There are neighborhoods I wouldn't go into, but other than that, most of the city is quite safe. As for pleasant? Heck yeah, Great museums, beautiful lakefront, excellent restaurants from the very cheap to the highest price. It wasn't the safety factor that made me move, it was the cold.
Very few Fox News viewers rely on the NYT for their news or the one-sided Opinion pieces expressed here.
II. Adolph Hitler in Mein Kampf: Propaganda must not investigate the truth objectively and, in so far as it is favourable to the other side, present it according to the theoretical rules of justice; yet it must present only that aspect of the truth which is favourable to its own side. The receptive powers of the masses are very restricted, and their understanding is feeble. On the other hand, they quickly forget. Such being the case, all effective propaganda must be confined to a few bare essentials and those must be expressed as far as possible in stereotyped formulas. These slogans should be persistently repeated until the very last individual has come to grasp the idea that has been put forward. Every change that is made in the subject of a propagandist message must always emphasize the same conclusion. The leading slogan must of course be illustrated in many ways and from several angles, but in the end one must always return to the assertion of the same formula."
Well done Donald. You are a good student!
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Ironical that columnists who live in mansions in virtually all white enclaves, send their offspring to ivy league schools, r critical of the president who seeks to protect sovereignty and put citizens first. Admire NK for his willingness to go to places where other journos would fear to tread, but do not understand why he puts the "etranger" first on his urgent list,and not safety and well being of fellow Americans! Millions live in sub standard housing, fire traps, like that blaze in the Bronx in Jan. which killed 12--r u listening Mayor de Blasio and Gov. Cuumo?--barely scraping by on miniscule pensions, at pains to feed our families and pets, and ur preoccupations r elsewhere!Those in glass houses should not cast stones! Nice of u to make a contribution to fund raising effort of the synagogue to help others, but why not make a real commitment, prove your altruism by adopting, sponsoring a family from say, the beleaguered "banlieu"of Idlib outside of Damascus where number of victims of bombing raids by Assad's air force continues to rise and to inflict numerous casualties. In for a penny; in for a pound. Easiest thing in the world to donate money, especially for journos who make a nice living, but harder to make an "engagement a fond"for a needy family to change lives."Altieri vivas oportet si vis tibi vivere" reads the Latin saying chiseled into stone bench in Central Park!Am sure you are a man "au grand coeur, "but now is the moment to give your proofs!
Someday nonwhites will become Republican voters and then we’ll see how Liberals treat them.
Clarence Thomas comes to mind.
2
Voters, You’re Being Manipulated
the DNC and CNN and NYTimes are trying to scare voters into supporting Democratic candidates.
5
The left has been claiming for two years that Trump is another Hitler who will usher in dystopian authoritarian state similar to the Handmaid's Tale. We're constantly told about how our very institutions of democracy are under attack by Trump and Republicans. Most recently we're told that white supremacy is supposedly on the rise because of Trump and that he is an anti-Semite (despite doing much more for our friend Israel than Obama). It's not the Republicans who are engaged in fear-mongering. By the way, it's interesting to see Mr. Kristof and others on the left attack Fox News (the way Obama did), after lecturing us about how terrible it supposedly is to criticize the media. What utter hypocrisy.
3
And the NYT, Washington Post and CNN are trying to scare people into voting Democratic.
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Nicholas Kristof is the best - shout out and applause!
Sadly though, preaching Kristof is preaching at the "unreachable stupid folk".
I keep coming back to the thought - "how does our educational system produce this volume of morons?"
Every time I think the stupid won't do us more wrong... they do. That insight is the glory and the price of being old I guess.
1
Voters, water is wet. News at 11.
Yet five NYT editorial columns a day about the dangers and horrors of the Trump administration isn’t?
3
Telling "Big Lies" raises fear levels? Why is this a surprise? Didn't this strategy facilitate the Nazi's rise to power in the 1930s?
Irrational fear is a symptom of emotional immaturity and inability to think rationally. If individuals make the effort these shortcomings can be overcome. Better education about human biology and psychology should be included in public school curriculum. Efforts by the Right to diminish the effectiveness of public education contribute to peoples inability to become responsible citizens. The cynical side of me thinks this is deliberate. The rational side argues that it is simply the byproduct of a political philosophy that is not thought through.
Is this the same Nicholas Kristof who accused the wrong man (Mr Z, a "person of interest") after the anthrax attacks? If so, you are claiming the moral high ground because...? Why are you even still in business?
1
If only Trump's base would read columns such as this clear enlightening comment by Mr. Kristof, we would have a better country. But the base do not read the NY Times or other truthful media. They follow their leader who rarely reads----even government-prepared secret Intelligence Reports, which he finds boring and not needed for a mind as brilliant as his. Trump's diehard followers listen to Fox News, which presents the fairy-tale world of "alternate facts" and of "facts are not facts". Like their president, liars telling lies abound. So the reasonable writers like the columnists in the Times or the Washington Post or similar media outlets are ignored while the duped Trump followers live on a diet of media garbage where smallpox and leprosy and plagues are being carried into America by a cabal led by Jews ( Soros and HIAS---the new Elders of Zion). Unbelievable nonsense is presented to the untutored supporters of Trump, and because he says it they believe it. The best way , I think, to weaken Fox News is to boycott all those who buy commercials on this disreputable channel. Boycotts would work ,especially when election commercials are no longer being bought. List the companies using Fox News to tout their products and don't buy those products. You can't believe Fox News anyway and if they say a product is real good it undoubtedly will be real bad---. They lack all respect for truth and wallow in a swamp of lies. Boycott!
1
I. Adolph Hitler in Mein Kampf: "Propaganda must always address itself to the broad masses of the people. All propaganda must be presented in a popular form and must fix its intellectual level so as not to be above the heads of the least intellectual of those to whom it is directed. The art of propaganda consists precisely in being able to awaken the imagination of the public through an appeal to their feelings, in finding the appropriate psychological form that will arrest the attention and appeal to the hearts of the national masses. The broad masses of the people are not made up of diplomats or professors of public jurisprudence nor simply of persons who are able to form reasoned judgment in given cases, but a vacillating crowd of human children who are constantly wavering between one idea and another. The great majority of a nation is so feminine in its character and outlook that its thought and conduct are ruled by sentiment rather than by sober reasoning. This sentiment, however, is not complex, but simple and consistent. It is not highly differentiated, but has only the negative and positive notions of love and hatred, right and wrong, truth and falsehood."
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“The “brilliance” of the Trump fear strategy—“. Please apologize NOW for using that word. It is no more brilliant than a rapist following a woman half his size home at night or a drug dealer indirectly killing our sons and daughters by selling them something that dull (?) persons might not dare, or a hacker who feeds a virus to your computer at night to sell you the cure by day.
Brilliance is never indecent!
I am at my limit in reading or hearing about this President’s obscene behavior being described as intelligent or brilliant. His “brilliance” is his disregard for humanity, allowing him to say and do things that us dull, decent people wouldn’t dream of doing.
Ted Turner complimented the “genius” of the 9-11 martyrs, and he was quickly rebuked. It’s time our “liberal” press wakes up. Suggesting these abominations are brilliant is an act of enabling of the highest order
Please STOP.
1
FX, National Geographic Channel, Fox Sports, 20th Century Fox, Fox TV Stations, Fox Network, Fox News, etc, all foxes in the hen house.
A very sincere article, and accurate too. But "Voters, you are being manipulated...?" So it has always been. Since people were allowed to vote, they've been manipulated. Time was, voting was not by secret ballot. One voiced one's choice (vox, vote), and a wrong word meant unemployment, eviction, and starvation. For too many Americans, it's as if the world began when they saw their first zits. History isn't just about battles and treaties. It's about the growth of democracy too. But here we are now, with millions of Americans being encouraged to follow their basest instincts. Don't we know Trump's father lived on the fringes of the KKK, and that the Klan had a trio of hates: Blacks, Catholics, and Jews? On, and there was gambling at Rick's.
1
The “caravan” is an invasion, and it needs to be stopped dead in its tracks.
No more magnets for illegal immigration. No more freebies. Let’s take care of Americans over illegals.
This is why Trump won. Build that wall.
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There should be more such voices like Nicolas's. Where are the Obamas, Clintons, Bidens, when we need them to amplify these sentiments
My warning for Trump voters:
"You could be the next" to be an outcast in your own country.
When they have finished with the Muslims, Jews, Mexicans, disabled, women, Asians etc... They will not stop. They will start picking on the Irish, the Italians, Russians, and other "white-and-yet-not-quite-American" groups . . . It may take a while, but it will happen.
They didnt quite decide yet which group is destined to be the ruling top-of-the-pile elitists. But you had better make sure you are one of them or you could be next to be cast out . . .
Trump voters don't read the New York Times.
Simply saying I do read the NYT is enough to get my opinion dismissed as a that of those suspect "Liburul" intellectual around here.
Get out and Vote Tuesday.
Just as a thought experiment. What if the NYT were to firmly insist that Nicholas and/or other like minded NYT columnists have a session in a prime Fox show - before next Tuesday? As everyone so accurately points out again and again the columns and comments in this newspaper are simply reinforcing beyond any need what the readers already know. This communication skill urgently needs a different outlet.
1
If an American is fed up with the Trump horror movie vote Democrat. If you are sickened by the non stop lying of Trump and his vulgarity vote Democrat. If you do not vote you get the government you deserve. And do not complain. You had your chance.
“The people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.” Hermann Goering
What? What? I couldn't hear you over the radio and the teevee....
The question this Election Day is not whether enough Democrats and Independents will vote for Democrats. It is whether enough Republicans will vote to eliminate liars, bigots, and fools from their ranks.
There is a very thin line between having a pathologically over-inflated ego and, at the same time, possessing an all-consuming sense of insecurity.
It's possible therefore, if not probable, that Trump is himself being manipulated by the right-wing loonies who spew venom and hatred. What's worse is that he is too self-absorbed, amoral and lacking in emotional intelligence to realize it, let alone care.
1
Down with Big Brother! Trump begins his rallies with mob frenzy emulating the two minute hate directed against Emmanuel Goldstein, the Enemy of the People. His believers think that his lies are truth; that War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; that Ignorance is Strength. Down with Big Brother!
1
You can fool some of the people all of the time, so it was said. Not considered in the original equation was that all the fools can be fooled all of the time (Lear's fool excepted.) I can understand ignorance born of lack of access to education or the retreat from society. I cannot abide willful ignorance, the deliberate shutting down of the cerebral cortex. It's a highly irrational fear that causes people to shut down their humanity (or in the case of so many Trump supporters, their Christian values). But this isn't the fear that people must certainly have felt during the plague years, during the Russian pogroms or the aftermath of Hiroshima. This is the fear of losing your home entertainment center or your status; fear of not understanding a culture other than your own. Fear of the immigrant under your bed. I'm sure there folks with rational reasons for resisting the slow but inexorable change in American demographics but giving into the same impulses that have led other countries down disastrous paths is un-American.
Why does the left purposefully conflate illegal immigration with immigration? The dishonesty makes it difficult to have a discussion.
2
So up to 40% of our nation's voters and the entire GOP political machine is afraid of a few thousand sneaker-clad immigrants that are 1,000 miles away from the southern border?
You simply cannot make this stuff up - its so far-fetched as to be ludicrous.
Except to the Fox News audience.
The van owned by the Florida bomber should be placed in the Smithsonian so that future generations can have another lesson in the costs of demagoguery.
Unfortunately, the "white voters" that can be manipulated by Trump and Fox News are not capable of reading and understanding Kristof's columns.
Again, a brave, and concise report on the ignominy our vulgat bully in-chief, doing what he knows best, his dangerous demagoguery! This brutish beast, having lost the popular vote, was enthroned by a completely anti-democratic remnant, the electoral college, in spite of his known history: deep ignorance, leading to prejudice and arrogance, entrenched 'racism' and xenophobia, and misogyny. Ever since, Trump has been doubling down on his cruelty and abuse of power, with the shameful assistance of the republican establishment. He lies whenever he opens his mouth, disregarding repeated calls to stop that; and his constant insults towards any and all that dare criticize his iniquities. His governing mantra reminds simple enough, and is based on 'fear, hate and division', seconded by pseudo-reporters at Fox Noise, intent in paying lip service to the truth and the facts based on evidence. And Trump has yet to apologize when caught in-fraganti lying, shameful as it is. Voters out there, wake up and vote next week, so to obligate this contrarian, and extraordinary liar, into submission. Can't you see he is adamant in destroying us all?
I agree Nicholas but the only people reading this article are Democrats. Anyone voting for a Trump candidate is not reading the Times.
Perhaps we need to look behind the scenes and see just who has been the principal financial backer of the owner of Fox News. Am I incorrect in recalling that it is the royal family of Saudi Arabia? Might that not explain a great deal?
While realistically that "caravan" is no threat, the Trump voters are not entirely stupid. They understand the symbolism and they intuitively know that the next one will be bigger, and so on, if this one succeeds.
That is why the strategy belittling the caravan will backfire. The Democrats need to demonstrate their resolve to protect the border. If they don't, they will lose. Again and again,
The Times reported this week that only about 55% of American adults got the flu vaccine last year, the worst flu year in almost 100 years, apparently. They have no talking room when it comes to looking elsewhere for their health woes. Ooops, there I go again, trying to use actual facts to dispel the rumors of these crazed, screaming haters. I hope everyone who wants this to end soon gets out and gets to vote next Tuesday.
Mr. Kristof, surely you know that the voters who are being 'manipulated' by Trump know that they are being manipulated by Trump. Most of them are smarter that he is. They want to hide behind the manipulation, to retain their own self respect. They hate the 'takers' and believe that they did build 'that'. These self pitying, reliant baby boomers 'know' that America has to be majority white because that's all they want it to be.
Although I agree and appreciate the well-reasoned and thoughtful points illuminated by Mr. Kristof, the people who'd benefit the most from reading this have a pathological disdain for anything published by the NYT.
"primal, unconscious fears in white voters that make them more likely to vote Republican."
Truer words never spoken. The GOP is the white primal fear party.
1
why are you trying to divide us with fear of fear?
nov 7 marks one year since 27 christians worshipping in texas were gunned down in a hate crime...
it's not about anti-semitism in america, really.
it's about a lack of respect for life.
we lost something in the bush war years we may never regain, some of us... our innocence.
others of us still value life, theirs, ours and the principle of life, in general. we are all equal in god's eyes, afterall.
Trump is the one afraid.
His time as POTUS is coming to an end.
1
Voters manipulated? What's new?
1
Thankfully the vast majority of Americans are good and tolerant people. A small group isn’t and they’ve been empowered by the electronic media and now the imposter president. I hope the Dems can take control of the House to act as a lever of political control against the White House.
Wow, who knew that the endless liberal attacks on the conservative right did not constitute an attempt to manipulate the vote. From the liberals’ point of view disinformation and biased reporting is acceptable!
1
I think that many citizens (too many) have simply concluded that a little fascism, a little collusion, a little corruption, a little environmental degradation, a little misogyny, a little voter suppression, a little coarse behaviour, and a little fear and hatred; they’re all perfectly acceptable, especially in the name of Jesus. So it’s important to simply keep getting all your information (really all of it) from Fox News. Then it’s much easier to keep from “being confused”. No need for all that complicated think’n an’ stuff.
Everyone gets manipulated. When I wake in the morning the manipulation starts. But I realize it.
Trump supporters don’t. All they see at the rallies and in Faux News are people who look like them and talk like them shouting lock her up and build that wall.
I believe that this trumpinsanity will be crushed soon. But the Brats and Kings of this Congress will continue to spew their vitriol.
It’s a fascist tendency many have adopted because their yachts just aren’t big enough.
1
One of the readers wrote this comment:
“Mr. Kristof’s column will probably evoke for many readers the sage, compelling words of President Roosevelt delivered at his first inaugural address in March of 1933, that ...the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Roosevelt was speaking to the grave societal concerns and anxieties resultant from the dire economic travails of the Great Depression.”
I had no idea that Mr. Roosevelt was such a biased, undemocratic and hateful president!
If he were loving, tolerant and humanistic person, he should have invited the fellow Americans to resettle by the dozens million to Mexico in pursuit of the better life!
At least in accordance to the contemporary Democratic credo!
Allegedly, if you have the problems at home and a corrupted government, just run away!
Tragically, the Democratic party has betrayed their own founding principles.
Don’t try to make your country the better place but just emigrate!
The party of quitters!
By the way, didn’t Hillary Clinton suddenly quit her job as the Secretary of State after creating the havoc in the Libya and Syria?
Run, Forrest, run!
Let’s remember, president Roosevelt didn’t run away but stayed and fixed his country!
1
In 2009, there were about five million people who were priced out of health insurance because of pre-existing conditions and the Democrats crammed down a $3 trillion gift to big medicine by selling the fake fear that everyone in the country was one insurance cancellation away from being impoverished. Gruber laughed at the stupidity of Democrats. Too bad Democrats didn't pay attention to their constituents.
The title is such a mundane truism it invites mockery. On the level of "Humans, You're Breathing Air".
Oh, Really? Voters, manipulated? Why? By whom? We gotta get to the bottom of this...
The only thing we have to fear is Donald Trump.
"But I believe in rationality and our capacity, if warned, to resist manipulation"
63 million people voted for Trump in 2016 based on "lock her up." Rational, that is not.
And neither is manipulation needed for those supporting Trump. They would gladly hark back to the fruitful 1930s, with the worldly thrill of the 1940s just around the corner. There is no reason, just blind, ignorant dogma built on inherent hatred unleashed upon something unknown that is blamed for all their non-existent ills. Fools all. Even to the rampant fools running the shows -- then and now.
Usual crickets from the complicit Republicans; willing to see people die rather than criticize their master for long inciting violence and risking an election. Party over people. Party over country.
The Party is everything. Sound familiar?
This is aimed at people who would never read the NYT—like my mother. If I cite a common statistic and attribute it to the NYT there are people who look at me as if I am going to grow fangs and eat their dog.
Trump doesn’t select a subject and magically turn it into a fear, he identifies a fear then points to an event which reinforces the perceived validity of that fear. And it works especially well when that fearful event is something liberals, or even better, “progressives” are depicted as supporting, and the fear factor is further enhanced when the event smacks of liberals intentionally encouraging people to break the law. Example, the “caravan” coming up from Central America.
But it isn’t like people such as my mom are being duped or fooled—they know the score. It is more like a pep rally.
The Republicans turn to White Nationalists and xenophobes for help holding on to seats. How fitting that this is what they have to resort to now. Fox News propaganda is effective but it's becoming less so as time progresses.
Abject disrespect for America, it's history, it's values, it's traditions is the mantra presented by our current so called leadership.
The "Rule of Law" BA humbug to you and all your legions.
Fact, who needs facts, we need fiction to rule in this century.
The destruction of our most treasured country is well on it's historical path and those so called elected representatives sit on their fat you know whats and remain silent on our behalf and let this continue.
Leadership commands respect and admiration, do you see this represented in any manner?
We had an efficient system of "Checks and Balances" which has now been torn asunder and left beside the highway to rot.
Wake up America as these current actions are destroying our country along with it's heritage!
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"...Fox News referred to it as an invasion more than 60 times in October..." Yes, we are being manipulated by repetition.
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Trump knows how to manipulate with endless repetition.
On the other hand, Trump critics ramble on and on.
Unfortunately the rambling, intellectual criticisms are forgotten.
When will critics wise up and start repeating, themselves?
And many, less intellectual voters do not appreciate analysis.
We have "paralysis by analysis" from Democrats and critics.
I hope that Democrats will wise up and take the House.
Learn to repeat, repeat, repeat in order to win, win, win!
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Maybe Trump gets all his “intelligence” from FOX and right wing media. We assume that this could not possibly be true. But when you assume, you make an —- of you and me. Our country may be run on an entertainment industry geared to keep the adrenaline high and sell more commercials.
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Wow, What a shock! Voters are being manipulated? Next thing you know, the candidates will be lying to us!
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Does anyone remember before political correctness came alone when "that's white of you" was taken as a complement? Were it still in use these days, it would carry a whole other connotation.
Unfortunately, it is not just Fox news. All media outlets, including the NYT, are responsible for amplifying Trump's messages with sensational headlines and by not calling out the lies, which helps to perpetuate the same fearmongering as Fox. People who never turn on Fox news can still be "scared" by the messages that media outlets like the NYT are sending in their constant coverage, especially in their headlines. Please do better!
Mr. Kristof, manipulation of voters (and readers) would also include your very august publication choosing to put out a lengthy and sympathetic article on George Soros, while omitting the critical and undeniable reasons he is sometimes called a Nazi collaborator.
Regardless of whether you or I might think it is forgivable (or unforgivable), Soros did, in fact, participate in the confiscation of Jewish property as a teenager in Hungary. Soros was asked about this in a 60 Minutes interview in the 1990s, and he expressed no compunction whatsoever, citing not so much his survival, but rather that "If I hadn't done it, someone else would have."
Mr. Kristof, I am not saying that you need to defend someone like Soros, or condemn him. But it is hypocritical to complain about Republicans trying to manipulate voters when your colleagues are engaging in the same thing.
Please understand that every time that a supposedly centrist news organization reports a story which cherry picks facts and omits details that are politically inconvenient, you are engaging in manipulation that is probably worse than anything the right wing media does. We all know Trump lies and exaggerates, but you and your colleagues aren't supposed to.
The funniest, and at the same time the saddest, thing about Trump trying to create fear by saying people in the migrant caravan are not vaccinated and carry smallpox is that he has installed a movement of Know NOTHINGS who are ANTI-VACCINE. See Betsy DeVos, home schoolers, evangelicals and official government efforts under Trump to de-legitimize mandatory vaccinations.
Voters, You're Being Manipulated?
As you express your opinion, are you implying that only Republicans are manipulating voters?
There is plenty of anger, hate, distrust, violence and manipulation coming from all sides. Especially from those who accuse the other party while ignoring their own party's transgressions!
Anybody dumb enough to vote for Trump in the first place will probably fall for his maneuvers this time. If all they watch is Fox they have no realistic view of what is happening. Trump is always bragging about being a nationalist - if so, why does he have all the family's manufacturing done in foreign countries and why does he continue to build hotels and golf courses in other countries if he only cares about the US? Gee could it be he wants the money?
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Wow Nicholas, who knew?
With a Fear- Monger-in-chief at the helm of affairs, what else can we expect
It's unfortunate that the 4th Estate is being insulted continuously & one of them joins the bandwagon of the Fear-Monger- in- chief
There has been no positive policy discussions by trump since mid2017. What has happened to improving infrastructure, healthcare, wages, hunger, poverty, homelessness, education improvements, student loan help, etc. Where are the rest of trump’s campaign promises that were going to make us great again? The last 15 months have been nothing but talk of hate, violence, taking away the rights & freedoms, how white men should be afraid of women, how law enforcement should be tougher (kill more blacks who are just living as blacks?)? For 20 months trump has not lead but has played golf & held 5 or more “Praise Me I am Great” rallies a week. We no longer have a government or a country. Killings continue & trump spews more hate & “join me or die” rhetoric. How much money has the entire trump family leached from the American people while laughing at us & calling us stupid?
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Trump’s nonsense about the caravan may be easy to rebut but it isn't being rebutted. If nature abhors a vacuum then politics won't tolerate it. When true leadership is missing, into the vacuum will rush someone to take control. Trump is filling the void by default because Democrats in another example of self sabotage refuse to talk about it. The caravan is an humanitarian crisis with possible economic & border security implications that we can't begin to contemplate. It's a visual that reminder our immigration system isn't working. If you say Trump is using scare tactics to exploit the situation so be it. That's what politicians do. The caravan is real. The threat & fears voters are feeling are real. Because if we accept these 7000 more will come possibly replicating the Syrian migrant crisis. Democrats are demagoguing this issue too...they say it isn't a problem. It is. Pelosi & Schumer are actively undermining their party by instructing their members to NOT talk about this crisis...that is unforgivable. So it's come down to who do you trust more. Democrats who refuse to talk about it. Or Trump who won't stop talking about it. The caravan issue has to be addressed. Trump got elected because of immigration. Voters are going along with him because they have no where to go. Being anti Trump isn't an agenda which will persuade independent swing voters. The Democrats have allowed Trump to have a free pass on this issue...their silence is alienating voters...incredibly stupid.
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The manipulation of readers by the political team running the NY Times is at its zenith. Eventually, the next donor-owner will decide she or he wants a traditional corps of ethical juurnalists shunning political loyalties, and Abe Rosenthal can turn back over in his grave.
But congratulations to Pres. Trump blue-collar incomes are now rising FASTER than the incomes of the rich people we are all ordered to hate here in the coastal progressive media.
Did they ever decide to punish the Capitol Hill player who exposed Dr. Ford, forcing her into the news cycle against her wishes?
An actual NEWS source, Fox News' liberals and conservatives are spreading far more real-world truth about the current news scene than any news outlet in the Left, and ... Nicholas knows it.
Don Lemon's obvious racism is your clue to what drives the Left's news people.
Rough quote: Lets's not smear people anymore (like we have been), but first allow me to smear tens of millions of people.
11 Americans were murdered because a white supremacist blamed them for the “migrant caravan.” But instead of that being a wake-up call, you see in these comments people doubling down on fear and doubling down on hate.
There will not be moment of “waking up.” Those who can still see how insane this level of fear is need to vote and get like-minded folks to vote.
Residents of Trumpworld aren't interested in and can't be swayed by facts.
Fear of immigrant is just one ring in the Circus, Trump is P. T. and the whole current GOP has joined Barnum & Bailey's in the hope that there are enough suckers left. Qs like- how you doin' now you've got your $28/hr jobs back? Ain't it great again that we are out of Afghanistan? & such might have pointed out what the barkers promised but did not deliver from '16.
It is inane that T & GOP, having had full control (see Kavanaugh), able to slam through anything they wish, have failed to do even one thing about the "illegals" problem in two years. They need that object of fear and hate to carry on from here to eternity, and have no intention of fixing it. Where's the wall? Dems do not have the votes to have stopped it. Fun House and mirrors.
What is VERY "sad" is to see Dems not stand up for the great deeds done in the 2 years Pelosi and Schumer ruled The Hill (allowing them to be cartoonized as avatars of Lucifer incarnate) who only 1) saved the crashing economy, against the GOP Resistance; & 2) actually got Health Care reform that moved toward a fix.
The GOPs 2 years?
Lies, hate mongerer, fear and loathing everywhere, plenty more war (shooting and "economic", tends to go shooting) and limp excuses...
So many wasted words. Until someone can break through the right-wing bubble of Fox News, talk radio, InfoWars, etc., etc. and stop the cycle of manipulation, the civilized part of America will continue to suffer irreparable harm.
Simple script for Dem ads:
“What are you more afraid of— refugees coming to pick produce, or losing your life savings over an illness?”
Maybe it’s time to admit that the white working class in Trump states are a hopeless bunch. When Trump and the Republicans eat their lunch by exploiting their xenophobia, they deserve no help from liberals and Democrats.
If the Republicans use their ill-gotten majority to defund federal programs on which those red states depend, I’m in favor of leaving it that way permanently. Blue states should take our tax money and fix our own states and leave the red states on their own.
It is time to allow these ill-informed voters to fail as a result of their easily exploited fears and prejudices. I won’t feel sorry for them or lend them a hand. The wages of stupidity will be steep!
"Two years ago it was men using transgender rights to invade women’s bathrooms. Today it’s the caravan." I wonder how many people in Carolina favor having men in drag in their little girls' rooms. 17-year-old young men using lockers with 11-year-old little girls... you can mock the fear-mongering all you want, but I'd wager a lot of voters were turned off by Obama's grand gesture to the trans community which although filled with many noble individuals has been shown to have a notable and I would say predictable number of manipulators and frauds. It only takes one 38-year-old man in a dress to rape your 9-year-old daughter. You can gamble your children but not mine, thank you very much...is what many concerned fathers no doubt have said under their breath. So too the caravan described by you as being populated by the innocent. No doubt, you are right...most of the time. The Mexican government, however, has had its police attacked at the border by these sweethearts. Throwing Molotov cocktails, attacking border police, resisting arrest: listen to our neighbors before your open the gates. Of course, if you are rich, you won't have them as neighbors. You can welcome them and then hide in your high-rise with armed doormen. Not me. Maybe the rich should lower their voices and let the people who have to suffer the consequences of your open-door policy decide. Like many, I support the President's decision to guard the frontier.
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It's rich for anyone in the NYTimes Opinion section to accuse someone else of scare tactics and manipulation. Very rich indeed.
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Nicholas, the voters you are probably trying to reach, probably don’t read the New York Times.
"Invasion of the United States"? By the migrant Caravan "funded by George Soros and containing Middle-Easterners" (DT) who want to infiltrate America? C'mon, Trump, of course you and Fox News are the master white nationalist manipulators of your red meat base whom you're spurring on to voting for you at every rally you've held from before you were elected.
The thousands of Central American migrants heading for our southern border are not criminals, are not babarians, are not funded by George Soros, one of the world's finest philanthopists. Our American barbarians are already here in our homeland, just waiting for their president's dog-whistles to urge them to the polls on Tuesday. Time is no longer on our side. Our actions at the polls will speak louder than words.
Trump's inflammatory rhetoric and lies have incited his demented loyalists to murder and violence (the Pittsburgh Massacre of Jews, the pipe-bomber mailing dozens of IEDs toTrump critics, to Democrats, etc.). What more proof do we need that Trump is manipulating his people in the vain hope he will retain his majority in Congress, the Senate and into the unpredictable future beyond the Mid-Terms next Tuesday? May our shared humanity, democratic moral values and better angels lead us by the millions to the polls on 6 November, Nick Kristof, and may we soundly defeat the vain lies and promises of our President and his sychophants in their quest to destroy Democracy.
All you say is true, but republicans are winning next Tuesday, and Trump wins by a landslide. Because the democrats are uninspiring, tiresome, tedious, and odious.
You underestimate the power of what Americans are hearing from Trump: "don't you worry, I know "those" people robbed you blind and are now defiling you; I am going after them." Have you ever seen Americans this giddy, this empowered by a politician, this ready to plain burn down the house?
Lest you think I overstate, consider the evidence.
NPR reports 40% of Americans are tired of #metoo. I.e., Kavanaugh did not give impetus to #metoo, he triggered fears among white males that they too would be targeted by someone from 30 years ago. Maybe all white males age 55 did not molest someone, but absolutely all were teenagers once.
Americans are similarly inured to Mueller; he has all but disappeared from America's consciousness. No one is going to believe him now.
Democrats come across like the plumber who showed up to fix my leaky faucet; he told me that the previous plumber was a bad guy, that I needed new bathrooms, and a new job Otherwise something terrible will happen.
And the republican is shouting at me: "go kill whom you don't like; I got you covered."
Democrats are making me anxious about what I am based on demons I cannot control, republicans are solving white male anxiety about coming irrelevance. Who do you think is more empowering? And more likely to win?
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I hope Fox people are buying property in Russia so they'll have a place to run to as Trump destroys America.
After all, that's where Trump and his cronies might very well end up.
As Trump continues to demonize CNN, some lunatic will terrorize Fox in kind.
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Right on target. Only problem is that Trumpers surely don't read the NYT and especially opinions such as Mr. Kristof's!
"Trump and Fox News are trying to scare white voters into supporting Republican candidates."
Huh. You don't say.
The amazing point here is that Trump supporters do not realize they're being talked down to and being treated as Trump's chumps. To wit, if they knew how far away the so-called "caravan" is, or even knew the frequency of these mass, Central American exoduses, not to mention the vaccination rates of other countries, they might sense something amiss with both Trump and his FOX 'trumpeteers.' These supporters never call-out DJT on the facts; they just react to the amplified bluster of bogus information, determining, obviously, what DJT is saying as gospel. In fact, what DJT is saying to these people is 'You are idiots and we're going to appeal to your base instincts, like fear, to bring you along in our
own crazy caravan.' The facts are there, as Mr. Kristof writes, but these folks don't 'get' the nonfactual insults being levied against them. It's all so Pavlovian, predicated on an obviously dumbed-down populace, and predictable.
D-Day in Europe was an invasion. This is not.
Nick--somehow I don't believe Trump's supporters pay much attention to the NY Times. Trump's base is convinced that the Times is the epitome of left wing evil poisoning America with "Fake News." You're just preaching to the choir again.
manufactured fear / manufactured hate....
two sides of the same coin...
a favorite tool of the GOP...
what a disgrace...
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The people who are falling for his rhetoric are not reading New York Times. They watch Fox News. How are you going to reach them?
Democrats would do well to court white voters.
They represent 70% of the electorate.
Do the math!
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Enough, enough. We listen to our most hateful and selfish and deranged voices, we have tolerated them on facebook and twitter and Fox News. We have given them more than an equality of time and air. How many more people have to suffer and die because of this national moral cowardice? For the sake of decency, call Sean Hannity what he is, an overpaid adolescent bully, like his new boss. Call Laura Ingraham what she is, an overpaid racist mouthpiece for her own demented ego. Tucker Carlson, Lou Dobbs...these spoiled children of enormous privilege, acting like brave soldiers defending the republic. They are the worst of us, the worst of what we are, our ruin.
Trump is a demogogue. Of course the millions of Americans, upon whose fears and prejudices he preys, don't get it.
Nicholas Kristof writes emotionally manipulative columns approximately twice a week. He finds women, children, animals, whatever, that will make you shed a little tear as you read the opinion pages. He specializes in white liberal guilt and schmaltz. So yes, Fox News and Trump are trying to manipulate your emotions. But let's hear that news from somebody who is not being a complete hypocrite when he accuses others of doing exactly what he does himself every time he sits down to write.
I encourage readers to use the internet but trust no one news source. The NY Times has been wrong in the past, and individual op-eds are opinions that are frequently at least debatable, and some would say are often outright wrong.
Are we being manipulated by the migrant caravan? And if so, who is doing the manipulating?
According to Wikipedia, previous migrant caravans were supported by Pueblo Sim Fronteras, a political action group which appears to be centered in the US. The current migrant caravan of about 4000 to 6000 migrants is indirectly supported by Pueblo Sim Fronteras.
Of course, if Pueblo Sim Fronteras were directly supporting the migrant caravan they might be promoting illegal acts which are intended to manipulate voters or public opinion in general.
George Soros does fund numerous left-wing groups. It seems unclear as to whether this support might extend to Pueblo Sim Fronteras or other pro-immigrant groups that collaborate with Pueblo Sim Fronteras.
If so, it is legitimate for voters or voter groups to oppose George Soros because of the political positions he takes. This has nothing to do with the fact that Soros is a Jew who survived the holocaust.
People who take political stands can be criticized for those stands.
Trump makes extreme and inflammatory statements. But there may be enough in his claim that Soros backs the migrant caravan to win political points.
My, how divisive this is, how hard to sort out!
I have lost confidence in the media.
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, a long time ago. Long ago enough that while my friends were born in the US, every one of their grandmothers (and one of mine) was an immigrant from somewhere else.
So I'm not surprised that Pittsburgh didn't roll out the red carpet for Trump. I'm proud that they showed him what the part of the country that doesn't adulate him looks like, outside of his rally bubble.
And when I hear his rhetoric, it does inspire fear in me. But not of immigrants; mostly about what happens if he's allowed to continue unchecked.
I'm voting.
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@Susan. I am glad you are voting but be aware that Socialism and the discrimination against white males has become the cornerstone of the liberals in America. If what happened to Justice Kavanaugh doesn’t make your fairness alarm go off, then you should consider Canada.
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@Susan " Pittsburgh didn't roll out the red carpet for Trump." How do you know? If ten thousand people in Pittsburgh welcomed Trump and a hundred deplored his coming, we know for sure that these hundred would be on the front page of the NYT.
Trump's daughter has converted to Judaism and so his grandsons are also Jewish. Much to our chagrin, Trump has been a supporter of Netanyahu, and quite rightly, a supporter of Israel.
It is completely natural for Trump to show up to mourn the fellow religionists of his own daughter. For the NYT to bellyache is, frankly, embarrassing.
Not to say that Trump is the most polite or couth of men. He is not. But this tragedy is not an event to harm on his personal characteristics. Can you people not allow sorrow to override politics?
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Please read his twitter response after returning to DC. Not one thought for the families or victims. Are you really thinking we should be seeing in trump what we know we are not seeing. P.......lease. Our eyes are 20/20 and yet, we remain hopeful a 73 yr old will clear his vision.
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I was in a store & saw a few minutes of Laura Ingraham talking. She was putting on so much anger and outrage and hatred. It's no exaggeration to say that she sounded like a Nazi propagandist.
“If we all find our own ways to light a candle, we can drive out the enveloping darkness.“
Really. It’s always darkest just before dawn. There’s light at the end of the tunnel. Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you’ll reach the stars.
No, Mr. Kristof, no. Not this time. The abundant evidence says the darkness is descending and nothing is going to stop it. Your pretending otherwise is downright dangerous. It would be better if you found the courage to speak the truth: the fascists are winning and it will take nothing short of a revolution to stop them. Every single day that you pretend this is not true, every single day that you offer anodyne encouragement, you put a knife in the heart of freedom. Tell us how you feel about this when the Democrats lose the House.
Mr Kristoff, anyone who has been paying attention since train wreck donnie trudged down that gold escalator already knows this. The sad thing is that his red meat eating followers aren't aware of this or much else, for that matter. Please write about something less obvious, next time. Thanks.
Unfortunately, Mr. Kristof, Fox News viewers don't read the OpEd columns in the New York Times. The time for reasoning with the other side is over and the only thing left is to mobilize as many voters as possible to the polls to repudiate Trumpism.
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The people who need to read this won't. They think The Times is one of the least reliable information sources. It's a big problem.
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Neither President Trump nor Fox News has expressed the suggestions: "Hey, White Voters, this is how you should vote, Hey White Voters, this is how you should think. Hey, White Voters, this is how you should support Republican candidates."
No reference whatsoever to "White Voters".
So, where is the evidence that supports the notion set out in the headline of this column?
For about 10 years now, Democrats have been trumpeting their demographic inevitability... how within a few decades the US will be a majority minority country and that this will lead to a permanent Democratic hegemony.
This has been used to avoid actually appealing to white voters and explain away the Democrats’ near decade-long losing streak.
Sure, Trump and the Republicans try to pull white voters over with nonsense about Ebola and caravans and Mexican rapists.
But Democrats help Republicans by pushing those same voters over to the Republicans.
Wear a sombrero or the wrong prom dress? Racist cultural appropriation! Think affirmative action should be based on economics? Racist! Don’t like Hillary? Misogynist!
Don’t like it? Too bad... we won’t need you in a few decades anyway.
Of course a few decades is a long way off. And just because voters aren’t white doesn’t mean that they are Democrats (just ask the 25 percent of Hispanics who voted for Trump). And when you actually look at the numbers, when you include Hispanics who view themselves as white (eg. Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz), America’s white majority goes on for as far as the eye can see.
So Democrats, stop being complicit in Republicans’ racist games.
Appeal to the 99 percent based upon economics, not identity.
Be the party of voters and not donors.
Leave the divisive identity politics rants to Republicans.
Provide a real vision for middle and working class Americans of EVERY identity and start winning.
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What malarkey. Is anyone surprised that US politicians - both Democrats and Republicans - stretch the truth (and sometimes outright fabricate claims) in an attempt to scare or motivate voters to vote for them? Democrats have done this for as long as I can remember. How about the Democratic TV ad against Barry Goldwater depicting a little girl plucking flower petals with a nuclear explosion (complete with mushroom cloud) in the background. Any attempt to scare voters there ? Republicans don’t need to be preached to, Mr. Kristoff. We are not mindless, naive citizens who you can somehow “rescue” if only we would agree with your politics. The so-called immigrant caravan is certainly a non-issue, but illegal immigration is not. And liberal elitists like you don’t get that.
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“Mindless naive” I’m wondering how you would have viewed the Europe of 1932- full blown Third Reich takeover. When history repeats itself, will you be part of the problem or part of the solution?
@Karen Gray
Wow. So, 2018 American is now the same as Europe of 1932 -“full blown Third Reich takeover?” Really ? Listen to yourself. Are the millions of Americans who voted for Trump in 2016 truly the “basket of deplorables” described by Hillary ? I didn’t vote for Trump and don’t support him now, but when I see these crazy comparisons to Nazi Germany, I understand how millions of everyday, hardworking Americans believe that Democrats have lost touch.
It's not the caravan that's frightening.
What's frightening is the rhetoric spewing from the president, the hyperbola, the lies.
The yelling mobs are frightening. The abuse of power is frightening,
And the inertia and complicity of national legislative leaders and the government-at-large is the most frightening of all.
Yeah, we know. It’s pretty obvious. The problem is the people who can spot how over the top blatant that dog and pony show is aren’t Trump’s voting base.
The saddest thing about this is that it will take generations to recover from this, i.e., "The Dumbest Generation" with it its childlike gullibility, fears, and support for a buffoonish game show host and failed businessman to lead our nation. Sad!
Fortunately, the response of the people of all faiths in Pittsburgh to the horrible tragedy reaffirm that, at our core, we remain a great people.
We'll get through this.
Bravo, Mr. Kristof for avoiding the use the name of a mass murderer in order not to give them the attention they crave.
Yet I constantly want to scream at the screen when far too many quite respected television reporters have referred to this anti-Semitic monster as the "gentleman".
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“The bosom of America is open to receive not only the opulent and respected stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all nations and religions; whom we shall welcome to a participation of all our rights and privileges”
George Washington
While reading this opinion piece, I remembered a scene from A Christmas Carol where Scrooge - played by Alistair Sim (1951) - is speaking with the ghost of Christmas Present. "This boy is ignorance. This girl is want. Beware them both, and of all their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom...".
I cannot help but feel this quote represents where we are today as a country. Our collective ignorance of the issues that face our great nation is what we must battle - all of us - as ignorance is our greatest peril. Ignorance allows this President to make his claims with impunity and allows our elected representatives to get away with supporting him. Everyone - work to eliminate ignorance wherever you find it and we all will have a chance for our children to have a better future. Vote on November 6th with the knowledge our democracy and the great experiment that is our form of government is clearly on the ballot.
The Republican Party has used its anti-immigrant and racists cards over and over again.
It is quite dated and depends on its success on a cynical view of the ignorance and gullibility of the voting public. In the ideal world in which democracy and decency are respected there would be a honest dialogue based on facts and policies and the voters would elect competent politicians and statesmen dedicated to the public interest and the constitution.
The corruption of our ideals are worsened by the extreme use of money from corporations and plutocrats; but also by the unremitting biased propaganda
of Fox News and Right Wing Radio, that have abandoned the traditional purpose of the press to seek the truth based on facts. Trump’s endless lies and aversion to the truth and facts are in my opinion
disqualifying for being a President and holding any public office!
One irony is that while the pipe bomber and the synagogue shooter were apparently right wingers, their actions promote fear, which pushes people rightward.
I see much hope. After last week's slaughter, my town's city council in 30 hours put together an Interfaith candlelight service, with 2 rabbis, our new police chief, the head of the CC, and two Unitarian Ministers.
The muslim Imam was like MLK--"Not one more time! NOT IN OUR TOWN! Stop this cancer of violence!"
During the Kavanaugh hearings, I emailed both my Senators--a Dem from my district (liberal) and a Republican from a rural conservative district, begging them to vote against Judge K. Today I received a one-page, very polite and thoughtful letter from the conservative Sen., explaining why he voted for K. No name-calling, no hostility. It wasn't a boilerplate ("thank you for your input"). Although I still disagree, I think that if we take the Senate, this man could work across the aisle.
Koch Bros and Mercers played a long game, since 1980. We must too. The Civil Rights Era was much bloodier and more depressing. We lost JFK, MLK, RFK. We lived through Vietnam. No matter what happens Nov. 7, we may lose some battles, but too many great young people are fired up, and we'll never stop fighting. NEVER.
Every morning I play Todd Rundgren's "Just One Victory" (tm)
We should be asking how far Trump is willing to go, and how far his base will follow along.
Mind game: after the mid terms, Trump decides that crime is raging out of control. After blaming the Democrats and the FBI and the news media, Trump decides that he has the right to suspend habeous corpus and set up his own White House criminal courts ( this is challenged and the SCOTUS, in a 5-4 decision written by BKavanaugh: backs Trump). He then sees to it that five illegal immigrants are guilty of “trumped up” charges and sentences them to death by hanging — in the Rose Garden.
Is this too far for Trump? For his base? Will the news media cover the hangings, or defer, saying Trump has gone “too far.”
These are questions I never imagined I would ever ask myself, much less other readers of The NY Times.
But seeing the way in which Trump twists facts, engages in blatant demagoguery, and lies incessantly in order to divide the nation, I can’t help but feel that the scenario outlined above is no longer outrageous to a broad swath of our nation.
By responding you are not amplifying Trump’s message Mr Kristof. No worries, his base doesn’t read your column.
It would help if you and other writers would stop making blanket statements about “white” people. Such language continues and hardens divisiveness. It implies an urban, educated perspective, a lack of contact with the real lives of many
Americans, and the willingness to label and dismiss categories of people, the very behavior you decry. I say this as an urban, educated, Democratic-voting “white” person.
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Sometimes when a warm fuzzy feeling overtakes me I get the urge to go see for myself what life is like in the areas where the disenfranchised and recently arrived live, then I remember the two times I was mugged, once at gunpoint. Mixing is not accomplished easily or by fiat. Maybe if fewer of our residents didn’t have to struggle to survive things would be better. Just a thought.
2
This is not new, but I like how Mr. Kristof lays out the evidence. We should never vote out of fear. This is how the plantation owners kept poor whites in the fold and this is how the one percent keeps the uneducated poverty stricken on their side today.
If it weren't dangerous and pathetic, it would actually be rather humorous that Trump is screaming so loudly about dangerous immigrants, when he married two foreign born women, got his current wife's parents here via the horrible "chain migration" and his family told everyone for years they were Swedish when they were German because apparently they were ashamed of this for some reason. It's another example of the absurdity of Trump that for some reason people can't see through. This guy is just a massive show man - he is reveling in the biggest reality show on earth. The only thing that is really important to Trump is Trump. He will switch between whatever issue he thinks can keep him in office and in the limelight. The very real immigration issues that need to be debated are buried under the lies and exaggerations being spewed out by Trump daily. There is lies the real shame -we are not having meaningful debates about very important issues because Trump has debased the process to such an extent we can't even have a conversation.
Mr. Kristoff, sixty two percent (62%) of us, White men, voted for Trump. I did not. But among those that voted for him, they were hoping he would open the markets so they could make as much money in the unregulated markets as possible. It has worked for them.
There were many more of us who voted for Hillary. We were shocked by the results in our state. We have since been told that our voting machines were compromised, but assured by a bunch of really really old and out of touch law makers that our votes were not tampered with... A load of drivel!!
We all know better. We know our votes were changed, and vote tallies were altered.
We also believe that vote changing, and hacking voting results is still ongoing & will wreck havoc in the midterms.
The democrats will either lose or win the house by a sliver. As for the Senate, we hear, it is sewn up for Trump by the Russian and Chinese hackers.
Meanwhile our olden days law makers discuss "cyber"... whatever that means. Terrible!
Terrific column. The only problem is that those reading it, like me, are already on board with countering hate and fear. We are trying to end this national nightmare of ignorance and demagoguery before it is too late. How do we get this message through to those who are effectively cultists?
1
Just to let you know what they have all confirmed, I know because I heard it from a friend of mine and he said that for every household that votes republican, Santa will bring them a beautiful new puppy. And who doesn’t like puppies. They are a tremendous addition to any family. They also say that those households, and we all know what kind of people they are, that vote democrat, Santa will deliver a bag of very very poisonous snakes. Very BAD. This isn’t just me saying this, it was told to me by some very smart people.
Nicholas, stop. Yes, we are being manipulated, but no, it is hardly the sole province of Republicans and Fox News. I scrutinize every piece of news I receive carefully, taking into account the source, the quality of the writing and the honesty. This paper and many of the MSM are the worst offenders.
It's "pick your poison" time, or maybe just refuse any poison at all, but stop implying that the poison originates from only one side of the spectrum.
2
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." gandhi
And always follow THE malignant narcissist's acts and deeds with money. Mine went to H I A S by its Donate online within hours of the crime. I do hope that The Hague is kept around long enough to investigate this President's acts . . .and confirm my professional opinion that he cannot - biologically cannot - behave differently.
"Malignant" means "kills" and "narcissism" means "I am the center and the edge of this universe . . .there are no others - period." Just like the shooter in Las Vegas or the shooter in Pittsburgh. Dead or lock 'em up for life works for the betterment of all of us.
And I’m almost certain the scare tactics are working, at least among the uneducated or poorly-educated faction of trump’s camp. The other faction—the ones sitting around counting their money—couldn’t care less. They’ll vote red so the money keeps pouring in, but it’s a good bet they know that basically everything coming out of trump’s mouth is a lie and every press release from the White House is basically spin or coverup for trump’s blathering.
Three years ago, when Trump started destroying our country, my mother lay dying in a hospital in Columbus, Ohio, my hometown. My brother, a Republican businessman, spoke in fearful language about how 'Sharia Law' was coming to Ohio. Sharia Law!!! And he believed it!!! My brother is successful, smart, kind - and a solid Trump voter. He believed this conspiracy theory about Sharia Law. I tried not to get pulled into the nonsense but, like all Republicans, it seems, he wanted to 'get' the liberal. Interesting that as our conversation got more intense, the machines my mother was hooked up to started beeping rather wildly. Even though she was supposedly in a coma, I'm pretty sure she was telling both of us to 'stop it'. But since my mother and I were the only Democrats in a 7 member family, all the rest being hard-core Republican, I'm also pretty sure she was telling my brother to stuff it.
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@sophia: I just realized that 'Sharia Law' is coming to take over our courts is the very same scare tactic as 'The Caravan is invading with leprosy'.
Sickening. FOX News is a corporation that goes against American values. They lie. They lie. They lie. Should not be allowed. But, of course, it will continue to spew it's fear tactics.
10
@sophia
Sorry about your mother's health but I had a similar experience with a co-worker. He literally welled-up with tears over the death squad stories surrounding Obamacare. I was like, really? This guy was not a physicist or anything but I didn't expect him to be quite so . . . obtuse maybe?
I don't get either. Where do smart people go so wrong?
3
While I agree completely with this article, I had to check the date a couple of times. This isn't news...it's history. The Republican Party has built it's entire identify on hate and fear-mongering. These sorts of tactics are odious, but effective.
And even though they have been used successfully for nearly a generation, the Democratic Party seems flummoxed every time they roll out their latest string of hateful/racist dog whistle election campaigns.
With full respect for Nicholas Kristov, his article might better be titled: Voters - You Are Being Played! The GOP's strategy is beyond mere manipulation - voters are being lied to and played, state by state, through persistently devious means. The Republicans' aim is to shred democracy itself, following their tragically misguided leader into a blindly dark past.
2
"I try to avoid using the names of mass shooters, to avoid giving them attention they sometime crave."
Thank you for putting that in your column. We are being manipulated towards hatred. It appears the efforts are working when it is expressed in these violent actions. It is sad to think those who should be in charge are just stirring the pot.
1
What particularly galls me is the stoking about birthright citizenship. With the emphasis on such children being takers and moochers who will drain American resources, rather than as citizens who will contribute their life work to the country. The U.S. is in huge need of intelligent thinking on immigration, DACA, and a guest worker program. Especially so considering climate-change migrations that will balloon in a few years. The GOP refusal to deal with problems except by flame-fanning and nonsensical walls is pitiful and futile.
1
I only wish Kristof would write one column on the plight of poor kids in the US. Maybe he cannot see them, like many Americans because their skin is too brown or they live in Deplorable, Flyover, USA.
It literally makes me sick to see people so willing to help fairly well of people (be honest how many readers can pony up $5000- 10,000 to have a human trafficker bring you to the US) yet they will not give a wooden nickel to help poor people here in the US. Humanity is important as is caring for your fellow humans BUT there are people being shot, experiencing extreme violence, going to bed hungry, homeless, attending classes in buildings that are structurally unsafe right here in the US and most refuse to see it. Even worse, they refuse to help Americans.
1
Mr. Kristof - I enjoy reading your opinions but they are just that, opinions. Here is mine - you will not acknowledge the bigger picture that President Trump is illminating with his rhetoric. There are literally hundreds of millions of people who want to come to this country, and once here will work for next to nothing and live in comparative luxury from whence they came. This has both the immediate and long term effect of depressing wages for people that are already here, both legal and illegal. Where, sir do we draw the line? This welcoming policy, most elegantly articulated by the Emma Lazarus poem on the Statue of Liberty was essential when we needed to populate our country and were as desperate for workers as the immigrants were desperate for opportunity. This is no longer the case with our advanced economy that relies more on automation and a highly educated workforce than a willing underclass of desperate people that will work for almost anything under almost any conditions permitted by law. I feel compassion for economic refugees but we CANNOT accomoodate everyone who wants to come here. Yes, Trump grossly exaggerates aspects of the ILLEGAL immigrant community but he is not wrong about the totality of the threat. You and your editors know this; NYT frequently publishes articles about the plight of Uber drivers, truckers, servers and other service workers. You are being intellectually and practically dishonest.
Nicholas Kristof's remark,
"There is considerable evidence from research experiments that scaring people makes them more conservative, at least temporarily."
reminds me of a comment by the late, great Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
Moynihan once complained that too many people have learned the word, "paranoia". Now, when you tell them something bad is going to happen, they respond, "Oh, you're just being paranoid."
"The problem," he said, "is that bad things really do happen."
(quote from memory)
Mr. Kristof, I wanted the borders closed before the Central American caravan. Indeed, I wanted the borders closed before Donald Trump even thought to run for public office. I support Donald Trump because I want the borders closed, not because Donald Trump is president.
Mr. Kristof, I want the borders closed.
2
@Haim: What does “borders closed” mean: Not letting anybody from a foreign country in anymore? Democrats don’t want illegal immigration, what makes you think they do? Why do you think Obama was called “Deporter in Chief”? Oh yes, you believe Trump when he says Democrats want open borders. Trump lies, as usual. And you let yourself be manipulated by him.
1
@Anna Donald Trump is president because both establishment Democrats and establishment Republicans have thrown open the borders.
You may recall that during the the Republican primaries preceding the 2016 general elections, the putative Republican front runner, Jeb Bush, who said illegal immigration is "an act of love", spent a staggering $160 million and never scored above 7% in any state.
Well said. I reject the argument that we must ignore Trump because denouncing him only gives him more credibility and presence. We must be rational, moral and decry the violence, fear and hate he relies upon to remain in office.
1
It may be worth talking of American Values and contrasting them to hatred and fear. American Values are against demonising the poorest but giving everyone a fair shake. American Values are about defending the innocent, like the Pittsburgh congregation. American Values are to tell the truth like George Washington (whether or not the cherry tree was a myth).
1
I am stunned the Republicans and Mr. Trump have not used the invasion of killer bees after their accidental release from a research station in Brazil in the late 1950's as the first product of George Soros' work.
They are a good metaphor for the trouble we can get into when we introduce what we believe to be improvements on nature. Curiously, as they continue to spread through the southern US, beekeepers find they actually do produce more honey, even if more aggressive about defending their hives.
Killer bees, kudzu, Asian carp, Donald Trump. All are invasive species and may continue to have effects throughout the world before voters or Mother Nature rebalances the scales.
You are right that you take a risk in responding but it is not much of risk in that you may reach some open minded opponents of immigration. You might even calm some fears. But on the whole you are just preaching to the choir. In this particular case we must rely on the leaders of our military especially General Mattis to speak up and even oppose or refuse to allow the troop deployment. He is an honorable man but in deciding to let the military be manipulated and just giving in to Trump in this way, he has failed in his country.
3
No fully sane and informed person can believe "the caravan" is a national security threat to the United States. Nor is there an economic threat. Nor a crime threat.
Few will reach the border, but even if every single person did, they are a tiny number compared to 326 million existing Americans and 1 million new legal immigrants. And over-time they would become economic and cultural assets for the United States.
But the President of the United States repeats lies that have already inspired violence. He stokes fears and damages America's soul.
Other Presidents have through bad judgment have done worst things. But no President in my lifetime has knowingly done anything more evil.
I am a Republican who does support some anti-Trump Republicans, but this election day voters need to give my party needs a wakeup call and a purge.
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The saddest thing is that many - though not all Trump voters - *want* to be manipulated into voting for him. They are not innocent victims. I'm concerned that deep inside they are not actually afraid of the few thousand refugees walking for many weeks to the US boarder to ask for asylum or - as Trump puts it - "invade our country". They're just looking for an excuse to vote for their race, and against anyone promoting diversity of thought or color. And as - even these days - admitting that one would vote for Trump because one doesn't like the fact that today's society is becoming less white, less male-dominated, and less Christian, invoking the fear of a perceived terrorist-hiding caravan is a convenient excuse.
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Of course, it MUST be race. Not the anti-business mindset if the Democratic Party. Not the free everything model of Bernie Sanders. Not the nanny state objectives of the left. Not the socialist leanings of Ocasio-Cortez and Salazar. Not the “deplorables” language or HRC who just wont ride off into the sunset. Not the derision focused on Mitt Romney when he said Russia was the greatest threat the US faced.
2
@Dimitris Lappas Excellent comments!
5
@Dimitris Lappas It's more nuanced than that. The people looking for excuses to stay on the Trump train aren't all hard core racists, they're socially conservative dupes looking for a way to avoid the cognitive dissonance of realizing they've been duped by a con man. Often they think they're the "good guys" and will do anything to avoid having to face that they've been recruited into the devil's army.
12
Concerned, thoughtful, Americans should not assume that our vocal opposition to the Trump/Pence "immigrant strategy" will slow or stop their ever increasing reliance upon venomous, hate tinged, speech that is on display in all of their public appearances.
The Republican Party's "immigrant strategy" is the modern day replacement for its 1960’s "southern strategy" initially devised during the civil rights era to increase support among white voters by appealing to their prejudices against African Americans.
This week Pence was in Birmingham, AL, and in furtherance of the “immigrant strategy” he voiced his support for Trump's attack on American’s birth rights. Presently, in the run up to the mid-terms, the Trump/GOP script is being recited across the nation by every Republican candidate and office holder.
We must be ever mindful that as the Republican’s “immigrant strategy” is sown, seeded and fueled to broadly take root into our national consciousness that the collateral damage is to African Americans, Jews, and others whose lives and well-being depend upon acceptance and integration into mainstream America.
Next week the nation will benefit from a change in Congressional leadership. And while the Republican Party will inevitably cling to its divisive “immigrant strategy,” we can, and we will, reject it at every level when we vote against those who are espousing it.
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I'm sorry to say that the strategy of Trump and Fox News has worked. The Democrats no longer have any advantage in this year's midterms. I wouldn't be surprised if they suffer a net loss of House seats in addition to losing every competitive Senate and gubernatorial race. The majority of Americans today never leave their homes except to work and buy groceries. They have no concept of life outside of their bubbles. They never see or interact with migrants of any sort. That's why they're so afraid. They envision the world outside of their bubble as a post-apocalyptic wasteland, viewing it through the lens of television and the internet. Americans no longer have any grasp of what "America" actually means. They have embraced the President's proposal to declare the Constitution null and void, to grant himself the power to amend the Constitution at will with no input from the states or any other branch of government, a proposal which renders the Constitution a meaningless scrap of paper. But there's no use mourning the Democrats' impending final and total defeat. Even if Democrats won both the House and Senate, it wouldn't make a difference. With a Supreme Court that will back any executive action Trump makes regardless of what the Constitution might have to say on the matter, Trump has the power of a God. There are absolutely no limits to what he can force upon us via executive action. He can do whatever he wants. The legislative branch might as well resign now.
33
@Randy Thompson You paint a very bleak picture, one that is not outside the bounds of possibility, however. Someone wrote recently "Vote on November 6! It may be your last opportunity to do so." It is a terrifying thought that within our lifetimes the democracy, that we cherish and that so many want to share, might be destroyed.
20
@Randy Thompson
I am more hopeful that the Supreme Court has more integrity than you suppose. Though I was disappointed in Kavanaugh's "comes around" threat, I believe under the influence of the other justices he will be conservative, yes, but still lawful.
4
@Randy Thompson Randy your perception of the upcoming election is not supported by the facts on the ground. The Dems will clearly take back the House with a margin of more than 15 seats. The Senate is close with probably only one or two seats moving parties. However, this is how it begins. The House with its committees and investigative authority will provide the checks that are needed on Trump. While he will scream the split Congress is stopping his agenda for the 2020 elections, the pendulum will have moved back from its extreme by then. The Trump nightmare will come to an end. People will tire of being scared all the time and that is what Trump uses to push his agenda. We will start to repair the damage and the long work of repairing our image in the world. America is strong and we will certainly survive this mistake. History will look upon this time and mark it as being pivitol in our rejection of facism. When a President thinks he can change the constitution with an executive order and 40% of the Country believes the claim, we have certainly lost our way. Leaders that divide their populace don't last. Our Country and Constitution were built to endure such nonsense and continue to move forward. It is only a matter of time, before white won't be the majority and we must learn to live as just one of the races. I believe we will be a better Country when it has happened, so we can move forward with more imporant concerns.
7
The author of this piece conveniently ignores the other story in today's Times, that the success of the first caravan in getting through to Mexico, and continuing to move north, is encouraging the formation of new caravans to do the same. So the percentage of migrants that the first caravan represents is misleading. Its like saying we should not worry about hurricanes at the coast, because the first wave does little damage. True, but what about the cumulative effect of all the waves?
You could say a lot of stupid things to try to downplay the impacts of something bad. Like, those killed in Pittsburgh were old and would have died soon anyway.
The fact is, there are probably 3 to 4 billion poor people throughout the world, all just an airplane ride away. I am sure almost all of them would like to get to the USA if they could. And like a swamped lifeboat, if a billion or two were to successfully get here and be allowed to stay, it would destroy what they were coming here for, both for those newly arriving and those already here.
Remember, the road to oblivion is traveled one step at a time.
20
@RM Of course, raising the specter of a billion people “swamping” us via airplane rides is more fear mongering, as it is quite impossible to sneak into the country on a plane. But you know that, right?
Immigration is what made this country great. My grandparents came here from Eastern Europe escaping the equivalent of the gangs in Central America. They worked hard and raised families who, in turn, worked hard and raised doctors and lawyers and programmers and artists.
This story is far from unique. It is, in fact, the central story of America.
20
@Evan Benjamin
Well, Evan, perhaps you can enlighten us on how many is a reasonable number to absorb annually, and how do we enforce that limit? Wouldn't that require a LEGAL immigration system with enforcement?
9
@RM: That’s what we have already. And it’s a very strict system. I know, I went through it.
12
I never watch Fox, but circumstances were such that I channel-flipped to an infomercial in which Ed Rollins, former slightly-respected talking head (based on having led Reagan's campaign), called upon all Americans to vote to put an end to the mainstream media's conspiracy to undermine the president.
I was a bit shocked. He was telling the Fox viewer that it was the mainstream press that was creating and peddling conspiracies, and hindering the president's progress toward implementing his promises. No evidence was presented, nor necessary. Basically, just trust me, no facts, just trust me, go vote. A very earnest look into the camera, with no factual argument whatsoever.
That's where we are, people. We now have to fight for what we took for granted all our lives. I am not sure what else to say but go fight.
277
@Incontinental
These people are the true enemies of this nation. They must be defeated by any means necessary.
8
@Incontinental
These people don't understand that all the "media" has is influence.
Beyond that, politicians are free to do as they wish and there's nothing any media can do about it. They aren't controlled by the media nor does the media conspire against them. Criticism is not negativism.
1
I never watched Fox News before Trump won. Now, I do regularly--for short stretches. In late afternoon and early evening, there is at least a semblance of objectivity.
But between 8 and 11:00--Carson, Hannity, and Ingraham--we have a non-stop Trump campaign commercial. He can do no wrong, no matter what lie he has just uttered or what awful policy he has just promoted.
There should be a law against this, but I guess there isn't. All we can do is take the law into our own hands and VOTE next Tuesday. And anyone who doesn't vote, or votes for a third party candidate, is voting for more of the insanity.
Our democracy is strong, but it is NOT magically invincible.
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@bnyc
Once upon a time, before Saint Ronnie occupied the Oval, TV was subject to the Fairness Doctrine, which required them to present controversial issues of public interest and to present those issues with contrasting viewpoints. The elimination of this rule in 1987 brought us Fox "News".
I think we need to bring this rule back if we ever hope to engage in civil discourse again.
479
@TheLifeChaotic
With the recent Republican appointees on the Supreme court, the Fairness Doctrine is unlikely to come back even if we were to see a Democratic President and Democratic control of both houses after 2020. That's one of the consequences of the last midterm election, as well as 2016.
56
@TheLifeChaotic
Thanks for reminding me abut the Fairness Doctrine. I'd completely forgotten about it and looked it up. Obama opposed it.
Another example that Democrats are typically book smart, concerned about ideals. While Republicans are street smart, concerned about WINNING.
If the Democrats don't--somehow--win big next week, I truly fear the consequences.
26
Vote for people who will take a reasoned, fair, compromised approach to immigration with laws that will be enforced.
So far - I don't see those people.
2
"But I believe in rationality and our capacity, if warned, to resist manipulation."
What has happened recently that supports this belief?
3
Of course we are being manipulated.
Elections always spun facts, cherry picked sound bites, promised chickens that would never get delivered to pots.
What is new is that the manipulation goes a step beyond the toxic wedge issues, and into the territory in which it is ok to draw targets on the faces of opponents, and provide addresses.
They are now in the position of claiming they had nothing to do with anything - that was all crazy people out there. Like a person who supplies the gasoline and matches, hands over a floor plan, pays the arsonist, but claims he had nothing to do with the fire.
The question is - can our nation wise up? Politics has become religion; people accept their party and candidates on a faith based set of assumptions. Reality need not enter into it.
8
And yet, here we are talking about what Mr Trump wants us to talk about.
We cannot point to his ignorance and mendacity without admitting that he has learned, bluntly, to push our buttons and to exploit the weakness of our media and cognitive systems.
But lordy, I'm tired of it all.
VOTE ON TUESDAY!
14
It is a fatal mistake to worry about the possible blowback from taking an action such as calling out Trump on his scare-mongering. Give people credit, state the truth and move on. If there’s blowback, deal with it as another issue. It’s far more likely that once educated, at least some of the people you worry about becoming part of the blowback will have the grounding to resist it thus amplifying your original point.
6
@DenisPombriant
Those people you worry about probably don't read the NY Times
With the silver anniversary of our invasion of Afghanistan passing by and our still fighting in that country, with the New Yorker reporting that we have over 5,000 soldiers in semi-secret bases in Africa, with our multi-trillion dollar Air Force not having planes in the air to defend this country on 9/11, many of us are wondering what "defending" our country really means. We think there is a reason for borders, and that deciding to abandon Honduras for the US should not be the line of least resistance for residents of that country.
1
“Silver anniversary of invading Afghanistan” - think about that and who benefits from instilling fear in the Am psyche.
And we on the Left are being manipulated by fear when we allow the screamers and the bigots to take over our own party and attack other Americans in our names based on skin color, religion, gender, or home region, and then openly defend our right to bathe the world in our own bigotry as long as it is pointed at conservatives. We have to stop letting the bigots in our ranks lead our charge.
On the Left, we're at the mercy of our own kind of Tea Party right now, and people are not necessarily wrong to be scared of us. After all, if we find out others disagree with us, we'll have them fired or destroy them and their families on social media or publish their kid's school address. We might even show up at their anniversary dinner and scream at them in public.We have our own ways of attacking.
We are basically letting horrible people take over.
Let me make this clear... I'm no Centrist. I supported Bernie, and had to hold my nose to vote for Hillary after listening to Hillary attack rural people and the party leaders claim that Bernie was no Democrat and his followers are just racists. I'm tired of having those people speak in my name. I won't them speak for me anymore.
I'm a lifelong Democrat, and I believe the people on the Right are Americans, too. Why we can't at least listen to their concerns is beyond me. Apparently, all we can do is double down on name-calling and try to get people fired.We no longer are demonstrating a better kinder nation to anyone.
10
@MLit: Bernie steadfastly remains a Socialist Party of One, not a Democrat.
The real division is over what is more relevant to the negotiation of public policy, faith, or reason.
4
For a "life long Democrat" your characterization of "the left" seems to sound just like FOX News and right wing talk radio inaccuracies and misreporting.
2
@MLit Hillary Clinton never attacked rural people.
1
As a society, as a nation and as individuals we must examine how it is that we have allowed awful people to rise to be our leaders. What is not working in this nation?
14
@Rocky: Many people have to be the baddest because everyone else is badder.
The rich of both parties are running the show, and looting everything the rest of us have. This has been going on since 1492. It's just more glaringly obvious now in an overpopulated nation.
I've heard Trump rant on about "drugs pouring in across the border." If he had any basic understanding of supply and demand he'd understand that the suppliers take the risks associated with making, transporting and selling drugs because the demand side is so big. Who does Trump think is using drugs? Americans! He won't spend anything like what is needed for drug education and prevention because that would rob him of the "Mexican drug-lord" sound bite. No matter who supplies it, Americans are using it. But working on the demand side of the drug equation does not have a bogeyman, does not have an "other" source to blame for the problem and does not help him get and keep power.
16
@Frank I'm afraid Trump understands the market. By halting import of drugs, he can watch nationalistic suppliers profit from the habits of fellow Americans.
1
Not much effort for Trump's GOP--Obama, Hillary, and Pelosi did eight years of ground work. Just a matter of getting the footings deep enough and then keeping the walls continuous and insurmountable till 2024.
After reading article after article where Trump is either blatantly lying, or is just abjectly incompetent, you are left with the conclusion that Trump is an illegitimate President. That said, Trump was lawfully elected, and so is our lawful, elected President. But there is a distinction between lawful and legitimate.
How can Trump be both lawful and illegitimate? Being lawfully elected means that the system for getting him there was agreed to by all parties as fair and consistent with the laws. That gets him to the office.
But in America, lawfully elected leaders can only lead with the consent of the governed. In other words, they must do more than just be President; they need to actually do things for which the governed provide their consent.
Late in the Nixon administration, Nixon was musing about a military coup. It so concerned the Secretary of Defense, James Schlesinger that he instructed his chain at DOD, notwithstanding the President's orders, to take direction from him first.
While certainly a Profile in Courage, what Schlesinger did was insubordination for which he could have been terminated. Fortunately, Nixon did not learn of this until later, but it shows that Nixon's legitimacy was gone. And so was he, soon after.
That is where we are now. If Trump’s legitimacy is shot, then we either have a rudderless ship of State, or a shadow government forming. Neither are good. The easy answer: wait for the election. Do we have that luxury?
5
DO NOT GO GENTLY
Do not go gently into this dark age,
Of loss of justice, decency and right:
Write - ignite to kindle virtuous rage.
Though rogues testify a path to bondage
Their words die at the dawning of the light:
Detest, protest, contest their language.
That the good are scarce is an old message
And until they act, right gives way to might,
As falsehoods swagger on the twilit stage.
Hold out for heroes, for their advantage
Come the night’s end and the morning’s sight,
As rights are freed that lies took hostage.
Then those who wrest the best from damage
Can sense the kind old sun grow warm and bright
And verity itself glow fierce with homage.
10
The beauty of Trump and his manipulations is that they are so blatant, so obvious. If a clear majority of voters cannot discern the truth and reject his miasma of lies, then one really has to question whether democracy in the US retains any kind of future.
The inescapable premise for preferring democracy over authoritarian alternatives is that democracy, messy and inefficient though it may be, will eventually generate an outcome rooted in truth as manifested by the shared morality of society. The democratic consensus is at risk of failing and, worse yet, the matrix of institutions that support consensus formation are being corrupted.
12
@woofer: Government works best when the governed consent to it. Generally speaking, democracy has been the most effective means to secure consent without use of force, although it is critically dependent on the quality of education of the public.
6
@woofer. Keep on woofing. Couldn't have said this better. If we aren't intelligent enough to see through the simple-minded strategy then we deserve all we get.
1
Breaking News: You’re preaching to the choir here. Very few people that are trump supporters /republicans and would benefit from reading this will be reading this. But seemingly they will go out and vote, unlike the vast swaths of potential democratic/progressive voters that are mired in apathy, indifference and sloth. The bitter irony is that the majority of folks that vote republican and those that don’t vote are the ones that will be the most adversely affected by this administrations policies.
12
I don’t think they’re being manipulated into being xenophobic and hate filled by their chosen media. I think they chose the media and party that reflects the xenophobia and hate they already had. It is a far less comforting notion that these values aren’t the product of manipulation but are rather an enduring characteristic of the American character.
12
All well and good Mr. Kristof but you didn’t answer the only real question: What would you do Re: the caravan?
3
@JB Let them be processed normally. We have functioning immigration centers. Let them do the work they are there to do. Maybe augment the centers with more workers to process these people more quickly.
"But I believe in rationality and our capacity, if warned, to resist manipulation."
The Iraqi people might have a different view
2
It's funny how we've forgotten Bush, but he mostly hurt other people in other countries, til he crashed our economy. Americans have amnesia, and we don't love our neighbors overseas. It's creepy.
Manipulated, of course.
Distracted, too. Here's another way the Administration's "give it alll to business" approach is again making the Trump base look like Wile E. Coyote.
The FCC's Acme Eliminate Net Neutrality gadget was going to reduce prices for consumers and encourage the bigs to invest in building more better faster infrastructure, right?
The deficit-boosting ACME tax plan that gave businesses a HUGE tax cut would boost their investment, too, right?
"Verizon won’t speed up 5G buildout despite FCC preempting local fees
Verizon also lowering capital investment in 2018 despite net neutrality repeal."
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2018/10/fccs-2-billion-giveaway-to-carriers-wont-speed-up-verizons-5g-deployment/
2
All this current obsession about illegal immigration is like closing the barn when the horses are already gone. The number of undocumented immigrants is not growing. In fact, the number of Mexican immigrants is *decreasing* and has for several years now. This caravan is a minuscule number of people, and most are trying to become refugees, running away from serious risk of death. Where was the outrage of the Republicans when a million people a year were stopped trying to cross the border during the Bush presidency? The peak, 1.6 million a year, happened in the year 2000. Last year only 300,000 were detained. And the numbers will continue to go down, since birth rates have gone down in Mexico and most of South America. Ironically, most undocumented immigrants are overstaying their visas, not crossing the Southern border, and more and more come from other countries, especially from Asia. Sending the army to the south border is more likely to cause a tragedy than it is of doing any good. Maybe we should be all welcoming the caravan. They may be some of the last people willing to come here to work the worst jobs for peanuts and demand so little.
And regarding the thought that we are subsidizing them with our taxes, think again, or better yet, go to any non-partisan website and learn.
There is no mob coming, there's only a party desperate to remain relevant scaring people and awakening the worst in us.
10
> (I try to avoid using the names of mass shooters, to avoid giving them attention they sometime crave.)<
Who? The shooter in question or a possible copycat? And if it’s the original shooter, it makes no sense to refuse to name them. Once they’re imprisoned or dead, who cares?
@scottthomas: It is a profound mystery how this individual somehow attributed his own mortal misery to the existence of Jews. Why do some people react so badly to the sight or awareness of other people pursuing some form of enjoyment of life?
And what is the matter with a nation that can't pile too many guns on them?
A number of commentators miss the point that Kristof is making. Nowhere in his argument is Kristof defending illegal immigration. The caravan supposedly is of asylum seekers; this implies that they would register for asylum when they reach the border.
The point Kristof makes is that the news coverage is deliberately being manipulated to elicit fear rather than provide information.
There are few rational people who would argue against an informed debate on how to solve the problem of undocumented aliens and illegal immigration. Unfortunately, all we get is heated rhetoric and manipulative reporting.
8
@gerard.c.tromp: What we are really discussing is human migration forced by a perfect storm of runaway population growth, rapid climate change, and growing incapacity to govern anywhere.
@Steve Bolger
I would not disagree with you on those topics or the combination of topics. And they do need to be discussed and debated.
Building walls and demonizing people for political gain does not provide a solution. These might in fact exacerbate the problem.
Battling Trump is a lot like shadow boxing. The return punches never land. Fighting lies with facts does not work with people who readily accept the lies. If an untruth fits the framework of your thought and emotions, you are primed to accept it. On a visceral level, Trump understands this type of truth, if no other.
Rather than engaging with shadows, let's turn to the solid reality casting the shadow. Shout about the damage we do to our own earthly nest with growing storms and coastal inundations. Point to the poisoning of our children by lead in the water—and not just in Flint and Newark. Talk about the verbal and physical assaults on women that are a daily experience for most. Recognize that a college education is out of financial reach without mortgage-sized debt upon graduation. Yell about the unfair burden of taxation on people who work for a living and live paycheck to paycheck.
The point is that progress was never achieved by people being polite, but also never by people who hammer at shadows. Trump will continue to spew his lies, that’s the only thing he does well. But the best response is to point to the injustices and pain we can see and feel.
He will talk to his base in a hateful mind-meld. Bringing those Trump-intoxicated voters back to reality is a fool’s errand. Let’s focus on the vast majority who are hurting now and talk about how we make our lives better.
The pain is real. Recognize it and point out the real causes of it. Then talk about fixing it.
8
@David Potenziani
Sir, will you please run for Congress? Please?
Trump's portrayal of the caravan as a "horde" coming to overwhelm us is right out of Machiavelli's "The Prince."
Machiavelli said that one way tyrants maintain power is by conjuring up an enemy that is coming to destroy the country. Tyrants understand that people will forget their differences and unite against a common foe. Commentators must show the people of the United States that the caravan is not a horde and that Trump is manipulating them the way any tyrant would.
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@Paul Studies conducted by social psychologists lend support to both Machiavelli and Mr. Kristof's view expressed herein.
That is, when a candidate identifies an external enemy, the poll numbers for that candidate increase by a specific number, at lest temporarily. (From memory, I think it's 6%).
I wish this wasn't true but it does seem to be. Hence, it is naive to think populations, as opposed to individuals, are inoculated against manipulation by means of reasoned opinion.
6
Divide and conquer is doing good business in both parties. How we treat people in San Francisco is no better than how we treat our immigrants.
And this happens over and over again, every election, till voters and by extension the media focus their interest on election programs and less on ad hominem reporting.
Though for the first time in decades the elections are about a person.
Voting red (or independent or not) is condoning the destruction of democracy and the USA.
Voting blue is putting the thoroughly needed checks and balances on this president in place.
13
I'll vote blue, so they can raise my taxes again to support the rich. Oh, I forgot, that's the same thing that will happen if I vote red.
1
The left can use fear, too.
Some people vote because they're afraid of the consequences of the global pollution epidemic and climate change. It's an especially strong motivator for those who live near coastlines, in farmland, or in fire country -- i.e., those who see the leading edge of climate change.
Is this wrong? Is it bad to say "things are getting gravely worse, but if we pull together we can try to ameliorate the damage"? That seems … ok to me, even if it comes from a place of fear.
2
@Michael
It is right if the object of fear is really there and the fear is proportional to the danger but not paralyzing. Otherwise it is bad.
7
Seems to me that there was a study somewhere that said that conservatives (and by extension Republicans) are more naturally fearful than liberals and Democrats. Therefore, it goes to follow that fearfulness is more likely to lead to authoritarianism- either by being an autocrat or by blindly following one. Basically, they are looking for a father-figure to protect them from the things that they fear. Therefore, those who fall for fear-mongering are already fearful, and feeding their fear only puts them over the top.
17
In time Trump and his lying will catch up with him and his terrified republican supporters in congress will be voted out of office. Our booming economy is not due to one man but a combination of factors that may not continue long term. Our deficit will cause big problems eventually as revenues due to tax cuts will continue to decline and our spending for entitlements and defense will surge. Infrastructure ,health care and education are in dire need of reform. We cannot compete in the global market with a broken down infrastructure ,our health care system forces many folks to go bankrupt unlike overseas health care systems, A graduate who has 100k student debt he cannot buy a house while many nations overseas provide free education. We may have more billionaires but income inequality is not a positive situation for a country to have . A strong middle class makes a country stronger and more socially stable while income inequality causes strife and chaos. A country divided as Trump encourages may keep him and his family rich,powerful and reelected however it would become a violent nasty place to live for most of us.
22
Mr. Kristof, there are perfectly rational, thoughtful, educated, decent, caring, hard-working people who believe that stopping the influx of Latin American people at this time would be good for the United States.
This nation of immigrants should not favor one immigrant group over another. There are people in line all over the world who have asked to come here legally. There are educated young people from all over the world who would love to come here and assimilate. But instead, for years, we have allowed a mass movement of poorly educated Spanish speaking people to flood in.
In Fresno, 100 languages are spoken, which makes for a great restaurant scene, among other things. But all these ethnicities are being overwhelmed by Latin Americans. For the next 30 years, this country should open its doors to the rest of the world, but close its doors to Latin America, just to even things out. This would be obvious to you if you traveled here.
If the “caravan” of 7 thousand immigrants were to be allowed to cross the border, they would be followed by many more. Think about the millions of unhappy people in Honduras, El Salvador, and Venezuela. So, Mr. Kristof, yes, the caravan is a crisis, because what will follow will be worse.
I didn't vote for Mr. Trump, because he is so inarticulate that when I hear him talk, my head hurts. But he is NOT talking nonsense about immigration, and the concern he is expressing is not primal, it is rational.
11
Larry,
I think we’d both agree that other than Native Americans, we all are either immigrants or descendants of immigrants.
With that understanding, a cursory look back at our history would show that 19th century immigrants to the US from Ireland, Italy, Germany, China, Japan and Eastern European countries were all, at one time or another, derided for being non English speaking, undereducated and just “different.”
In spite of this, those groups seem to have assimilated quite well. Countless numbers worked hard to achieve their dreams here. Untold numbers served our country in uniform. Many thousands died for it.
Immigration policy is certainly an issue that deserves a robust and dispassionate discussion today. However, the idea of limiting one group or another because they are “uneducated” runs contrary to one of the foundations of our country’s strength-hardworking immigrants looking to better their lives helped build, improve and defend our nation.
My mother’s great grandparents came here from Germany near the end of the 19th century. They were poor and certainly less than college educated. A century later, with hard work, education and a little luck, their descendants (including me) live the American Dream.
Our country has an amazing way of taking hard working immigrants that aspire to a better life and turning them into productive Americans. Let’s give these newcomers the same opportunities our fore bearers received.
14
@Larry
Immigration is a problem in many countries because the world is overpopulated. The affluent countries offer many migrants not a better life, but rather the possibility of any life rather than starvation, disease, or war. We can solve our immigration problem at the expense of other areas; we can watch them suffer and die on TV, and if many of us change the channel most channels will stop showing them to us.
Trump is talking nonsense about immigration because the problem is overpopulation and climate change; the Sahara is expanding northward and Central America has droughts. If your lifeboat is full and there are still people in the water, you have to keep them from climbing on board and swamping the lifeboat, thereby sentencing them to die. But regarding them as evil is not rational, although some might find it comforting.
3
@Larry I agree with you and I must say that we have also a lot of problems from migrants coming from the USA:https://globalnews.ca/news/4177786/migrants-nigeria-us-travel-visas/
Those are hard times for a lot of people around the world like Syria and Libya. In North America we should work together with Mexico to control this situation and help those people.I do agree to deploy military forces but not to kill those poor lads but to help those countries to recuperate the control over their national institutions and territories.We have to work together in keeping those people safe in THEIR countries.Best
Nicholas Kristof,
Thank you for a very well written article. I despair what our country is turning into, but I am very thankful for everyone that is rising up and giving voice to the insanity of it all.
I hope people are listening, and I would be relieved to see the Democrats step up and play a more active role in combating the rhetoric coming from Trump and too many Republicans.
17
My family came to the new world in the late 1500s- why should I have to learn a new language at 73 years of age? I go the local Walmart and almost never hear English being spoken. Build the wall!
5
@Frank
Many Europeans speak perfect English, they learn it from an early age. In the US the schools generally don’t start teaching a foreign language until 7th grade which is too late. If we started teaching our kids multiple languages right from preschool and on, they would soak it up so easily. I just met a Moroccan born woman who speaks 5 languages! I understand your frustration , but it would be fixable for the young generation with a little bit of will to change how the school day is structured .I also would advocate that schools start to teach American Sign Language early on. It would be so easy and take so little time when kids are little to learn this.
As for your wall—get real. Not happening, and Trump knows it, he has been lying to you all along.
10
@Frank
The people behind the counters at Wal-Mart speak English. Why do you care what their customers speak? As long as you can make your purchases, pay for them, and go about your business, that should be enough. I rarely go to Wal-Mart; however, when I do go there it is not to socialize.
10
@Frank I agree, that new rule at your Walmart forbidding English from being spoken is totally unfair to you. Though I'm not sure what a wall is going to... Oh, wait, that's not the rule?
Incidentally, the families of the non-English speakers in your Walmart probably came to the New World in the 1500s too - though some of them may have come more like 10,000 BC. Can they also refuse to learn a new language on that basis?
1
With all due respect, this column is about 16 years overdue- at that point the foxes had not co-opted patriotism, the military, and christianity to achieve ends which have everything to do with acquiring power and little to do with the mission of good governance, stewardship of our planet or human rights.
65
@John Quixote
Perhaps had liberal voices been more patriotic and christian 16 years ago, or perhaps 40 years ago, the foxes would not have been able to co-opt patriotism, the military, and christianity, and United States would not be in the sorry state in which it now finds itself.
3
@John Quixote
Just as you could make an entire newspaper with just the stuff the NY Times refuses to discuss, the efforts of Fox News professionals bring us more real stuff - not just somebody's biases - than you would find on msNBC and CNN combined.
Before dinnertime is all the straight delivery of news as it happens as judged by ethical journalists. Starting with Tucker Carlson you get three hours of opinion - you know, what CNN does all day long.
But, you'll miss the ''Who-you-need-to-hate'' sermons on the other outlets.
@GFC
Who needs Christianity? I live fine without it.
It was the advertising industry that discovered and exploited the uses of fear and insecurity to sell products. Deodorants and mouthwash were a big deal when I was a kid in the 1960's, and nascent Baby Boomers were worried about their social acceptability.
Americans have been conditioned to be fearful. The uncertainties of life without the "safety net" provided in more socialist countries, i.e. most of Europe, and for that matter the rest of the world, means that Americans are "on their own" when it comes to health, education and job security. Plenty to worry about.
39
Mr. Kristof, I agree with your appraisal of Trump and Fox News strategy. But you're preaching to the choir. How do we get persuasive (sane and non-hyperbolic) information out to those who are most susceptible to Trump's exaggerated but creditable (to them) message? We need to understand our neighbors. Fear is indeed a powerful motivator. Here in Ohio, even in liberal-leaning areas, we have friends who have always voted Republican. They value tradition and family. The current president is no traditional Republican and it's clear that his reckless behavior and toxic words will damage our communities. But who can traditional Republicans trust? Certainly not "socialists" or far left liberals. They have no choice but to vote for Trump no matter how noxious he is. zIt wan't always that way. I grew up in Michigan where in the 1960s to the 80s it was expected that the US Senate and state governors would likely be Republican and the US House and big city mayors would be Democrats. It made for a good and sensible balance. It seems we've lost that. Somehow we have to get back to some kind of balance, and begin to trust in one another. I blame dogmatism wherever it comes from or exists. Government should simply govern - make it possible for people to live happy prosperous lives. Current Trump rhetoric and strategy seems to be "win at all cost". The cost will be our relationships with our neighbors, friends, and family.
24
@Lost_in_Ohio
Although I'm a cradle Republican, I agree with your assessment. The House was majority Democrat for 40 years straight until after Bill Clinton election and it has flipped back and forth since then. Once the 20 year Democrat lock on the presidency was broken by Eisenhower, the presidency tends to flip back and forth every four years, as does the Senate.
We have done great things with divided government. Reagan and Tip O'Neill stabilized Social Security and Medicare for a generation. But that was a generation and a half ago, and Democrats weren't having any when W tried 20 years later.
Democrats defunded Medicare to the tune of $0.8 under single party rule and did nothing for Social Security, immigration or the environment. Once we got to divided rule, Obama was reluctant to move anything forward for fear Republicans would get credit after the dismal performance of Democrat autocracy.
Although I'm rooting for Republicans in 2018, I halfway hope that the Democrats take the House, because Trump would attempt to negotiate and compromise, something Obama lacked the skills to do. But I fear Democrats would just focus on undermining Trump to the detriment of American interests.
Had Democrats spent the last two years trying to do good instead of resisting progress, we'd be in a better place.
3
To paraphrase Mr.McConnell," We will do everything in our power to make this a one term presidency."
5
@Lost_in_Ohio
The solution is to avoid the (truly) 'fake news' FOX / Trump propaganda about 'socialism' and 'the left'! Today's Democrats are - as a vast majority - nowhere close to 'socialist'. They're not even liberal or progressive with few exceptions! They're to the right of many Republicans of years past. What are the specific policies that make Democrats "socialists"? That they want healthcare for people who can't afford it? That want kids to focus on school and education and not to have to worry about breakfast? That want us to address the most critical issue of our days - and decades to come - climate change?
5
The caravan is a very legitimate symbol of the fact that we still have a massive unsolved immigration problem. As Kristof says, the caravan is a tiny fraction of 1% of total immigration and that's the issue Trump is legitimately keeping alive as he promised in his campaign.
Unlike many other social problems, immigration does have a low cost legislative solution. Ending chain migration and the visa lottery while implementing e-verify increasing visas for the highly skilled largely solves the problem of low skill illegal immigration.
Trump is not "scaring" voters. He is reminding them there is a problem and he has a solution that democrats oppose. This is honest straightforward politics on a highly substantive issue.
15
@Aurthur Phleger
What is the fear about? Most of the undocumented immigrants have been in the country for over 10 years, living quiet, hard working lives with a much lower rate of (real) criminality than the native population. Who is going to fill the 9 million back-breaking jobs undocumented immigrants are holding right now, with a rate of unemployment of 4%? Certainly not the high skilled workers you are talking about.
32
@Aurthur Phleger Though I don't agree with your proposal, you point out that there are rational arguments buried under the scare tactics. In a normal scenario, a normal president and a normal Congress could debate the suggestions you mention, along with counterproposals, and arrive at some reasonable plan. But immigration has been a polarizing scare issue for a long time. Remember Bush's 2001 immigration reform plan? It was shot down by his own party with the scare word "amnesty. " Some (but not all of us!) on the left have responded to the right's scare tactics by equating any proposed border regulation with racism. I don't agree with that assessment, but when people see the president, members of Congress, and conservative media villainizing a caravan of asylum seekers, it's easy to see where they would get that idea.
You're right that there must be a solution; other countries have immigration laws that are neither "open borders" nor sadistic. Rational people could study them, consider our similarities and differences, and then come up with a plan that while imperfect, move things forward. But apparently we as a country have long since forgotten that rational discussion is possible, let alone desirable.
15
@Aurthur Phleger When a public official characterizes a group with terms that conjure violence and disease, he is performing a kind of synecdoche, or arguing that these characteristics constitute the whole.
Under these terms, the category and process are rendered entirely problematic and dangerous; there are no good dimensions to it. And it makes the problem dire and life-threatening; preventive action is urgent.
This is the opposite of rational deliberation, and counter to the ideals of democratic citizenship and participation. It's scare tactics. It's simple.
So we get reasoning whereby the caravan is far less than 1% of the nation's immigration, but nonetheless it said to represent "a legitimate symbol of the US's immigration problem*"?
3
Is it legal to use the military arm to stop people trying to enter the country? (This is a real question.) I'm not referring to those legally requesting asylum. The military cannot legally be used for policing in the U.S.
19
@Thomas Zaslavsky
The US military cannot be used in law enforcement in the US, although the National Guard can be used under the command of governors.
The military can help build walls, set up tents, monitor drones and otherwise support civilian law enforcement.
If there were massive domestic violence like rioting in the streets, if the states found the National Guard insufficient to supplement law enforcement, they would have to get both houses of congress to authorize the president to deploy the military. [The sole exception is that the Coast Guard has standing authority for certain law enforcement activities like turning around people attempting to illegally enter the country by drug interdiction.
10
@ebmem, thank you. I think you meant "and drug interdiction" for the Coast Guard.
1
@Thomas Zaslavsky. You are correct, the military cannot be used for policing. According to POTUS they are going to "support" ICE and the border patrol. A complete waste of resources.
4
I simply no longer know how to respond to the endless stream of bile emanating from the White House and from the political party that controls both houses of Congress and the Supreme Court.
I think that my depression stems more from what the news says about what this country has become and about who we are as a result then it does about the news itself. The conclusions are inescapable and profoundly discouraging because we can do nothing constructive with elections if we insist upon electing manipulative charlatans into power.
I hope that by November 7th I will have been proven to be too much of a worry wart. But the siren song of fear and loathing sounds loud and powerful. Messages of hope and vision seem muted and weak.
Does the country have the character to return to its once-gloried creation of visions about what we could be rather than chaining ourselves to the barred gate of endless obstruction?
27
@John lebaron
You do not find it distressing that Hillary, in her bitterness over losing the election, encourages incivility toward Republicans as long as Democrats remain in the minority.
You don't find it distressing that Maxine Waters encourages Democrats to harass Republicans if they catch them out in public?
You don't find it distressing that the MSM and Democrats blame Trump because an anti-Trump anti-Semite attacked Jews?
You don't find it distressing that a Democrat has spent $25 million attempting to encourage the impeachment of Trump, and he started before Trump had even had an opportunity to commit an impeachable offense?
Trump is unconventional for a Republican, maybe because he didn't become a Republican until 2008. Republicans have historically laughed it off or turned the other cheek when Democrats insulted them or told lies about them. Democrats ridiculed Reagan because he was an actor and a great communicator. they ignored that he was president of the SAG for 12 years and governor of California for eight years.
Democrats supported Bush when they authorized military action, but then repeatedly chanted he lied, even though they knew it was a lie.
Harry Reid falsely stated that Romney didn't pay income taxes.
The NYT is falsely alleging that Trump and his son-in-law don't pay taxes.
It is shocking to Democrats that they aren't getting away with lies and fake fact checking. [Opinions based on facts are not false because opinionists don't agree.]
1
@ebmem No what I find distressing is that you believe all of this.
I wonder whether the US is admitting Venezuelans who have fled their country, or at least providing assistance to Brazil and Colombia, which are overwhelmed with migrants. There is also an epidemic of measles originating in Venezuela along with resurgent malaria.
6
@David Martin Did you read the article?
While I applaud Nicholas Kristof for writing this important opinion piece, I have no doubt that Trump supporters will never see it (this is the "failing NY Times", as Trump told his supporters), and those who do read it will not have the self-awareness to think for moment that what he says is true.
24
@Kevin
Members of the resistance lack self awareness and believe they are the majority. The opinion is the voice of the minority.
@ebmem
When the House goes Blue in a week, you'll eat your words.
1
@Kevin
And the Senate will remain even more strongly in Republican hands, and the Presidency even more so. Midterm losses are par for the course. How did Obama do in 2010?
He won't be eating anything.
Tetraethyl lead was banned about 20 years ago (longer ago in California), and it's use was gradually reduced prior to that. Dilution from ocean winds probably reduced lead levels on the coasts as well.
Older people and people inland probably have higher lead levels than younger people and people on the coasts, especially California.
Lead neurotoxitity is known to cause impulsive behavior including poor anger management and other problems as well as reduced IQ.
Is there a relationship between tetraethyl lead and conservative politics?
Is the TEL ban going to doom the conservative movement in the long term?
12
@Cdb
Industrialized cities established city water systems before it was known that lead would leach out of the welded joints unless the water contained anticorrosive additives. That is why Flint, NYC, Newark have spotty lead contamination exposure, concentrated in low income housing occupied by poorer people. A continuing problem in blue cities.
Tetraethyl lead was a gasoline additive. Cars would burn gasoline and send lead compounds into the air, which contaminated the nearby ground. Food grown in gardens is consequently high in lead, and children playing or digging in the dirt are exposed. Housing and schools in close proximity to highways and heavily traveled roads has high concentrations than in flyover country, where houses were located a distance from heavily traveled roads.
Lead was phased out and later banned for two reasons. One was the lead contamination in urban areas. The other one, precipitated by poor air quality in California [the leaders] was that catalytic converters, necessary to reduce sulfur, nitrogen and particulate matter were poisoned by lead gasoline. New cars sold in 1975 were required to have catalytic converters and used unleaded fuel. It was not until 1996 that leaded fuel was completely phased out, 1992 in California.
Areas alongside heavily traveled highways in CA still have high lead levels.
Your assumptions are backwards. Democrat hotspots have higher lead exposure than Republican areas. which explains high violence and low IQ.
The most frustrating thing is that it doesn't matter. The people who are most vulnerable to this manipulation don't read the Times. They watch Fox News and read Breitbart.
I've convinced several of my friends of the necessity of following diverse news sources - they're all biased, you can't rely on just one. But my more conservative friends still rely on Fox and ignore everybody else.
28
@Julia
I have a lot of conservative friends who fit that description precisely. There's no way to tell them truth. They will not listen and if they do listen they will not believe.
32
@witz
There is truth and there is opinion.
Truth: if you examine the Comey report on Hillary's behavior with respect to her secret server and compare it to the law, she should have been indicted for her multiple crimes.
Truth: When Hillary was confirmed as Secretary of State she agreed not to accept money from foreign government and foreign agents. If you examine her published income tax returns and the information reports on the Clinton Foundation, it is a fact that her husband and Foundation accepted billions from foreign governments who has business before her. Even if you argue that there was no quid pro quo, the appearance of a conflict of interest would have disqualified any Republican for elective office.
Fact: Hillary bought fabricated evidence from Russian government officials and the FBI used it to trick FISA courts into authorizing the Obama administration to spy on the opposition. She falsified her FEC reporting by calling it legal expense.
Trump was not my first choice as a Republican nominee for president. But I am glad I voted for him because he has never sold out the American people, and Hillary has.
1
@ebmem Please cite your so called facts. If she had done these things the Republicans would have made certain that she was charged with these crimes.
I don't doubt that there are plenty of voters out there who can be manipulated or scared. I don't doubt that many are ill-informed. Still, I always bristle at Nicholas Kristof's columns, which too often tell readers and voters that they just don't get it--whether the issue be racism, sexism, or media manipulation. As I say, I know that there are some ill-informed and bigoted people out there, but I still prefer to give my fellow Americans more credit than Nick Kristof does.
9
@Chris Rasmussen Kristoff is not addressing all voters, just the millions that cheer whatever nonsense comes out of Trump's mouth. Most Americans indeed can see what Trump is trying to do and are appalled by it, but way too many are not. How many actually fall for the nonsense is hard to say, most who cheer are just ok with it, they like the noise, which is just as appalling as believing it.
24
@serban Yes, I will grant that Nicholas Kristof is writing to viewers of Fox News, who may be susceptible to manipulation. But this column, like too many of Kristof's columns, preaches that Americans just "do not get it" about racism, sexism, etc. Personally, I still believe that Americans are smarter than Nick Kristof allows.
You could then turn it around and claim hard right wing folks and voters are more succeptable for fear and anything playing into it. Fits perfectly well with aggressive 2nd amendment support and defense coming from the same corner. They do not only use fear as election tactic...it is their main motivation!
15
I am wondering, with my own dead and sadness, that the right in this country isn't so much being manipulated as they are looking for some kind of intellectual coverage, however flimsy or false, to act on their ugliest beliefs.
And the popular presence of 24/7 propaganda machine Fox "News" cannot be overstated. Coming from the political left myself, I am filled with a different flavor of fear, as I see members of my own family taken in by these poisonous, xenophobic talking points, as they watch nothing else. They listen to nothing else.
And I am confronted with the horrific possibility that this is what they want, that they are not being turned against their will. They just need a source to spout factual-seeming hate at them so they feel justified in closing off their hearts to people who are not exactly like them.
My fear is that we are on the precipice of an American Reich. Even though the people who seem to hold these views are not a majority of he population, our collective apathy when it comes to our political systems have given them most of the power.
We must resist. We must show up. Vote! All of our future depends on it. If they continue to win, our nation will surely transform into the very worst that humanity is capable of. I wish that were hyperbole.
39
well said. my fears exactly
1
A million people have marched on the Capitol Mall on account of events of slightly less import than mass murder at a synagogue. For all Donald Trump knows, at any moment a "caravan" of far more than 3,500 could be on it's way to D.C. for him. No, not "for" him, for him. And far more than that are forming a caravan to local polling places, to "woodshed" his obsequious operatives.
Unlike the inauguration, this is one crowd at the Capitol Mall and across the country that Donald Trump will seek to minimize.
8
@Chalres Coughlin
Since your party lost the election, you seek to overturn democracy through the threat of violence.
And you see nothing wrong with resisting the duly elected government.
Didn't work. I'm not afraid of scared and frightened refugees and babies. I voted early and straight democratic ticket. I'm done with listening to endless lies.
33
@Jennifer It's over 70% military aged single men...those are facts.
Trump's fear strategy continues the long Republican tradition of getting people to vote Republican based on how they feel instead of what they think. This time, it won't work.
Why won't it work? First, there's nothing scary about a crowd of unarmed Central American immigrants trying to enter this country. A panzer army they're not.
Second, and much more important, we on the left have long had a tendency for complacency and laziness when it comes to voting. Not this time. This time, the Republicans might - I say "might" - keep the Senate, but they'll lose the House and quite a few governor's mansions as well. Liberal America is wide awake and very angry.
25
@Vesuviano But what if they win by fixing the votes, hacking them, (not to mention the acts of voter suppression and gerrymandering that we already know about?) That's a concern that should be of much graver concern to the general populace, and most importantly, to the Democrats whose votes are so vulnerable. People can say these things happen on both sides--well, if you ask me, I think the ball game has been distinctly different and exponentially more corrupt, (as led by Republicans), ever since Gore lost to Bush. And the band of rogues plays on to our naivete and unwillingness to ever meaningfully challenge, (or to be able to meaningfully challenge) the results.....
13
@Vesuviano
I wish I had your certainty. Also, I've noticed everyone is obsessed about the election (with good reason) but nobody is talking about what will happen November 7 and from there on. If Trumpism loses as much as you say, I'm not sure what the reaction of all those people they have revved up for so long is going to be. I am afraid.
14
Please, please be right on this. I am so afraid the dems will blow it again
1
I wonder how the military reacts to this situation. Do they buy Trump's story about this "invasion"? Do they have their own strategic information that contradicts what Trump's machine is telling them? Are they obliged to be willing pawns in Trump's manipulative political games? At what point do they become complicit in Trump's lies to the American people?
16
@Matt
Good questions I wish I (or anyone else) could answer. The military may soon play a bigger role than usual in an established democracy.
7
Could we please stop calling a sub set of white voters, "white voters" . "White voters" and "white males" are not a unified group. There are millions of "white voters" who never watch Fox and welcome immigrants and vote left. There are millions of white voters who don't believe a word Trump says. It is not helpful in bringing this country together to lump all white people together. White people do not think alike or vote alike. Yes white privilege is a factor, but care with language is important.
51
DJM-thanks for saying this. I am an elderly white woman and don't recognize myself or my friends who are called out for being credulous and easily manipulated. I want a better country for all, comprehensive immigration reform, mandatory e-verify, full employment, Medicare for all, improved public schools, low-tuition public universities, climate change education, more and better low cost housing, the list is long. We can do this!
8
@Sufibean You and me both. I'm 78, white and had usually voted Democrat for most candidates. Over the last 20 years because the Republicans have gone over the cliff, I vote only Democrat. I vote for the policies and I like most of the Democratic policies.
4
@JH The fault lies in allowing Fox Entertainment to lie each and every day. The greatest proof of the harm Murdoch has done is Donald Trump. No one knew, at first, how closely he followed Fox as the gospel truth. Slowly his bizarre understanding was revealed to be the twisted content of Fox News. When anyone is "converted" to believe in lies this is what that looks like. There has never been a greater example of the corruption propaganda does than Donald Trump.
19
Fifteen-thousand military families just had their Thanksgiving plans ruined for an unnecessary political stunt. Trump disrespects our troops.
43
@Aaron He and his family should spend Thanksgiving at the border feeding the troops. But they won't because they are not "givers".
1
@Aaron
Boo hoo... Since when don't soldiers work holidays?
If you sign up for a job, do the job. I think Aaron has little US military service and does not understsnd how well taken care of are our troops. Government work, before and after service. Where can you get that without a decent education?
Nice thoughts, but too much heart string tugging. $35 million won't get 1600 Americans off opioid addiction. It might not get any off. You can't buy your way out. Drug addiction takes a deep personal desire for sobriety to work. Money can't buy it, as has been proven over and over. Giving this statistic as a truth is, in fact, a lie.
And that's what we get from the left and the right. Lies to further their side and denigrate the other. Discussion? Seldom.
It's news to me that a caravan of a couple thousand amounts to 1/10th of 1% of immigrants for the year. That would be, charitably, about two million immigrants. That's twice the legal number that could be allowed in. Somebody's news is suspect here. Whose? You get to decide.
2
I’m a white voter , aged 67 . I’m scared of Trump and the republicans ALL THE TIME !
28
It's so frustrating, and it needs to be repeated by Kristof and as many rational people as possible because of how serious it is. However, I cannot help but think that most of the people reading this opinion piece are probably already convinced of his point. And the remainder are so convinced otherwise (the manipulated if not brainwashed ones) that they would promptly reject it. And then there's the rest of the people from the latter group at large--they probably won't be reading the New York Times at all. Ergo, polarization. I'll intentionally address the people from the first group reading this comment--please just go out and vote all Republicans out of office. I'm with Friedman on this point, by the way.
7
The kind of fear Trump and right-wing propaganda incites can trigger primitive fight-or-flight responses. The frontal cortex, site of logical conscious reasoning, shuts down and primitive brain structures are activated, along with stress hormones including adrenaline, which packs something of a rush. We evolved to respond to serious threats in this way. But today, "Here comes a saber-toothed tiger" has become "Here comes a menacing horde of foreigners."
7
The GOP today have been reduced to nothing more than strategists tasked with formulating the simplest way to get the lowest common denominator votes so as gain power/influence, and that is to appeal to the average consumer rather than the average human being. Trump's strategy is to appeal to this manifestation of people who are, in this market-based USA, seduced by pitches by salesmen and commercials, because that is what his "winning" philosophy is built upon-sales. Trump is the (ring)leader of this reductive campaign
/phenomenon, as he has proven over and over again that he is virtually devoid of substance as both a man and charismatic, leader. His "MAGA" slogans and relevant rhetoric appeal to what is already an exhausted conservative-oriented trope involving, among other stupidity, rounding up illegal immigrants(read-native people of dark skin from lands south of the border that will turn pasty white middle America a shade or two darker, physically and culturally). I feel for his supporters, who possess similarly low levels of sophistication and who have managed to make their voices heard through aggressive gerrymandering and anti-liberal/intellectual strategies that Congressmen like McConnell have so far effectively enabled. The USA has polarized faster than we realized it, the consequence of a GOP offensive against moderation, reason and, most overlooked, charm, qualities that once made America appealing both domestically and overseas. Trump finalized their destruction.
7
Trump and the Republicans sell fear because they also sell a lie that they are the only ones who can protect us. Notice how the supposed dangers never tapered, despite GOP control of Congress and the White House! The greatest threats to our country are from within, not from the outside, no matter how much the Republicans want you to believe otherwise.
14
I don't understand the why of it, but millions of these white voters that listen to Fox and other media outlets know they're being manipulated. But come Tuesday they'll vote straight Republican ticket, and my view is their rationale will be, Trump is not on the ballot.
And come 2020 if he's still around they'll find some other lame excuse to vote for him. And the Democrats had best realize things aren't going to change with them.
So best you vote like your freedom depends on it, because it surely does.
7
Donald Trump’s running on empty (apologies to Jackson Browne) because he’s got nothing and the Republicans running for Congress have even less. Both he and they are firing the last shots in their pistols. It’s such a childish thing, trying to chase people into the voting booth, scaring them with hate.
But it’s not only Fox; it’s Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingraham and the legions of lesser lights on the right who are telling (white) voters, “you’re next if they (Democrats) take the House.”
We are, in the main, largely unsophisticated voters, fearful about the coming day without stopping to think about what follows it. The tax cut ripoff that Paul Ryan—with the straightest of faces, promised would produce jobs and not add to the national deficit—has been kept quiet, much like a family disgrace that might scandalize them if a horrid secret got out.
And let’s not forget the recent twin disasters that the Trump administration has hung around its head like an albatross: the Kavanugh nomination and the Khashoggi kidnapping-mutilation-murder. In neither case, domestic or foreign, did the president cover himself in glory.
So with an empty dish for a feast for his supporters next Tuesday, the president falls back on the hate. It’s what got him elected and our national prospects are bleak, indeed, if the clarion call to nationalism and division comes uppermost.
Our nation stands upon a knife’s edge.
21
@Soxared, '04, '07, '13, ‘18
The Democrats crucified themselves with the SCOTUS fiasco. Bringing in claims from a woman whose own chosen witnesses denied her claims.
That's why the GOP is most likely going to increase their senate seats.
@Soxared, '04, '07, '13, ‘18 I just watched a 2017 ABC documentary about Roberts County in Texas - the most pro-Trump county in the country. I was struck by the ignorance and selfishness of the residents (who otherwise seemed like nice people); one woman said that she got her "news" primarily from Fox, Facebook and Reddit. The attitude seemed to be "If it doesn't affect me and my family directly, I don't care." I fear (anticipate?) that America will fall into authoritarianism because so many of its citizens have become ignorant, selfish and lazy (which has been greatly exacerbated by social media) and because they take the wonderful idea that was this country, and the ultimate sacrifice so many of their compatriots have made to provide them with the freedom to be ignorant, for granted. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38DY30I73lg
1
It is good to be reminded that there are goodness, even in the midst of these dark times - the $214K raised, and the donations to HIAS. Good call on not using the suspect's name.
14
The problem all decent, law-abiding Americans face as we head into the midterms is that the President of the United States will stop at nothing to spread fear among the electorate to energize his base of low-information voters, and he is aided and abetted by the main source of public information for the base, Fox News.
That means, of course, that the warning by Nicholas Kristof to those voters that they are being manipulated will never be read or heard by the people being manipulated.
First of all, it is doubtful that the people being manipulated read The New York Times. Secondly, if someone is easily manipulated by a fear-mongering demagogue like Donald Trump, she or he is not going to be able to separate fact from fiction.
They will nearly always choose the story that scares them the most.
5
The way Trump gets the votes is smart but uncivil. Trump is using the sense of fear to gather awareness towards the votes and this is wrong in some aspects. I have to admit, yes, although it is a good idea, it should not be used against the people in our country. Trump is using the sense of fear to gather votes and this is wrong.
2
@Conor FitzGerald
Weren't the pink-hat women also using fear to inspire their ... troops? Isn't that what the coat hangar in the alley fears are all about? The hand maiden costumes? The decades-late attempted sex assault allegations? The BLM protests? The non-acknowledgement of the 27 Christians slain in their Texas family church, worshipping on the Sabbath, while mentioning the recent dead Jewish worshippers and the feras of anti-Semitism...
You can't just divide and scare us when it advantages your team, Mr. Kristof. Apply some consistency to the rules, or else admit that you are not playing by the same rules...
You are above consequences? Too big to fail? God laughs at that.
"But I believe in rationality and our capacity, if warned, to resist manipulation."
But, sir, "the truth is not the truth"/
4
As fewer and fewer people tune into cable or television news, the fearmongers are going to have a tougher time scaring us. We dumped our cable subscription three or four years ago and do not miss it one bit. I encourage everyone to turn their backs on sensationalist, entertainment-style news. You won't regret it.
8
@Allison
CNN is doing really well in the ratings though. They top the leading loser of viewership.
If they didn't know they were being manipulated before this, or before many earlier touchpoints, this will not convince them.
3
Trump is repeating the "3-trick pony" campaign playbook of the GOP, which appeals to human emotions instead of rationality.
The 3 tracks are "fear", "anger/hatred", and "I will make you safe".
1. Fear is based on vilifying a real or fictitious enemy which is not like you and me (i.e., Central American refugees, Hillary Clinton, the media, liberals, President Obama).
2. Anger/hatred is blaming others (instead of yourself) for all the ills of the word. Chanelling one's fear of the enemy into anger is a key point of leverage, because anger is what motivates people to vote in the polls.
3. "I will make you safe" is a way to focus the voter's attention on President Trump or the local Republican candidate as the only path toward peace with strength.
4
My tank of hope is nearly empty. I'm coasting on vapors these days. There is so much evidence of well-educated, good-hearted, liberal-minded Americans who just don't care enough to get out in the cold after a long day at work to vote. This is how we may lose our nation, one disinterested citizen at a time.
I nearly died once as a child by drowning. The panic of knowing this is the end of my life had set in. I feel that same panic now for my country. In the end, I was rescued by my father. I hope my country also gets rescued by those who still love the United States.
21
@Mark
I hope my country also gets rescued by those who still love the United States.
----
We have voted sevaral times now to drain the swamp of Washington business-as-usual. Obama simply was not up to the job: he created more wars instead of ending Bushie's.
You stay safely sitting on your rooftop in distress. We working voters will try to rescue you once the water levels recede and the draining begins...
So much work to do.
Thank you so much. Wonderful article. This makes sense. Fox News is the biggest factor poisoning the American consciousness and Donald Trump is their dream come true. How can we rein them in?
7
I don’t know if Kristof is being coy or isn’t thinking this through
The core issue for white evangelical voters is about white power being reduced
The more immigrants of color who come in, the more likely in the future the minority vote will become the majority.
It’s about political power. And Trump, the GOP and Fox news all represent white power.
3
Kristof is right; And thereby hangs the problem.
Fox and Trump/Trump and Fox know exactly what they are doing.
And the rest of us. Well, we are trying to figure out what we should do.
4
Fox News is not manipulating. I don’t watch Fox News. It is main stream media (I don’t consider Fox News as mainstream media) that is manipulating by amplification of Trump’s tantrums like in echo chamber drowning any sensible policy discussions.
5
Excellent, but do you ever feel like you are preaching to the saved? You don’t have to convince us that you are telling it like it is, but there are millions out there that would not more read this than miss a trump rally, and if they read it would swear you a part of Fake News. Unfortunately I don’t think they will wake up until they reap the rewards of putting Truml in charge, a faltering economy, lost jobs, falling home values, in other words another massive recession. Unfortunately that will take us down with them. This time we will have a massive deficit on top of it. There will only be one solution, cutting social security, Medicare and Medicaid and who will that harm? Is there any way of getting out of this whole and removing Trump?
3
United we stand, divided we fall. Have Republicans forgotten this maxim? Or are they deliberately trying to destroy the country? They appear not to care whether the country remains an egalitarian democracy as long as they get to control it.
4
@Richard
Maybe the republicans are more united than you give them credit for. They will keep the senate and keep confirming more judges and SCOTUS picks. If they keep the senate for the next time a Democrat is POTUS they will simply refuse to confirm the Dems nominated judges and justices. Harry Reid you have to thank for this.
1
That this is happening around election time is coincidental, and is being used as a diversionary tactic to distract the public from what is really behind this mass migration of cheap labor to our borders, to take our attention from the real concerns of how and why this is even taking place.
2
And isn’t it just more pleasant, for the majority of us I would guess, to be kind to each other? I’m not talking about anything extravagant. Ask the checkout person at the grocery store how his or her day is going, and mean it and listen, really listen, if they respond.
That’s a much more pleasant world, not this dystopian and false nightmare Trump is peddling. $35 million to send these troops to the border to protect us from NOTHING. How many starving children in Syria and Yemen could be fed with that?
Be kind to each other. Be good to each other. It will be returned to you tenfold when you least expect it but need it. And in closing, there is no such thing as a small donation to the needy.
9
@HeyJoe415
How many hungry American children could be fed with that money? How many poorly funded inner city schools could be better equipped with that money? How many teachers could receive better pay with that money? How many bridges, highways etc. could be repaired and better maintained with that money? How many polling places could be added with necessary transportation to the polls? How many community health centers could be staffed with that money? This whole border circus is a political stunt; I believe even Trump voters know that. It is a disgraceful waste of taxpayer money. It is a thoughtless disruption to those soldiers' families who planned on family Thanksgiving dinners. Cynical, selfish, and uncaring. That is how Trump rolls.
I became an independent because the entire political process is a sham. Both parties cater to wealthy donors and corporations. If a voter wants something it only happens if it aligns with the interests of said donors or corporations. Cable news simply tells one side or the other what they want to hear. Arcane rules ensure that those in power stay in power. Republicans tell us how great the economy is but the average person knows it’s untrue. Democrats splinter us into various aggrieved groups. Both sides bleed the middle class dry with taxes and fees. Each side villainizes the other but in the end there’s really no differences.
5
@Scott D
No difference? You are clearly not paying attention. Health care, tax cuts for the wealthy, cutting medicare and social security, equal rights for all, consumer protection, protecting the environment...shall I continue?
3
@David Vivat, its still the wealthy donors and corporations speaking.
1
The estimates of funds donated vary substantially and one source suggests that some of the money went to a different cause. When the media latches on to a feel good story, accuracy is not a top priority.
1
In a normal midterm year, health care issues, jobs, the economy, the state of the union would all be front and center as voters go the polls. But there's nothing normal about the political climate or a nation with war with itself. Thousands of Pittsburgh citizens stood up to bigotry and this president as never before. Perhaps a turning point has been reached in America.
The country isn't being menaced by immigrants a good thousand miles away in southern Mexico but by its own president who can only incite and motivate voters by insinuating that they will soon be under attack by people who don't look like them or even speak the same language.
On this Halloween night, the president is spooking voters that witches and goblins and ghosts are coming. President Franklin D. Roosevelt once soothed an uneasy nation by assuring its people that all was well and that they had nothing to fear but fear itself. That would be a welcome message in today's America.
7
Me. Kristof is right but nobody who still is likely to vote for Trump’s candidates can hear him.
1
The voters want what they want, they do not want what they do not want; they do not have to justify themselves to moralizing politicians, they are sovereign. German voters did not want more immigration, Angela Merkel could not accept this, the voters rightly turned her out. The Democrats cannot accept that America does not want open borders and more welfare-consuming immigrants, they presume to scold the voters on this saying they cannot accede to their demands to restrain immigration, that it would be inhumane to do so. Don't be surprised if they suffer Ms. Merkel's fate. Face reality, Dems, Mr. Trump is on the winning side of this issue. For all the Democrats' assertions that he has undemocratic, dictatorial tendencies, he's the one listening to the voters, not the supposedly democratic Democrats.
4
@Ronald B. Duke, or as David Frum recently said, "If liberals insist that only fascists will defend borders, then voters will hire fascists to do the job liberals will not do."
It's happening in Europe and it's happening here. As a long-time Barbara Jordan Democrat, who supported President Clinton's Bipartisan Commission on Immigration Reform, and as someone who has read this paper since the early 1990's (and remembers when this paper supported the Jordan Commission!), it has been frustrating to watch the evolution of the Democrats away from everything Barbara Jordan recommended and suggested, and fall right into the arms of the corporatist, Chamber of Commerce exploiters of labor.
All Hillary had to do in 2016 was pivot back to the center on immigration and point out that Trump was merely co-opting the Democrats own ideas from 20 years before (the ideas the then corporatist GOP rejected). She could have cut Trump off on his signature issue. Instead, she more or less let the far left La Raza constituency (& Chamber of Commerce Dems) control the message.
Has it really been worth it for the Democrats to throw away every other core issue they supposedly care for solely to try and maintain the de facto status quo of open borders and unlimited immigration, including illegal? Just astonishing this was the hill they chose to die on in 2016.
1
@Ronald B. Duke
But you're OK with welfare consuming American born citizens? I got news for you, immigrants "consume" far less welfare than American born welfare consumers.
Nicholas Kristofferson, this needed to be pointed out.Thank you. Your description of fear as it relates to conservative thinking fits well with my experience with conservative friends who I consider to be too smart to fall for Trump's lies. But they do, and they have always been fearful. Worriers who deny their worry and fear. They follow crime patterns, read crime blogs, believe guns are necessary, that danger is everywhere. It appears that the swagger of many conservatives is hiding a frightened child.
1
Mr. Kristof, you are right of course. But writing in the Times, you are preaching to the choir. I know your column is syndicated in other newspapers, including in Atlanta. I hope your message reaches the victims of the manipulation before it's too late.
4
Scaring people appears to be the modus operandi of both parties. But I’m not sure that people take these tactics at face value. I think that most people are intuitively aware that the actual incidence of discrimination and divisiveness is very low. Here’s an example: some months ago, the NAACP put out a press release that bias crimes had increased 12% after Mr. Trump was elected. Left out were the actual number of bias crimes in the past year, which were about 2,000 in the 10 largest cities, whose combined population is greater than 25 million. In other words, in these 10 cities combined, about 6 bias crimes were reported daily on average, or a daily rate as close to zero as makes no difference. Most people recognize that overt bias doesn’t happen in any meaningful way. But they do recognize that the rhetoric on both sides represents ideology. People recognize that in the short to medium run, resources are limited and how they are allocated is a zero sum game. The rhetoric is in pursuit of that goal. Democrats have long gone beyond fighting for equal opportunity and are now pushing for equal outcomes and preferences for certain groups. Which must come at the expense of other groups, particularly White males. There’s no manipulation. People see through the rhetoric and recognize that the intent is to garner a greater share of resources. There’s no manipulation in that realization.
5
Give us an example of Democrats pushing for equal outcomes.
4
I hardly think that Trump's white base needs to be "frightened" into voting for Republican candidates.
It was actually a pretty sorry try, Kristof.
5
@Richard Luettgen
Note..,the base keeps getting smaller but the lies much bigger. Scared much?
1
Yep, people who think Trump is doing a good job don’t know carrots from turnips. Truly, they find ways to believe his lies, which is pathetic.
1
@Richard Luettgen
For once, you're right. The President's base doesn't need a reason to show their ignorance and bigotry. It comes naturally to them.
1
Mr. Kristof’s column will probably evoke for many readers the sage, compelling words of President Roosevelt delivered at his first inaugural address in March of 1933, that “...the only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. Roosevelt was speaking to the grave societal concerns and anxieties resultant from the dire economic travails of the Great Depression. It was a message intended to instill hope and promote positive solutions. Presently the country could not be in a more absurdly ironic, yet dangerous leadership situation, where it is the siting President who, through a series of lies, falsehoods, and distortions is intentionally attempting to arouse fear, hatred, and even violence in the citizenry over the contentious issue of immigration. Trump has not only grievously defiled the Presidency, but turned its purpose on its head.
14
According to Wikipedia, the migrant caravan from Honduras has 4000 to 6000 migrants. Earlier smaller caravans were organized by Pueblo sin Fronteras. This caravan receives logistic support and legal aid from this organization, which is a political group which solicits for funds in the US. It is more likely this group than George Soros who might be responsible for the formation of the migrant caravan.
There is most likely extremists on both sides of the immigration who want to see migrant caravan grow. Liberals because they hate the anti-immigrant sentiment in the US and Trump supporters who want to stoke anti-immigrant feeling in order to improve chances for Trump supporters in the coming election.
The migrant caravan does in fact raise tensions on both sides of the immigration debate.
What is less clear is whether it promotes the kind of discussion that might lead to a resolution of the problem of illegal immigration that is acceptable to both sides.
Congress has stopped debating immigration reform. What we have instead is extremists on both sides who yell at each other. Confrontation at some point is likely.
Over the long term, this bodes badly for American democracy. If we cannot resolve our problems in Congress then I suppose people will take to the streets.
But that tends to weaken the legitimacy of the government.
And unwittingly, liberal extremists may be helping Trump dissolve the institutions that protect us from autocracy.
7
@Jake Wagner
Actually, the migrant caravan was formed to stick it to the Honduran president and government, but it grew way beyond what the instigators were expecting and is way way out of their control. Funds are coming from everywhere, not so much for political reasons as humanitarian. As far as I can tell, 'liberals' in the U.S. had nothing to do with starting this.
15
What possible reason could Soros have for organizing such a caravan? Specifically.
10
Extremists on both sides? Who are you kidding? Do you really buy that moral equivalence boloney? Maybe you noticed that only one side is invoking anti-Semitic tropes and invoking the bogeyman of George Soros. Now — tell me again that both sides are extremists.
Let me get this right. The students were asked to imagine their own deaths and their views shifted right? Ok, next time ask them to imagine whether Medicare for all might change this outcome.
37
@Patrick
Ah, yes, get snarky when you don't like the answers that have come from many experiments going back for years, not just the ones listed here.
Of course they are being manipulated, that is the whole point of the Trump TV Show. TV producers have long understood that horror, suspense, violence, and emotional manipulation prepare the viewing audience for the commercials by putting them in an open and uncritical state.
For two years, Trump has played his audience with week long teases about the Paris Climate Accord, the Iran Nuclear Agreement, the North Korea Summit and other ersatz drama, only to produce a predictable result in the end.
His Secretaries have opened controversial actions to months long comment periods, only to bury the overwhelmingly unfavorable responses. (Isn't that a crime, Mr Zinke?)
But there is someone who has proven to be even better at the suspense game. With nary a leak or a comment, a steady stream of Trump campaign officials and other Trump lawyers, fixers and advisors have trooped into his offices, some trading their secrets for leniency, some as many as nine times. Even while the President, White House officials and GOP Congressional leaders try to obfuscate, he avoids politicizing the investigation.
Meanwhile, new charges of spectacular tax evasion, self dealing, corruption, ethical lapses and possible crimes are unsealed against Trump, his family and most Cabinet Secretaries, beyond the scope of the Special Prosecutor.
Its hard to see exactly how this all ends, which makes for great suspense.
16
@Look Ahead
I have lived and voted for many decades now; this is the most corrupt Administration I have ever seen. It is corrupt from the President and his Cabinet to the Agencies now staffed with minions and flunkies, if staffed at all. It reached its nadir with the televised appearance of Kanye West sitting in the Oval Office with Trump. I cannot imagine that scene when either Bush were there, or Clinton, or Reagan or Obama. A second rate entertainer and a third rate President taking up air space. We are now numb to where Trump has taken us. If a script writer for a TV series showed up with that script, his job might be on the line.
2
Some people allow themselves to be manipulated. After being given the facts that prove the manipulation, they reject the facts. This must be true of the Trump supporters who double down on their support with every lie he tells, with every misdeed attributable to him, his family, his Cabinet, and his associates. To say someone is being manipulated is saying he is a victim. But when the victim is willing and eager?
18
Thank you for this column. It should be required reading for all.
12
Multiple corroborating psychological studies show that fear is a greater influencing factor for conservatives when forming their social and political views.
They are more likely to be motivated by fear and more likely to believe in conspiracy theories.
This is in correlation with an overdeveloped primitive part of the brain called the right amygdala which among other primitive functions, triggers the fear response.
The same studies show that liberals are better at filtering the knee jerk fear response of the right amygdala and acting in a more tempered and analytic manner.
This is in correlation with having a larger, more complex part of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which among other things analyzes and tempers the fear response of the amygdala.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/4/9/1651771/-Neurology-Conservative-Amygdala-Fake-News-Liberal-Anterior-Cingulate-Cortex-Rational-Analysis
Conservative Republicans are naturally frightened of the world as part of their neurological make-up.
And Fox News, Hate Radio and the Birther-Liar-In-Chief are quite thrilled to feed Republicans fear, loathing, conspiracy theories and racist dog whistles from morning to night in exchange for robbing the nation blind and splitting the nation in half.
Fear, loathing and conspiracy theories will not be fixing the nation's infrastructure, healthcare, education, worker wages, and corrupt income tax code.
Let's outvote these Grand Old Psychopaths.
Nov 6 2018
230
Your chosen pen name is apt. Your comments are always erudite, well stated and supported, and to the point. Thank you for your frequent and well written comments. Thank you also for your contributions to these discussions.
48
@Socrates
In the prehistoric past some of our monkey ancestors were better at spotting danger than others. When they saw something threatening they would run up a tree, screaming and throwing feces at whatever frightened them.
Not much has really changed.
5
@Socrates
THE man is a malignant narcissist. "Malignant" means "kills." "Narcissist" means biologically there cannot be any "other" worthy of notice or attention. THE malignant narcissist kills others. That is all that he biologically can do.
All who choose to join THE man are "sociopaths." Choosing to support unthinkable destruction of boundaries or empathy.
All spot-on until diagnoses . . .
2
Maybe there is a more important level of manipulation taking place. Maybe we are intentionally being divided into tribes and encouraged to fight with each other.
For many decades after the industrial revolution the rich and poor engaged in a battle over the spoils of society’s growing wealth. Gradually, through the accumulation of political power, the poor vastly improved their circumstances.
About 50 years ago that dynamic began to change. Now we no longer primarily identify as poor or middle class or see the wealthy and powerful as the group to be defended against. People now identify as members of a red or blue tribe even when their most basic interests do not line up with that tribe.
Maybe the manipulation is to encourage us to join a tribe, join the fight. Issues like migrant caravans come and go. The tribes fight about them and they take our attention. Meanwhile, our freedoms erode and the powerful make out like bandits. Tribalism is a great gift to the powerful classes.
28
@Michael Kilbride
Well said.
1
In another experiment, students were first cautioned about a flu going around, and then asked a series of questions. Simply reminding people about the flu led some to be more negative about immigration.
As you said, you believe in rationality, so let us rationally look at your description of this experiment. How many times were the students told about the flu, once or twice? If they were told about it once then how does the experimenter know the subjects moved rightward in their answers. If they were given the same set of questions twice and told about the flu twice, then how does the experimenter know the flu information moved their answers rightward and not just rethinking the questions a second time? It doesn't seem to me to be a very meaningful experiment.
4
@James Ricciardi
Looking up the actual experiment might be more fruitful than speculating.
2
Not all of the students were told about the flu, there was a control group. Read up on experimental methods a bit before lobbing a critique based on assumptions.
3
Nicholas Kristof discusses two issues in this essay.
Virtually everyone agrees that the shooting of 11 Jews in Pittsburgh was horrific. But this shooting has no direct link to the migrant caravan making its way from Honduras to the US.
The migrant caravan raises several important issues that should be discussed.
There are estimates of the number in the migrant caravan, but they vary from 3500 or so to perhaps 7000. The larger figure may reflect two successive caravans. The migrants hope to achieve asylum on reaching the US.
A first question is whether the US needs to modify its rules on consideration of asylum claims. It might be argued that most of the migrants are economic refugees, fleeing poverty in Central America, therefore not qualifying for asylum protection. Does the US have the resources to process so many asylum seekers?
Although Kristof makes the point that the number is only several thousand, it is still important to treat the caravan humanely but also firmly.
The reason people are concerned is that illegal immigration is a serious problem in the US. It takes resources away from America's own poor. And the problem is immense.
In addition to illegal immigrants there are children of illegal immigrants who achieve birthright citizenship and additional family members that immigrants sponsor.
Population growth in the US since 1986 has been about 86 million mostly due to immigration. Such population growth is unsustainable in the long run.
11
Yes, Jake. I just saw some numbers from a study that said there are around 22 million illegal, undocumented workers here in the US, exactly double what the government has been saying. Some people are making a whole load of money off these guys, and it isn't me. The same reason that, although it is the law, E-Verify is not being used or enforced. The money.
The government will back off. Those guys in Congress are the business owners, they benefit from cheap labor, from wages being driven down.
Nothing is going to change.
4
@Jake Wagner
For several years, the number of people leaving America has been equal to or greater than the number coming in. It is not a serious problem.
1
@Jake Wagner
On what basis do you say that illegal immigrants take resources from the poor? They have to remain hidden from authority to avoid deposition - they can't apply for welfare, or Medicare.
In addition it is their very illegal status that allows them to be economically exploited. If they had some sort of formal status their wages would rise and other opportunities for employers to cheat them would be eliminated and they would be less competition.
A suspicious person might think that increasing pressure on illegals is actually a means of keeping them in the shadows to reduce wages of all poor people.
2
“Fox News is worrying aloud about the caravan bringing disease for want of vaccination.”
Even supposing that those in the “caravan” are less socioeconomically advantaged, and that immunization statistics for Honduras may not be rigorous (and some tropical diseases may be prevalent there for which Americans are not routinely immunized), of course Trump’s threat to dial down economic assistance to the countries involved would make that situation worse.
6
@1954Stratocaster Life expectancy in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and Cuba is nearly identical (80.0-80.2) and a notch better than the United States as a whole (79.6). Honduras won't be so good, but I suspect that immigration/tourism officials in much of the world might be worrying about vaccination rates and communicable diseases in the US.
1
They must think American voters are stupid.
They may be right; we'll find out next week.
41
Well put, Mr. Kristoff.
What this fails to explain is how, after more than two decades, Fox News is able to ignite and then stoke these flames of fear.
If people wise up, how does this continue?
It appears that fear itself is a strong and intransigent motivator.
10
I think Fox News attracts people already predisposed to see the worst in others. I spent a weekend with my father years ago while the DC snipers were at large. He had Fox News on all his waking hours. I heard one theme over and over from their coverage: be afraid, be very afraid. I found their coverage repulsive then. It pandered to people’s worst instincts and it still does. Fear sells, but not with someone like me. Their coverage was way too simplistic to me.
2
Sorry, Mr. Kristof: "the brilliance of the Trump scare strategy" is that it recognizes the bottomless stupidity of those Americans who are affected by it. You could just as easily have gone back to 9/11 and mentioned the scare tactic engineered by Misters Cheney and Rumsfeld who managed to convince Dubya, Colin Powell, virtually every member of Congress (including most Democrats), the editors of the NY Times and approx. 90% of the public at large* that Saddam Hussein was at least partially responsible for the attacks on NYC and DC and that he was intent on acquiring weapons of mass destruction. Most Americans, including those who've armed themselves to the teeth, are afraid of their own shadows and can't see the forest for the thorns.
*Trump included, despite his assertions to the contrary
56
@stu freeman, amen.
4
Well, paradoxical it may seem, but it is Trump and the Republicans who are fighting for freedom of speech and the presumption of innocence.
I never thought the day would come when these fully liberal ideals would abandoned by liberals and would be taken up by Republicans.
But that is how it is. It has fallen to Betsy Devos to remind us all that a male student accused by a woman has the normal rights of an accused. I had thought that these rights were part of the constitution. But liberals have totally forgotten their constitution, except for those parts which they can hurl at Trump.
I never thought that the day would come when one would defend the constitution by supporting Republicans. But that day is here.
11
@Ludwig
Your comment is a complete red herring, posing as a high-minded defense of an indefensible administration. It bears no relationship to the column you're commenting upon.
That said, you left out a couple of factors that go along with the presumption of innocence and usually result in the conviction of a guilty person - due diligence and due process. The exceptions are the price that society has agreed to pay for presuming innocence.
47
@Ludwig
From what I hear in the past weeks, you are in good company, Ludwig in New York...
I don't think the media class is listening yet though. They are fighting strawmen, and hard.
2
@mancuroc Presumption of innocence is a red herring? Oh well, thanks mancuroc for making my point. It is a tragedy that it has been left to Republicans to say that it is not a red herring but a part of the constitution.
1
A peerless lie monger, the Don,
Like peanuts, he can’t stop at one,
An endless supply
Of each kind of lie,
The fibs thinking folk surely shun.
Pied Piper of prevarication
Misleader of much of the Nation,,
Viewing Fox TV
Won’t earn a PHD,
Prone to grossest miscalculation.
29
Excellent Column. Too bad it will never cross the consciousness of those who could benefit most by reading it.
256
I never stop being amazed at how little fact checking GOP supporters do when listening to their candidates and supporters.
Particularly the fabrications about this caravan (the first meaning of caravan is vehicle--modern or ancient, such as a large cart-- the second, a group traveling together for safety!)
Maybe it's the word itself--a bit alien, not much in use, and so, somehow threatening. Now it's jumped the shark to become an actual invasion--I actually heard an older woman from Estero, FL, standing in line for the Trump rally in Fort Meyers, who spouted verbatim the talking points from Trump and FOX, "we're being invaded by people with small pox and leprosy," yada yada yada.
I can no more imagine not checking something like that than I can standing on my head in the center of Boston at midnight.
The lies would be laughable were they not so widely believed. The GOP is probably managing to con their voters that Democrats will "take away their Medicare" too, despite the fact that only one person actually threatened to: Mitch McConnell in a rare moment of candor.
Fear has been the primary weapon of demagogues and autocrats, rogues and charlatans, throughout the arc of human history.
Yes, it works. But only for those gullible enough or unmotivated enough to take it at face value.
96
@ChristineMcM is spot on. Fear is a great motivator, not just a very lasting one. Love is an infinitely greater and longer lasting motivator. In this hour of deep divisions in our country, I long for leaders who are loving and kind, ones who ask great questions, listen intently and then show their willingness to compromise. Tough leaders can be all those things, and more. Are there any such folks like this anymore? Or has the last train finally left the station?
5
@ChristineMcM
Republicans have their own "alternate facts".
Thank you for this! I cannot begin to understand how Trump’s base does not see that they are so clearly being manipulated by the oldest trick in the book: whipping up fear of the other to gain or maintain power.
I guess that’s why it is the oldest trick in the book- because it works. Here’s hoping it is less effective in America in 2018 than it has been in the past.
60
@Jenna
Aren't latter-day Democrats the ones making "Trump's base" the Others?
Isn't this columnist trying to whip up your fears of Trump's alleged base? I think you are the ones being had...
What, other than negativity, are the Dems offering you? Labor rights? Securing our social aging plans, that many young people are paying into, on faith? What is it about the Dem platform exactly you support? Fear of losing aborting rights?
@Midway Is this a serious question? Democrats are campaigning FOR health care, voting rights, living wages, workers rights, strengthening the social safety net and allowing our seniors to retire with dignity, early childhood education, sensible gun laws... need I go on?
Trump's ending rallies with You Can't Always Get What You Want plus an enraged Pharrell Williams now. According to the Guardian--"the lineup of musicians who have asked Trump to stop playing their songs alone is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its own."
57
@That's what she said
Pay attention. This happens every campaign with musicians and politicians on opposing "sides" of both political parties...
7
@Midway I'm interessted in reading who has asked Democratic pols to stop using their music. Any examples?
9
@JP Here's one:
In 2008, Sam Moore of Sam & Dave asked Obama to refrain from playing his "Hold On I'm Coming" for fear it would look like the singer had endorsed the candidate.
Now go, do your own homework. As a newspaper reader for years, I did not ... ot down the evidence you request. But I read. Funny how you learn things by following the (former) news. Before they began hiring wealthy liberal elite as reporter-activists sleeping with sources, rather than honest news reporters...
The product is tainted.
The Republican Party simply cannot exist without existential enemies, and if the old ones are losing their impact, new ones are invented to take their place. If we ever did enter into an era of peace and prosperity, the Republican Party would have to disappear.
123
@Mark Lebow
Well, would argue we do have peace and prosperity, mostly. Yet, at the same time great wealth disparity; also thakyoverymuch Republicans.
Thank you for articulating this so explicitly.
We can't tiptoe around what is happening in this country. The clearer it is stated, the better.
127
Unfortunately, it seems that P. T. Barnum is still right. Barnum, at least had the good taste to not run for office.
51
@d ascher
Quoting rom Wikipedia:
"Barnum was elected to the Connecticut legislature in 1865 as Republican representative for Fairfield and served four terms."
That was when the Republicans were the good guys.
3
I donated to HIAS. Thanks for the suggestion. As for your column, the only people who need to know this won't be reading it, and those who do read it already know.
124
An additional point about Honduras -- for years, the U.S. military used the country as a base for it's illegal wars in Central America. And we perpetrated and abetted violence in many of the countries that the men, women, and children (that we are now dehumanizing) are now fleeing. We are not without responsibility for the chaos.
Many, many decades ago, I met a priest, a brother of a good friend of mine, who worked in Guatemala throughout the horrifying civil war in that country. He asked me, "Does no one in the U.S. care that our country is selling arms to BOTH sides in this war? All of the guns are from the U.S."
This plea from a weary priest resonates across the decades: today, the U.S. still supplies all the weapons flooding Central America and our own country -- and we avert our eyes, as if 96 people a day don't die in the U.S. from gun violence. We avert our eyes as if we have no responsibility, no relationship to the violence in Central America that has deep roots in El Norte.
We cherish and nurture our ignorance. And we pretend people both south of the border and at home aren't paying with their lives.
334
@ML
The greatest protest song I ever heard is Bruce Cockburn's (French Canadian)
Written about the refugee camps in Guatemala.
"If I Had a Rocket Launcher" :
Lyrics are on Wikipedia. Banned from some radio stations because of last verse.
During that conflict, my favorite DJ played it every day. When he entertained Canadian troops who fought alongside us (how soon Trump forgets!) in Afghanistan, the soldiers gave him a rocket launcher. It wasn't loaded.
10
@ML, great point. The sad thing is that even the supposedly most liberal "progressives," such as even Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, in an entirely safe seat from a very blue state, STILL puts military Keynesianism uber alles. Literally, as Mayor of Burlington in the 1980's, he supported manufacture of Gatling guns sold to fight "socialists" in Central America, the very point you're making. Today, he strongly supports Lockheed's budget-busting F-35 fighter jet and basing it in Vermont's most densely populated area, regardless of negative impact on health and home values of Vermont's most vulnerable, including working poor; working class; immigrant refugees; the elderly; veterans, etc.
People seem to think things would change with Democrats in control or if someone like Bernie elected president. Whether it was President Obama continuing the insane wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for his entire 8 years, ending his presidency with shameful distinction of longest wartime president in US history (and expanding neo-con, intervention-first nonsense to Libya and Syria); or Bernie's repeated prioritization of military-industrial complex, the record unfortunately shows it does not matter who is in office. It is the United States of Lockheed, Raytheon, Northrop-Grumman and the CIA/NSA national security state.
10
@ML Yes of course, it is all our fault that Central America is in such turmoil. If we are such a bad culture, then why are all of these people trying to come to America and be an American which is the culture that destroyed their culture? Why aren’t they just going on to Canada? Oh yes, we are the bad people who destroyed their country but they all want to come and live here....Go figure!
1
Trump has no need to scare voters. After all, we know he's an autocrat who will ignore the results of the election if he doesn't like them and rule by executive fiat. Or at least that's what everyone has been saying for the past two years.
14
The deplorables I know aren’t scared, maybe not as hip, cosmopolitan or sophisticated as you’d like, but never scared.
I don't think we need "heroism from all us voters" just a commitment to a basic responsibility of citzenship and a well-founded fear that out democracy is at risk.
In the last week alone, Trump has begun to normalize the idea that he can override constitutional admendments via executive order and deploy thousand of solders on U.S. soil based on easily rebutted lies.
Voting against an authoritarian wannabe and his complicit party only requires getting off of the couch.
Fighting an authoritarian once he has established full control? Now that requires true heroism.
Vote now. While you can, while it still matters.
546
I mean I’ll take heroism, but I’d settle for just having voters who primarily base their decisions on a realistic and researched understanding of the policy proposals at stake rather than just whoever their personal biases, sense of identity, and exposure to Facebook memes leads them towards.
23
@LT Trump’s nonsense about the caravan may be easy to rebut but it isn't being rebutted. If nature abhors a vacuum then politics won't tolerate it. When true leadership is missing, into the vacuum will rush someone to take control. Trump is filling the void by default because Democrats in another example of self sabotage refuse to talk about it. The caravan is an humanitarian crisis with possible economic & border security implications that we can't begin to contemplate. It's a visual that reminder our immigration system isn't working. If you say Trump is using scare tactics to exploit the situation so be it. That's what politicians do. The caravan is real. The threat & fears voters are feeling are real. Because if we accept these 7000 more will come possibly replicating the Syrian migrant crisis. Democrats are demagoguing this issue too...they say it isn't a problem. It is. Pelosi & Schumer are actively undermining their party by instructing their members to NOT talk about this crisis...that is unforgivable. So it's come down to who do you trust more. Democrats who refuse to talk about it. Or Trump who won't stop talking about it. The caravan issue has to be addressed. Trump got elected because of immigration. Voters are going along with him because they have no where to go. Being anti Trump isn't an agenda which will persuade independent swing voters. The Democrats have allowed Trump to have a free pass on this issue. Their silence is alienating voters. Incredibly stupid.
6
Of course Trump is pulling all the stops just before the election- he and his advisers know just what they are doing and doing their best to control the narrative.
Democrats need to be just as tactical and not take the bait. we want the narrative to be about real dangers, established by science such a Trump deregulating the fossil fuel industry in a psychopathic denial of climate science.
We need to focus public attention on the tax cuts for millionaires that have ballooned the national debt which the GOP has already promised to use as an excuse to cut Social Security and other services that help the middle class- essentially speeding up the runaway train of money leaving the middle class to further enrich the investment class.
We need to focus on health care reform because America can't afford to spend double the global average for overall mediocre care.
And Democrats must also make it clear that we don't stand for open borders, just the rule of law that says all refugees are entitled to a hearing to try to get sanctuary.
Details of immigration policy can be decided later, but Americans want immigration to be orderly and lawful.
82
@alan haigh
Let's not forget that the US military budget is greater than the next 7 highest-spending countries combined. If The US simply matched the combined spending of Russia and China, the US taxpayers would ge a $350 Billion / per year tax savings. More than Enough to solve the SSI/Medicare budget shortfall coming in 2034.
7
@GTM "Let's not forget that the US military budget is greater than the next 7 highest-spending countries combined"
I agree, but we should carefully describe it as a budget bloated the same way our health care expenses are, by the excessive influence of the profiteers over our government via campaign contributions and the promise of plush employment should they leave office.
Anyone that makes money in the businesses of imprisoning people or killing people should not be allowed to lobby congress to grow their profits. Campaign finance reform is the one way to address this.
Liberal policies are fiscally responsible, not a government giveaway. Efficient health care that isn't twice as expensive as it should be, criminal justice without incarceration rates 6X that of other wealthy nations, and as you mention, a much leaner military are all part and parcel.
We need to always appeal to the selfish interests of the majority of Americans if we want the power to actually improve this country, including for the victims of its policies.
1
@alan haigh, Trump was arguably elected because Americans are tired of the "details of immigration policy [to] be decided later."
How many times is the can going to be kicked down the road? The 1986 Amnesty Bill mandated a Bipartisan Commission to solve & deal with issues that were not finished from 1986. The Bipartisan Commission was convened during President Clinton's first term, led by African-American, Democratic Congresswoman Barbara Jordan. By 1995, they recommended chain migration reform; reduction of legal immigration to smaller number, consistent with a nation long past the industrial age & to reflect changes to the labor market that were under way due to NAFTA; & strong enforcement vs illegal immigration. Ms. Jordan died in 1996 and President Clinton, under pressure from La Raza, corporatist GOP, & Chinese donors providing illegal campaign funds to DNC, pulled the rug out from under the Commission & signaled he would no longer sign the legislation that was moving through Congress based on the Commission. So he signed a heavily diluted version that did not reduce legal immigration; did not move to merit system; & did not reform chain migration.
Pres. George W. Bush tried again, in 2006 & 2007. Democrats, who regained control of Congress in 2006, splintered apart & refused to vote unanimously, thus defeating Bush's efforts. Did not want to give Bush a "win."
Obama/Gang of 8 tried in 2013, but even more diluted. Just enact the Jordan Commission already!
1
Thanks for this great piece, Mr. Kristof.
I wonder how we can get these very straight-forward and verifiable facts into the heads of voters who are stuck in less-than-altruistic media bubbles?
I worry about your country, and by way of natural extension the entire world, everyday.
73
@Adamboo Hopefully you will actually examine the statistics instead of swallowing them without question. Lies don't have political affiliation.
1
@Ernest Montague
and herein lies the rub. How does the average American vet the statistical source of a claim? Not many can or do. I am amazed that Trump so frequently says "people tell me ..." whatever half (or 0.1%) truth he is spouting and that seems to be verification enough!!
1
Mr. Kristof,
Could not agree more with every point made...just out of curiosity though, have you actually tried to reason with a solid Trump supporter? Hook, line and sinker does not adequately express how much the ones I know have relinquished capacity for rational discourse and critical consideration of issues.
Makes me think Fox News is running subliminal content in that slick propaganda machine they have cranked up.
Thanks for the article though; I am hopeful the average American keeps their sense of what is right for the country squarely in mind on Election Day.
194
@JH
I so agree. My 91-year-old father who was always the smartest person in the room has been assimilated by Fox. He watches it all day. Before the election, he said he would move to Canada or France if Trump was elected. Since then, he is sure that HRC will be locked up any day now. This is what bothers me the most about Fox and Trump. It's not that either one alone can turn perfectly good brains into mush, but the results of the two combined are horrendous. Do they have some secret sauce for removing reason from people's brains? I know it sound cookoo, but If someone could figure out how to disconnect Trump from Fox, I think we would be on our way to regaining our country.
13
It's interesting how fearmongering and hate seem to be the only things Republicans have to offer voters. That and promising to take health care away from millions of people, presumably to help give the Koch Brothers more tax cuts. And let's not forget the relentless lies.
Democrats are at least talking about health care, including the once-unmentionable single payer option. That's a lot better than a few years ago, when they were so spooked by Republican lies about the Affordable Care Act that they felt compelled to distance themselves from their own significant achievement. Now if they could only find the courage to denounce the Republican agenda as a massive transfer of wealth to donors and corporations, and offer a clear and coherent vision of an America that works for all its citizens rather than just the wealthiest. Then they'd have a Blue Wave that would flush the Republicans far out to sea. But they're not doing that.
But maybe Trump has disgusted enough people to give Democrats at least the House, despite their lack of coherent vision and aggressive campaigning. That seems to be all we can hope for.
69
This buried the lede. The threat was of a disease which hasn't existed for forty years. The threatening kids have a higher vaccination rate than Americans, near complete at 97%.
Blasting the threats as lies is the lede. Then talking about that can follow.
This is bogus. Discuss.
17
Ever since the 9/11 attack the nation has been infiltrated by a large population of cowards and bigots. W. Bush, Cheney , Rumsfeld used this to justify the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Dishonest Donald the Mad uses this fear as the base of his platform, it is at the core of the white supremacist mentality.
Now most of those who call themselves Republicans fear a few women, children, young men fleeing drug gang violence, stoked by lies, made up stories from the most notorious liar in American history, they suspend any rationality and listen to a known swindler, they fear his rhetoric more than getting on the freeway every day, where their chances of dying are several times that of from some Middle Eastern terrorist.
If you have a neighbor who believes this, avoid him or her, they are dishonest, they can not be trusted to act rationally in a real emergency, these are the people who stand and scream when some accident happens to them instead of taking action to ameliorate the situation. As Sasha Abramsky writes:
"Jumping at Shadows: The Triumph of Fear and the End of the American Dream
Sasha Abramsky. Nation, $28 (336p) ISBN"
As always someone profits from this campaign, and it is not you the voter, ju9st follow the money.
51
Yes, you are right. That's what billionaires can do.
But, manipulated is a complex word. I'd have to say that we've been manipulated into following a rigged 'mixed-economy' system that helps the largest shareholders, the high-frequency traders, the hedge funds, the private equity funds and those benefitting from such. We are being destroyed as a healthy democratic nation.
There's the manipulation; I just hope, someday, the common citizen rises up, becomes both aware and compassionate, and helps lead us to that 'more perfect union' we all like to talk about.
80
I use this analogy often (sorry about that) that if you were walking down the road and encountered someone that was in dire need of assistance, that 99 times out of a 100, you or anybody else would lend a hand. (at least to call 911 - which actually is the law in many jurisdictions)
So slow it down for a moment, and ask yourself, what if the ''dire need of assistance'' was not obvious ? What if the person was definitely going to perish if they did not get help, but not necessarily today ?
This is the case for millions upon millions of people for a variety of reasons, that if we prioritize, could save the vast majority.
So we come back to the best of humanity facing the worst of humanity, that whatever the reason, if the person is put in front of you, then you help them.
Treat your country in the same way when you enter the voting booth, and just do the right thing.
242
@FunkyIrishman
Treat your country in the same way when you enter the voting booth, and just do the right thing.
----------
We will. We just disagree if America is protecting her people best by solving the world's problems poorly (remember our purple-fingered promises in Iraq, or how we broke Libya into separate nation states by overthrowing their strongman?)
You think people are helped by encouraging them to trek miles upon miles, some with their little children, all in the promise of becoming an undocumented servant class in an America that does not welcome them, except as a shadow class. OThers think your liberal promises are cruel, and you are actually encouraging people with false hopes of eventual citizenship.
We will vote, and see if the country agrees with the liberals on the coast that we need an undocumented servant class to feed America's economic engines, or if we should have a legal citizenship program with a secured border where we are a country still capable of providing for our people via a broad middle class.
We don't accept the inequality in America that undocumented workers bring that is so prevalent in the third-world countries that many American citizens have fled.
1