Dems incorrectly assume that women and co-called minorities will vote with them, and that is a mistake. A citizen who is pro-life, someone who is a nationalist (America first), someone who does not believe in climate change, someone who is concerned with border security, someone who believes in religion over secular separation etc---these people will likely vote for the GOP despite their race of gender.
Minorities are often economically liberal and socially religious/conservative. Like any race, including white, a voter needs to be shown how a party better suits them economically. If this is not done, social beliefs become the determining factor in voting.
1
I agree with Charles Blow’s opinions and views about Donald Trump. I am a naturalized US citizen born in Canada. I also am African American... My son was born and raised in Metro Detroit. He served in the US Marines for 5 years. He now lives in Canada by choice because the quality of life is better there. I live here because of my Medicare benefits and other healthcare benefits.
I have watched Donald Trump in action for more than 30 years. President Trump is the “same” private citizen Donald Trump! Need I say more! His words have made me a lot more careful where I go and how I interact with anyone who has white skin, especially white males....
I have personally experienced Canadians laughing at Donald Trump and my adopted country...
“This too shall pass!”
Are we Hispanics, Latino(a)s, Latinex or ...? Or should we be identified by our country affiliations: Puerto Ricans, Mexican Americans, Cuban American, Honduran Americans, etc.
Whatever. Divided we fall.
3
What, if anything, has Trump or his administration done to crack down on nazis and nazism and other white supremacists in America?
While he is accusing our federal intelligence agencies of illicit actions with respect to his 2016 campaign, is he or anyone under his authority researching the reportedly real links between domestic white supremacy groups and individuals and the Russian government and/or people or groups associated with it?
5
Trump is the poster boy for racism in America. Immigrant families have been heartlessly split with children being ripped from their mothers’ arms. Black churches are being burned again. Trump inspires hatred. Those that support him, both whites and people of color are spitting on the graves of Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers and all those that died fighting for civil rights!! They have no excuses whatsoever. Shame on them all!!
2
Glad you're back, Mr. Blow! Boy do we need you NOW!
3
I am confused by this fairy tale that says low earning citizens hate illegal immigrants because they take jobs away from the low earning citizens. Yet when I go to the US, the several cities and towns I visit in Texas and Louisiana often have many businesses with "Help Wanted" signs taped to the front windows or doors. Apparently nobody wants those jobs. After Hurricane Katrina, a lot of illegal workers came, as demolition day laborers. They lived in tents in City Park, or in the backs of pick up trucks parked on deserted streets where there was no electricity. Citizens were not flocking to New Orleans from other states to get these jobs. New Orleans residents were not returning to take these jobs either. Fast food places, the first to open, were begging for workers, paying double the usual hourly wage, and nobody came except the undocumented. The hotels wanted to reopen, and their citizen employees had all relocated to Texas or elsewhere, and those jobs were filled with Eastern Europeans (immigration status???) who carpooled down from Chicago and slept in those cars because there was no other place to sleep. The New Orleans people who had those jobs before Katrina did not come back for them, yet they complained bitterly about how their jobs had been stolen from them, it was reported in the local newspaper. New Orleans' rebound from that cataclysm is due in large part to the Hispanics who came and opened businesses. Half the city would still be rubble without them.
3
@Patricia J Thomas
It’s emotional not reality. During the recession the area where I live had help wanted signs willing to train signs out. I have friends who tried to hire people to do work on their houses or yards, they never even got call backs. The only ones who showed up were the Hispanics.
Blow ought to have done just a bit of homework.
Trump claimed 29 percent of the Hispanic, compared to Romney’s 27 percent in 2012. With blacks, exit polls show Trump claimed 8 percent of the vote to the previous Republican nominee’s 6 percent.
So, all this is over two percent. Two percent!
I also need to educate Blow on the deal with Mexicans. In Mexico, there are many geographical, ethnic and class distinctions. For instance, white Mexico City middle-class people regard an indigenous Mexican from, say, Oaxaca as so inferior as to be repugnant.
Mexicans born and raised in the U.S. are disparingly called "pochos" by native Mexicans. Most of us born and reared here speak little or no Spanish.
Meanwhile, many of us "pochos" look down upon immigrants as poor rubes.
In California, Mexican career criminals and gang members, divide themselves between northern and southern parts of the state.
Increasingly, there is a greater understanding in California's African-American communities that Mexican immigrants pose no threat. We have been in California since before it was part of the United States,
5
The danger Trump presents is not his racist pandering or endless lies and braggadocio. The real clear and present danger from Trump is his war against the rule of law.
56
Hmm...Mr. Blow must really think those white supremicists are so smart fooling African American and Hispanic voters. Really, he thinks that little of his own race?
I think Trump has actually transcended the race issue and has turned it into a class issue. The optics show he is the working man's president. He speaks like them, eats like them, and laughs at the same kinds of jokes. But mostly, he is fighting for them.
His approval rating among Hispanics is currently 50%. It should give the open borders democrats pause for 2020.
9
Trump has spent his entire life stiffing the black, white and yellow working man, but now, somehow, he’s the working man’s savior. What these people refuse to accept is that Hillary would have done so much more for the same people who revile her than the greatest charlatan in the history of this country. I just don’t get it.
7
Yet another example of how "identity politics" is a sham. The assumption is that if you are part of one identity group, you share all of their political/economic/social views. If the democrats want a shot at the White House in 2020, they're going to have to shed this stupid concept and start looking at people as the individuals they are and not lump them into categories such as "cattle," "sheep," and "goats."
10
"Another is to constantly remind black people, and the rest of America, that black unemployment is at a record low — a decline that began under Obama, it must always be noted. "
Unfortunately Democrats have failed miserably in educating the US public concerning the inertia and dynamics of the US economy. If they had managed to do a half-decent job in that regard, by now everyone would be clear that the US economy performance during 2017 and 2018 had very little to do with Mr. Trump. Not only that, they would have had a good shot at winning the Senate.
This is still an immensely important point to make to the US electorate. Without clarifying that point, chances are that in 2020:
1. There will be many voters who will vote again, or vote for the first time, for Mr. Trump, believing that he was the one who rescued the US economy in 2017 and ushered in an era of prosperity; and,
2) If the US economy weakens in the next two years - which currently all indicators point to that direction - they will not blame that on Mr. Trump's misguided strategies (such as tariff wars). Rather, they will be open to the wrong-headed notion that: "since he fixed it once, then he can fix it again." That means they will be going to the polls in 2020 to give him another chance at "fixing it".
3
Charles, Charles, Charles
We all know that Trump is not a racist. We all know that we have a third world country on our southern border. Incidentally, you made me look, and I think racially, Europeans may make a majority of the Mexican gene pool. Since you are so concerned about identity politics. Trump isn't nor am I.
But. Be careful who your friends are. Seems like they don't really care too much for people who choose alternate life styles. Still waiting for them to condemn folks like Farrakhan and laws in Muslim countries that persecute gays.
Sure, unemployment for all us started to drop under Obama, but the economy is generally cyclical and Trump has managed to maintain and expand job growth. More importantly, we have not seen this type of wage growth since, well before Obama.
Obviously, Trump is responding to idiotic accusations of racism, by hiliting the fact that minorities, in particular, have benefited from his policies.
Don't worry, when a Socialist gets elected in 2020, and it really doesn't matter how much melanin he or she has (well maybe to you and your readers it does), we will all be suffering no matter what we choose to call ourselves
6
AND THAT IS WHY I always look, not a Trump's ravings and idiotic remarks, but at his business background, to get a better sense of his acumen, not his constantly changing opinions about everything- usually centered around what HE thinks is wrong with the country and the world. I often do the same thing myself (!) since I love to complain. But at the same time when I saw the 1st picture of the black hole the other day, I read all about it and was thrilled by what it looked like and how astronomers were able to figure out how to do it. We (the human race) are as clever as we are stupid. But anyone who voted in 2016 could have read up on Hilary's background and compared it to Trump's. I still believe that if enough people had done their civic duty, they would have seen how phony Trump was, notwithstanding that Hilary didn't have that photogenic quality or the speaking voice that projected favorably on a television screen. IF you could look past that, you would at least have understood the danger of voting for a man with no experience in government and a fiery temper- someone who always had to get his way because he was born into great wealth and looked down on everyone else, especially if you should dare to disagree with him. Even Reagan who was no hero of mine, did at times give in, compromise, listen to what someone else had to say. He forced on us a potent poison pill- trickle down economics- and we are still recovering- but at least he knew not everyone was in agreement.
2
The Democratic ticket for 2020 must reflect the Democratic party's most avid supporters - namely African Americans and Latinos. A ticket of two white guys is bound for defeat.
17
Brutal and I loved ever word
1
Charles Blow, re "Trump's Other Base": will Black and Hispanic voters fall for Trump's pitch that immigrants are going to take their jobs, their livelihoods and opportunities and money unless Trump's demented wall gets built? Will Kanye West hooting that Trump makes him feel "like Superman!" in the Oval Office sway any voters? One hopes Trump's whole base will shrink like a wool sweater in boiling water.
Sanders and Biden don't stand a snowball's chance in 2020. The Democratic candidate for the Presidency isn't going to be an elderly white male if Gen Xers and Millennials have any say in the winnowing during Democrat caucuses a year from now. Also, who says Trump will even be running in April 2020? Change is the only constant in our anxiety-ridden lives today.
18
@Nan Socolow Flagged for ageism and hate speech against working class whites.
5
Actually ageism but working class whites?
You must mean the nice folks who scream ( still) “ lock her up”?
And cannot think before their emotions cause them to spasm?
1
I chatted with one of my African-American neighbors after the election, thinking we could commiserate over the tragedy of a Trump presidency. He surprised me---shocked me---in confiding that he had actually voted for Trump. His reason: "Homosexuality is a sin." Hilary Clinton was supportive of gay rights, something the Black Church has struggled with for decades, and my neighbor could not vote for her. Black Christians are lagging behind in accepting gay rights as an essential issue of justice. Trump has not been publicly anti-gay, but any Democratic challenger will be be LGBT-supportive, and thus on the wrong side of Black Christians who still question the acceptability of gay behavior. As incredible as it seems---especially after what we know now---Trump was the "lesser of two evils" to many voters. That speaks both to the 25-year campaign of demonization of Hilary Clinton, but also to the false piety of Christians---black or white---who see Trump adhering to a "higher Biblical standard." Incredible, but true. And God help Mayor Pete (my preferred candidate), who will say EVERYTHING right and stand for EVERYTHING good, but fail to get the votes of paleo-Christians of every color because he is gay.
9
Very sensible. It's true that Democrats need to ensure that high percentages of blacks and Latinos vote and vote Democratic, but they also need to do the same for all under 50 voters. The Republicans are a minority party that wins because the Democrats are complacent and unfocused.
2
I am considered a minority, and I will never vote for Trump or any Trump-leaning Republican.
4
I am too
Trump can go to —-
The sooner the better for the country
1
Very perceptive. Trump has been handed an enormous gift by the increasing numbers of desperate people at the border. With each day, it becomes more difficult to blame Obama but the idea that something as simple as a wall will solve the problem, with no hard work needed, just keeps on giving.
And when it comes to making tons of money and thinking you deserve it, that's not limited to whites. Expect ot see more rappers, football players and Kardashian types getting behind the president.
1
Their per centages are TINY
Let em vote for whomever
It makes little difference
1
I have asked before and I will ask again:
How does Immigration help the Poor of America ?
Employers are happy with Immigration if it means
more workers who will work for Minimum Wage
less and/or more hours "off the book".
Meanwhile the Rich like to have non-American Citizens
as their Maids/Nannies/Gardeners as they are nothing
more than Wage Slaves.
7
Don’t know
But why not ask trump?
He’s been using illegal immigrsnts fir decades
Even helps them avoid the INS
The signs at his properties should read
‘ no white working class need apply’
2
I believe it is incumbent among the pastors of the churches to stress the differences in the two parties and point out their hypocrisy.
If we want to eliminate white privilege, blacks need to understand the consequences of their votes.
As for Hispanics...I don't think the churches are the Democrat's friend. The Catholic Church encourages votes for any candidate that wants to end Roe v. Wade.
Fair pay needs to be stressed. Cutting of medicare and medicaid threatens everyone's well being. We all have a lot to lose if the GOP manages to cheat their way into office again.
3
The conservative personality has more hierarchy personality traits, similar to the military.
And more men have this trait than women.
1
The small percentage of non-White voters for Trump are no different than the working class and poor whites who believe Trump's mantra. The cause of all their problems with jobs, infrastructure, educational opportunities are the new Immigrants.
Voting against one's interest is a common theme when you see how most rural voters continuously vote against their own interest with the GOP who favors the rich over them any time. The GOP who constantly deregulates at the expense of the working class by allowing pollution by big Industry that support the party and its leaders.
Pit the new vs the old and Trump and the GOP will always win. The current slogan for the GOP - We are FULL!
2
Today, in between posting here, I raked last year's oak leaves out of the neighborhood duck pond, and composted them in the woods. Leisure cuts the demand for low wage labor.
4
@Steve Bolger
Except when the work has to be done in November, December, January, February, March - - -
1
Until we return integrity to our politics, people will not be invested in good leadership. They will by the snake oil that promises emotional validation and follow those who provide shallow promises. Trust means nothing any more due to the endless broken promises by our leaders.
Both sides have done this to us and until we demand that we are all equally represented and assure it by getting big money out of our politics, we will get politicians who are backed and driven by the rich.
We are a shallow and divided population and it is being used against us.
VOTE
1
Here is what is evident, most Americans see illegal immigration as a threat for several reasons while at the same hiring them for jobs Americans won't do at the wages they can afford. The religious orders (Note I didn't use the term Christians) voted for Trump to get anti-abortion judges. They would have voted for Charles Manson were he alive if he had promised conservative judges. The 2nd amendment is a powerful motivator for Trump supporters. And last but not least, when I asked my son, "You aren't really going to vote for Donald Trump?" He replied, "I will before I will vote for Hillary Clinton." We can't change Trump voters minds, they are inflexible. But there are millions of Americans who were eligible to vote but didn't. That should be the focus of the 2020 Democratic party campaign. A Democratic President is handcuffed without a Democratic House and Senate.
2
There’s yet another population that may provide Republicans with millions of votes: disillusioned Democrats.
These are moderate liberals who’ve traditionally voted Democrat, but will vote the other side out of frustration and anger with the so-called ‘progressive’ faction of the Neo-Democratic Party ...aka ‘the resistance’....particularly their mendacious obstructionism and cheerleading on behalf of illegal foreign migrants against the best interests of the American Citizenry whom they’ve been elected to serve.
Not to mention their obsession with the ‘Russian collusion’ allegations...holding every branch of government and the American citizenry hostage for the past two years. What a humongous waste of time and money!
12
I'm frustrated with the "progressives" because of their smug self-righteousness, purity tests, and constant harping about patriarchy and privilege. I agree with them completely about immigration and investigating Russian connections to the Trump administration.
2
@Shenoa
You wish.
1
Charlie, for once a somewhat thoughtful column a little less on the usual venom.
The loosely used yet undefined concept in the column of " White Supremacy fighting for it's survival" - smells a little racist and reactionary.. progressive whites who read this .. should take note of the obvious and ominous animus to white people everywhere...
6
Mr . Blow is showing dangerous signs of empathy for conservatives like me. Call the doctor!
3
People of color who support Trump are in a state of denial and clearly have no respect for other people of color. Here is a list of Trump's statements and actions that prove the point:
1- Denied rental units to African Americans
2- Lead the birther movement against Obama,
3- Refers to white supremacists as fine people
4- He called Representative Maxine Waters an “extraordinarily low IQ person,”
5- Attempted to block FEMA funds for Puerto Ricans,
6- Blamed “both sides” for racist violence in 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia
7- Regularly calls undocumented immigrants “animals"
8- Called Mexican immigrants murderers and rapists
9- He told Nigerian immigrants to “go back to their huts.”
6
@Jefflz: White folks driving beater cars with MAGA stickers on them are in the same boat.
1
Spot on!
Frankly, I have been surprised that so few black and Hispanic men (13/32%) voted for Trump. I suspect that many of those who didn't formed their impressions of him, secondarily, on the basis of liberal "common knowledge." Now, they know him, and it will be different this time.
The feminized Democratic party may appeal to coastal metrosexuals, but it doesn't appeal to men who sacrifice their lives in support of their families and for doing so, are described as card carrying members of the "patriarchy" all of whom are suffering from "toxic masculinity."
Look for more men to join Trump's base in 2020.
7
For sure Dems need to come up with a buzzard beater in 2020.
1
I work in a handful of hospitals in Bklyn, where the hospital employees and patients are mostly black. I spend a lot of time with them in the OR and the OR lounge, and I can tell you this - black people do not like illegal immigration. They hate it, and it is for that reason, that many support Trump. When they talk politics, they all supported Obama, and they all support building a wall on the border. Sounds crazy doesnt it? But very true. Illegal immigration hurts them the most. It takes jobs from their uneducated men. It clogs up clinics meant for them. When they are waiting 3 hours to see a doctor, and look around and see so many illegals in the clinic, the faces they make are priceless. In the city run hospitals, OR staff is always worried about losing their job, so when a surgery is performed on an illegal immigrant, which they know is costing the hospital a ton of money, they seethe with anger.
But go ahead Democrats and your cohorts in the media, fight Trump on the wall, declare theres nothing to see here at the border, and your going to lose even more blacks and hispanics than in 2016.
Yeah, Puerto Ricans support the wall too. Think legal hispanics support migrants jumping the line and sneaking in, in stark contrast to the way they came here? Think again.
15
@Sports Medicine: One gathers that illegal immigration is driven by the sense that where they come from is too full too.
1
@Sports Medicine
So anecdotal evidence and no polls. Just your assumptions based on post hoc reasoning and absolutely no logic. Here's a question for you. If so many black people want a wall, a promise made at every rally and virtually every speech delivered by Trump, why didn't more of them vote for that promise? The even better news, assuming you are right (you are not), is that because Trump broke his promise even fewer black people will vote for him. That is the logical conclusion of your argument, is it not?
1
@Max Deitenbeck: Most polls have leading questions, and pollsters are a frequently despised lot. How truthfully do people answer polls?
1
As much as Sanders tries to put his Jewish background aside by siding with Anti Israel groups like DBS, and other dubious anti semitic groups among the Progressives, they still consider him Jewish & will not vote for him. This was obvious when Sanders
ran against Hillary.When a Black voter was asked if he would vote for Sanders, he replied, "he didn’t know Sanders from Madoff”Black Anti Semitism is well known, take the Rev Jackson’s comment about Hymie Town when referring to NYC.This split in the Democrat ranks will be their undoing & assure Trump of another term.
7
Jackson gave the best apology speech in history
@Kevin
Anti Semitism is like Racism, no one likes to be called one, but once it's comes out of your mouth your stuck with that stigma, it's a deserved punishment.The New muslim Congress woman Omar is in good Company, she will always be referred to as the Anti Semite.Like George of Seinfeld said, put your apologies in a bag.
4
@Independent1776 Thank you! And white liberals tend to be extremely ageist, which is another barrier for Bernie.
African Americans have always been the scapegoats of white America. Just because they have found a new target does not mean African Americans are free and clear. What you see with Donald Trump is what you get.
So what you are saying is that President Trump is a white supremacist who appeals to black people. Got it.
3
I think the Democrats should run a MacGuyver, if there is one.
Colored minorities are in no danger for now. White supremacists are so good at making them fight each other.
1
The Republican Party and 45 ravenously devour and stridently advance fallaciously predicated motives to attract and convince their ever diminishing racial and ethnic minority support base that they are better off because the GOP and 45 know what is best for them. This racially charged, white supremacist, effete snobbery, and colour based paternalistic belief is consistent with 19th Century Jim Crow Americana that Caucasians know better due to the intellectually inferior capacity of racial and ethnic minorities. The empty exhortation "look what I've done for you Black and Hispanic people," and "you should be grateful" speaks volumes. Shrewdly exploiting race and ethnicity by vilifying immigrants as the root of their social and employment problems to attract support is reminiscent of 1930s Nazi Germany's malevolent campaign to systemically destroy religious and ethnic minorities through inimical scapegoating. Hitler's persistently myopic fixation revolving upon racial and religious animus through bluster and bullying tactics enhanced and increased his support base by fomenting both racial internecine and religious violence. The mutual identity of the Republican Party and 45 follow this disturbing pattern. Playing the race card. Attacking chain migration as heinous and dangerous is evidentiary of living hypocrisy and sheer audacity of a falsity. Chain migration is acceptable to 45's inlaws, but, of course, they are not from south of the border, and they are white. Race matters.
1
Interesting article until the last paragraph and the columnist plays the "white man bad" card. Charles almost made the the entire column on an interesting hypothesis . Almost.
5
Hispanics, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Asians, Blacks, it shouldn't matter. This man is unfit in every language, culture and race. It doesn't surprise me that minorities can make ill-informed decisions along with an overwhelming number of white people. What's surprising, after Hurricane Maria and Charlottesville and brown kids in cages, is that these people don't abandon him for humanitarian reasons whether he's good for them or not (he's not). This isn't a test of ones allegiance to a certain ethnic group, it is and always has been, an IQ test. Those that get it, get it and those that don't, are never going to.
From: Robert Mueller, Special Counsel
To: Attorney General William Barr
Subject: My Findings
TOP SECRET AND UNREDACTED
Dear Bill:
Here is what I can tell you about him:
The man is a weasel and a complete degenerate.
His longtime butler called for the assassination of President Obama and Hillary Clinton.
He cheats on his taxes.
His Russian code name is Ivan.
The attached video tapes made at the 2013 Miss Universe Contest in Moscow will curl your hair.
He played a major role in bankrupting Atlantic City.
He has been sued thousands of times.
He has evicted old people and blind people from his apartments in freezing cold weather.
He has gone bankrupt on numerous occasions and delights in it.
He has reneged on so many loans to the Deutsche Bank that they are thinking about changing their name to Trump Bank.
The FBI is attempting to recover his fingerprints from the uniforms of 35 airplane stewardesses.
His wigs are composed of 35 percent polyester and 65 percent orange cellulose fiber and are Certified Fireproof by the Underwriters Laboratory.
There is strong reason to believe that he is guilty of countless violations of the Mann Act.
His total charitable giving in 2014, 2015 and 2016 amounted to $7.25, all by way of donating empty Coke cans to his nonprofit foundation.
I believe we have him just where we want him.
Let me know what you think.
Bob
P.S. -- The attached video and audio tapes are really gross. I advise keeping them out of the hands of children.
2
P.P.S.-- The FBI has found his fingerprints in some strange places
1
Who's race baiting? Trump who is opposed to illegal immigration, or Blow who claims that any opposition to illegal immigration is racist?
4
@John
Well, since Blow has never said that the answer to your question is Trump.
1
Let’s not forget about the Russian bots on Twitter and Facebook who targeted African-Americans in several strategic states with the message that because Hillary Clinton was a racist they would be better off staying home and not voting.
@Big Electric Cat Those Russian Bots suggested I place a decorative barn door between the kitchen and family room. Cost me $800. I wish Obama would have spent more effort before the 2016 election protecting me from Russian home improvement bots. They are too powerful.
@Big Electric Cat, haha you seriously think they had Twitter and FB accounts, those folks in the Midwest?
SAD.
Mr. Blow..........glad you're back to the editorial page. I missed your columns while you were on sabbatical.
1
From: Robert Mueller, Special Counsel
To: Attorney General William Barr
Subject: My Findings
TOP SECRET, UNREDACTED
Dear Bill:
Here is what I can tell you about him for sure:
The man is a weasel and a complete degenerate.
His longtime butler called for the assassination of President Obama and Hillary Clinton.
He cheats on his taxes.
His Russian code name appears to be Ivan.
The attached video tapes made at the 2013 Miss Universe Contest in Moscow will curl your hair.
He played a major role in bankrupting Atlantic City.
He has been sued thousands of times.
He has evicted old people and blind people from his apartments in freezing cold weather.
He has gone bankrupt on numerous occasions and appears to delight in it.
He has reneged on so many loans to the Deutsche Bank that they are now thinking about changing their name to Trump Bank.
His wigs are composed of 35 percent polyester and 65 percent orange cellulose fiber and are Certified Fireproof by the Underwriters Laboratory.
There is strong reason to believe that he is guilty of countless violations of the Mann Act.
His total charitable giving in 2014, 2015 and 2016 amounted to $7.25, all by way of donating empty Coke cans to his nonprofit foundation.
I believe we have got him just where the country needs him.
Let me know what you think.
Your pal,
Bob
P.S. -- The attached video and audio tapes are really gross.
I advise keeping them out of the hands of children.
4
@A.Stanton
A grand letter to Mr. Barr. Hope he reads it.
I would also sign the letter from "someone who cannot pick up the rock the AG crawled out of but, never-the-less, wish his speedy return to his home ".
1
Desperation is the perfect, exact word. When any person within a group is struggling to survive, the greatest foe is a person from another group. That’s what gangs are about, when all is said and done. It’s about belonging, and receiving protection, real or imagined. Trumps gang is his elderly, FOX news cohort, greatly enhanced by his cowardly GOP Collaborators. And the gang enforcers and His last chance followers are the White Power Folks, the true believers. Any non-white person, and most specifically any Women, that supports Trump is a Fool, a dupe, a gullible, useful idiot. Period.
2
Trump's other base is in fact the lapdog media
that refuses to do its job and plays along with the lying
racist venom that isTrump
2
@bill b, still doesn’t explain why a white deputy sheriff’s son burned down 3 black churches in Louisiana, in this day and age.
"..after years of the racist birtherism attack against President Barack Obama,,," Initiated by Hillary in 2008
"....after calling Mexicans rapists and murderers....."
Why does the Media lie about that statement? (Just like the Charlottesvile misquote) He did not say all Mexicans.
"..encouraged police brutality of crime suspects."
Another lie
It just kills the left that African Americans are realizing that the democrat party only shows up in November and are tired of being taken for granted
3
@Mike Clarke
1. Nope. That is a conspiracy theory that has been debunked. And even were it true it does not excuse Trump's racist "birther" campaign against Obama.
2. Trump did, in fact, call some Mexicans rapists and murderers while saying that those were the people being "sent" (sent by whom?) here. Sorry the facts don't support your spin. As for Charlottesville, Trump, in fact, said there were "fine people" on both sides. Considering the fact that one side was Nazis, skin heads, KKK, and other white nationalists Trump should be condemned. If you think those are "fine people" you have some serious issues.
3. Here is an article about a speech in which Trump did exactly that:
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/7/28/16059536/trump-cops-speech-gang-violence-long-island
In this case, sorry the facts don't support your dishonesty.
2
Sounds like Blow is beginning to realize that taking the easy way out by playing the race card and viciously attacking Trump, week after week, month after month, year after year, may get a thousand positive comments for each rant and a lot of "You go, Charles!" here in the comments section, but he's getting scared now, and for good reason.
It seems that he's beginning to realize that while that all feels good, Trump, the racist idiot, is much, much smarter than Blow is.
And that's just gotta be driving Blow crazy, especially given his obvious anger management issues.
6
This immigration straw man will get Trump reelected and all those who fell for it will wake up to a new United States. Trump and his oligarchs will suck this country dry and leave the 99% serfs, beholden to the lords of the manors.
Use your brains, Americans. The cost of Trump's keeping immigrants out and allowing his power grab will cost you and your children dearly.
It can't happen here? Just vote emotionally and see what happens.
3
"...where data [ARE] available," Mr. Blow.
Let me get this straight; Donald Trump has encouraged police brutality of criminal suspects? When did that happen exactly, Mr Blow?
You see, this is the problem I have with the radical left bent of this publication; it’s columnists are free to toss out the most fantastical and baseless claims—and there is no one to call a foul. And the readership harbors such abject hatred got Trump, they don’t care if it’s true it not—as long as it’s negative coverage.
Mr. Blow, your abject hatred of our President is obvious. Every single column you write drips with the most corrosive form of venom. But your emotional resentment should not color your opinion to the point where you find it acceptable to print falsehoods.
The truth is, Trump has NEVER called for the abuse of criminal suspects. Your readers may give you a pass, and your editors may be asleep at the wheel, but I am calling you out—for making stuff up—based on pure hatred. Your readers deserve better. The profession of journalism deserves better.
4
@Jesse The Conservative: Trump has called for family disintegration to deter immigration.
I can hardly stand to read this article and deal w this reality. If people of color go for Trump in 2020, it will be hard for me not to let go of them, not advocate for them anymore, and let them reap from their sowing. Surely, they can't be this stupid! This situation is dire and makes me want to vomit.
6
"Sophisticated and tactical"? WHY do people still cling to the idea that Trump is some sort of Machiavellian genius playing n-dimensional chess against his enemies? The truth is much simpler. Trump is STUPID. And his "base" voted for him precisely because he is stupid. And they will vote for him again because THEY are stupid, buying into his vile sales-pitch of racism, hatred, division, xenophobia, and the promise of low-tech jobs that will NEVER return.
With his every word, Der Trumpenfuhrer proclaims his ignorance, his racism, his voracious ego, and his shocking stupidity. He is proud of it. So is his base.
When I was growing up, people wanted their children to go to college, to pursue as much education as they could, to strengthen their minds, to improve their chances for finding a good career, and to live responsible and thoughtful lives. Forty years later, the world is topsy-turvy. Higher education--in fact, ANY education--is derided as "elitist" and "libtard" and "un-American." The new mindset is "Stupid is cool." And the No. 1 salesman pushing this message is the most profoundly ignorant man ever to disgrace the Oval Office.
How did we go from a Harvard-educated Constitutional scholar to a phony real-estate magnate and reality TV "star" who faked his way through college on his Daddy's money?
Answer: Most of the American electorate is DUMB. They will give evidence of their stupidity again when they re-elect Trump in 2020. I am ashamed to be an American
5
Too many of the recent reports from pundits ignore the truth of the midterms. When people of color run for office, they understand the needs of their constituents and can bring in white folks with similar concerns. These were the voting blocks that succeeded in 2018, not the Democrats in general. If the DNC thinks Bernie or Joe or even Beto are going to excite the marginalized voters of color to get out and fight to cast their votes, they are following the same losing playbook used in 2016.
1
If voters in this Nation can't see the difference between t rump and any one of the democrats who have tossed their hat into the ring then our democracy is doomed.
The so called president has blamed all of his failings on someone else, never admitting any culpability on his part.
He has had more turnover in his staff and cabinet than any of his predecessors up to this point, yet he has never looked any of them in the eye while firing them. He tweets that they are fired. This is the action of a coward.
He said nothing about the wall, or the border, during the two years his party held all the reins of government; yet now the wall and the border are the only things that matter. Even though illegal entry across the border is below zero. Who is going to tell the voters those facts if the Press won't?
I don't know why Nancy Pelosi doesn't just dust off the bill sent to Boehner in 2013 from the Senate and pass it. Then send it back to the Senate and let republicans own the standoff.
Why does the Press keep repeating the lie that Democrats want open borders instead of reporting that a Democratic Senate worked out a bipartisan immigration reform bill that died at the hands of a republican congress?
I am counting on t rump to keep showing US his true nature and therefor I am counting on voters to recognize that nature. And to get it out of our White House.
3
Simply put, if Democrats turn illegal immigration, particularly the migrant issue at the border, into a discussion about morals and values, instead of tangible immigration reforms, they are bound to get eaten alive by Trump in 2020.
I wish Democrats would pounce and get ahead of this asap this year. Put forth bills on border security and immigration reform (no wall needed) and call Trump's/The GOP's bluff. The point is to get out ahead of this and to clearly communicate a set of winning policies to the public, rather than let Trump control the narrative and define the Democrats. Dispel the Trumpian straw man of Democrats on open borders, lax immigration, lax security policies, and shove it right back at him.
3
I strongly disagree with the Dems (and your) identity political view of every issue in America. I don't love Trump because of his mouth, but I agree with most of his policies. Despite his offensive NYC arrogance, he is actually doing a good if not great job if you fairly measure him by traditional standards. The economy is rocking, and I'm sorry but Obama had nothing to do with it. Employment and confidence are sky high, and black and Latino unemployment are the lowest ever. Moreover, we are withdrawing from foreign entanglements created or continued by Obama. By any sober observation, Trump is doing many things that are good for the country and most of us support. If he would do them quietly, all the better. But, a lot of his bluster is directed at stirring up the Left and the MSM, which he does successfully. I'm sure he laughs himself to sleep each evening.
And for the record Mr. Blow, we are in a post-racial America. So, please just stop. It's not about race. It's about class. Trump is going to be re-elected, thanks in part to minority votes and in part to the ridiculous treatment by the MSM and Dems. Incredibly, you've made him a sympathetic figure. He is paving the way for a future Nikki Haley / Candace Owens ticket that will obliterate any Dem tandem you could dream up.
5
One particular group of Hispanics give Trump overwhelming support . These are Cuban Americans . The reason is very simple . Obama went to Cuba trying to ease tensions with the Communist Government there . The Cuban Exile Community is not going to forgive that . You find a similar situation with the Jewish Orthodox Community that believes Trump is going to be stronger when time comes to defend Israel . What these 2 groups fail to understand is that demagogues will promise anything and in the end achieve nothing .
3
This line between perception of race and ethnicity is a vague and wandering one.
When I lived in Santa Rosa, CA 15 years ago, the Press Democrat - then a New York Times property - made a practice of identifying school children as “white” or “Hispanic” in its stories about progress, or lack of it, in education.
Those reports were always accompanied by photos of a dozen or more kids, usually third graders, in classroom setting. Aside from being infuriated by the white/Hispanic terminology, I was always struck by the irony of the photograph. There was never any way to see that differentiation. Kids at that age all look the same.
1
Actually Mr. Blow, Trump does not have to work very hard on recruiting more black and Hispanic voters in 2020 to assure his re-election. Their voting ratios will not budge much no matter who's running on the Republican ticket. It's the overt identity politics such as yours that's dramatically rising on the Left which will drive many traditional white Democrats (particularly white male Democrats) away from their party in droves - and a good share of those will begin stuffing ballots for Trump and for future Republicans.
2
I'm wondering if the Republican party, as defined by Donald Trump, has a future with Hispanics, considering that the youngest ethnic group in the U.S. is Hispanics under 18, according to Pew. I would like to see the age groups of those who participated in the Quinnipiac poll.
The percentage of minority voters who support Trump is not surprising to me. There are pockets of deep conservatism in all minority communities and that has been the case for a long time. Many deeply religious minority Christians are fervent social conservatives who are against abortion and gay marriage, to name just two issues. The immigrant Cuban community of Florida, with its anti-Communist views, has voted Republican for years. Asians as well, who left countries with Communist regimes or fled Southeast Asia before and after the unification of Vietnam. These people are valued diligent voters who will continue to support conservative politicians. They will not stay home simply because Trump's personal life is filled with corruption.
9
It’s been my thought since day one that anyone who supported Trump totally lacked any kind of moral compass. Those who always need someone to blame their miserable wasted lives on will always fall for the words of a con man.
4
How quickly they forget! It was not that long ago that Trump denigrated those aspirants for immigration from Africa & Haiti, stating that he would prefer immigrants from the Scandanavian countries. Like they would want to come here! And not only does his discourse lend itself to hatred of "brown" people from south of the border, he has refused to help Americans.....Puerto Ricans.
4
Mr. Blow clings to a Civil Rights Era frame of reference.
The entire definition of "race" is changing. The term "minority" is losing its meaning, once written in stone by a political code fashioned circa 1968.
Its now the 21st century,,,,we've discovered a woman in Spokane leading the NAACP....despite meeting the Civil Rights Era definition of "white".......we've elected a man, raised in Hawaii, by "white" bank executives, sent to the finest "white" private academies ... to be our President...because he's "black". on and on.
Its time to realize the physics definition of white and black.........white is NOT a color, but essentially the combo of all the monotonic frequencies(narrowly defined colors).....black is the abscence of color..............and is this the real sin of America........denying the imported African Slaves and their descendants their own humanity(color, inclusiveness)?
It comes as no surprise that people once pigeonholed and hyphenated, divided and conquered......are now moving into the broad spectrum of "white" and being accepted.....It is that acceptance factor that Mr. Blow finds hard to grasp.....
Actually, what I find hard to grasp are hallucinatory combos of weird history and weirder ohysics tangled together in the service of ridiculousness.
Thanks to the Dems, Trump has this in the bag already.....
4
Democrats really should stop calling me a racist hater simply because I'm against illegal immigrants crashing our borders and demanding entry. Each and every time they do, I loathe Trump a little less.
9
@Sue Please loathe Trump on his own demerits, not based on how you perceive that other Trump critics behave toward you.
1
That wouldn’t be why you’d get called a racist, even if I do wonder exactly who stomped up to you and started yelling “racist.”
1
It is imperative that 2020 candidates compel voters to answer real life questions. Your wife is carrying a dead baby but is barred from getting surgery considered to be an 'abortion' of sorts'. What can you do?
Your child is transgender, possibly gay, & requires reassignment surgery. Individuals who believe as does Mr. Pence, that your child can be altered via prayer & programs which promise to alter ones' sexual identity. You can see that as being corrosive to your child's personality, but what can you do?
You/a family member is ill, but because science was not taught appropriately in schools, doctors who might be able to assist you, are not educated enough, thanks to Betsy DeVos’ policies. A US enemy attacks our computer dependent infrastructure.
Your water is polluted with coal mine run offs, etc., & absent any health care, brain damage or other damaged organs becomes your fate. Thanks to DJT's policies, you are sick, can no longer work & can’t prove why you can’t work. What can you do? Grandma/grandpa who worked for 35 years, will no longer receive Social Security disability, retirement, & Medicare? Are you going to abandon your relatives?
I believe that Dems, etc., must emphasize the impact of short sighted policies, law avoidance & greed. The 2020 election isn't about immigrants, abortion, freedom or US ability to pay for Medicare for all. 2020 is about restoration of protections & how/where dollars are spent to benefit the majority not the wealthy 1%.
3
What also hurts black voting is, like the election of 2016, blacks won't have the protections of the voting rights act because this supreme court clearly doesn't care about voter suppression.
5
Fear, prejudice and a desire to believe in alternative facts is not just a white thing. Americans can be convinced someone who is not like them is out to get them. Trump is out to prove any American can be made to look like a fool.
2
So are Black and Hispanic folk who are opposed to illegal immigration also white supremacists?
5
One has to really wonder about minority voters who vote for a party that hates them.
3
@Dave Hartley I think minority voters are capable of thinking for themselves and having their own preferences. As to the GOP hating them, didn't FL have a GOP governor named Bush, and isn't his wife a Latina?
1
It is not clear where Democrats stand on immigration, if they have a stance at all.
Our system for processing immigrants is understaffed, bureaucratically stagnant, and broken. Clearly it was designed for some bygone era.
I know numerous immigrants who came in legally; those who had the least painful experience worked for large corporations and had corporate lawyers and secretaries handling everything. The other individuals all describe a process that was confusing, very expensive, and extremely long (as in decades). They found that it was difficult to comply with all the seemingly contradictory regs, and hard to know if you were even in compliance. They described the system as a complete mess.
Democrats have not risked a portion because I suspect there is a lot of disagreement within the party. But most Dems would agree you need some sort of system to track and admit people, and to screen out terrorists and habitual criminals.
Efforts during the Bush and Obama administrations on immigration came to nothing, largely because of rightwing hardliners. We cannot let them own this issue--Dems must push back with a rational and streamlined policy.
4
@MaryC: Right, but what you are talking about is the reality of our immigration process: what Trump and his followers are talking is the dire fantasy of a nation over-run with criminals. There may be some Republicans who would like to make our immigration process more fair and rational and less of a bureaucratic nightmare, but that isn't their campaign agenda.
When you say Dems would agree to screen out terrorists and criminals: well, sure, but recognize the reality that contrary to the Republican vision, immigration isn't where our terrorists and criminals come from. These are for the most part domestic problems, and need to be approached domestically. The fantasy that terrorism and crime are external threats that could be walled out is factually incorrect, and promoting it just makes it harder to deal with the real problems.
1
@MaryC
The America is evil/open borders left wing SJW hardliners are just as much of a problem as the Get off my lawn right wing hardliners. Sadly each party currently has just enough hardliners to stymy the leadership.
"It is worth remembering that in 2016, after years of the racist birtherism attack against President Barack Obama....." I have to get over this trigger.
The Trump birtherism was a false narrative to gin up his deplorable base. I so wish every time he cranked up that jalopy, someone would stand up to say it didn't matter if Obama was born in Moscow, Madagascar or Mars for that matter, and remind them that there were two other presidential candidates on the GOP stage with him that were born outside of the United States.
Then I'd like to remind them that Trump had the temerity to vow to congressional leaders in late 2016 that he would protect Article XII of the United States Constitution. Here's one place where I believe Trump can actually achieve wild success. The universe would need ear protection from the resounding applause if Trump worked on just that one thing for the rest of his term and farmed out the rest of his "presidential work" to congressional bipartisans.
In all seriousness, I'd like the real media (Faux/National Enquirer is incapable) to aggressively balance to Trump's lies and if he's spewing nonsense, recognize that it's propaganda and not newsworthy and just move on.
1
Don't forget about the gender war of #MeToo which has made men of all races legitimately wary of the left. A black or Hispanic man who is unjustly accused by crazy feminists is just as likely to support Trump as a white one. It's just that this scourge hasn't fully reached men of color yet.
7
It’s amusing to see liberals contradict themselves to keep up their narrative. Especially when these pesky independent thinking blacks and Hispanics keep getting in the way.
So, according to Mr Blow, 55% or so of blacks and Hispanics believe that illegal border crossing is a serious problem. But if a white person expresses concern they’re white supremacists?
But then again, a large % of Hispanics are white, including 7 out of 10 Puerto Rican’s. So where’s their white privilege? AndI I thought Trump was critical of Puerto Rico’s leaders because he’s afraid of brown people? But 7 out of 10 are white?
Pretty hard to keep it all straight. But that’s OK. Just keep trafficking in white guilt and keep Trump in the White House for another 4 years.
11
Some black voters are in favor of gun rights and are anti abortion.
5
@No fear I've seen no evidence of this on CNN and MSNBC.
3
"I promise never to lock your kids in cages-that was Obama"
Okay I'm in. Trump 2020!
Nothing moves Americans to act together like a common enemy to hate and fight against. Trump is a genius at creating enemies for Americans to fight: immigrants, Iranians, NATO “free loaders, homosexuals, transgender people, Democrats, city dwellers, blacks and other minorities. He’s got an enemy for every group to despise. For Trump to win it is not necessary for everyone to hate or fear the same group. It is only necessary to think that “only he can save you.” All tyrannies start the same way.
4
Keep calling Trump supporters white racists, and keep missing the point. It will be frustrating for you when he cruises to a landslide victory over whatever clown the democrats run. the 63 million people who voted for Trump are not all dumb racists, Mr. Blow. No, we are people who like smaller government, less regulation, lower taxes, etc. With regard to immigration - wanting a secure border and immigration reform, so that immigration policy helps - not hurts - American workers, is not racist. Its pragmatic. Finally, many people are simply exhausted by toxic identity politics and Trump appeals to those of us in that camp. Again - keep pushing the white racist dumb rube flyover narrative, and watch Trump win - again and again and again. Wake up, propose good policy, and the middle of the country might come along. Not until then.
8
The funniest part was about how you’re in the Trump camp because you’re tired of “toxic identity politics.”
1
Well, he can try and scrape the bottom of his barrel, but between a recession that will most likely take place before the 2020 election, building voter discontent over the tax increase that the Tax Scam Bill has turned out to be, there is no room for expansion.
He's done quite a bit for his racist base.
He'll also retain pseudo-libertarian/anarchists thanks to the systematic destruction of our federal government.
That is about it.
Trump ran exactly the way Martin Luther King described. The second time around, though, the wrinkled stomachs will have been kept empty by his acts of destruction and greed..
“If it may be said of the slavery era that the white man took the world and gave the Negro Jesus, then it may be said of the Reconstruction era that the southern aristocracy took the world and gave the poor white man Jim Crow. He gave him Jim Crow. And when his wrinkled stomach cried out for the food that his empty pockets could not provide, (Yes, sir) he ate Jim Crow, a psychological bird that told him that no matter how bad off he was, at least he was a white man, better than the black man. And he ate Jim Crow. (Uh huh) And when his undernourished children cried out for the necessities that his low wages could not provide, he showed them the Jim Crow signs on the buses and in the stores, on the streets and in the public buildings. And his children, too, learned to feed upon Jim Crow, their last outpost of psychological oblivion.”
https://wp.me/p2KJ3H-2sP
6
Well, folks, we can't say Charles didn't warn us.
5
Trump is an ignorant, cruel oaf. But yet another base, albeit emerging, consists of, yes, liberals who think he’s actually done some good. Even the NYT has done several back-pedaling articles suggesting that some of Trump’s policies (China and Iran come to mind) are actually working. This is not meant as an endorsement of Trump, just an observation. I do hope a rational Democrat beats him fair and square.
5
@JM: This is true, the media (whatever that means) and people in general, love to normalize. The same thing happened with Johnson and Nixon and Reagan and GW Bush. Even if we don't completely forget, we smooth over how bad it really was. Or in Trump's case, how bad it really is. I've seen those articles, too, giving him credit for "policies"... it's how our minds, and corporations and so on, function.
1
This term ‘white nationalist’ is new to me. Webster defines a nationalist as ‘someone having a strong patriotic feeling’. So, I suppose you could call a Caucasian patriot a white nationalist. But, that sounds odd. You wouldn’t say a black patriot or a Latin patriot. You would just refer to someone as being a patriot. So why a white patriot?
2
@Williams Please remember the term 'white nationalist' was originally-and still is-a descriptor of those who wanted a whites-only, neo-pagan America. They were not and are not patriots because they didn't like or feel patriotism towards this nation because we were (and are) multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-sectarian nation and they didn't want anyone in it who didn't think the way they think, look the way they look, behave the way they behave, spew bile the way they spewed bile.
1
Trump despite being a total garbage, has done a good job of the centuries old political trick called divide and rule. A vote for Trump or even for Republican is a vote against your own well being. One has to be insane to trust all these statistics but black and Hispanic Americans should realize that most of the jobs they get are low level dead end jobs. They need to realize whether the jobs they get have any room to grow, learn and further their education. These politicians both republicans and democrats are claver and love their poor and uneducated......only as a vote bank.
3
@HCJ I can't think of a better way to divide this country than the foolishness of reparations.
This is every lawyer's fantasy. The billing clock starts and the first thing we have to decide who gets reparations and who is going to pay. Don't forget this legal admonition, "We don't paid, unless you do."
Trump can't top that.
1
Illegal immigration hurts the lower economic class of America, where many blacks are situated. Trump's anti-illegal immigration/pro-American stance will help those blacks at the bottom of the American economic food chain. As others said, blacks have been used by Democrats for generations and have gotten nothing for their votes.
The Democrats have gone so far to the left that they are digging their own grave. Most Americans are somewhere near the middle of the political spectrum.
Democrats can't even acknowledge that illegal immigration is a real issue. Their defense of illegals at the expense of American citizens will doom them to defeat in 2020.
58
@helton Not so. Many ratified economic studies have shown that illegal immigrants contribute more to the overall economy than they take. Democrats are fully aware that immigration policies have to be looked at and overhauled and they say that everyday. The difference between the Democrats and Trump (and his gang) on immigration comes down to this: do you demonize and punish immigrants (Trumps solution) or do you find a realistic common ground that his both humane and helpful to the country (Democrats). Helton, you should get out more often!
42
@helton
I disagree that Democrats have gone so far to the left, it's Republicans that have gone too far right, so that they've moved the mark farther from what used to be the normal center. I find it telling that you don't bother to mention that obvious fact. I believe illegal immigration could be easily solved if the government went after the people who hire them, instead of wasting money and effort on propaganda that doesn't work. I'd like my tax dollars to represent human decency, not locking kids up in cages while losing track of who they and their parents are. Go after the businesses like Mar-A-Lago that hire illegal immigrants. They come for jobs, remove the demand and remove the supply. We seem to have lost the common sense in that idea.
45
@Ambroisine Unfortunately, the Democrats message you profess is having all kinds of problems permeating through the noise machine and we are out there and listening. How do you suggest the message get through loudly and clearly?
3
Trump's "base" love of Trump never wavers or falters. It is compulsive and incurable. Trump dangles a feigned understanding of what it feels like to have been forgotten by one's country and somehow this can feel like redemption from the alienating forces driving our society. And so it should come as no surprise that there are individuals in every segment of our country who will fall victim to the "smack" that is Donald Trump's politics. Just as the dealer could not care less about the junkie, Donald Trump could not care less about his base.
72
@Victor
The problem is why don't the Liberal/Progressives
who control the media image of the Democratic Party
care about the Lower Income Classes - for it they
did they would receive their votes.
4
This is a good analysis and I agree with the way Mr. Blow describes the dynamics between established and new immigrants. However, in my opinion, the bottom line in 2016 was that Republicans ran a smarter campaign, targeting electoral votes in a few key counties, the ones that matter in the election. They ran an effective marketing operation, knowing that nowadays that is the way to sell any product. And their anti-immigrant talking points were based on knowing the fears of the electorate. As I said above, it's all about a smarter campaign. If Democrats can get their act together (wish that they would...), we may be able to pull an upset in 2020. But if the economy and job market hold up, the Democrats will have to fight an uphill battle.
1
And the Republican candidate had illegal campaign help from Russian hackers and trolls and the media which cooperated by publicizing and framing the agenda and lies and thereby assisted in 45’s election.
I am amazed at the number of people who parse the November 2016 Election to try and explain it away.
"Hillary won the popular vote".
"It was just 80,000 votes in three states".
Don't kid yourself.
A MAJORITY of Americans - through their actions or INACTIONS - voted an easy to spot liar grifter and fraud as President, even against HIS will.
The fact is US Elections are binary choices and if you didn't vote for Hillary Clinton, even if you didn't vote, you voted for the Reality Show Con Artist.
In 2016, turnout among African Americans was lower than in 2012 and that helped the "narrow" victory many are trying to assuage their feelings about.
In November of 2016, we were confronted with a choice of a grifter who used racist and misogynistic resentments to move us and someone President Obama said was the most qualified person to ever run for office and the majority of people in this country chose the grifter.
We are not as good a country or a people as we have long proclaimed and our fragile experiment with democracy has proved a failure.
It was the easiest choice ever and we blew it.
"But Hilla……"
EVER.
6
@Mike N Sorry, no. Those who did not vote were not necessarily in favor of Hillary, though most probably were and yes, if they had voted, Hillary would have won. Easily. But they did not vote for various reasons. 1. Republicans, and Americans in general do not make it easy to vote. Other countries automatically register everyone to vote. 2. Many thought, as I did, that Hillary would win and perhaps did not really have the time to spare. I am not American and can't vote in your élections.
We hope the lesson was learned and people will make the effort next time.
1
You over-analyse the situation, Mr. Blow!
The American electorate, including blacks and Hispanics, rarely learn or think about issues. They don't read the New York Times or the Washington Post, or much else. Bumper sticker slogans, personality traits, appearances, and prejudices guide their votes.
Many black and Hispanic men, like white men, didn't vote for Hillary because she's a woman. They won't vote for any other woman for President. They won't vote for Bernie because his tone is pedantic and his accent is grating. They won't vote for Buttigieg because he's gay.
Trump is just a regular guy. He's tall and stout. He speaks forcefully without a regional accent. He is cocksure and insensitive. He has convictions. He's unconcerned with details and subtleties.
On the surface, Trump is a real leader. Too bad that he's also a demagogue, liar, and bully. Too bad that unthinking people are so easily mislead.
7
Charles, your proof that Trump is a racist is simply that he believes people should come to this country legally.
The truth is, it is the Democrats who are racist to insist that Hispanics be treated differently than every other hopeful US immigrant.
Your tortured application of the racism charge, in every conceivable way, has grown tiring and transparently pathetic to the American people.
4
A phenomenally deft and spot on article Mr. Blow!
3
Years ago when I lived in Austin, I had to have work done, and hired a man who ran his own business, a third generation Hispanic man.
He told me the new guys coming over the border causing havoc were ruining it for everyone else, giving people like him a bad name. And he may have been right, at least in his perception of how people were judging his community. He was a solid industrious person with a good business and a part of the community, just like a huge chunk of Austin's population.
Of course, a lot of people who worked on my house came from Mexico - the plasterers and masons did amazing work. **Everyone** who worked was industrious; all were valuable. I have no idea who was legal, or who the contractors merely accepted as legal.
The first guy, a funny man who did a good job, is almost certainly a Trump voter. The plasters and masons most likely can't vote.
But not a single one of them was shiftless, lazy, discourteous. None tried to sell me drugs, none was frightening. None was a stereotype.
6
Divide and conquer was applied to the native Americans when the early wave of Europeans and later US forces recruited tribes to fight each other to the death on behalf of the great white father. trump wants to do the same to minorities in this country.
Not much changes in the course of human aggression and conquest. It is as ugly as ever.
6
Charles, you need to face the fact that compared to Trump, Obama was a failure. Even minorities recognize it.
4
Trump will exploit any form of anger, resentment and division to gain votes and retain power. He is a demagogue without shame or conscience. He is like a devil who tempts people with his simplistic lies and racist scapegoating of immigrants and minorities. He is despicable as a person and totally illegitimate as a leader.
He reveals how far America has to go to become the decent and idealistic nation that we claim and aspire to be. We should be ashamed of what we have become!
3
Black women saved the US from the embarrassment of electing predator Roy Moore to office. Perhaps black women can save us again from the affront to human decency of electing a predator and racist as president. According to the statistics quoted in this article it may be that black women are in the social position to know something about who can't be trusted that other people can more comfortably choose not to know.
2
The day after the first Republican primary debates on August 6, 2015, I wrote this comment in a newspaper discussion forum:
'Yes, Trump is a buffoon, a blowhard, the Ugly American -- and he also happens to be their [the Republicans'] best chance of winning the election. And they can't see what's right under their upturned noses.
'If you want to see the nearest fictional approximation of Trump, watch "All the King's Men." Trump is a billionaire Huey Long. Don't think so? This is a quote from an Hispanic veteran of the war in Iraq who enlisted in the Army ten days after 9/11:
'"I like him because he's a billionaire, and he's powerful, and he's international, yet when he talks, he says it straight up, like how real Americans talk in a bar or at home. I love it." - quoted by Scott Conroy, Huffington Post
'Get that? He talks like us. Just like Huey Long did. The Donald is the Northern Kingfish. And the idiots running the Republican Party don't get it. Why not? Because they're what they are: elitists. The incredible, contorted irony is that they can't recognize a guy who strikes a chord among the common people even though he's a billionaire, one of the fraternity they cater to.'
________________
I saved the above comment because at the time my fellow liberals in the discussion thread scoffed at the idea that Trump could win. I can't think of another case in which I was sorrier to be right.
3
Not getting the wall built is in Trump's favor as he will wield it as unfinished business and re-electing him will finish the job. A simple con for the simpleminded.
4
Mr. Blow correctly identifies a tactic used by the adroit salesman in the oval office who knows how to convince some people that he has their interests in mind when he does not. I have often wondered how certain Hispanic people I know could vote for Trump when they see children that look like their own in cages at the border. It saddens me beyond description. - - On another note this opinion piece needs a bit more proof reading. I see a few typos that are distracting.
I find this piece quite discouraging. The Left - and those they criticize on the Right - both act as if a person’s ethnicity, skin tone, race, gender, and socio-economic status are all-determinant, that if an individual acts as a free individual it is an affront to whatever group others have assigned them. Only on this do they differ: the Right sees high socio-economic status as a just reward for hard work or innovation, the Left sees it as evidence of undeserved power and exploitation. No wonder the majority of voters stay home.
@JFB
First of all. The MAJORITY of voters don't stay home, so don't buy into that.
Second. This is America -- So there's no way to discount or deny that ethnicity, skin-tone and race doesn't come into the picture
2
@JFB The many who are disgusted with both sides and blame both equally for political divisiveness, are too lazy or prejudiced to learn who is really to blame, but still pretend to know something. The present Republican Party, and the Trump White House, are the product of 40 years of relentless propaganda. There is no counterpart to Fox News, Rush Limbaugh or Donald Trump on the left.
2
@Paul Rogers HuffPoo, MSNBC, CNN and this publication are every bit as biased as Fox.
1
Here's another tent pole to his tent:
There is a mis-belief that immigrants take the manufacturing and other jobs away from us. Trump promised jobs, to bring them back. Those who lost their jobs, no matter the level of the job or who they are, where they stand on the rungs of our culture, see immigration as theft.
1
Trump's "other" base is the same as his regular base.
They love his reality TV antics, and many of his Hispanic base resent newcomer immigrants for cultural as well as political reasons.
2
Charles, if we only look back in history we see how (whether) in tribes or larger entities, many subjects sided with the power that the chieftain or potentate had. They partook in that power, in the riches that the boss owned.
I so happened to heard blacks being fascinated by the luxury yachts and homes rich people had. Just bragging about such riches gave them some importance.
Such mentality is not to be discounted in a democracy, for many of servants would rather be serving the rich man and feel they are somehow protected, rather than be on their own and struggle to make ends meet, and prosper, through own efforts.
T
he rich know that and play the poor to their advantage.
Conclusion? It pays to have an education, to be well trained, independent, know your worth, not allow the rich become your masters!
So then why doesn't the GoP work against its own gerrymandering and for minority voting rights?
3
The key to defeating Donald, is voter turn out. The 2016 saw one of the lowest voter turn-outs in history. Russian Bots were very successful in disillusioning “Bernie Bros” (which were created by the Troll farms) and kept millions of Millennials home!
Democrats learned, see the success of 2018 Midterms! Americans voting is crucial, the more Americans vote, the more Democrats win!
People are riled up, even with Donald tweeting the FAKE poll numbers from Faux News, We, the People are fed up!
Blue tsunami 2020!
2
If so, then why is the GOP in Florida trying so hard to keep formerly incarcerated people from voting?
@JoeFF Because we want to live in a SAFE state, not Baltimore with palm trees.
1
I'm reminded of a saying in Appalachia during the Great Depression: "There's nothing dumber than a poor Republican."
4
@Rocky During the Great Depression, the Democrats still LIKED working class whites. Today's Dems have been coasting on the Depression era Democrats' achievements for about 80 years.
1
Agree with so many other who have responded: This is simply a neglected topic and a trenchant analysis.
I keep asking myself the same question about voters of color who vote for Trump that I ask about rural voters who are seeing their health care dissolve, their hospitals close and their Obamacare eviscerated: If they are stupid enough to vote for Trump, why should I care? Let them reap what they have sown.
People who deal with the public will often say some version of: "Forty percent of the public believes the earth is flat and the moon landings were staged."
Which is to say, write them off.
What can we do about people who cannot or will not see that which is in their own interest?
3
Holy smokes! Trump wants the border crisis to get worse to help sway voters to his side. That's why he cut off aid to three Central American (or Mexican, as Fox News reported) countries. He wants people to flood the border. First he fictionalized a border crisis; when that didn't work as well as he wanted, he created a real one. Say what you will about the stupidity of Trump, the Republican party leaders are evil geniuses.
Democrats, be smart about this!
1
Trumps "appeal" if you can call it that to Black and Latino voters is simply a numbers game.
He know he won't get enough Black votes to realistically impact any of his key states. But having even a very small base in the Black community is simply intended to convince his white voters that he's not a racist.
Why would any Black voters support him if he were a racist?
The Latino vote is different. There his appeal is mostly his social conservatism, particularly the abortion issue in the largely Catholic Latino community.
Coaxing some of those voters in states like Texas, North Carolina, Virginia and Florida is key.
Sadly, his chauvinism and misogyny appeals to some men across race and ethnic lines. But one of the keys in 2020 is not how many Black and Latino voters he can get, but how many white women voters he has lost.
1
Today's Republican party is, to a great degree, dominated by the heirs of the old racist Southern Democrats. There was a class, as well as race, element to the original Southern Strategy, as Mr. Blow of course knows: keep poor whites and poor blacks from uniting against the rich whites who exploited them both (in different ways and to different degrees) by keeping them divided, as in the divisive strategies that Mr. Blow describes here. When I talk about being "heirs" to the old Southern Democrats, I'm speaking literally in some cases: there are more than a few Southern Republican politicians whose parents or grandparents, etc., were Southern Democratic politicians (alas, a hereditary political caste exists to a more than negligible degree in the modern Democratic party. Nancy Pelosi, anyone? Jerry Brown? Anyone connected to the Kennedys. And on and on).
1
Wonderful discussion. Dense with facts and insights. Can you please send a copy to each of the Democratic presidential hopefuls!
1
"White supremacy will use any tool at its disposal to survive." So will Jewish supremacists that trump caters to. Fortunately most American Jews continue to vote Democratic. but like other minorities, the extremists in their midst have been bamboozled by trump into supporting his hateful, extremist and cruel ways. As today's events in Israel prove, trump's antics to punish Palestinians, just as he punishes refugees at our southern border, have proved successful and may be just enough to give him another electoral college win and an increased popular loss that only increases his vindictiveness against the majority of voters. Tragic all around.
1
By now we all notice what trump did to win and continues to do to stay reality star fresh with a base of rabid reality tv watchers!
Oh yeah ..,,, seems sports fans and gun owners love trump too.
If an election were held now ....
I hate the results...,. Trump.
Our congress could stop the train wreck and refuses on purpose.
The government doesn’t need the middle class anymore.
The country wants minorities destroyed yet blacks keep changing sides.
Reparation talk will get trump back in too.
We are finished Charles.
There never was a melting pot. Lies. Ask our eldest family members if still alive in their 90’s. Their grandparents were not welcome. Irish , polish , Italian and all the rest of the unwashed not rich poor. And northern blacks were successful until 1960 redevelopment destroyed manufacturing communities where integration was starting to work with positive results. Trumps dad and grand dad were grand opportunists with immigrant populations. As were the other sides families like the Kennedys. Immigrants used for votes in their machines.
Charles keep up the herald’s cry.
Not all minorities are created equal in America.
In the beginning brown aboriginal Native pioneers were colonized and conquered by white European Judeo-Christian invading and occupying illegal and immoral aliens.
No Americans have had more of their lands, lives and natural resources stolen than the first Americans.
In the beginning black Africans came to America as enslaved property and separate and unequal while black denying their humanity as persons and defying their equality as Americans.
No Americans have ever worked harder and longer with less return than physically identifable black Africans and their heirs.
Hispanic/Latino is a unique American cultural and language definition. A designation that has nothing to do with color aka race or national origin nor any combination of those factors. The notion of people of color is another American fantasy. Color is all about Vitamin D and lessening genetic mutation.
Having a nominal Spanish culture and language heritage is akin to having an Anglo aka English culture and language heritage. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio are as white and European as Mike Pence, Donald Trump, Fidel Castro and Juan Peron.
Color aka race is the most meaningful American divide between socioeconomic, educational, political and health power and privilege. The idea that the few black and brown folks who support Trump speak to and for a majority is delusional and ludicrous. Among the angels of God was Lucifer. And Judas was a disciple of Christ.
2
What, all ten of them?
Conservatives are born, liberals are made.
People of a free thinking culture are born into an environment which molds a personality with all sorts of valuations of the world outside the self. Hopefully by th time one gets to early adulthood things like facts and stats and studies... initiates a new kind of thinking and evaluation that really hadn't broken thru prior. But there is roughly a third to half of us where th inner will hold firmly, over th other. Most readers here, know this all too well by now.
2
"If white supremacy will use celebration to disgust, it will most definitely use desperation to divide."
Ergo, Candace Owens at the congressional hearing on white supremacists.
From my discussions with some of those in this voting demographic I have come to believe that male dominance and misogyny proved to be the main factor, and that voting against a woman was more important than voting for an unqualified, unfit, despicable, narcissistic male sociopath.
3
How about this, Trump dumps Pence and replaces him with a charismatic (forgive me), articulate black conservative. What would democrats do then?
I well may be that certain minorities have come to the conclusion that being treated like victims by the Democrats isn’t doing them any favors.
3
Very well put, but surely some minority votes will vote for Trump.
But let me ask Charles Blow to consider other anti-Trump ideas:
1) Please comment on Leonard Cohen's "Democracy" song.
Cohen sang, "Democracy is coming...to the USA" (1992)
He suggests a new wave of democracy, and perhaps Trump
is actually inviting a wave of resistance to his insanity, now.
The words of the song could be used by Democrats to rally.
2) I suggest the use of symbolic gestures, over and over again.
Repetition may be required to push back on insane Trumpism.
Take for example, Trump's use of his OK sign, all the time.
People could show the OK sign, with both hands, to mock Trump.
3) In general, I think Democrats need repetition, repetition.
(Democrats use complex rhetoric, which is easily forgotten)
4) Again, I wonder if C. Blow and the NY Times can comment.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Democracy is coming...to the USA".
"Democracy is coming...to the USA".
1
Now you're getting it. Trump is just recycling the plantation owners pitch to poor white immigrants, many of whom were indentured and little more than slaves themselves back in slavery days, to divide and rule.
2
I don't know exactly how or when it happened but some evil political consultant figured out just the right formula of dangling never materializing promises to disenfranchised, lower economic, minority populations that will make them vote AGAINST their own best interests. Until they can be convinced otherwise, they will vote how they have been conditioned to vote.
You have omitted the fact that many first and second generation Hispanics are deeply, deeply religious Catholics or Pentecostals. 45's moves to eliminate rights for gay and trans people and reproductive rights appeals to them and leads them to enthusiastically support him.
2
Latinos did coin the term "machismo". Trump and the GOP embody a culture of swagger, boastfulness, competition and bullying. Not perfect or even great but better than political correctness to a macho man. If there is a strong surge of feminine consciousness generally among Latinas, it's most likely among millenials. Vote much? Add a dose of Catholic authoritarianism. Trump Express picking up steam. And, as noted, all the loud Trump critics got "Comeyed" again: they really expecting a stalwart Republican to buck the party! Well, at least we were laughing at Trump until the end. Thanks, late night. Now we are going, as elsewhere, the NYT notes, to get "Netanyahued" by Trump in 2020. Of course everyone knows he's guilty. He is still ...Selling us out? Ripping us off? Lying to our faces? Fine with the base. So seeing the whole unredacted Mueller report isn't going to mean anything by the time it's leaked. We'll probably will be in recession by 2020. That will...help? Not the rest of us. So. Yikes.
44
I like this column especially the use of quotes from Frederick Douglas. I was born and raised in Atlanta and never left the South until I went to college in Connecticut. I wanted to see how the other half lived. I found they lived very well.
I became an historian and wrote a well received book on my native city. I did a lot of research for a second book I never finished. The tentative title was homicide in Charleston County, South Carolina, 1830 to 1930. I read approximately 1,200 coroners' inquests.
Historians know very well that there has never been a solid South. Not so much journalists and the general public. I recommend a good book on this topic by Carl Degler, The Other South.
One of my court cases really brought it home to me. It occurred in Edgefield District one of the most violent places in the state. Preston Brooks, who mauled Charles Sumner in the U.S. Senate came from there.
A slaveholder from Edgefield was gunned down by two toughs in front of the county courthouse. His offense? He was paying his slaves cash for their labor.
1
There's this annoying thing called science; in this case economics. When you increase the supply of labor, you get a drop in the price of it. So when we increase the supply of labor, especially low-skilled labor, thru both legal and illegal immigration, we hurt the wages of existing workers. It's called economics. Deal with it. (Honestly). The hypocrisy of the Democratic party that pretends to be "for" the working class yet is "for" massive immigration... wow, just really wow. Too bad no one seems to have paid attention in economics 101.
11
Speaking of Econ 101 (or Demographics 101, for that matter), what the actual numbers actually say is that a declining population cannot maintain its economic growth, let alone its social services, let alone its innovation, without immigration.
Oh, and speaking of actual numbers, the ANs also say that it’s silly to bellow that the country’s full up. Not to mention that they say those coal, truck, and low-level. Anufacturing jobs have gone bye-bye and are not coming back.
Maybe retake the course?
8
@Jason McDonald Republicans constantly push for corporate tax breaks. Keep in mind who is employing these laborers--large corporations, meat packers, etc. Broad economic theories like those you have cited don't always hold up in reality. In analyses of many American communities, there are no wage-depressing effects associated with immigration, and in fact immigration provides an economic boost for tired rural towns all over America.
11
@Anthony Immigration also often provides an economic boost for suburban towns and cities, even around New York City. I know, I see it first hand in Westchester County, Fairfield County and Bergen/Essex/Union County each of which is near me.
2
It's true, the POC category is hardly a category at all, in a lot of ways, and especially can't be taken for granted as a liberal block. There's a lot of internal divisiveness along class and ethnic lines, even without conservative demagoguery taking advantage. And there's a lot of social conservatism in conflict with social justice agendas. Nothing is simple.
2
"During the midterms, 9 percent of blacks and 29 percent of Hispanics voted for Republicans, in line with Trump’s 2016 results."
After three years of Trump's abysmal behavior?
If so, what could one possibly say to these people to make them change their minds?
We think that they are voting against their own best interests. Obviously, they don't.
What do we, or they, know or think that the other side just can't see? Both sides would, I assume, insist on the correctness of their view and the wrongness of the others'.
Strange, that person over there, the way he thinks, acts, and believes. He must be (a) stupid, (b) ignorant, (c) playing some cunning game, or (d) weird. Or I am.
Privy only to my thoughts, I am largely forced to conclude that he is the problem here, and I'm the solution. I shall act accordingly. Therefore, onward, Christian soldier, marching as to war.
I think that Dems don't care much about prosperity, because a needy voter is someone they can feed and house and help, and get their vote in return.
Mainstream Republicans just want serf labor, to drown American citizens in surplus labor necessarily lowers the wage, and permits them to pay illegals and even some legals under the table, with no benefits, and no unemployment insurance. They get hurt or sick, there are plenty more to hire. The taxpayer foots the bill for their medical costs.
Together, this is the Establishment.
If Trump can NOT disrespect Black people by calling them "dumb," or low IQ - he can maybe win some portion of them. He can also win many Independents if he can stop saying things that racists think make him a racist. It is amazing how, in truth, the MAGA hat is really not a reasonable hat to wear - it makes the person seem to endorse hate. I am a supporter of the validity of the Trump agenda, although I like Liberals, and really just mainly enjoy the idea of people being able to speak their mind, hold their views, and be open about who they support - and am disappointed as Liberals seem opposed to free speech and permitting Trump base to basically even exist. I also believe Liberals have a gigantic need to control the culture, which is unhealthy, and not respectful of people unlike them, who don't share their values. People on the right are slightly morally better, because they don't seek to change Liberals - they just want permission to exist.
1
@tbs: Well, permission to exist, and to change your kids' history books, and have Christian prayer in schools, and prohibit abortion, and cut more taxes for the rich, and do away with workplace safety regulations, and so on and so on. If the right was happy to sit at home and listen to Limbaugh and Malkin without actually putting anything into practice, that would be one thing, but when you say you support the Trump agenda, you are supporting a lot of intrusion into our lives, a lot of major changes, essentially a return to the Gilded Age of irresponsible rule by the super-rich... in the same way that for a liberal to exist means to want Social Security and unemployment insurance and affordable healthcare and public infrastructure, and the rest of the liberal agenda.
3
Ok, so put a person of color on the Democratic ticket an watch the tsunami wash Trump right out of town. This was obvious the day after 2016, is it really an less obvious now?
1
Trump only cares about himself, if people believe that his feeling for them is genuine they need a wake up call. Trump will use every tool in his bag of tricks to get what he wants. If you look at all of the remarks from Trump that he has written/tweeted over time I would find it sad for a person to believe that Trump has a genuine caring for anyone other than himself. Be careful how you spend one of your most precious gifts, your vote. It reminds me of the song, Will you still love me tomorrow.
4
Let us hope that black women voters can be instrumental in defeating Trump in 2020. They were the key to delivering victory to Doug Jones in Alabama in the Senate race against the unspeakable Roy Moore, and I have endless admiration for what they accomplished. In fact, the Democratic presidential nominee will need to harness the strength of women in general- mothers, daughters, sisters, and the men who care for them, as never before, if we are to boot this misogynist, racist, xenophobe sociopath from office, once and for all!
1
Any rational citizen of any nation should have a problem with anyone illegally crossing the border into his/her nation. That being said, minorities who vote for Trump are not much different from victims of Stockholm syndrome.
3
@A Cynic I do agree with you. My problem with Trump and his allies (on immigration) is they should be putting forth a comprehensive immigration policy which not only addresses illegal immigrants and illegal immigration, but also fully funding the process so that those who wish to legally gain admittance to the U.S. are able to do so. Additionally, there aren't truly enough border patrol agents, immigration judges and courts and consular officials who handle this area being funded through the federal budget. I hope the U.S. House will attack the problem but I doubt either the U.S. Senate or the Executive Branch will do so.
So Mr. Blow correctly identifies the fact that many people vote their political preferences rather their skin color. His answer: “white supremacy”! Even though he also correctly notes that many Hispanics ARE white! So what are the Democrats to do to bring back Trump minority voters? To convince Hispanics that they are wrong about their identity and that they are actually people of color? Good luck with that. You’ll need as much good luck trying the similar strategy of convincing Muslims that their religion is, in fact, their race. We should celebrate the fact that so many Americans, of whatever race, make a free choice to support a political candidate, even if we think their choice is wrong. Tell them why you think Trump is bad for all Americans. Otherwise prepare to lose. Identity politics is not only dangerous and wrong. It is also a political loser.
4
Right on commentary. Welcome to the melting pot, problem is the stew don't taste so good.
1
"It is important to note that in the cases where data is available, more minority men voted for Trump than women." Of course no explanation as to why this is important. I'd argue there's only importance if you want to sew division in an already weak community in a precarious position. I've seen this especially in online discussions surrounding Black people where it is used as a smear against Black men. Putting your stats another way 96% and Black women and 87% of Black men voted in opposition to Trump. Overwhelming on both sides. Should we malign the 96% for the ignorance of the 4%?
Frankly I wouldn't mind if Mr. Blow went back on leave. Permanently.
2
Quite simply, the 2020 Democratic ticket MUST include a black or Hispanic person. Hillary would have won had she made sure of this last time.
1
@Jason Galbraith, Hillary lost in battleground states because of “swing votes”. (Most likely) These were likely independent who could have gone either way. They just edged towards trump, on the other hand if Bernie was on the ticket these same voters might have gone for the democratic candidates. Oh well.
You want real "reform" then it has to start with getting rid of Addison McConnell.
The guy is so sleazy, he won't go by his first name.
2
"Hispanics" were already there when the U.S. absorbed TX and CA, on terms agreed to by the then population. The term is shorthand for non white, as Blow points out. Too late now to revise that basic disposition: Hispanics are either indigenous or non whitle. The term has no substance except in terms of predicated white supremacy. Predicated by way of aspiration.
Mr. Blow speaks. And, America listens.
Mr. Blow has returned from his hiatus and it obviously did him well. This is his second upbeat column. And that has me worried.
The gist of this piece is, "Democrats should listen to what minority voters want and not tell minority voters what they need." Who could have known minority voters wanted law and order, lower taxes and less government regulation? President Trump figured that out, without pollsters and focus groups.
If you recall, during the campaign, Trump frequently spoke of Jamiel Shaw Sr., whose son had been murdered by an illegal. Democrats response was to call for amnesty and citizenship for illegals. It turns out, illegals from Mexico and other LA countries, cause the same problems in Hispanic neighborhoods. Americans, of every background, support a secure border, for the same reasons.
I can't wait for someone (a voter) at a town hall, to give an opposing view on reparations. Is there a better way to get this country more divided than reparations? An even better question, is someone from Trumpville writing the daily talking points for the Democrat machine?
Every time this issue comes up, I point out that Hugo Chavez, the well known and revered labor leader, was against open borders. After citing this fact, I ask readers if Hugo Chavez, known defender of farm workers, was a racist. No one ever answers me. I wonder why.
1
@me They don't answer you because you're confusing Cesar Chavez and Hugo Chavez.
2
Let America Be America Again
Langston Hughes, 1902 - 1967
Let America be America again.
Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let it be the pioneer on the plain
Seeking a home where he himself is free.
(America never was America to me.)
Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed—
Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.
(It never was America to me.)
O, let my land be a land where Liberty
Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,
But opportunity is real, and life is free,
Equality is in the air we breathe.
(There’s never been equality for me,
Nor freedom in this “homeland of the free.”)
...To read the rest of this Langston Hughes poem, find it easily on the net.
2
I come from the tribe of white. I do not support the clown in office now or any time in the past. In my household growing up the parents played Harry Belafonte and there was a song called The Women Are Smarter. In your column you mention that women voted less for the boss than the males. Charles i feel that is possibly true with all the tribes. The women are smarter.
2
You want the Democrats to win in the next election cycle?
Have their leadership and candidates learn how to say "illegal immigrant" - with no air quotes.
5
Hispanic and Latino voters support of Trump never surprises me. The media often forget to factor in religion when they are looking at ethnic groups.
You might remember how much more tolerant Latinos are of the Catholic Church and their misbehavior. This tome has written variously about the subject. This an very easily explanation of Latino support of Trump.
And sadly there is a a segment of the male population that will always be triggered and follow a bully. They like the ill behavior and forcing everyone else to submit. This type of individual knows no race or ethnicity. It is their love of force and bluster that unites them. Dems will never have a candidate to combat this.
1
There are always going to be some men -- more "less educated" white than black or brown, but always some -- who are going to admire a bully who has performed at the Phony Wrestling Show, starred on third-rate teevee, had a bunch of wives, and disrespects women.
2
40+% of Americans didn't vote in the 2016 election. That's the population that very much needs to be focused on. Please support Michelle Obama's whenweallvote.org. Get even 1/4 of that 40+% and the results in 2020 can be better.
Note: I'm not affiliated with whenweallvote.org. Rather, I'm just a concerned American.
2
@A: True that everyone should vote, but I read somewhere that the non-voters actually break down roughly similarly to voters: if they all voted, it would change the absolute numbers, but not necessarily the winners and losers. The thing about Republican voter suppression efforts is that they are targeted at probable Democratic voters -- trying to skew the results to the Republican advantage. An across the board effort to increase voter turnout would make our system more small-d democratic -- but Democrats (and Republicans) would still have to work for all those votes
Divide and conquer is as old as time. It has lasted because it works. Not always, but most of the time.
I can think of two effective counterpunches. One is a villain that unites opposition. While Trump is grotesque to many, the volume of 'resistance' needs to translate to votes. It's the number of votes, in the right states, that matters. My feeling is that while the resistance is strong, it alone cannot produce the votes. Trump is bad, but he is no Hitler. And even Hitler did not stir such strong unified opposition in the US until our backyard was bombed. Surely, one cannot defeat Trump at the polls just by counting on energized disgust.
The other counterpunch is a common higher purpose. A call to magnificence that stirs the soul. An inspirational figure. This needs charisma and a bold new vision. Alas, I'm not sure who in the Democratic field can step into that role. However, whoever aims to do so must step out of poll-based, micro-managed campaigning. This sort of calculated machinations will sink the candidate (see Hillary Clinton).
@Tough Call: These are good points, but it's always important to remember that HRC wasn't actually "sunk". She won the popular election, and came within the margin of error of winning the electoral college. The strange thing in that election wasn't that she did badly, because she didn't. It was that Trump did so much better than anyone could have predicted, putting him within range of that statistical fluke -- 77,000 votes distributed in a handful of states -- that let him squeak in. The triumph of crude demagoguery, going back to his winning the Republican nomination with stupid lies and exuberant insults, maybe shouldn't have surprised anyone -- Fox news and right-wing talk radio had been preparing the ground, and we had seen the Tea Party and Sarah Palin. But here we saw it walk into the White House.
Have no fear---Trump is becoming more and more loose with his stand-up routines---swearing more, retelling Alex Jones conspiracy theories, name calling for new found enemies---and so, I predict he will slip one night using a grossly offensive term for African Americans and Hispanics--which even for the tiny group supporting him will now know this man is what he has always been -- a racists.
1
The Hispanic women I know can't stand Trump.As a matter of fact ..strangely.. the ..few people I know still supporting Trump are White Christian Women. The reality is that Trump's other Base in 2016 were those Americans who chose to vote for a candidate other than Trump or Clinton...or didn't vote at all! Only Hillary would likely carry the votes to overcome Trump. She won the Popular vote as we all know..but lost the Electoral College..which gave Trump the victory. In 2016, if you did not realize the potential for a disastrous Trump Presidency...and could not bring yourself for whatever reason to vote for Clinton...then you became an unwitting member of Trump's Base and gave him a vote! Like Money...sometimes you can make more...simply by cutting expenses! The Old ...Work Smarter not harder premise. Trump's other base the way I see it...is too many Americans ...who will support and vote for a candidate who will not carry the votes needed to win even with the Electoral College.Otherwise Trump could do it again. Trump's base are not only the citizens of Fox Nation and those at his rallies.His base extends to the rest of our Nation of voters and or..nonvoters! The motto of 2016's election should have been to vote Blue No Matter Who....even if you did not want Clinton. In 2020 the same will hold true...VOTE BLUE...NO MATTER WHO...or with the Electoral College's Help...History Could Repeat Itself ! 2020 VOTE BLUE !! If he loses..let's hope he doesn't come back later !
1
My first comment is in print, pointing out that we should have long since ended classification by race and ethnicity. Charles Blow today expresses for the first time a critical view of the US Census Bureau system, using Hispanics as example.
I note that in America, even medical researchers with advanced degrees think nothing at all of dividing their research subjects by race, one called black and one called white. They start out trying to see a connection with "race" where they mean "genome-based" differences.
In the end they often have to admit that the basic problem is that blacks belonging to specific SES subgroups do not get the care that blacks belonging to other SES subgroups, think of the Obamas, get.
If only Americans in the lower SES subgroups, whatever the color of their skin or eyes could realize that the best thing that could happen to them if for the US to have Swedish style Universal Health Care, they could vote for people who will try to provide that.
Why? Sweden does not classify people by "race". If you are pregnant, then whatever your line of descent or economic status you enter the maternal care system at gestational week 12 or so and get pre, peri, and post natal care of very high quality. Result, Sweden has among the best infant and maternal mortality record in the world. America does not.
Bernie wanted to provide UHC. Hillary said she did not want to make America Denmark, but she sure would look after black people.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
1
Trump is a master at using fear to divide people and lure them into voting against their self-interest.
But Trump's seemingly obvious can games does not relieve the Democrats from offering an immigration policy that can address voter's reasonable concerns without giving an inch to the racists OR reacting to Trump's racism by falling into his trap of appearing to oppose rational immigration controls.
If Democratic candidates are seen to believe (fairly or not) that only a racist like Trump will enforce borders, then voters will reelect the racist Trump to do the job Democrats refuse to do.
Democrats cannot just attack Trump's immigration policy, they must state clearly what they will do or Trump will do it for them. And he will win. And we will all lose.
2
The example of Kanye is certainly something to consider. Like Kanye, many voters are simply insane. These voters have no capacity to judge what is in their best interests or the best interests of their country. No political party can depend on 100% support from any subgroup of the population. It doesn't matter if you divvy them up by race, gender, education, social class, or any other quality. If you believe Democrats are plotting with aliens to send the moon crashing into the earth, or if you believe the Democrats are trafficking children and imprisoning them in the basements of pizza parlors, it really doesn't matter what Trump's agenda is.
There are millions of Americans who believe that our political establishment is run by illuminati lizard people. They include members of every minority under the sun. Be it dementia, schizophrenia, religious fanaticism, autism or anti-social personality disorder, insanity is a motivating force that Trump can always depend on.
Well written well thought out esp these parts:
Hispanics are not a monolithic group
And taking the black and Hispanic vote straight for granted would be disastrous for Democrats
BUT
The secret ingredient of success inn 2018’s midterms was that Democrats, the true Big tent party, ran Congressional and local elections where moderates won seats ( miki sherrill nj and max rose Staten Island) and unabashed liberals won ( AOC)... i.e. they ran to represent their local constituents...a novel concept the GOP seldom understands
It’s tougher to do this on a national level , but there’s are some really really intelligent people in policy and elections working at the DNC and other organizations, Finding that balance, keeping the minority vote down for tbe GOP is a key component.
Btw most Floridians would never call Cuban Americans a minority though we white folks do just that. And what trended conservative GOP for years has started changing big time as many Cubano Americans under 50 desert the GOP , I-hear it’s now in droves.
No the talking heads aren’t always on point, and not all they say is true. The dichotomous thinking that such a statement implies is a reflection on the American untrained undereducated and often lazy mind set
The gray areas are overwhelming
1
It's not just minority voters that Dems must convince. To win in 2020, Democrats need to win at least a few white, blue collar states in addition to CA, MA, NY. The folks in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan will need to hear something in Trump's challenger that convinces them that he or she will address their concerns that Mr. Blow convincingly points out: financial security, healthcare, education, and protection from immigrants taking their jobs.
Blue collar folks frankly don't give a hoot about LGBT rights, transgender bathrooms, Russia and the Mueller Report, the president's tax returns, or the carried interest tax. They'll lean towards Trump (again) if the Democratic candidate can't or won't talk to them in language they understand.
3
Excellent analysis. Diversity exists within, as well as between, self-identified ethnic voting blocs. Thanks for bringing it to attention.
1
Trump will never get my vote. He couldn't buy it for any amount of money or any promise.
2
Recently, a comprehensive article about the social-economic/political condition of Baltimore Md. was published. Many things can be said about the depressing and even tragic state of the (mis)governance and despair in that city.
But the most poignant part was near the end dealing with a neighborhood meeting. The black residents were unanimous on one thing: safety or the lack of same. Crime as a pervasive element in their daily existence.
Yet now we have some of our party candidates on apology tours concerning either their background as prosecutors or as legislators. To keep Trump from becoming even an option for African-American voters we must never seem indifferent to the daily dangers many black voters must endure.
Criminal justice reform and safe streets are not incompatible. Prosecuting gang members or dangerous armed criminals is part of the solution along with decriminalizing some activities.
Thanks Mr. B. for recognizing (the activists refuse to do so) that Hispanic is an ethnicity not a race and that third/fourth generation Latinos are not "down" with open borders or an attitude of insouciance about the meltdown of our immigration system.
1
Ignorance and self-destructive behavior are not race specific.
4
Charles - thanks for pointing out that the larger drop in black unemployment happened during the Obama presidency but its also important to note (and conveniently ignored by you) that black unemployment had been stuck at around 8% for decades and in other strong economic upturns, African Americans did not full participate. Also, African Americans, Hispanics and poor whites (all unskilled workers in general) bear the brunt of the economic impact of illegal immigration depressing wages at the entry level. Raising the minimum wage by government fiat, without bringing illegal immigration under control, only encourages an underground economy that ignores the minimum wage.
While Trump's rhetoric appeals to nationalists and, yes, racists most people vote with their wallets. As candidate Bill Clinton noted, "Its the economy stupid". Give people more credit for understanding, if Democrats can articulate how they will improve lives without strangling the current and future growth cycles, they will win over skeptics of all races (including me)
1
"Furthermore, we like to think of Hispanics as non-white,"
I don't. I think the decision of demographers to classify Hispanics as non-white has been a disaster. It warps statistics by making it appear that the "white" percentage of the population is declining and thus encourages paranoid fantasies of low-intelligence white people that "we're losing control of the country." Not that they ever had much control.
Why are Hispanics considered non-white while Britons or Teutons are considered white? The reason presumably is that people with Spanish ancestry tend to intermarry with Native Americans, and demographers hate intermarriage because it messes up their statistics. That's the demographers' problem not mine.
2
Fresh insights, badly needed. This is no time for learn as you go candidates. Democrats should understand that the world is much bigger than the egos of party professionals and self-appointed moral censors. Educate yourself. Advocate programs that reflect study and sincerity. Be open to immigration reform. Don't let Fox News scare you away from reforms in criminal justice, income inequality, racial divides, single-payer healthcare, global warming and voting rights protection.
1
To Mr. Blow's point: people care about unchecked immigration.
The GOP has zero policies outside of its racism, fearmongering, & demagoguery, EXCEPT for an uncompromising stance at the border. Their policies have been exercised in unconscionable cruelty (child separations will be Trump's legacy, a scar on America much like Japanese internment).
However, Democrats, a party overrunning with ideas on how to improve our nation, have ceded all ground on this issue; their voices are drowned out by the equally culpable media, who fawn over every execrable sentence this fool tweets, every fanciful tease of a "policy" that evaporates next week. If Democrats cannot trumpet a firm, humane, workable solution to securing the border, we continue to cede those voters to Trump. Like any cancer or disease, he must be contested at every avenue; this one matters.
2
A depressing article that speaks a lot of truth to the matter of who's for Trump, and who is not, or which is the real base? The stats were most interesting in terms of men vs. women who voted for Trump, but as comments show, there's a lot to deconstruct in those numbers, as well as the way Trump has conducted himself in the intervening years of his horrible administration. Is the border really an emergency? I've lived in Texas my entire life and what's interesting in these recent immigration patterns, the women and children from Central America who come for asylum are most different from the early bracero in for examplet he Bracero Programs that allowed workers in for seasonal work. Immigration continued as those people moved all over the country to find work, become good workers, raise families, as they've done in Texas, which is on the cusp of becoming majority Hispanic, minority white/Anglo. Or has.
One question to Blow: Hispanics are a race? I do not believe that is so.
Trump reminds me of a medieval ruler who builds walls, issues proclamations, does not read of or know anything about the countries that send forth these poor, beleaguered people who seek relief. We send almost $10 billion to Israel!!!! Military hardware allows their continuance in the middle east where Arabs have lived for as long, continuously. We were instrumental in much of the violence in Central America during Reagan's infamous Iran-Contra business.
Point taken.
There have been several polls recently showing President Trump with a 50% approval among Hispanics. That will come as a surprise to leftists but not to many working class people who voted for Trump in 2016. I see Trump as the one person concerned about the plight of working Americans whether Black, White or Hispanic. It was Trump who met with the families of American victims of illegal alien criminals. While I can recall President Obama meeting on several occasions with illegal aliens and expressing concern for them. I do recall him ever meeting with Americans who were victims of illegal alien criminals. Those Americans were Black, White and Hispanic. The democrat party continues to be tone deaf on the issue of illegal immigration. That will likely cost them big in 2020.
5
My hope is that the minority-male Trump vote was an anti-Hillary phenomenon. It could turn left depending on the Dem candidate. I was expecting that the headline would refer to Trump’s real other base, the traditional Republicans who wanted their tax cut. I get the uneducated Whites, who had been ignored by both parties. Of course, they would respond to a demogogue blaming immigrants and Liberals for their plight. But supposedly intelligent, well-educated people voting for this immoral, unethical criminal. Trump wouldn’t have won without them.
Charles makes excellent points. Because Donald Trump is one of the most cynical of politicians, he sees wage envy as a line in the sand to exploit.
Such an ugly sentiment--that established Hispanic citizens--and also African Americans--would look askance at more recent arrivals who should be considered brothers, but are more likely to be seen as threats.
Good liberal Democrats campaign on America as a land of unlimited opportunity for those who work hard. Cynical demagogues campaign as if there's a finite amount of riches, urging established minorities to fear and distrust newly arrived immigrants.
What a worldview! What a manipulative ploy. It's one of the reasons I so detest Donald Trump---because his campaign is tailored to tap the basest instincts of ordinary citizens, pitting one against the other.
I wish the people Trump is counting on would read this column. Maybe then they'd be as outraged as I that he's not promising to better their lives, just to better his.
1
Intermarriage between Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic whites is so commonplace that any distinction between the two groups will soon disappear.
The. Census Bureau defines Hispanic or Latino as a "a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.” While Hispanics can be of any race or combination of races, most Hispanic Americans are white.
According to Census Bureau. “In the 2010 United States Census, 50.5 million Americans (16.3% of the total population) listed themselves as ethnically Hispanic or Latino. Of those, 53.0% (26.7 million) self-identified as racially white."
Hispanics are counted as a minority only because we lump all other white Americans into the catch-all non-Hispanic white category. Hispanics are actually America’s largest ethnic group. They make up about 16.3 percent of the population while German Americans—our second largest ethnic group—make up 14.70 percent of the population.
As for country of origin, Mexican Americans rank second behind German Americans at 10.9 percent of the population. Irish Americans are third at 10.6 percent, English Americans are fourth at 7.8 percent of the population, Americans who claim no ancestry are fifth at 7.2 percent and Italian Americans are sixth at 5.5 percent.
2
I would hesitate to credit Trump with anything resembling a strategic long-game. His voters, of color and other, are unlikely to rescind their support. They voted for an uncompromising, short-sided, bully and that's what they're getting because Trump is naturally all of those things. He may throw a bone to his minority supporters, and there may be parts of the Trump agenda that appeal to a subset of Americans of color, but that is a result of unfiltered, haphazard , vitriolic rhetoric nothing "more sophisticated or tactical than that" as Blow suggests.
2
Those who claim that it is the fault of poor people that they are still poor, need to meet people who are not rich and find out who these people are. It is also worthwhile to find out how the system favors those who are wealthy. Just this morning, the news brought the information that some of the richest companies pay no taxes. This means that those who are among the lowest economically support those who are wealthy. Of course, there are people who believe they "deserve" the best. Oh yes, many believe that people of color are inherently inferior and deserve their lower status. That is why many of us believe we need to live in multiracial/multicultural communities to learn the truth.
1
I just can't take my eyes off of that accompanying photo. It says so much.
Central American asylum seekers are not trying to come into the US because it’s so fantastic here; they’re trying to escape poverty and dangers at home. The smartest way to curtail it would be a “Marshall Plan” approach rather than a “wall” approach, coupled with a rational immigration system. Many industries badly need the workers who now can’t get into the country or who don’t come because they can no longer cross the border to visit family. If by some great miracle Fox “News” could be wiped off the face of the Earth, and those women in tight dresses be prevented from frothing the oldsters up into a frenzy about the perils of poor Mexicans and Hondurans who are just trying to make a living and keep their children alive, rational discourse might reassert itself in the United States, but that’s a pipe dream.
Trump could win the 2020 election, but it won't be due to the minority vote. Rather, Trump is more likely to tamper with the process and use the extraordinary legal latitude afforded him to win.
Trump has demonstrated no interest in those norms that have governed previous presidents. His business career is marred by frequent run-ins with regulatory agencies. To think that he would NOT use all means to hang onto the best con of his career is foolish.
Therein, there is something we can do to prevent another 4 years of this mayhem. Each and every one of can register to vote. Get your relatives to vote. Volunteer for the election process and use oversight to prevent tampering.
We have 20 months to prepare for Trump's election assault on our democracy. There is no time to waste.
If American minority groups are economically better off after four years of Trump and they feel more secure financially Trump will be tough to beat. The bottom line is the bottom line. The vulgarity,the lying and the racist comments will not matter.The Reagan question will drive the election. Are you better off than four years age? This will be Trump’s best argument.It may be enough.
1
That 28 percent of Hispanics voted from Trump in the 2016 election and 29 percent voted for him in 2018 suggests to me that many Hispanics are more concerned with "illegals" taking their jobs than Trump's treatment of Hispanics trying to cross the border. If Trump can make some inroads into the Black vote, Democrats are going to be in trouble in 2020, and we'll have four more years of the worst president this country ever had.
2
I don't get it.
I travel to the United States frequently. I see people in airports. I see people in major city centers. I see people in small towns. All types, all races. I never see examples of people acting in an obnoxiously racist manner toward each other.
Am I missing the reality and what I see or experience on my visits is a fiction or a rarity? Or is what I see and experience the reality - and Mr. Blow is dealing with a fiction or a rarity?
3
"A Quinnipiac University poll last year found that 54 percent of blacks and 55 percent of Hispanics thought immigrants’ illegal crossing of the border with Mexico was an important problem."
Thus writes Charles Blow in this column. Then he adds:
"Democrats must attack the issue of black and Hispanic voters head-on and not as an afterthought. "
But by ignoring the issue of illegal immigration (and the unfair use of our amnesty laws), the Democrats are ignoring over half of black and Hispanic voters' concerns. Not to mention many white Democrats (like me) who are mystified as to why this issue of immigration is left to the Republicans.
As Bill Maher said during the 2016 election, the Democrat/Hillary Clinton position on immigration seems to be, once you've made it here, no matter how, you're home free.
For 8 long years the previous president worked hard to make this president look good? LOL.
Face it-there are over 60 million people who voted for President Trump. He has worked hard to keep his promises-despite the vicious jackals in the press twisting and turning and making every effort to stage a silent coup.
Now we are finding out that the last administration used the vast powers of our Federal government to spy and attempt to take him out.
It is really a bad look. There was a time when the Gray Lady opposed using the police state for political purposes, sadly, those times are long gone. Viva La Resistance-right?
3
All votes are important as we all learned in 2000 and what transpired in Florida. But I think the most important single group to watch in 2020 is white women. They will be the voting bloc that will either re-elect Trump or liberate the country and save democracy. Democrats need to work extremely hard on getting at least 60% of the white female vote in 2020.
1
When Buckley, Goldwater, Nixon and Reagan took over the GOP they had Goldwater's friend an intellectually gifted libertarian Karl Hess III write Goldwater's nomination acceptance speech.
In 1964 America seemed the most desirable place on Earth to a sixteen year old living in ultra-conservative Quebec where taxes were low the churches ran health education and welfare and the middle class was very small but well trained in maintaining peace, order and good governance.
The Civil Rights Act acknowledged that things were not necessarily fair but truth, justice and a more perfect union was what America was all about.
Even as the Klan marched outside The Cow Palace with their Goldwater placards I knew America was the richest, most powerful nation that ever was and enjoyed a shared prosperity that was the envy of the world.
Things were far from perfect but The Civil Rights Act seemed a pledge that America was committed to becoming the fairest richest and wisest country that ever was.
America died in 1980 and I understand the desire to resurrect it but forty years of rotting leaves an awful stench. America is dead and needs to be buried. It is time for something new.
It is time to listen to what Trump is telling you. America is a total failure and he is fixing it.
America is wealthier and more powerful than it has ever been. Trump is America, you may be the richest most powerful being on the planet but if you believe you are a loser. That is your reality.
2
Why did 32% of Hispanic males, and 13% of black males vote for Trump when he, and his supporters, clearly despise them (and virtually everyone not fitting their ethnic, nationalist, religious vision). The figures are similar for Asian voters (big continent, differs by region).
If Trump were to, say, promise he would incarcerate with extreme prejudice (seeking inspiration from Europe) all non-Norwegian people in America - in modern camps, how many non-Norwegians would vote for him?
I quite aware that he would win again handily based on this promise. He has rock star status in well over half of America (which pundits insufficiently acknowledge).
But I also I know this, the number of US citizens of Asian, African, and Hispanics who will vote for him based on this promise, will not be zero. Those who vote for him will be pretty sure that this wont happen to them, not here, not now.
I say this only because in history, this inconveniently happens over and over again. People willingly, gloriously, happily, giddily, walk toward their own guillotine - firm in our belief that it is others and not us who will 'get it.'
Or do you suppose those gathered in Munich, saluting the monster were aware that within a decade they would be in embers and dust?
Even super homogeneous societies find people to scapegoat and punish. We are not spared of this just because of our composition. The problem is us.
For many trump voters, they will vote for trump on one issue only, and condone all his lying, public shaming, foul language, disdain of the our laws, all behaviors unbecoming any public official.
If the issue was don’t raise my taxes, trump delivered.
If the issue was deregulation, trump delivered.
If the issue was immigration, trump is saying he’s delivered.
One issue voters don’t care about how their “man” behaves as long as their needs are getting met.
1
I have never, never been able to understand how the amount of melanin in one’s skin can be relevant to social intercourse.
Perhaps we should introduce the terms “low-melanin” , “medium-melanin”, “high-melanin “.
1
I wouldn't have thought he was that smart. But you may well be right.
The Democratic party is moving from a party of the middle class and working class to a party of identity. The problem is that Identity is micro-defined from the top down.
That the Democrats have lost the white working class to the Republicans is staggering. The current Party Intelligentsia despises Bill Clinton - but he was able to draw the Middle Class vote irrespective of race.
4
As percentages of black and Hispanic men show signs of increasing support for Trump, you'll likely find a proportionate number decreasing among women. Seeing as women have a higher voting prevalence than men, there's a good chance the net percentages will turn negative for Trump. However, that's not really what we're talking about.
Trump won on the electoral college. We aren't talking about combating universal black or Hispanic surge for Trump. We're talking about Trump convincing just enough voters where he needs them. Right, a conservative maxim of political strategy is to never win an election by one more vote than you absolutely need to win.
Democrats need to pay attention to black and Hispanic voters. However, just like the rest of the voting population, not all votes are counted equally. Democrats need to pay attention to some minority voters more than others, even when they are the same minority.
That was one of the mistakes Clinton made in 2016. She made identity a fairly exclusive issue while expending resources in areas she had no chance of winning even with 100 percent of the minority vote. This left feeling more important regions, whether black or white, feeling neglected.
I would personally suggest attention to minority communities without endorsing any platform that specifically targets minorities. Reparations come to mind. That's a good way to push adverse white voters back into Trump's camp. We need white suburban women to show up too. Tread carefully.
@Andy Too late. They've already endorsed reparations, and the whole anti cop, pro criminal focus is basically there to bring in African Americans, too.
@me
"They" is not the Democratic consensus yet or at all. It's a handful of candidates appealing to a specifically black constituency in order to advance their primary chances in a crowded field. You have their opposite number among Hispanic voters.
Some among this handful have a chance of securing the nomination with this strategy. However, there's no Obama in this election cycle. No has shown they can square the circle running on an identity platform.
It's a fool's errand in my opinion if your primary goal is Trump's exit. Hence, universal appeals in policy. You want to help everybody. Not just one group over another. That was ultimately Obama's appeal, wasn't it? Hope.
@me
This comment borders on patronizing and paternalistic -- African-American voters are NOT some monolithic mass that can be all swept into the same tent.
The old story of the last generations immigrants resent the next. The Hispanic population is far from monolithic. Thomas Edsall's recent column showed the mistakes the Democrats made in Florida in the last election not understanding the dynamics of the Hispanic vote. Hillary Clinton managed to step on a hornets nest with her liberal immigration proposal which was assumed would garner huge gains in the Hispanic vote for her which not happen. Black voter resentment of migrants seems linked with the fact that the migrants were more likely to harm black employment and wages. Edsall showed that Hispanic resentment about Trump's border nastiness did not help Florida Democrats enough to win elections.
2
Many marginalized, discriminated against, and disempowered people love the notion of power and hegemony; it's something they can feel they hitch their wagons too. Trump, McConnell and the rest of the Republican corporate complex flaunt their allegiance to plutocracy and don't even try to hide it. Someday, when there's no Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid and the air is unbreathable, the ocean is choked with plastic and everyone is poor save a handful of billionaires running Congress, it will be to late to for them to get the memo.
2
Divide and conquer, and fake favoritism is as old as mankind's existence.
What worked long ago is still used today.
Mankind is a slow learner.
1
The Trump base is the Trump base and it is not going to wither. And Mr. Blow is correct in noting that it is not just a bunch of older white dudes. And it includes a hefty number of black and Latin Americans who relate very much to Trump's anti-imigration stand.
Immigration is luckily only one issue that matters. The economy and healthcare most likely trump immigration. International issues don't.
How voters view their economy in a year-and-a-half is an unknown as of today. Healthcare is not. And with Trump pushing off healthcare until his re-election, he leaves open a window for fresher air.
That said, more than half of America is pretty much fed up with Trump. The only question that will matter is will they trust the Democratic nominee or not, more than they do Trump?
1
A fitting slogan for Trump's reelection campaign should be Make America White Again. Let's face it, that's his mindset. He would be more than happy to open the immigration door to Danes, Swedes, Finns, etc. Why any person of color would vote for him in 2020 is baffling. Why any working class person would vote for him is baffling. If his electorate is a mirror image of himself, it should comprise wealthy white men who support closed immigration, tax breaks for the super rich, and health care for only those who can afford it.
2
These is a very good article. I have personally been stunned by the number of men of minority background who support Trump.
The answer lies in their longing for the "old days" when they were the bosses within their families/communities and didn't have to worry about the newfangled ways to dealing with women, gays and ...
Trump is uninterested in solving the immigration problems the country has. He wants an issue to stoke fear and rile up his base. Neither Democrats nor Republicans want to do what would absolutely work very well. 1) Fund E-verify; 2) Enforce laws against hiring illegal immigrants; 3) Develop a guest worker program. A guest worker program would ensure that employers have labor necessary for their business. Illegal immigration would dry up very quickly.
However,employers like having a work force with no rights, no ability to change jobs, and great fear of speaking up for themselves. Employers are campaign donors. They would not countenance a law which held them accountable. No, Trump would rather beat Democrats over the head with an issue which has no end in sight, because the Administration is unwilling to cut the supply of jobs available to illegal immigrants.
1
This is without doubt for me the most important analysis of voting patterns and the upcoming election I have seen. Who exactly are candidates who espouse open, or near open, borders appealing to? I would say mostly comfortably well-off white people. We need to hear from and listen to those who might be hurt by an opening up of immigration, especially economic migrants. It is heartbreaking what is happening in Central America and Venezuela that is driving them to our border seeking asylum. It is also tragic that Trump will not protect dreamers from deportation. Our immigration system is broken. I would love to open my arms to all who would come here; we are not "full" as Trumps claims, but to throw out the welcome mat to all is insane and unfair to some of our citizens.
1
Interesting piece until Mr. Blow, inevitably, brought in the "white supremacy" boogeyman. I think it insults the intelligence of black and Hispanic Americans by insinuating that their views on immigration are somehow surreptitiously being manipulated by "white supremacists". Perhaps these voters - all on their own - see what's happening on the border and believe it's unsustainable and detrimental to the country. And I would agree with them. Also, the comparison with the Great Migration is a false equivalency because those migrants were already American citizens.
4
Lower unemployment rates don’t really encompass the entire picture. Sure, more people may have jobs, but how many of those “jobs” are paying a living wage? Many of the people that have these jobs are not longer qualified for any government assistance, including food stamps, health insurance (many are working multiple part time jobs to just live, therefore they don’t receive full time benefits), or any federal government assistance. Sure unemployment rates may be down, but so is the quality of life for probably millions. Many were better off unemployed, receiving federal assistance. It’s a catch 22 for many.
Despite liberal's wishful thinking, Trump is doing well. All my non-college educated friends are very happy. Their wages and hours worked are up.
Working people have been losing economically for so long that they are afraid all the time. The good paying factory jobs went elsewhere and illegal immigrants put a ceiling over low wage jobs and some trades. That's why The Wall is so important.
5
Funny, how well living in a deep blue state that provides an excellent version of Obamacare, right outside about the deepest blue city in the country and it’s lib’rul traditions, helps.
Isn’t it.
1
@Boston Barry
Trump may be "doing well" by all the people you know.
But like it or not, they don't nearly represent half of this country.
The MAJORITY of Americans didn't vote for Trump in 2016, and chances are they won't vote for him again in 2020 -- and "his" Wall is the very least of his problems.
@Boston Barry
Barry, it's "liberals'." Not much for grammar in Framingham, are they????
"Working people have been losing economically for so long that they are afraid all the time. "
BECAUSE they bought into the lie that in order to live off the scraps of the rich you need to give them bigger meals. You idiots never see the forest for the trees. Ronald Reagan was the worst thing that happened to this nation in the last 100 years, and we're STILL paying for the mess he created.
Your working class friends think they're doing "well," well, you and them need to realize how quickly things can go south. Especially when economic time doesn't follow the daily clock. When things go sour and finally hit home, they're not going to get better next Monday morning.
What good is it when your heart is with someone, but you don't act on it? Part of good politics is to do what is in the public interest irrespective of your personal beliefs, and that is the right approach, because otherwise rulers become partisans. Irrespective of where you think Trump comes from, give credit where credit is due for fixing a criminal justice injustice.
1
Thomas Jefferson worried about a slave insurrection. He put his worries into a theological courtroom. If a conflagration between oppressors and oppressed flared up, then woe to the oppressor. God is just and Divine justice will not sleep forever. David Brooks wrote about changing social norms. Currently the pervasive social norm from the WH is fear, anger, divisiveness, suspicion of authority and expertise, hostility to the migrant, and dismissive of the rights and needs of people not like us. He writes, "When a small group of people shift the way they show approval and disapproval, it can shift the social cures among wider and wider circles." Think abolitionists, women suffrage, and the civil rights movement. Those of us who wish to confront 45, we need all eyes of America looking at the better norms of hope, kindness, inclusiveness, honor respectful authority and value genuine expertise, welcome and comfort the migrant, and heal the wounds of the afflicted. MLK , concluded in his book, "Stride Toward Freedom", a pep talk. Exchanging division for segregation, he urged us to work on two fronts. "We must continue to resist the system of (division) which is the basic cause of our lagging standards; and on the other hand we must work continuously to improve the standards themselves."
4
Every time I read President Trump proclaiming that, under his leadership, unemployment among black people has reached its lowest point in our nation's history, I feel duty-bound to point out that from 1513 to 1865, unemployment among black men, women, and children in what was or would become the United States and its possessions was at 0%.
Nobody seems to pick up on this fact.
9
If the ethnic minority’s bar is set at knowing their low wage jobs are secure, then that bar is set too low. Feeling secure in survival mode should never be the message from any government. However, if the message is immigrants are coming for your minimum wage jobs, then a vote for Trump seems likely.
4
I remember back in early 2017, when Jordan Peele's "Get Out" was enjoying a 100% Fresh rating from over 100 movie critics on Rotten Tomatoes in the week leading up to the movie's release. At that time, I believe it would have been one the few (if not the first!) major Hollywood movie to be released with a perfect approval rating. This would have been a huge accomplishment for a first-time film maker, especially for a black one. As a black person, given America's history, why would you not throw your support behind that? Well, just before the movie's release in theaters, a black film critic gave the film a negative review, ruining the film's chance at a 100% score before opening.
When I think of black Americans who support Donald Trump, I think of them in the same vein as that black movie critic. They don't consider the wider significance of their support. They don't consider the bigger implications of their votes. They support Donald Trump's presidency, knowing that it is a terrible, terrible idea. Then they do it anyway.
7
Democrats need to learn from the last election and actually have a plan to move forward. In addition to focusing on the "Democrat" base ideas of green energy, global warming and the importance of education, they need to make an appeal to the swing voters with:
A plan on immigrants to curtail illegal immigration.
A plan on Job losses to overseas countries.
A plan on the perceived decline in the position of the Average White Male.
These issues are real and cannot be ignored. Ignoring and hoping people vote on for the "better" candidate will not work.
8
@Umar -- just exactly what "plan on the perceived decline in the position of the Average White Male" do you propose?
I'm a 67-year-old white guy. Up through 4th grade I went to my small local grade-school (that was lily white, btw), and thought I was really good at basketball.
In fifth grade we all went to a bigger middle-school, and in about a week I learned reality: no future in basketball for me. It wasn't just black kids, there were white ones who were far more gifted than I was.
You can't fix reality for people who don't like it. As a 5th-grader I accepted that I was never going to play in the NBA or even anything close, and I turned to other things, put my energies and hopes into things in which I had a chance of success. I've done OK.
There's no reason "average white guys" deserve better than average ... and the reality is always that whoever and whatever you are if you don't work at it, make reasonably good choices rather than bad ones ... you're pretty certain to be a failure.
When angry white guys think they deserve something because they are white, or male ... there's just nothing you can do for them.
14
@Umar
Because the regressive plan (that means NO plan, other than more tax reductions for people who don't need them) has worked out so well.
1
If the polling is available, it would interesting to see how all this broke down in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.
4
@Paul Ashton, most minorities in these states had voted for Obama. But they held back voting for Hillary, it appears..
1
@petey tonei
Not true. Blacks came out for Hillary because for the most part they knew what they'd be facing under Trump.
The myth that they didn't vote because there wasn't a Black candidate is just that -- a MYTH.
It is an historically established fact that immigrants of any origin tend to forget their origin once established in their new situation and worse they tend to defend their new status against their fellow immigrants. This was/is true for the immigrants from the south to the north of Italy in the postwar period or in the South or north America in the previous generations.
It takes a lot of mental discipline and real education to be objective and not partial to our own privileges or what is perceived as such. There is always an excuse to exclude the poor, no matter their race or else, from our life.
5
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@Mur,
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The Vandals were poorer than the Romans.
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Maybe that changed after they looted Rome
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This is a fresh take and a thought-provoking one, but it's hard to extrapolate from Donald Trump's 2016 victory with much hope of accuracy.
Candidate Trump in 2016 was widely believed, and even reported, to be putting on an act. He supposedly was not a real buffoon or a real racist. After he won, many pundits expected him to settle down and adhere to basic norms. For a while after his inauguration, it was apparently hoped that he was amenable to positive feedback in the form of praise for "presidential" glimmerings.
So much has changed since then. Besides learning how awful this man is, people have had a chance to learn that he can't be relied on to keep any promise to anybody -- not even to his partners in paranoia. It's clear that he's absolutely out for himself alone. His words must have lost value with at least some people who would respond favorably to them if they were reliable.
It's possible that the black and Latino members of Trump's base will stick with him, along with the white ones. But his base was never big enough to elect him. He needed the additional votes of people who are unlikely to make the same mistake again, knowing what they know now.
If the Democrats present a credible prospect of improvement in the lives of working people, that should be more than a match for Trump's phony appeal.
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@Longestaffe
At first glance, your comment sounds good. But let's dig a little deeper into recent electoral history.
Trump appears to have successfully evaded impeachment, the 25th Amendment, release of his tax returns, and the Mueller investigation (in fact, he is now trying to turn that against Democrats).
Trump is polling solidly with an approval rating of 42%. He only needed 46% of voters to win in 2016. (And the Electoral College is not going anywhere next year.) Where does Trump stand 800 days in? His approval rating is about the same as that of Ford, Carter, and Reagan and is 3% lower than Bill Clinton and 4% lower than Obama at the same point in their presidencies.
Consider current major economic indicators. The stock market is at historic highs and unemployment at historic lows. Many people are willing to overlook character deficiencies if the economy is doing well and they feel safe (e.g., Israeli voters and Netanyahu).
If Democrats do not put up a candidate who can match Trump's rhetoric and persuasion tactics, it is likely they will lose again.
49
@Longestaffe: It's true that Trump hasn't changed, but there has still been a process of normalization. Life is seen to go on surprisingly smoothly, even with news of chaos in the White House. The economy seems stable, and Trump takes all the credit. In spite of Trump's rhetoric, our foreign policy hasn't actually changed all that much: no war with North Korea, NATO still exists, relations with Russia haven't changed all that much, HRC and Obama aren't in jail, and so on. For those who pay any attention to foreign affairs, Brexit and the Yellow Vests might seem to show that other countries are having at least as many problems as we are.
So, as campaign material, we can still point at Trump's personal vulgarity and craziness, but we can't point at them as obviously intolerable and dangerous. With the help of the media, he has been largely normalized.
So, we will have to campaign on policy: the traditional Republican policies of tax cuts for the rich and the tearing down of the social safety net, versus the traditional Democratic policies of the New Deal commitments and social justice issues, as well as realistic progressive energy and infrastructure projects. It has worked before.
20
@Blue Moon
800? It's less than 600 and counting. More like 535. Than goodness.
4
Sounds like the article could be better titled, What Progressive Whites Get Wrong About Blacks And Hispanics. You know way back when, there was a particular reason why people like Bernie Sanders moved from places like Brooklyn to places like Vermont, and it wasn’t to wear Birkenstocks.
7
@Patrick - Or what Charles Blow gets wrong. His columns consistently deal with one ethnicity within the so-called black race, those who fit in the Michelle Obama box, and today he notes that not all people designated as Hispanics are the same.
Fairly elementary kinds of knowledge masked by using Census bureau terms and concepts.
And IF Bernie Sanders could have become president and taken us, all Americans. to Universal Health Care as practiced in Sweden then that would have done far more for blacks than anything I can think of. Why do I say that?
Universal Health Care, especially pre, peri, and post natal care applies to our large Somali-born population with the result that in contrast with the mothers-to-be population in America the Somali-born here go from having one of the worst infant and maternal mortality records in the world to becoming part of the best.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Citizen US SE
Bernie actually left Brooklyn for Chicago. And Barack Obama is people a lot like Bernie.
@Larry Lundgren
With the average Swede paying a 44% tax rate and as high as 60%, I don’t think that is a very enlightening example in terms of economic realities in the U.S.. The Corporate tax rate here just got slashed from 35 to 20%. A lot of Bernie’s notions are political grandstanding, given that he said back in ‘87 that Medicare For All would bankrupt the country. The Times notes that in yesterday’s bill, he deliberately didn’t say how it would be paid for. But a 44 -60% individual tax rate would be a non starter, and try as a Democrat to raise the Corporate rate again.
I'm so tired of the immigration discussion I could scream. Here's the easy way to find out who actually cares: Democrats propose a bill that levies $1M/day fines for each illegal immigrant caught on a jobsite. Those fines cannot be relieved by bankruptcy and are payable by all shareholders without relief.
If we quit paying illegal immigrants to come here, maybe so many won't come. As a extra incentive, how about the death penalty for the employee who signed off on the hiring?
6
@DanH,
Heh, and Mitch McConnell would say that bill is "Dead on arrival"
This is an insightful column filled with ideas the Dems shouldn't ignore. Dems would be wise to adopt a plan for a Canadian-style immigration approach coupled with an overhaul of asylum rules, an increase in refugee numbers, and increased funding for restoration programs in Central America. We can allow more people into the U.S.; we aren't full. However, we shouldn't be foolish about who enters. Also, I would advocate eliminating birth-right citizenship. It seems foolish in this day and age.
4
I don't know. If, after everything that's happened over the past few years, POC move to the Trump camp... I'm still basically baffled that anyone of any persuasion would vote for him, let alone those who are singled out for abuse.
11
In 2020 will my country go in the direction of Israel that elected Bibi or France that thankfully elected Macron over the female version of Trump, Marine LePen? My bet is that we will unite and vote in record numbers to defeat Trump and his hate and division. I really do believe that.
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@scott k.,
Ms Marine Le Pen is a "female version of Trump" ?
[ She's leader of the anti-immigration, or immigration reform, National Front party now renamed to National Rally.]
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No. Altho she wants to close France's borders to the 3rd & 4th world,
she strongly favors social programs similar to the US's SS, Medicare, Medicaid, Housing aid, Ebt, etc.
Trump of course, wants to gut those programs.
Le Pen also wants to roll back the islamization of France.
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https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-19/le-pen-moves-into-first-in-french-race-le-monde-poll-shows Jan 2017
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Nationalist Ms. Le Pen climbs to 1st place in French pres race.
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The populist leader of the National Front [renamed National Rally in 2019 ] Marine Le Pen, had between 25% and 26% support compared with
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23% to 25% for Republican candidate Francois Fillon, according to an Ipsos poll for Le Monde.
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In mid December, Fillon led with about 28 percent and Le Pen around 25 percent...
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@Susan in Delaware, OH: Your comment is so right on! Voting against one’s own self interest is a fascinating puzzle of twisted psychology. I will be looking for the Democratic candidate who addresses this issue and can find a way to help brainwashed Trumpites think, if possible. It may come down to pains in their lifestyle. I once heard a man say, when asked why he may not vote for Trump this time, “the price of my hot chocolate went up”. And that is a true story. If the economy stays strong it may be a lost cause. Also, getting EVERY Democratic vote to the polls will be vital.
6
It's interesting what happens when a politician treats groups of people like real people who deserve a shot at the American Dream instead of being treated like cattle to be herded up on election day once every couple of years.
I don't care much for Trump's style, but the respect he shows minorities is much better than the patronizing style Obama displayed. I guess when you take a poor kid and send him to Harvard it's a bit different than taking a rich kid and send him to the streets of NY to build buildings with real construction workers of all races and real labor leaders from all races..with real capital on the line that needs to be used to make payroll and drive development.
What Democrats don't understand is that you don't make poor people rich by taxing the heck out of rich people. Poor people understand they have a challenging life because of decisions they themselves have made in their lifetimes. They're not looking for scapegoats like 2/3 of the Democrat candidates are. They're not looking for excuses, they're looking for real empowerment which comes from doing things themselves and getting the government out of their business so they can do the things important to themselves, their families, and their communities.
Look at every major city in America under siege with crime, drugs, massive unemployment, crime and poverty. Now...tell me which of those cities has shared any power with conservatives the past 60 years?
That's right..none.
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@Erica Smythe Look at the reddest states - almost all are in the bottom for education, health, and prosperity. The Blue states provide the tax revenue, and the red states take it. Mississippi takes $2 for every $1 it gives to the government. And the red states are still failing. Years from now, people will remember there was a state called Oklahoma, where kids could only go to school 4 days per week, because the corporate tax cuts bankrupted the state. Ditto for Kansas. So who should we be looking at?
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@Erica Smythe And yet the economy still looks poor and the opioid epidemic appears to be quite prevalent in states and counties which regularly vote Republican. Maybe you can point out where this is not the case.
Or is that also somehow the fault of others?
102
@Erica Smythe
There was an AMERICAN DREAM and now it is an AMERICAN ILLUSION. There is virtually no opportunity for upward mobility of classes. The system - especially BANKS - steal money from the poor and discourage their upward motion. Then there are the cultural differences that simply will not allow the movement. I don't believe there is any real achievement to an AMERICAN DREAM.
29
Sanders is not the current front-runner -- Harris has this position.
1
@billp59, dream on...
1
I know two black men who support Trump. They are both quite religious.
I avoided political discourse, but intuitively recognize their belief system is the reason.
4
As for slaveholders encouraging debauchery at the Christmas holidays I have read that the financial accounts of the plantation were being done at the same time so that the 1st of the Year could very well & often did lead to sales of the enslaved so the slaveholder could break even or make a new profit.
1
I love that my president took action, twisted arms and got First Step prison reform done but more is needed to be done. If black Americans come out and support President Trump, he can get more done. One thing we know is that he keeps his promises. Help him go further.
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@Tim
Of course he keeps his promises.
"“We’re going to have insurance for everybody,” Trump said in an interview with The Washington Post.
‘NO CUTS … TO MEDICAID’
‘NO ONE WILL LOSE COVERAGE’
"big, beautiful wall"
The country's infrastructure "will become, by the way, second to none, and we will put millions of our people back to work as we rebuild it"
Etc., etc.,etc.
8
Yeah, except that that is not what, “my President,” did.
He sat on his can while Democrats and a few key Republicans did the work, and then leapt up and bellowed what a good boy he’d been.
While telling cops to beat up people they’re arrested, and swearing at black protesters, and sneering at those shot in the back.
1
I'm far less concerned with the number of blacks and Latinos who are likely to vote for America's Great White Dope than I am with the number of working-class white Americans who are inclined to do so, encouraged as they are to blame "those people" for their continuing financial difficulties instead of the CEOs of their own race who refuse to pay them in accordance with the work they do or to engage in meaningful profit-sharing. And I'm especially concerned with the call going out from a number of Democratic hopefuls to endorse the payment of reparations to the 12th-generation descendants of black slaves, or conceivably to our entire black population (why not our Native Americans while we're at it- didn't their ancestors suffer as well?). Let's be blunt here:if next year's Democratic presidential candidate runs on this issue, Trump's reelection is guaranteed. It's difficult enough to convince white working-class Americans that racism remains a continuing problem in this nation and that the principle of affirmative action should remain on the boards. Now imagine telling them that their taxes will be used to compensate today's racial minorities for the sins of some of our ancestors.Tax revenues should certainly be utilized to expand the opportunities available to blacks, Latinos, Indians, etc. and to provide improved services in the areas in which so many of them are forced to live. But reparations? The very mention of the word will have The Donald salivating.
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Charles, your column today continues statements that must be seen as revolutionary:
“…Americans often think of Hispanics as monolithic, they are anything but.”
“Furthermore, we like to think of Hispanics as non-white, but Hispanic is an ethnicity…”
You introduce for the first time your understanding that groups designated as “races” by the US Census Bureau are extraordinarily diverse, and, for the first time, you use the word ethnicity.
This leads me to pose this question, based on a careful reading of “What Is Your Race? The Census and Our Flawed Efforts to Classify Americans” by Kenneth Prewitt, former Director of the USCB.
What if we were to adopt Professor Prewitt’s proposal (Ch. 11) completely ending use of the archaic USCB system and replace it by a system in which each of us is classified using only SES data?
Each of us would then be seen in terms of our education level, economic level, census tract location, and more (Google SES database for a start).
This is the system in use in Sweden, where national databases also include country of birth and medical history.
That leads to this closing question:
What would be the political consequences of using such a system?
I think we should have been discussing this ever since Prewitt’s book was published in 2013. What do you think?
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Citizen US SE
3
@Larry Lundgren auto correct with swedish keyboard must have made contain into continue, first sentence.
Two observations.
First, Mr. Blow rightly dispels the notions that the Hispanic vote is monolithic. There are significant generational differences and Cuban-Americans, Puerto Ricans, Mexican-Americans, South American and Central American immigrants have completely different histories and are motivated by different issues. For example, I suspect that Cubans in Miami and Puerto Ricans everywhere do not see eye to eye on Trump.
Second, as to the issue of "multiwave" immigration relating to some Hispanic groups, this is not a new issue. As an example, back in the early 1900s, German Jews who had come to the U.S. disliked the "newcomer" Eastern European Jewish immigrants, who they viewed as uneducated, lower class and generally embarrassing. This intra-Judaic discrimination continued for decades, until several generations had been born and raised here.
All whites don't vote the same, obviously. I have never understood why anyone would think that Hispanics from many different countries would do so.
5
@Jack Sonville - Yes, I deal with that basic subject in my comment a few above yours. The message there is: End classification by "race" and "ethnicity", begin classification using SES data.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.coj
The movement that greased the rails of the Democratic win in Congress began with the energy of the 97% of black women in Alabama, who voted against Roy Moore, with the energy and determination of activists, and ended him.
It is time for Democrats to let go of the megaphone and offer it to those who best know the interests of their communities.
And what if Elizabeth Warren let her hair down and campaigned with Colin K?
Maybe we could inspire ourselves into believing that we are a decent, loving, people that includes fine activists again. Who are not threatened with 25 years in prison for marching in Washington.
If Democrats can't campaign loudly and up front for a prison reform policy that leaves Trump's the First Step Act in the dust, we don't deserve to win. Our criminal justice and penal system is the symbol of our corruption and cruelty. I want to see a Democratic candidate who goes right to the rotten heart of it, rips it out, and holds it over her head as a trophy for the photographers.
One who yells her head off for the poor.
These are all our issues, and we might win some votes, in pure coincidence, by fighting evil.
1
@Eric By "prison reform" you of course mean releasing violent predators - and yes, there ARE such people as violent predators. Not all prisoners are tender, sensitive, maligned victims, no matter what the Democrats want us to believe. If that's what you want, you go first and take them into YOUR home before endangering everyone else.
@ 8 years of volunteering inside these places takes me beyond that cliched and useless definition of human beings.
1
No one seems to understand the belief systems of these "voting block" groups. If you don't hang out with working class people you cannot possibly understand how they think. Do the highly paid "political consultants" in Washington think tanks know any working class people? As Ralph Cramden would say, "hardee har har."
Working class people want security. That comes from jobs. They want food on the table, clothing on their backs, good education for their kids, a roof over their heads and a little "extra" for sports, TVs, and other things. They don't care about international relationships, high finance of corporations, or the rights of any minorities, except maybe their own. They are not culturally sophisticated and don't go to museums or classical concerts. They do not use fancy language and they admire someone who has "made it big" on his own resources.
Trump speaks so poorly and has no intellect but he is a very good snake oil salesman, trained by Roy Cohn, and sounds just like them. His boasts are impressive to those who have nothing to boast about.
The person who understands them best is Elizabeth Warren. Being an older woman works against her.
AND, all of these people get their info exclusively from FOX. That is a big deal. The Dems had better hire a council of factory workers, janitors, car washers, waitresses, sales clerks, car mechanics, construction workers and K-12 teachers and ask them what they want and then LISTEN to them. Trump will win again if they don't.
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@Jeanie LoVetri Dead on appraisal These grosup may have historically voted Democratic, but as a voting bloc they are a lot more socially conservative than the consultants believe and Trump could appeal to them if the wrong Democrat is selected and has a lot of pie in the sky proposals that instinctively they know that will not flow to them. Wait until a NYC Housing Authority worker with only a few years on the job hears that Kamela Harris wants to give teachers an across the board $13,500 a year raise while they get nothing. That will likely be a Trump talking point that will make them see red. There are other examples as well, so if Democrats don't want a repeat of the last election and want to keep the working class people they currently have, they better night pander to this base with a progressive handing out a lot of goodies because they will see through it as a con that is worse than the one Trump is playing on them.
11
@Jeanie LoVetri
Well said!
Just this week, I have had the opportunity to get to know the tile craftsman who's working in my 108-yr-old home on two bathroom remodeling projects. It has been enlightening.
Not only is he a Trump voter, but 2016 was the first and only time he has ever bothered to vote in his 24 years of age-related eligibility. He is a hard-working and skilled person, but he told me that he always has had a hard time making ends meet. That's probably due to some bad decision-making on his part (years ago and no doubt now, too) and on the part of his birth family for generations back. He told me he doesn't care anything about foreign policy, social justice, or a shining city on the hill. He works to live, and he cares about his family and about his money, especially about what he can and can't do because of the lack of it. Trump inspired him to vote because he saw in Trump a potential savior.
17
@Jeanie LoVetri
and sounds just like them.
BUT he's NOT just like them, and that's what the intellectually-challenged need to understand.
15
Democrats should appeal to minority voters not by pandering, but by promising equality of opportunity to everyone.
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@Yo Free stuff. Promise more free stuff.
Start with “reparations”.
Democrats never have and do not support illegal immigration - this is a classic Trump lie. Trump wants to break the law by preventing legal immigration and legal applications for asylum. He loves this issue because he can use it to stoke fear.
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I am so glad to hear someone write about this. As an African American, I cringe when people all assume we are of one mind. I am not a fan of Trump and we will definitely vote for anyone but Trump. As a child I remember my parents voting for Eisenhower who was a Republican. To this day many of my fellow church-going African Americans have very conservative views but they just can't bring themselves to vote Republican. These same people think The Left takes us for granted which it does. If The Right would stop its racist agenda it would have an opportunity to increase the percentage in minority communities.
3
The fact that nearly 30 percent of polled Hispanic Americans will at least "consider" voting for Trump should be a wake up call for Democrats. Why on earth is this guy who has built his career on racism directed at Hispanics that popular with this population? It boogles the mind. But maybe it makes sense if we consider 1.) the rise of Evangelical Christianity among Latin Americans 2.) the overall social conservatism prevalent among many Hispanics 3.) the idea that millions of Latin immigrants have fled the places that Trump is trying to wall off America from 4.) that Hispanics, like other Americans reward economic performance 5.) that masculinity is a trait that Hispanics are familiar with and especially men admire in leaders even when they appear to be authoritarian.
One would hope that all Hispanics would on principle reject a candidate that started his campaign for president in 2015 with a speech implying that Mexican American immigrants were rapists and criminals but in fact, despite reinforcing policies, a significant minority of Hispanics will vote for him.
Trump is weakest among millennials, atheists and agnostics, people with advanced degrees but especially women in that category, environmentalists, African Americans, liberal Jews, Asians and Hispanics of similar ideological orientations. But that leaves everybody else.
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Why would you assume that anything Trump does is rational, much less based on segmentation of minorities?
He won before exploiting fears of Mexicans and Moslems and that will be his main theme again. If anything, he is hoping that the Democrats run on themes that will scare his supporters, and words like Socialism and reparations will be ridiculed. Even knowing what he will do and say, I am very afraid that the Democrats looking to win the nomination will only focus on how to beat each other, and neglect to have a plan that ends up beating Trump. He was underestimated last time, and the same thing can happen again.
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Those who argue identity politics for percentages and motives to vote are stereotyping, and doing it badly. People are more complex than that allows for.
Blow correctly notes the splits in the Hispanic community, both on issues and on self identification. Yet he ends with the same talk of percentages of "Hispanics." Who? Which people? He just did it again, right after explaining why it was error.
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@Mark Thomason - Yes Mark, I point out all too often probably that my fellow Americans find it very difficult to write about human difference without using those terms. Charles Blow has a long history of doing just that and even noted one time that he only writes about one ethnicity within the "black" race, those who have lines of descent like his.
Larry
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So even among educated blacks there is a history of "proper restriction and control" of the commingling of races necessary to keep prejudices at an acceptable level.
I thought the goal was to get beyond the idea, the concept, of a "balance" between blacks and whites in terms of the relative concentration of their number in the mix. Man is not the only mammal that sees colors, just the only one that uses color as a discriminant.
Trump uses not only color but language, too. European-accented, mangled English (Manglish?) good, "Buenos dias, amigo" bad. The former just sounds white --and tall-- doesn't it? The latter telegraphs complete lack of "class" (as defined by our president) as well as impairment of height.
If this is the future of America, I will be having none of it.
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@Glen - The color differences in animals are in part clearly species related. The color differences in humans, a single species, arise from migration into different climate zones and then mixing of people from different zones.
New York Times comment writer Blackmamba has written 100s of excellent comments trying to explain to readers how evolution has worked with a single genome to make us who we are.
Blackmamba is trying to get a small percentage of 1000s of readers to realize this. Losing battle.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
1
"If white supremacy will use celebration to disgust, it will most definitely use desperation to divide." Of course. But this distorts the public view of Trump's base. CB refers to Trump's "path to victory" and how narrow it was. True again. But there, we're discussing electoral strategy, which is rarely on the mind of a voter in the booth. There was a busload of candidates when Trump declared. He opted to trawl initially for votes where his rivals dared not swim: among the white supremacists. Having locked in that slice of the pie, Trump used it to intimidate his rivals and to scavenge their supporters. Make no mistake, the regular never-anything-but-GOP voter was more important in Trump's victory than the frank racists. Add the businessmen, the bankers, the greedy slavering for a tax-cut and for the destruction of safety regulations, the Evangelicals, and the Vatican loyalists... We fall too easily for the facile description. A straw never broke a camel's back--it takes a whole load to do that.
@Des Johnson -- it's really hard to understand any reason the majority of white women voted for Trump after the "grab them by they ___" tape other than racial and status animus and fear.
More broadly we have the nearly universal claims from Trump supporters to the effect of "I don't like him personally, but I support his policies." This has never made any sense; why could they not have elected somebody less deplorable to advance their "policies" ... unless in fact Mr. Trump's persona is what they support?
@Lee Harrison: White women for Trump? Racism--policy, and, yes, personal history of his to back it up. Roe Vs Wade! Trump was trenchant in his promise to "fix" that-- the rest were mealy mouthed untrustworthy politicians. Made sense? Personal choices of voters rarely make sense: Goethe--"feeling is everything."
Immigration control will remain a potent vote getter for Trump so long as Democrats leave the issue unaddressed.
4
So, the answer for Democrats is to make Trump's needed point or two increase in minority support be dwarfed by the Democratic candidates increase in support among white voters, especially rural and high school educated ones.
The Democrats showed good improvements among these groups in 2018 over 2016.
Whites still make up the largest voting demographic. It would be difficult for Democrats to improve on their 92% black vote or 72% Latino vote or 73% Asian vote.
But there is PLENTY of room for Democrats to improve on their 34% of the white vote received in 2016. And, as Mr. Blow indicates, Trump cannot lose ANY of that dempgraphic given his narrow path to victory in 2016.
2
Why an American, (forget race, religion and ethnicity) would vote for Trump is no mystery. Trump voters see themselves represented by Trump. They don't identify with his wealth and privilege, they identify with his behavior - he is the nation's first proudly crude president. Trump's crudity is not tolerated but celebrated by his voters. He and they (including all who identify as Republican) are the crudification of America.
Democratic candidates for president or Congress have a clear path to office: run against crudity. The 2020 elections must highlight, contrast good versus evil, decency and civility versus crudity and shameless vulgarity.
Those who support Trump, Republicans, crudity, will not be won over, but Americans who have an ounce of decency will be motivated to go to the polls and vote against the crudification of America. Americans who want a civil society for their children will vote against the shamelessness that Trump and Republicans extol. Our ancestors did not sacrifice to bequeath to us a vulgar America.
As Democrats present their ideas to tackle healthcare, education, income-inequality, wealth-inequality, climate change, etc., let us not forget that overarching the 2020 elections is the fundamental choice between good and evil.
What choice will the majority of Americans make? Will it be enough, this time, to overcome the archaic Electoral College? The underhanded voting machinations of Republicans? The crudity of a minority, their indecent idol, Trump?
1
Trump pretends to be a Bandit King---sort of like Robin Hood, a self styled "outlaw" who is here to tear down the system that has oppressed the people. It is a favorite myth in the US--just look at the popularity of outlaws like Pretty Boy Floyd and Bonnie and Clyde. It is all a pretense--Trump is actually here to line his pocket with bribes from the rich and powerful. But as long as he plays the Bandit King on television, a small number of people will cheer. Because they feel that they have no power. Their vote does not count in any meaningful way. So, they will make it a protest vote instead.
Yes, they can 'definitely use desperation to divide' but Democrats can also use desperation to unite. Trump has done the best for his millionaire buddies and fellow CEOs in deregulating their industries so they can reap rewards at the expense of clean environment and the tax break for the top 1%. These are the most of value terms he has made possible and they were NOT for the average American of any color, ethnicity, orientation. The majority of Americans need to unite against a president that uses the Oval Office for his personal enrichment and has neither the time nor the proclivity to be concerned for us peons. He seeks to divide and conquer through fear and mistrust of the other. We must unite and overcome through love and faith in the better angels of our nature. "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you". Justice will be served. The day of reckoning will come. We will Dump the Trump!!
1
The most cynical aspect of Trump trying to manipulate support from minorities isn’t just about pandering to any voters; it’s the notion that he could be absolved for his dangerous stereotyping the rest of the time.
Trump will win because the Democrats are going to destroy each other in the primaries. Too many of them are running.
We got trump because there were too many Republicans running and trump was able to destroy each of them.
1
Spot on! During the midterm elections, I saw an increase in the number of minority voters casting their votes here in Burnet county. But when the results were tallied, it became obvious that those minority voters had cast their ballots for GOP candidates. In talking with minority voters after the election, I learned an important issue for them was their fear recent immigrants through the southern border would steal jobs, bring wages down or increase crime.
The 2020 playbook that Mr. Blow talks about has already been implemented, and successfully, by the GOP.
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@CEA
So why are the republicans so desperate to keep those minorities out of the voting booths?
4
@CEA,
With all due respect, if the Burnet County you are referring to is Burnet County, Texas, you are talking about a county that is 73.4 % White, 22% Hispanic 2% Black, 1.2% Native American, 0.7% Asian.
The only percentage of "minorities" that is not minuscule is Hispanic, so I'm not sure why you didn't specify that you were referring to Hispanic voters rather than "minorities" which implies a mixed group.
Further, according to the Burnet Bulletin voter turnout was down in 2018 compared to 2016 from 67% to 60%.
In 2016, 80.84% of votes cast were for Republicans and 17.83% went to Democrats.
In 2018, Ted Cruz won approx. 75% of votes cast and Beto O'Rourke won approx. 25%. U.S. rep Roger Williams won 76% against his Democratic opponent while GOP Gov. Abbott won approx. 78% of the vote.
Nothing much changed percentage-wise between 2016 and 2018, except the GOP percentages declined a little. So I am really not sure your anecdotal tale of what you saw at the polls and who you talked to afterwards is really indicative of much in general terms or in terms of a "successful GOP playbook" in regard to "minorities." It seems you live in a non-border county that traditionally votes Republican and this held true in 2018. But most of the border counties in Texas voted Democratic in the 2018 midterms. Interesting that those living along the border don't feel as much fear of immigrants as those voters to whom you spoke do.
[sources: US Census and the Burnet Bulletin]
2
@Pamela, thanks for your well researched reply. I guess I hit a nerve. But I stand by my comment. If one sees 20 Latino people voting in one election and ones see 25 Latino, 2 African American, and 1 Asian people voting in the next election one is entitled, in fact required, to acknowledge there was an increase in the number of minorities one saw voting. But aside from that, my point was that those additional minority voters went ahead and voted Republican and, based on my conversations with some of them, apparently their decision hinged on the concerns I listed. Somehow they bought into the narrative Mr. Blow is warning against.
1
We've become a nation led by fear. Fear is a very effective motivator. Fear gets people to the polls. But weaponizing fear only happens when our leaders fail to do the jobs. It's only effective when things have reached a boiling point. 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. Dems in another example of self sabotage don't know how to deal with the border crisis. This humanitarian catastrophe, has possible security problems that we can't begin to contemplate. It's a constant reminder that our immigration system is totally broken. If you say Trump is using scare tactics to exploit the situation so be it. That's what politicians have always done & will continue to do. The border disaster is real. The fears voters are feeling are real. Pelosi & Schumer are actively undermining their party by not dealing with this debacle head on. So it's come down to who do you trust more. Dems who refuse to do anything. Or Trump who won't stop talking about it. The migrant issue is something that 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 Dems have not only allowed Trump to have a free pass on this crisis but to paint them as weak. Their silence is alienating voters. Very short sighted.
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@Bill Brown
My recollection is that the Democrats tried again and again in the past two years to get immigration reform and protection for established immigrants, including DACA and TPS immigrants. The Republicans have blocked those efforts and continue to do so. Now Julian Castro has offered a detailed immigration reform plan, met with a non-starter from McConnell. There has to be better Democratic messaging on these issues, the Republicans are not friends of immigrants and immigrants should never be seem as a threat to minorities in the US. Democrats, not Republicans, promote equal opportunity legislation. It's not preference, it providing the tools anyone needs in order to succeed. And, by the way, Republicans are no friends of women, although against any rational explanation, women are still voting for Republicans. Messaging is everything.
23
@Bill Brown What Trump has a talent for is in taking all the air out of the room. Whatever fact-free word salad he spouts gets on the air, millions of people with short attention spans and conditioned acquiescence to authority figures internalize it.
Blaming Democrats for the immigration issue is disingenuous at best given the long period of GOP control of Congress just partially ended. Where was their solution?
13
@Bill Brown "We've become a nation led by fear. Fear is a very effective motivator. Fear gets people to the polls. But weaponizing fear only happens when our leaders fail to do the jobs. It's only effective when things have reached a boiling point. 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."
Now that the AG has said there was a counter intel operation against the Trump campaign, I agree with you 100%.
A strong article that articulates why many minority voters will want to vote for Trump. If anything his appeal may be even stronger in 2020 because he knows how to appeal to diverse crowds while delivering better economics and crime reform for minorities who are fairing better now than 8 years ago. Sanders in his heart is a Socialist from very white Vermont, his interests in minority communities are incidental and his charisma poor, so beyond the appeal of Trump if Biden or Sanders get the nomination the real story will be one of low voter turnout in this crucial constituency.
1
Immigration and race will be mute sooner than our grand children will be of working age. As Artificial intelligence begins to expand, doing away with hands on manufacturing jobs, jobs will only be available for highly educated engineers and those highly educated folks who manipulate the machines. Then what!
Massive immigration, which was needed in 1910 to run a rabidly growing and expanding manufacturing economy will no longer be needed. Yet many Americans still live with the myth of immigration when in reality no one knows what to do with massive amounts of unemployed, uneducated people arriving in America still thinking its 1910.
4
@Luis Miranda
Look at what immigrants do in the US - they care for the elderly, they care for young children, the harvest crops, they clean houses. And they send their children to school to learn how to move up to the next tier of jobs. The work immigrants do is not subject to automation, and is generally not considered desirable by Americans of any race. Immigrants are part of a historic pattern of moving into low level unattractive jobs so their children can move up.
1
@Seeker Actually, automation IS moving into agriculture. And is, or should be, moving into nursing homes and hospitals.
I’m not a politician scientists. All I have going for me is that I’m 80 years old. I’ve seen a lot over those 80 years. I was born in Vineland, NJ. Blacks were segregated in our town as they were pretty much all over the US. It wasn’t until I joined the USAF in 1957 and landed in San Antonio, Texas that I really saw the horrors of segregation. Black & White water fountains and Black & White toilets shocked me to the bones, but I certainly didn’t demonstrate in the streets about it. That took until the 60’s.
Time is the great equalizer. “I have a dream” was much more than rhetorical when it came from the lips of Dr. Martin Luther King. I believe that he actually saw it from sources far above our earthly senses. All of us are truly brothers and sisters not only on this planet, but in the Universe. The sooner we all come to realize that, the closer we’ll all come to real freedom.
1
You are so right, Charles. If he keeps his 42 percent solid supporters together and then either sows confusion or apathy among the Democrat supporters OR peels off 9 percent independents or middle of the road Democrats with chants of socialist, and etc. for himself, Trump wins 2020.
9 percent more is all he needs to win. Since the DOJ rule says a sitting president cannot be indicted and since the time for indicting would expire during his second term, one can be certain that Trump will try every trick in the book, and then some, to win. How do a bunch of unelected officials (DOJ officials who drafted the 'no-indictment' policy) get to decide the death of the greatest democracy in the world? THAT is the most important question today. Since the Republicans control the Senate and Trump will never sign a change of this policy into law, we are at a severe impasse. Your column is a great service to our country. Thankyou.
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Immigration has always been an unsolvable conundrum in the US since the times of Columbus. First, and often overlooked, denied, and buried from the public psyche, this country was founded on economic opportunity. Period. As such, we have been in fierce battle to capture our individual share of that economic prosperity.
Traditionally, that competition has always been framed as a zero summed gain. If they get more, you get less. Hence is the rhetoric today. These illegal immigrants will take your jobs or lower the value of your work. "Your family prosperity is at risk."
It's crazy that we still have this mindset today. We are the richest country in the world today because of immigration. Those whom wish to vilify immigration do so to blind the rest of America to the power that immigrants bring to the US economy. On the unskilled level we get a workforce that is willing to take on jobs that Americans don't want to do. On a high skill level, we get more Doctors, Scientists, Tech experts, etc., advancing new innovations and creating new industries. All paying taxes and contributing to the overall growth of the economy.
It is true that throughout our immigration history we have had assimilation issues. However, these issues over time would disappear. Immigration does work and does benefit us as a society. One last note to consider, it is more often the case that industries lose more man/woman jobs to a machines rather than being replaced by other people.
1
When I was renovating our home I needed some help offloading a truck of building materials. I went to the local big box materials store and found an excellent worker. I met Mike, African American, and he became part of my crew during our job. He shared with us his troubles he had going up to endless work sites looking for work only to be rebuffed. In all cases Hispanic workers dominated the crews, large and small. Mike is born and raised here and is STILL in the parking lot waiting for work. Is this fair? I say no.
13
Having said that. Post Katrina rebuilding would not have been successful without the massive influx of undocumented workers working on nearly every damged roof in the city. Honestly don't know what the solution is long term.
@AppleOverEasy
Agreed so is the systemic racism esp in La
that keeps such a system in place, esp as it affects him
America depends in immigrant labor, initiative and insight
Taking the naked racism and raw emotions out of the equation and passing immigration reform is the road to resolving such issues
There are no quick fixes and there’s a depesssng lack of political courage to change the conversation.
Beto is changing the conversation to be more inclusive of all Americans Give him a look America He’s a Refreshing positive alternative to the status quo in both parties
1
@AppleOverEasy
comprehensive immigration reform that includes saving the dreamers, enforcing current laws but not selectively-ie penalizing .making businesses like country clubs and poultry processing plants that abuse the system, pay to make it unprofitable,
making asylum real and addressing the root causes, not just the visiblke manifestations that are politically appealing to tanyon;e's bpolitical base...
i.e. having the courage to address the issue in the face of the onslught of naked raw and hateful emotions that in themselves serve no putpose but to be cathartic
ie CHANGE THE CONVERSATION. Throwing out the baby with the bathwater is NOT the answer
It is an interesting phenomenon of human nature, that once we are in, we don’t want others of our own kind. This likely started from the dawn of civilization.
Today, in America, immigration is a huge issue. trump’s supporters essentially want no immigration, exterme progressives want open borders, and we moderate Dems, which are now treated with much hostility by the extreme progressives, want comprehensive immigration reform, which would not include open borders.
My question is where is Democratic leadership? Why are they not working on a comprehensive immigration plan? By not doing so, it sends the message that the Dems are for opening borders and it gives trump a big path to a 2020 win.
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@Ellen Campbell
Scares me too. I am in the Democratic camp only because the Republicans have allowed themselves to become totally dominated by Christian Conservatives who don't IMHO have the best interests of ALL in their radar. I am a slightly right of center kind of guy. You, if I read you correctly are a slightly left of center kind of gal. You and I have much more in common than I have with the current crop of Repubs and you with the extremes among the Dems. If the Dems run far to the left they are going to lose. Another 4 years of Christian Conservatives packing the Federal Court System, more and more years into the future of decisions favoring religious rights over everyone's rights.
1
There was the other article that explained that the actual real Democrats were much more "moderate/conservative" than the noisy Twitter followers. Also that 35%, (by my memory) didn't follow the news (and I think that makes them wise people, where is Walter Cronkite?). Dems won the midterms, not sure whether good messaging or stimulating the base, but that needs to be replicated. The messages are Rorschach tests. But the Democrats need to try to get their supporters excited, be honest and make a push for the honorable "conservatives" that don't really see the world of Trump, they are there, find them.
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Trump is a master at exploiting weakness. That is the “art” of the deal. Trump’s manipulation of others to serve his own ends deeply offends us, but Democrats do need to recognize and acknowledge his ability to spot and home in on weakness where it actually exists.
Liberals have repeatedly pointed out that immigrants crossing our Southern border, both legal and illegal, have not taken the jobs of white workers but, rather, have taken on work that white workers have refused to do. In other words, new immigrants threaten the livelihood of Hispanic workers who have already established themselves in communities around the country. Many have become citizens, but citizenship offers no economic protections. The vulnerability that Trump exploits is real.
It’s difficult to see how Democrats can appeal to Hispanic voters when their argument made to white voters is that immigrants won’t take their jobs. This plays directly into Trump’s hand. The Democrats need to acknowledge the vulnerability of Hispanic workers and address it with an economic plan that includes everybody not just the wealthy and the white middle class. Something more believable than the threadbare Republican idea of trickledown economics.
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@Richard Frank Democrats' economic plans focus entirely on African Americans and non citizens, not at all on the white working or middle class.
One of the key strategies of the Republican plutocracy is to convince the population that the resources available are scarce.
The resource pie keeps shrinking in large part because the plutocrats keep reducing the pie through tax cuts for the rich, incentivizing multinationals to go to countries with cheaper labor costs, and deregulation.
The plutocrats can then watch the population fight among themselves for the smaller and smaller part of the pie.
Of course, Republicans want to fear monger among the minorities. Fear and hatred are successful tactics.
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I fully understand the practice of established minority groups looking down upon later arrivals. As a Jew, I have been familiar with Sephardic Jews (often the first arrivals, as in the U.S.) looking down upon the German Jews who followed. And they all looked down upon the "unwashed" Jews from Eastern Europe who were later arrivals. But this has not always been the case. Born in 1935, I was brought up in the South-East Bronx in a very racially and religiously mixed neighborhood. Among other clashes were those between African-American Blacks (many of whose families arrived before and during the war years to escape the South and work in defense plants vs. Blacks from the Caribbean Islands. The African-American Blacks would sometimes call the "Island" Blacks, "Black Jews". These "Island Blacks" tended to associate more with Whites than did the African-Americans. I sometimes joke that Colin Powell followed me around for years. Powell, who lived just two blocks from me, was about 1-2 years behind me as we progressed through P.S. 39, J.H.S. 52 and later at City College.
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At this point I can’t see anyone voting for Donald Trump. Hopefully the Democrats will have a good message for people who Trump either attacks or ignores.
I think I huge issue is to make sure that all voters need to be able to vote without intimidation. As a country we need to stop the Republicans efforts to disenfranchise votes. We also need to make sure Russia, any other countries or people in our country can’t interfere in our elections.
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@Javaforce
"..At this point I can’t see anyone voting for Donald Trump."
You'd better prepare yourself for our President's reelection win in 2020
@Javaforce
Oh yeah no ones going to vote for trump. What planet are you living on? He has a 53% approval rating
"A Quinnipiac University poll last year found that 54 percent of blacks and 55 percent of Hispanics thought immigrants’ illegal crossing of the border with Mexico was an important problem."
It IS an important problem. Trump will always try to make it sound like the problem is more perilous than it is but that does not mean it is NOT a problem.
No doubt people from countries south of Mexico are trying to escape some terrible problems in their countries. However, about 75% of them did not qualify for asylum in the past and were denied asylum.
The continuous surge of such people who see ONLY the US as their destination and create serious problems for the US. (See Times story "The U.S. Immigration System May Have Reached a Breaking Point.")
The Democrats need to acknowledge this and talk about it in a responsible manner. Illegal immigration should be discouraged.
Amnesty for those who are here illegally is not a viable solution to the problem. The amnesty method was tried under Reagan (Simpson-Mazzoli bill) and it failed, primarily because there was no serious penalties for employing those who are here illegally, including by people like Trump who take advantage of the illegal immigrants and are shocked that we have a problem.
To arrive at a solution that makes the illegal immigration problem go away won't be easy. It takes a bipartisan effort and resolve. With the elections always around the corner, I am afraid pandering to the base by both sides is all we will see.
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@RK
Comprehensive immigration reform
Who has the guts to speak up?
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@adam stoler
Indeed!
Any reform needs to focus on those who hire illegal immigrants, those who provide fake IDs and so on, as much as it focuses on those who get here or stay here illegally.
If you can't work in this country unless you are properly authorized, there won't be any reasons for people to try to go to great lengths to come here, as they won't be able to sustain themselves.
If amnesty that was offered under Reagan is again offered, that would be another incentive for people to try to come here illegally with the hope that they will get amnesty at some future point.
Yes, comprehensive immigration reform is needed. But chances don't look all that good.
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Well, much as I detest Donald Trump and nearly all he stands for, this opinion piece really doesn't add any light to the problem of defeating "the donald" in the next election.
Actually, neither does it offer anything but Mr Blow's assertions about many topics, most of which start with the phrase "I believe." Perhaps the worst example is linking Trump's disdain for BLM with an assertion that such a disdain indicates a scorn for criminal justice. Once again, Mr Blow offers us his one-note song about the myriad of real issues confronting us.
If the democrats wrap themselves in a political strategy of focusing on "white supremacy," and augment such a strategy without a solution to illegal immigration other than abolish ICE or open the borders, they will lose.
So will too the country.
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@TDurk
The solution to illegal immigration requires understanding the problem.
Building a wall won’t stop a major contributor to illegal immigration - overstaying visas.
Nor will classifying refugees seeking asylum as criminals and putting their children in cages.
@Rita
You are correct on all the points you made.
Building a wall is one of the stupidest things the US could do to solve our illegal immigration issues.
Caging refugees seeking asylum or their children is both stupid and inhumane.
The US needs, absolutely needs a managed guest worker program that is enforced. Our agricultural industry depends on it.
We don't need Trump's rants. Nor do we need Mr Blow's rants.
We need statesmen (and women) who have thought through solutions, their costs, their disruptive factors etc. Otherwise we end up with an immigration debacle, which is what we have.
As long as people are willing to vote against their own self interest, Trump will have a path to victory. He's advocating taking Obamacare away without a replacement and even members of his base that absolutely need Obamacare are willing to vote for Trump.
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@Susan: Who decides what the interest of the people is?
Yes, trying to win the votes of black people is one of the oldest tricks in the white supremacist arsenal.
Also, I love it when folks cite to growth rates Obama achieved during the aftermath of a major recession, ignoring that essentially all of this so-called growth was merely a restoration of business as usual. I’ll let you in on a little secret: all recessions end (always have always will in spite of the predictions of some alarmists). Typically recessions are followed by strong growth that tends to be stronger the deeper the recession was. That wasn’t the case during the Obama recovery, which felt to a lot of people like one prolonged recession (although, in fairness the economy did seem like it was picking up steam in the last two or so years of the second term).
So, now we’re touting Obama’s 7.8 percent black unemployment, which is the best it got during the two Obama terms. Everything can always be a lot worse, but that’s a fairly abysmal stat to go around touting.
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@Bill Not to over defend Obama but he might have better numbers if republicans were not hell bent on stopping anything that he tried to do.
1
Democrats need to admit there is a problem with immigration and start putting together responsible and humane legislation to address it. Why let Trump continue to use this for his 2020 election platform. Democrats need to show they are not for so called open borders and anything goes just to be the polar opposite of Trump on this issue. We have the chance to show his base that we can address this problem but lawfully and with sensible solutions.
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@Kelly Twice in the past 2 years congressional Republicans and Democrats came to agreement on revised immigration: both times Trump blew it up at the last minute - after initially saying he'd support it. Trump the demagogue needs issues to rile his base and keep his rallies at Nuremberg fever pitch. He learned from the master he so (secretly) admires.
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@Kelly: Republicans need to admit that population is a global issue and family planning goes hand in hand with long lifespans.
2
I am no supporter of Trump and I believe his efforts to exploit ethnic and racial division for political gain are loathsome. But let’s be honest, the progressives are doing the exact same thing. The difference, I suppose, is that Trump seeks to divide voters to achieve a different objective, say, border security. Progressives stoke divisions as an end unto itself. Frankly I think that the latter is worse, and we are seeing the consequences playing out to the a Democrats’ disadvantage.
15
@MWR: Equal protection of the law is blind.
The economy was given a push by the tax cut, but otherwise things would have gotten better if Alfred E Newman was president. The momentum had been established. Trump can claim he is helping minorities all he wants, but the one thing he absolutely will not do is make it easier for them to vote. Why anyone would vote for a party that wishes to maintain the status of minorities as 2/3rd American is beyond me. As to immigration....Americans need to know and understand that people in the middle of the desert without food and water would go to the oasis even if it were a mirage. Americans have this nasty little problem of being incapable of putting themselves in anyone else's shoes. But they have nothing to worry about long term. For once the economy starts to deal with the impacts of high deficits and inflation starts to show itself, the motivation to come here will start to wane. No need for a wall. No need for child separation, no need for tear gas, no need for Trump. The problem will take care of itself., So why waste all the angst, frustration, and anger waiting for that day to arrive. Vote in 2020 for all the other things you need to worry about that won't fix themselves. Like health care and global warming.
19
@Walking Man: US politics is Spy vs. Spy.
When a certain percentage of supposedly 'smart' voters routinely vote against their own self interests, we should not be too surprised if the year 2020 produces yet another disturbing result. 20/20 hindsight may not be all that is is cracked up to be when it comes to voting. And the growing roster of Dem hopefuls leaves me tepid at best - too old; too far left; lacking je ne sais quoi to go up against Teflon Don II.
10
there are so many other issues more pressing than immigration. Yes we need a humane, logical process; not teargassing and imprisoning people.
In the meantime, the ocean is filled with plastic, plankton , sea life and insects are disappearing, as is clean air and water. Super bugs and bacteria no longer controlled by antibiotics.
Climate change is the biggest disaster facing humans right now. it's like screaming that the garage door was left open as the house burns down; too much emphasis on a relatively minor issue. Without all of the above mentioned, none of us will survive. No matter what country you come from. Immigration becomes a moot point.
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@Carla Actually massive and desperate immigration will soon be a direct result of the growing effects of climate change, and since we are not doing anything under Trump to slow the warming of the planet, climate refugees will become a bigger, not smaller, problem as time goes on. I agree there is ONE "more important issue" than immigration policy and it is, obviously, climate change. But if we don't figure out how we're going to help and accommodate those who face burning, drowning, or starving to death as we reap the rewards of giving voice to anti-science groups, we will find ourselves in dire physical, economic, and moral straits. I fear for all of us.
News flash - as Clovis from Florida accurately described, illegal immigration IS a serious issue, and Trump will make sure it is at the center of his campaign. But as with too many other issues (abortion, guns, climate) Democrats have allowed Republicans, Trump in particular, to frame the debate on their terms only. If Democrats will focus on pressing issues rather than on Trump, and in doing so articulate clear, reasonable and concise approaches that will benefit the nation as a whole, this election should be a cake walk. But then again, so should have 2016, and we are living with the nightmare. To say that I am concerned is an understatement.
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@Michael Democrats ARE focused on the issues but Trump gets to frame them because the press covers him 24/7 for the outrageous things he does and statements he makes. How often do you see thoughtful coverage on any of the Dem candidates, even on the front page of this paper? Few and far between. When our mainstream journalists become more objective and start to ignore Trump's demented rantings, we will learn more about the issues and candidate positions.
9
@Michael. Totally agree. Democrates are their own worst enemy.
@Michael, You are so right. It has seemed to me that for a long time, Democrats have let the GOP frame the debate, define the candidates (theirs and the Democrats'), strike first and hard, and fight dirty always. Not to forget the GOP has an actual "state TV" in the form of Fox, and has multiple rabid radio and internet outlets, keeping their base always in the bubble. And a black hole in the White House who tells his cult to disbelieve anything that was not told them by him alone. And a Senate full of Party members who smirk and wink on the way to their reelection.
The Democrats really need to focus on providing clear answers to these issues and not get all tied up in the purity of policy debate. Trump will do whatever he does and he will win again if the Democrats only response is that he is an awful man, most of his base does not care. Policy proposals such as those on Healthcare will motivate people to vote, the most recent mid-terms were evidence for that.
Whilst I feel that Biden en Sanders are yesterday's men, the alternative candidates on the Democratic side have most to fear from their supposed supporters. These seem to demand that you have lived in a purity cocoon for all of your live, that you have never put a foot wrong on any subject at any time since the age of 5. In short you have not lived a real life of any kind. A lot of Democrats, particularly those on the left, would appear to prefer dogmatic purity over actually winning the election. If you want to change things you need to obtain power first, something the Republicans have been and are eminently effective at. They will continue to win as long as the Democrats are intend on eating their own at every turn.
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@Jacques Amen! Focus on winning and then work on an agenda.
If the Dem's allow Corrupt Donnie to define the playing field in 2020 with immigration as the major issue, the election will be close but I believe the Dem's will win.
If the Dem's define the playing field in 2020 with corruption, global warming, and income inequality as the major issues, they will win in a landslide.
10
I agree Democrats will have to take the issues around immigration, the economy and race head on. They will be at a disadvantage because of the debates associated with the primary. They will have to be forthright and every statement will be fodder for Trump’s re-election machine. Silence or side stepping will be worse as it will allow the continued Trump claim that Democrats favor open borders. Pelosi and Schumer could help by proposing immigration legislation now during the current crisis and Trump sacking of DHS leadership. This would force him and his Republican cronies to show they have no real plan. It would not matter to Trump’s base nor will anything get passed but it would be a way to test ideas and provide ammo and cover for the Democratic nominee. 2020 campaign is in full swing and Democrats must work together to win. With their leadership in healthcare, education and environment they need to put this last piece in place. Minimum wage and health care for all would go a long way to increase security with not only minorities but many others as well.
26
That "base" exists in the minds of progressives regardless of who the republican president is. It's their perception of Americans who don't share their views. They need it to explain why their own policies cannot get much traction. Always because Americans are too [fill-in-the-'ism'].
12
Trump's trump card is the economy and jobs for all Americans and tax cuts for all Americans. Although many who itemized their deductions instead of taking standard deductions are ending up paying higher taxes than before the tax reform. This group that you used a lot of loop holes are angry and likely to vote for the democratic nominee. While Trump is likely to get more African Americans and Hispanics voting for him than they have voted for any Republican presidential candidates in history, prediction of a sure reelection is going to be difficult.
All these partisan Trump investigations have actually been a huge gamble for the Democrats and a house of cards that has come crashing down with Mueller investigation coming to a conclusion. What has also become increasingly clear to possible new movement towards Trump of those previously opposed to Trump is say what you want, Trump truly cares more about the serious problems facing the country than the predecessors and is doing his level best to deal with the real problems he has identified as affecting average Americans and small businesses. What is also becoming clear is the ferocious opposition and harassment he is enduring in his quest to find long term solutions in a broken system.
In 2020, Trump will run once again as the underdog running against a formidable opposition not very different than the mighty Clinton Dynasty with amassing of campaign donations twice that of his own. Era of identity politics will end in 2020.
6
@Girish Kotwal: Under Trumpism, corporations are in charge, which typically means the boss, who is always right, like Trump.
11
@Steve Bolger
Under Trump, small business pass-throughs now enjoy a new 20% deduction of profits. Only the left is fixated on "evil corporations". Most small business owners, who are responsible for the majority of new jobs, are enjoying the benefits of the Trump Administration's policies.
7
@AACNY: Please don't project on me. I understand the evolution of corporations and come from families that owned them. I know about the pass-through that caps out for lawyers and others whose value is their mind. I don't share the Republican view about taxing corporations. I think they are very appropriate tax collectors for economic purposes.
3
Well maybe we in the Democratic Party ought to offer people of color something better than, "we aren't as racist as those other folks". Something tangible like jobs that bring people solidly up into the middle class, and protection from competition with a few million people coming up to compete for those jobs. I encounter plenty of AA and Hispanic guys just like me but for the color of our skins, and we share a lot of issues in common, most of them tied to supporting our families, keeping a roof over our heads and avoiding becoming homeless. Oh, and what's with the complete lack of police services to entire sections of our cities, leaving people to rely on the honor justice system? Maybe it's time we pandered to the 90% who aren't wealthy.
23
@somsai, as a brown person I feel for African Americans in this country. Right in front of their eyes other people of color like the Chinese Indians South Asians Latinos have come along and prospered thrived, while African Americans have lagged behind in education high paying jobs intellectual academics and such. Visit any grad school, especially science math computers, it’s full of them Asian kids home grown Chinese Indians (used to be White Jewish kids). The country was built on the back and shoulders of African slaves yet their descendants don’t seem to get a fair share of the prosperity they deserve. Instead they find themselves being stereotyped, in sports and entertainment industry, wannabe Michael Jordan Jay-z and Oprah.
2
It is quite possible Trump will win a majority of Hispanic men in 2020. Hispanic men are culturally conservative and the Democrats recent (rather halting) steps in the direction of supporting women's issues will turn many of the off. Hispanic people in general are cool to the idea of paying "reparations" to black people. About a third of the Hispanic electorate is evangelical and their priorities mirror, though somewhat dimly, the white evangelical priorities. The idea that Hispanic Americans want open borders is completely erroneous; most of them are happy to have got out of Hispanic-majority countries and they're not eager to live in another one. And finally, many, maybe most, of the people that the left calls "Hispanic" are married to mainstream white people, have children who are recognizably white and quite possibly consider themselves white; they have no interest in canceling white people.
Odds: I'd lay odds of three to two Trump wins Hispanic men in 2020, four to one he wins Hispanic women.
27
@Woofy Thank you for posting in from the real world. I agree with you completely. I come from a very waspy family, and never heard Latino people referred to or thought of as nonwhite. (nor Jewish or Asians, either). I don't know when this big division became imposed. Or why.
1
@Woofy
Democrats will cling to identity politics until there are no more identities left voting for them.
1
Conflating an anti-immigrant political viewpoint with white supremacy is exactly the type of thing that is going to drive voters away from from liberals and democrats. As Charles himself points out, a majority of black Americans consider illegal immigration an important problem. How are they going to feel when a NYT intellectual implies they are aligned with white supremacists? I may whole-heatedly disagree with Trumps immigration policies, but the democrats are positioning themselves as pro-immigration, which is a losing position, and, in my opinion, not because of racism (even if this plays a role for some people). Immigration and flight from failing states is only going to get worse in the USA as in Europe and will present one of the greatest political challenges of our time. Democrats need a plan, otherwise Trump will continue to paint them as the party of open borders.
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@Brian
You're absolutely right. It's imperative that Democratic candidates get on their moral high horse and call anyone who disagrees with open borders "deplorable". Worked great the last time, didn't it?
1
The moral Black Hole at the heart of the Trump administration is only made visible by adding up multiple viewpoints to see the whole picture. At the local level it should surprise no one that Trump will leverage specific fears and racism from wherever he can work it to his advantage.
“Let’s you and him fight” is the Trump version of immigrant America. Interesting from a guy who said his own dad was a German rather than American. Not something most people mix up.
The youth vote crushing this this distortion and reclaiming everyday American courage in the face of lies from this administration will be of huge importance.
15
@Kay Johnson
I agree, if the youth are listening to truth and not lies, they will make a difference.
2
All my life, pulling up the drawbridge behind one has been a common phenomenon. At the local level, those who acquired development entitlements were the first to oppose entitlements for those who followed. Mr. Blow is describing the latest iteration of the phenomenon where 2d and 3rd generation immigrants see those who follow as a threat to what they have. The indifference to the consequences of climate change demonstrates a shocking ability of those who have enjoyed the fruits of planet earth to acquiesce in their destruction for their own descendants. It may be that human selfishness will in the end condemn us to a divisiveness and a zero-sum view of life on earth that will lead to our destruction. The enlightenment philosophy that infused the birth of our nation may not have been a sustainable foundation for a society but an exception to the flow of human development that was isolated and fleeting. What other conclusion can one draw when fear and hatred of others can so easily and unexpectedly be marshaled by a transparently depraved and amoral human being to destroy the greatest ever experiment in democracy?
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@Robert: The US was built with liberty to enslave by people uprooted from somewhere else.
3
@Robert
Becoming an American is not a right.
Get that through your head.
1
Having lived and worked in "minority" communities for decades, I think it's past time to mention the deeply entrenched misogyny in those communities as a factor in the 2016 elections.
Some of those men who voted for Trump, and many more who just sat at home and didn't vote, will come out in 2020 if the Dems have a male at the top of the ticket.
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@David F
Many people voted against Hillary Clinton, not because she was a woman, but because she was a terrible candidate. Compare the size of her rallies during the primary campaign versus Bernie's rallies for direct evidence that she simply failed to inspire much enthusiasm. Hillary Clinton was the same old product masquerading as something new and different but many voters were simply not buying her umpteenth re-branding effort.
10
@David F: Women are more successful than men now.
1
@David F
I guess anyone who disagrees with you and your political view has to be boxed into some category. Since, it is not political to box blacks and browns as ‘racists’, they must be categorised as ‘misogynists’ and if they happen to be women, they must be ‘servile’ and taking orders from their menfolk.
It is this kind of convoluted logic and blatantly fake ‘identity politics’ that drives rational, thinking people away from condescending self-serving politicos like HRC.
1
Has anyone noticed that Trump has made the “problem” at the border worse? For more than 2 years he has made it the central theme of his administration but done nothing other than generate headlines which keep the attention of his voters.
In doing this he has outsmarted the Democrats. They should be highlighting his failure and promoting practical policies. On a daily basis they should invite Trump and the Republicans to join with them in solving the “problem”.
Trump’s weakness is his failure to act. The Democrats are allowing him to pretend to try so that his other failures are not examined. And he can get more mileage from his old rants.
It is time for the Democrats to “help” Trump with some carefully targeted legislation in red areas.
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@Dan
Failure to act? in case you havent noticed, Trump has been trying to build a wall on the border. He cant do it alone.
Unless what you mean by "act", is open the border so these poor illegal immigrants dont have to needlessly wait in detention centers.
Fear has been an important theme/focus for the Republican Party. Certainly, the fear that Democrats will take your guns away has been effective. The fear that immigrants will work for less and take "your" job is a significant worry. But, there are other fears and it will be interesting to see how voters are affected. Loss of one's health care or a reduction of one's social security or removal of medicaid or ... could be even more important than the fear of immigrants or retrieving guns of mass destruction. It would be wonderful if we didn't allow fear to be such a significant influence. For we humans to consider the importance of vision and what is best for the whole community ... improving the environment, education, health care for all, concern for future generations could expand our decisions on who to vote for.
24
@Rev Wayne
Like clockwork during every election democrats claim there's a "War on [fill-in-the-identity]". They try to convince voters that the Republican Party is coming for them. If that's not fear mongering, I don't know what is.
Democrats need their constituents terrified. Then they can ride in like white knights. Pun intended.
Democrats cannot win by trying to convince Trump voters to abandon Trump. They are immoveable objects. Democrats can win only by uniting the party and motivating all Democratic voters, especially all minority voters, to actually vote.
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@Irving Franklin
Let us not forget Independents - the largest group of voters.
"Gallup: As of October 2017, Gallup polling found that 31% of Americans identified as Democrat, 24% identified as Republican, and 42% as Independent."
41
@Irving Franklin
Yes! United We Stand. There needs to be a Team of Rivals when the primaries and convention are over. One of the mistakes of 2016 was that it was not a Clinton-Sanders ticket. This resulted in a number of Sanders supporters not showing up or voting symbolically for Jill Stein. I hope the ticket is a combo of the 2 top primary winners and another one or two who would be Secretary of State or other high White House official. Let's represent all regardless of ethnicity, affluence or gender. 2020 could be a wave election and a lot could be accomplished if we unite and stay focused on the common good.
16
@Irving Franklin
Bravo ! Perfectly said and sadly true.
The Democrats need not abandon the die-hard Trump supporters - "there's always an opportunity to see the light" - albeit small.
All of the sub-factions of the Democratic Party MUST unite under a single focused platform.
A platform which of course addresses ALL Americans.
A "positive" platform not founded on; "the other guy is bad for America" !
Right now, the Democratic field for President is quite large and still growing.
It is wonderful to see so many seek a "nearly" impossible task of turning our country "back on course" - BUT
Too many voices may dilute our changes for regaining control of ALL three branches of our government.
Before it's too late, the DNC needs to "get all of the players on the same team" - with of course the richness and uniqueness of each individual candidate.
5
The only people who can convince minorities that they will be voting against their own interests if they vote for Trump are other minority voters. It is up to minority voters to actively participate and work on their brethren. Otherwise, we will go back to 1860.
37
The Republicans lost a golden opportunity by not nominating Marco Rubio for President and Nikki Haley for Vice President.
If Trump hadn't been in the race, that might have happened.
They would have easily defeated Hilary/Kaine, I think.
It might have created a white/Hispanic/Asian/female coalition that could have lasted for years.
As a Republican, I still hope my party will wake up some day and grasp the opportunity to bring in these groups more fully.
Or am I missing something here?
5
@Kenneth Johnson I think you are missing the point that your party has abandoned policy for politics. The only thing the GOP has to offer is fear of the "other."
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@Kenneth Johnson
I would’ve gone for Rubio/Haley. Anyone, really, but Hillary.
Be patient. Nikki Haley will be our first female president after the 2024 election.
@Kenneth Johnson
Yes, you are missing the decades of hate and fear against minorities that the republican party ran on.
Which is why broad appeals to minorities are doomed to fail, most recognize how the republicans have painted them as undesirables.
"Because Trump’s path to victory was so impossibly narrow during the last election, and because he has done absolutely nothing to expand his base..."
Disagree.
The NYT, the media in general and "progressive Democrats" have helped "The Donald" grow his base. If the election were today I think he would win by a larger margin than he did in 2016.
There is a new silent majority - they don't like Trump but they'll vote for him if that means AOC and her cadre will be put to sleep.
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@P&L
I'm afraid you may be right. We hoped for some professionalism as an antidote to Trump. Instead, we have gotten a few who want to replicate him at the expense party unity.
11
@P&L Wonderful the DNC failed by pushing for a choice not of the people of the elite including sabotaging internal democracy and by allowing a Dynasty (the Clintons) to ruin and wreck what the party stands for.
It was NOT AOC who was rejected in 2016 but the DNC Clintonites. Since then YOU lot have lied about Russian collusion, smeared your own party members who believe in democracy, attacked truth tellers instead of defending them and true journalism and failed the test of accepting democratic defeat.
Party unity? You do not believe in democracy. If you did you would not have sabotaged Sanders and then attempted to sabotage our last election via lies and an attempted and failed MSM campaign.
You promised the Mueller Report would prove your lie, it did not. You forget in democracy the solution to a bad leader is finding a better one via the votes of the electorate not visa backroom deals and decisions by Elites about whose 'turn' it is like we live in a aristocratic dynasty. You Clintonites are Reagan's children just like Blair's people are Thatcher's (as she herself noted). Enough wars and mass murder in foreign lands already and enough wealth gaps- All you offer us is 'progressive rhetoric'. That's what people are reacting against. 40 years of failed neo liberal policies not newly arrived passionate new politicians who like Sanders deals with real people issues
The only thing you said right was the media gave Trump his support via talking about him all the time!
1
@P&L
Something that will never get any print space is the fact that Americans are really tired of leftwing identity politics. They don't like being coerced into speaking and thinking in only a politically correct way. You can see it in the way Biden's touching charges fell flat. The identity police have lost their fangs.
2
The comment in this string from "Clovis from Florida" is right. The Democrats (the ones in Congress, not the myriad candidates) should take the immigration issue away from Trump by relentlessly proposing serious legislation on its many aspects, whether the legislation passes the Senate or not. Immigration is Trump's only real issue. Don't let him define it (even though much of the current problem is of his own making).
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@ChrisDavis070
Agreed. And one way they can do that is by proposing to crack down hard on those who profit from illegal immigration. They need to point out, loudly and ad nauseum, that when ICE raids a job site it's never the business owners we see doing perp walks on the evening news. They need to point out, again loudly and ad nauseum, that a "zero tolerance policy" that ignores that side of the equation is not a zero tolerance policy; it's just more wealthfare for the rich. They need to point out that those who just love the cheap labor of illegal immigrants are often the same people who, if it were possible, would happily ship those jobs overseas too. Democrats need to propose legislation that mandates the use of E-verify for ALL employers and mandatory jail time for those who violate the law and who now see fines as just another cost of doing business.
Of course, none of this would address the issue of those who are showing up at the border seeking asylum but if taking the immigration issue away from Trump is the goal this would be a fine start. And it would put the Republicans between a rock and a hard place as they truly only represent those who love cheap labor whether it's the labor of Americans, legal immigrants, or illegal immigrants.
29
I could not agree more. Pelosi and her team need to put Trump and the Republicans on the defensive. Look at what AOC has done for global warming.
17
@ChrisDavis070 - Start holding hearings now. And listen, don't talk. And make it clear that this is a very complex problem decades in the making.
I think that a majority of Americans would support a comprehensive reform that (1) gives a path to citizenship for the Dreamers, (2) gives legal residency status to other long-time undocumented immigrants who have no criminal history, (3) changes the current system so that family unification is not the only way for most new immigrants, and have a merit-based system, and (4) make provision for refugees to be admitted on a reasonable basis (making it clear that those coming from Central America now must be considered as such and not as persons seeking asylum).
2
This article was illuminating to me. I see this debate about immigration as nuanced, and I've alway seen ambiguities and many exceptions to every theory. I think back to the early days of Cuban immigration in Miami and the social tensions that boiled over in many ways. Middle class whites felt uncomfortable in an environment that was changing at a rapid rate. It didn't take long before Spanish become the predominant language, and the culture was not familiar. Many in the African-American community were angry and felt that new immigrants were taking away their jobs, and they resented the condescension they felt from the new influx of refugees. The first wave of Cuban immigrants leaned heavily towards they Republican Party; they still resented President Kennedy and the fiasco of the Bay of Pigs. And all of these things point to one observation: voting groups are not monolithic. Feelings of victimization occurred with all ethnic and racial groups in Dade County. And that's just one county. And this, too, is an observation that touches the complexity of this situation.
I can think of a few of the Democratic contenders for president who would understand this and learn, but only a few. Keep digging in, Mr. Blow. We need every insight, every analysis, every bit of courage and understanding and cunning to slay this dragon.
65
Mr. Trump appeals to commonsense, not race or ethnicity. He's not an especially partisan man, he's a pragmatist. He's for a strong economy, that's an unbeatable self-help program for all people who feel insufficiently incorporated into the U.S. job market and political system. He's not for welfare, he's for work; that's what Blacks and Hispanics are for, too. Watch them, little by little, come over to Mr. Trump, he's their man. They're also right to think unlimited immigration is injurious to their interests. Look out, Democrats, 2020 could be a surprise. On election night the main topic of discussion among the TV talking-heads could be exit-poll numbers showing a decided shift of minorities to Mr. Trump.
26
@Ronald B. Duke
Trump is extremely pragmatic when it comes to solutions. His critics cannot see through their haze of animus, but most Americans see it clearly. Moreover, no one is going to convince Americans that what they see with their own two eyes doesn't exist.
Democrats' position on the border is similar to their position on Obamacare. As people were losing their plans and doctors and seeing their out-of-pockets skyrocket, democrats were extolling the benefits of it. They received that midterm shellacking for denying what Americans could see clearly before them.
What you resist persists, and democrats find themselves resisting a lot because Trump is like a machine that keeps delivering.
9
@AACNY
Your recent history timeline is way off on Obamacare. ACA was signed into law March 2010. The marketplace sign up period started in October 2013, with 2014 being the first year of actual implementation. Throughout this period of time, republicans were kneecapping it. Declaring it unconstitutional. Supreme court upheld it in June 2012. Nobody saw any real numbers showing higher or lower costs until 2014, which is after the 2010 shellacking and Obama's 2012 win. Most of the outrage was fanned by the usual fear mongers. Like those who estimated the green new deal will cost $98 trillion.
2
@Ronald B. Duke
Everyone is for a strong economy, which what was happening under Obama.
The problem is trump's unmitigated hatred and bigotry towards minorities which is not going to help him at all.
His negative #s are higher than any other 1st term president while his base has shrunk to as low as possible. One doesn't win with a under 40% favorability rate and an over 50% negativity.
16 of the 20 poorest congressional districts are represented by Republicans. All 20 of the richest 20 districts are held by Democrats. The Democratic machinery is struggling to handicap primary challengers. Maybe it's the messenger who isn't getting the message.
18
@Xander Patterson: The biggest irony in the USA is all the MAGA bumper stickers on beater cars.
I am missing in the discussion the President of Mexico's idea of a Marshal Plan for Central America. It is not the whole solution to the immigtion and refugee crisis but at least it is getting to the root of it.
73
One reason Trump didn't accomplish reform during the two years he had a Republican House and Senate is immigration is by far his most powerful issue; he needs it to campaign on. As long as he can run against "open borders" and an immigrant invasion he can stoke the fears and xenophobia that animate his base.
Democrats still don't have a clear and coherent immigration policy and if they get late into the campaign without one, they could well hand Trump the election. As Charles notes, immigrants are viewed as threatening not just by white people. Trump will continue to use them to promote fear across the ethnic spectrum. Democrats can't afford to yield any more ground on an issue they should have addressed much more cogently before now.
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@Eric Caine
So true. ...And if Trump can recognize how a significant part of the country believes immigration has a more negative than positive impact on their communities, why can't the Democrats see this ?
Now is the time for the Dems to join forces with GOP to tighten our laws and enforce the ones we have. Things that could be done which would have dramatic and quick results are:
1) E Verify mandated and enforcement of severe fines on emloyers.
2) Define "groups" in immigration law to prevent asylum for gang and domestic violence. This would reverse the BIA judges ruling in a case decided around 2014 that expanded the definition of groups to include these two categories which are definitely police matters.
3) Legal immigration based on merit and need instead of family connections.
4) Birthright citizenship is a security issue and should be eliminated.
5) Illegal entry means immediate deportation.
6) Detention facilities made available while cases are decided.
7) Return to Mexico implemented for everyone coming through southern border.
8) Follow up on visa overstays and apply same punishment as for illegal entry.
When there are millions of people who do not participate in the workforce because the wages are too low, then efforts should be made to remedy this.
19
@Blanche White
Agree completely. There is no fix to the immigration situation that does not begin with securing the border. The question of how many people to allow in is meaningless until we have control of who is coming in.
6
@Eric Caine
He delivered major tax and prison reforms. Democrats have distorted the former, trying to convince the 80% who received a tax cut that it didn't really happen, and have totally ignored the latter.
5
In other words, Mr. Trump has employed (or stumbled over) the age-old idea of divide and conquer, but with an added component that bolsters his businesses. He's like the guy that starts a big bar fight, ducks out after the first punch, and shows up the next day selling new furniture, beer mugs and windows to replace everything that was broken in the scuffle.
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@Bus Bozo
Exactly! And those who make the furniture, the beer mugs and the windows will work hard to keep Trump in office as they see their profits increase with every scuffle.
I can only hope that those who frequent the bar get tired of the abuse and form their own "party".
2
Every aspect of Donald Trump’s 2016 and 2018 campaigns and his presidency has had a consistent divide-and-conquer theme.
Some of this comes naturally to the con artist in Trump, but he probably has been coached by Steve Bannon and subsequent advisers on the finer points of identifying which groups can be attracted by attacking other groups.
The pitting of black Americans against Hispanic Americans and vice versa is not surprising. Driving a wedge between Hispanics whose families have been here for generations and those who came much later is also expected strategy. Trump even plays men, regardless of color, against women, regardless of color.
Knowing all of this is important, as Charles Blow points out, because defeating Donald Trump in 2020 requires whittling away at any group of Trump voters we can find.
Nowhere is this more important than in the area of immigration. Donald Trump sells his harsh opposition to illegal immigration as necessary because he paints it as a zero-sum game. Just as Trump starts trade wars because he sees importation of foreign products as costing American jobs, he sees immigrants as taking American jobs away from Americans.
It is simplistic and provably false, but many Americans fall for the argument.
43
@sdw you definition of divide and conquer seems identical to how identity politics of the far-left is playing out. Only the fallout from identity politics is not dividing and conquering the right, its dividing and conquering the entire spectrum of left.
28
@sdw Americans did fall for the argument and Trump exploited that in refining the art of the con.
1
@Lisa Not quite true. The real divide and conquer is about the financial elite dividing us Plebs so they continue to funnel wealth to themselves at our expense.
Dividing the left is an effort to keep progressives from gaining power. THAT is the ultimate threat to rule by the financial elite.
But it's also important to to keep the left and the right demonizing each other so corporations can keep writing the rules. An example today in the Times is quickbooks lobbyists prevented congress from even allowing the IRS to make filing taxes easier, as they are in civilized countries.
Which "side" is going to fight that? Neither. That's exactly the point and the aim of divide and conquer in US politics.
There are always going to be outliers in politics. Non-white people voting for a white racist is clearly absurd. I don't think it is clear why those people voted for Trump. Some may have bought the threat to jobs or wages or criminality argument but Mr. Blow didn't make that point even remotely conclusively. Some people just don't know what they are doing.
I would argue anyone who is not extremely wealthy who voted for Trump can't articulate a Good reason they voted for him. They will say any number of slogans but that's not a coherent well considered world view. Any sort of religious argument is immediately discarded as hypocritical and based on ignorance to begin with.
There are conservative Black and Hispanic people. But Trump is not a conservative. He's a con.
Senators Cruz and Rubio illustrate that the so-called Hispanic voting block is not only un-monolithic, but until well into the second Bush presidency was largely Republican.
What characterized the Republican approach back them was that it wasn't an approach--except for being sensitive to concerns of Cuban-Americans about Castro, which fit with the GOP line anyway, they didn't really separate out Hispanic-heritage voters from the other likely prospects.
Who can forget the first president Bush telling convention goers he was waving to his grandchildren--calling them "the little brown ones"?
11
@Grennan
The exact same thing can be said about the African-American community which is by no means monolithic.
And the sooner both Democrats and Republicans realize that, the better their chances are of actually turning out their vote.
17
@N. Smith
Yes, although to some extent Mr. Trump is his own "peculiar institution."
The way the current GOP ignores the many problems he brings, to which all kinds of people object--including those who'd otherwise back his policies--is a lot like Southern lawmakers postponed confronting slavery.
2
Excellent column. There is also a generational shift among black voters where younger people are questioning the historical practice of blacks voting for Democrats year after year and receiving nothing in exchange for these votes.
The presidential candidates have not responded well to questions about their black agenda, why black people should vote for any of them and what is their position on reparations. Many of these problematic responses have gone viral and the Democrats now recognize they have a problem. I suppose this is why the candidates all agree on a bill "to study reparations," never mind that HR 40 has been around since 1989. The Democrats still don't get that these questions are not going away and the status quo no longer holds. The Party's entire relationship with blacks must change if they want our vote.
15
@Lynn in DC
Reparations is another divisive issue just as immigration is. Better to focus on policies that increase opportunities for all than to spotlight something that can never be repaired. I'm afraid it would depress more votes than it turns out.
32
@Lynn in DC
Anytime the answer comes in the form of a "committee that will study X," you know you were handed a cop out.
They all know that there is no getting out from truth, reparations, and reconciliation. The true leader is the one who will do the work of preparing whites for hearing the truth, repairing the ongoing daily aggressions and finally reconciling.
The party's entire relationship with race, gender, and class can't change until America admits to itself and the world that the basis of its founding was sin and that the original sin has only morphed from there to the iteration we live today.
2
@Lynn in DC
"Blexit" is no joke. Americans always enjoy standing up for themselves and feeling liberated. African-Americans now have an opportunity to experience this in a way they never have before -- that is, politically.
Candace Owens is routinely denigrated, but she resonates when she speaks about strength and personal responsibility. These are anathema to democrats, who promote only victimhood narratives.
@Bolder. Popular vote margin is irrelevant. That’s not how we elect our President. And to clarify, Mr Blow says the ROAD to victory was impossibly narrow. I don’t think it was narrow at all. The ‘Road’ is the combination of States that, if won, would bring a victory. Trump focused on the Road that he could win, and although he won some narrowly, the road itself was wide and doable.
35
Lots of good points here but Mr. Blow makes the same mistake as many white liberal Democrats in underestimating the importance of illegal immigration in the minds of millions of voters of all races and ethnicities. This is not a problem that can be minimized by writing them off as unenlightened. The people recognize it as a problem even if they are not racist. Democrats need to propose concrete solutions that do not involve actual concrete. How will we handle and pay for asylum processing? Are work permits a good idea? Is merit-based immigration such a bad idea? How will quotas be set? What should social service entitlements be for immigrants? The list is quite long. I have heard few thoughtful positions and proposals clearly outlined by Democratic candidates. It is usually just more rhetoric. Rhetoric that does nothing to unify Americans. It will probably just drive more minorities, that Blow and most NYT readers apparently think should automatically vote Democratic, to Trump or third party candidates.
108
Asylum seekers, as I understand it, are entitled by international treaties to have their claims examined. Why Central American asylum seekers do not seek asylum in Mexico seems like a fair question to me. But as long as they are asking for entry to the US, the costs imposed by their claims should be paid out of the US’s bloated military budget. After all, are we not talking about a national/border security issue?
Other commenters have noted, and it is worth repeating, that the US bears some responsibility (lots, I’d say) for the miserable conditions from which Nicaraguans, Hondurans, and Guatemalans, etc., are trying to escape. The US’s contribution to climate change is huge, and that is a factor. Also, the US has interfered dramatically in the politics of that region—and I don’t think it was for the better any more than our involvements in Iraq and Afghanistan have proven to have been for the better.
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@Clovis
I completely agree on all points. ...And Yes, I am a white liberal democrat and I do not underestimate the importance of legal and illegal immigration.
I am very concerned that the Democratic leaders are vastly misreading this issue because all the liberals I know who will never vote for Trump are thinking of staying home or voting with a write-in due to the inept and tone deaf position on immigration by the Democrats. And that, no matter how you look at it, is a vote for Trump. So, yes, I agree that the Democrats are taking these minorities for granted and, what may be more disastrous, a great number of their liberal base.
I and my other liberal friends and acquaintances are all Pelosi supporters but all think she and the party are off base on this one. I hope they will have a much needed course correction.
28
@John Keyser
Wouldn't it be fair to put as much weight on the population explosion in these countries as is often put on our government for the problems in the region ?
How can a person claim to want what is best for their families when they have more children than they can afford ?
14
The Democratic nominee needs to ask the same question Reagan successfully asked in 1980; "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" Because you know who is? Big Pharma is. Wall Street is. Banks are. The military-industrial complex is. Big tech companies are.
Immense wealth has been created in the last ten years, and most Americans have been bypassed and continue to live stressful, uncertain lives. It should be good enough for most thinking people to be repeatedly reminded of that.
546
@David Johnson
"It should be good enough for most thinking people to be repeatedly reminded of that."
Very true, but it seems to me that there are too few thinking people. Emotion and prejudice appear to be the overriding factors.
70
@David Johnson
Capitalism isnt a sprinkling of wealth to anyone and everyone. Its opportunity. If you sit on your rump, you arent going to get rich. It takes hard work and sacrifice. Its just easier to do when the economy is booming and money is flowing, instead of the Obama days, when investment capital was held tight to the vest, and growth is sub 2%. Investors, entrepreneurs, and business mgrs at corporations need to be incentivised. Lower taxes, take away the maze of regulations that makes their job harder, and you get investment, which creates wealth, and creates jobs. Tell these same folks "you didnt build that", and that tells them you dont have their back, so they pull back investing.
Why do you think the S&P soared an astonishing 35% in 2 years after Trump was elected? The Nasdaq 50%??
7
@David Johnson Most Americans' 2018 tax bills will be the among the best campaign points for the Democrats. The tax cut is a big lie for most or us.
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My prediction is that Trump will win in 2020. A terrible situation, but I predicted the same in 2016. There is something vile going on in the world and Trump and Bibi are the beneficiaries of this vileness. History is repeating itself -- as it always does. My theory is it repeats on 50 and 100 year cycles. The same battles just a slightly different twist or subject. If so, then over the next 30 to 40 years, this vileness will increase until turmoil once again reigns. Climate Change will be the precipitation of this turmoil. Increased migration, violated borders, economic disarray, polarization of entire societies to the point of internecine warfare -- most probable events. Trump, Netanyahu, Brexit, and a probable resurgence of the "Troubles" in Ireland are just the early indicators and harbingers of what is to come -- the proverbial canary in the mine.
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@Joseph
A very bleak view ! What I like to think is happening is that we are all waking up to the impacts we have on our world and each other . We are now understanding that every decision we make is important, no matter how small, and it is creating a lot of anxiety. Absolutely nothing is free.
In essence, people feel overwhelmed at how we have been sold a bill of goods that we can have all these products of convenience that produce huge planetary costs and suffer no consequences. We are in the process of the great "sorting out" and we will only succeed if people learn that they must educate themselves and learn to think instead of just accepting the hook, the line and the sinker.
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@Blanche White
Unfortunately there is no reason to believe that a significant number of people are developing the kind of understanding, nor learning and thinking, that you advocate and hope for. On the contrary, misleading propaganda and manufactured doubt are becoming more prevalent and more effective. It may be a bleak view, but an accurate one.
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@Blanche White This old couple, 79 and 82, are not too old to learn new tricks. We’ve had solar for 18 months, tend to be modest in our buying habits, drive a Honda Fit (we now have only one car) which gets fabulous mileage and I’ve started using wax paper again.
Americans have been trained to buy, buy buy. Hello? How many “things” does one person need? We’ve been turned into “Profit Centers” for American Companies. Nuff said.
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I don’t get the Mischaracterization of Trumps 2016 road to victory as being impossibly narrow. He won with 304 electoral college votes to Clinton’s 227. That’s a margin of more then 25 percent. That’s not narrow. Narrow was when Bush beat Gore by 5 votes (271-266).
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@William He lost the popular vote by more than 3 million and only won the electoral college because he won 3 swing states by a total of something like 150,000. I'd say that's "narrow."
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@William
The victory was narrow indeed. While he did get 304 electoral votes, many of those came from states where he barely won the popular vote. With all electoral votes in most states being awarded to the winner of the popular vote he was able to achieve the Presidency while still losing the popular vote by a fairly wide margin.
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@William
You don't seem to understand how the popular vote is distorted by the Electoral College. In an extreme example, if someone won every state by 50.1% to 49.9%, they would have 100% of the Electoral College but a very narrow victory. We never had such an extreme example, but both Trump and Bush did something like that on a smaller scale. Those are just the most recent examples.
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