Alexandra Pelosi Plunges Into Trump Country

Social anthropology has its place, but after these past 2 years, there’s no acceptable rationale for continuing to support this performative—if not actual—fascist or his fellow-travelers/enablers in the GOP. Hard pass.

So the leader of our country has the cult like and undying support of his sycophantic base behind him. To fabricate his base he used fear of the “other” and the sowing of division, as countless authoritarian despots have before him. These tried and true political “card tricks” will always get results from a certain percentage of the population driven by fear, which is then leveraged into hate and finally galvanized into inextinguishable political support. It’s happening all over the world right now. So Ms. Pelosi has constructed a film that claims to understand the disciples of the deceiver in chief with a superior level of clarity where other pundits have fallen short. Why? What do we do with this new found “understanding”? Is there some implausible belief that their minds can be changed? Remember shooting someone on 5th Ave and not losing votes? He was correct about that one! The Great Recession was particularly rough on this group of Americans and he has convinced them illegal immigrants are to blame. To help these Americans everyone ELSE must vote to limit his power. Just like Obama Care, which this group fought tooth and nail, and is now used by THEM more then any other group, moving to the political center will help them more then Trump will. Unlike his tax cut for the 1% which they applauded very loudly and now see it for what is: a gift to his mega wealthy donors. I think we already understand who these folks are. Let’s just move on with what needs to be done!

God bless Alexandra Pelosi. This essential film should be viewed by every American. If art can bring us together, this is a superb example of how that can happen. My only criticism is that it needed to be longer. More please, Ms. Pelosi! You've got my vote.

Of course, it's a "cultlike" connection between Trump and his voters, since there is little economic basis for working people to support him or his party. Since inauguration, food and gas prices are up and necessities are pricier as Trump's tariffs kick in. Health care and education are more expensive and less accessible. Tax reductions for the 1% exacerbate the deterioration of all public services. The only "bubble" I see is the one protecting the wealthy beneficiaries of extreme Republican policies from the chaotic impacts of Trump's hate-mongering. The liberal majority of votors can pop this bubble of gerrymandered privilege on November 6.

Dialogue with Trump country is critical to America’s future, to overcome CNN’s and MSNBC’s polarizing talking heads, and peel away some of his supporters. Pelosi hasn’t gotten the deeper story, nor have Oprah, Van Jones, Michael Moore—get rural whites to open up on their core fears and push them to explain their world view. What do they think will happen if whites become a minority in the U.S.? How will the secularization of America, gay marriage, gender equality, immigration affect them personally and their communities? Trump speaks to white racial anxiety, while the Republicans damage rural economies and community institutions like schools and hospitals—justify your vote. The closest I’ve seen is Deeyah Khan’s White Right: Meeting the Enemy, because she challenges white racism in a personal, non-threatening way, and makes them think.

Look forward to watching this tonight. I have a don’t ask, don’t tell policy with my relatives in the mid-west that voted for Trump. Perhaps this show will enlighten me as to why in the world any middle-class person would vote for that two-faced, lying, double-talking, racist, divisive, NY City real estate developer like Donald Trump that favors the rich. But somehow I doubt it will change my disappointment with my relatives. Pat

“It is cultlike, and there’s nothing you can do to break it,” she said. “The more outrageous he gets, the more they love him. They’re like ‘That’s our guy!’” These are the people we need to "understand"? I think I do: theirs is the politics of grievance and Trump is their ultimate avatar of grievance. Never mind that their list of grievances are either misrepresentations, non-existent, rooted in bigotry, or some combination thereof. We don't need to understand this kind of nonsense; we need to shame it back into the dark John Birch Society corners from where it crawled. Efforts and arguments like Pelosi's merely validate that which needs to be suppressed; there's no other way to see it. Regardless of whether or not these are "good people," what they are supporting is morally and intellectually bankrupt and acting like it's anything else just makes it worse. Forget arguments like the one this documentary poses and vote Democratic up and down the ticket on Nov. 6! That will do a lot more than trying to understand Trump supporters who consider "Jews will not replace us!" chanters equivalent with the people who oppose them.

From the mother of all bubbles, I'm just asking why our side needs to be the understanding ones. I understand that angry white men are empowered to now-weekly acts of horrific domestic terrorism by the other side. I understand that crushing women's rights, blatant racism, tax cuts for billionaires, and kinship with a growing cabal of global dictators all represent Their side. They need to understand that we will stop this and return American politics to sanity.

Every American should be required to watch Pelosi's brilliant cross-country epic "Citizen U.S.A" which chronicles immigrants from dozens of different countries and backgrounds being sworn in as U. S. citizens and then sharing their genuine and heartfelt love for their adopted country. I'm embarrassed to admit I shed some tears...it's that emotionally compelling.

"...but I mean really go to somebody’s house, have dinner and talk to them?” I've talked at length with many of "them." It is not a rewarding experience.

Definitely tired of trying to understand the other side. I get it - it's tribalism pure and simple. After hearing my mother go off about a truly impressive Democratic candidate in her district for "nodding weirdly", I am beginning to understand that nothing we do will ever make the die-hards dislike us less. Years of Republican / Fox News / fringier right-wing media has done its work, and unfortunately, many or most of the people who vote R can't be saved in the medium-term. Honestly, I believe Dems need to take 4-8 years off of being so reflective, thoughtful, and high-roady and start encouraging a "vote D down the ballot" mindset. Stop trying to get in their heads, and start undoing gerrymandering, adding senate seats, packing courts, doggedly pursuing corruption cases and making a stink, and turning out the vote.

I've seen "America's Right: Feeling Wronged" by Pelosi more than a couple of times, because I liked it and it was entertaining. I question at times the image from this article of Pelosi's open "fairness." I'm left-leaning and I thought ARFW was borderline hilarious at times, especially when Pelosi slipped in quick edits of people looking and acting like fools at Palin rallies. Pelosi "appears" imo to be non-partisan, but boy can she record and edit in some real characters. Go back and watch it and see what you think: especially (e.g.) quick cuts of the 60-ish year old cheerleader at the Palin rally, or the Mississippi trucker explaining why he won't be voting for Obama - granted these things happened, and make for "entertaining" viewing but I often wonder what was on the cutting room floor that *didn't* make these people look stupid or even scary. That said, I'll be watching "Bubble" tonight - I know it will be entertaining at the very least. Non partisan? We'll see.

A kindred voice. Journalism has been replaced by for-profit proselytizing on both sides of the political aisle. Mostly from a Manhattan, LA, DC perspective. In a bubble indeed.

like Trump, to quote Rex Tillerson, Alexandra is a moron. Nobody cares what she thinks. Get a real job.

Can Alexandra replace Nancy? That would be fantastic! Have them switch now right before the election. It's rare to hear someone as sensible as she (Alexandra) seems to be, and we need people like her in office.

Ah, yes, just what we need. Another "curious" mind out there lifting up Trump supporters. We must listen to them and coddle them because big city folk apparently look down on them. Sigh. I think we all know good people who are Trump supporters. I certainly do. But there comes a point where you have to say, what you are supporting is MORALLY WRONG. Should Ms. Pelosi have lived during the Nazi era, no doubt she would be in those villages surrounding the camps and talking with those who spit on the Jews, and we'd all have to understand where they are coming from because it is "Outside the Bubble." No, thank you.

“I was indoctrinated into a Democratic Party cult from a very early age,” Ms. Pelosi said. “But I know that’s not the only America and we need to understand the other side.” On the surface it seems obvious that it's important to understand other perspectives but is there any evidence that someone indoctrinated into the Republican Party cult -- be they a documentarian, journalist, politician, etc. -- has ever said they need to understand the other (Democratic) side? All I’ve ever heard in these partisan times is that it’s the Democrats’ responsibility to reach out and "understand." Maybe I live in my own bubble but why is this? References would be appreciated.