Election Year or Fear!

[swaledale]

It’s called integrity, AF. He has none. Nothing to do with being ‘personable’. I can’t imagine anyone being allowed to remain in any position of authority with his track record let alone as leader of the ‘free world’.

TrickyÂ…saying that Islam/Blair are as bad is a non argument. I donÂ’t agree with how Blair lied - though prior to that I thought he was the best PM of my lifetime - and I donÂ’t agree with many aspects of Islam, but weÂ’re not talking about themÂ…this conversation is about TrumpÂ’s suitability to be PotUS and, imo, he is a deranged individual totally devoid of integrity.

RA, your not making the distinction between those that enable Trump, those who are no fools, and should and do know better, but see him as the path to power despite his undoubted flaws and indeed unscrupulous, criminal behaviour and the average voter who swallows the rhetoric, which appeals to their narrow perspective. AF is actually right in what he says, peoples concerns are very parochial, especially so in the US where millions have little knowledge or awareness of what happens elsewhere in the world or indeed give a toss.

The appeal of the populist is that they offer simple solutions to complex issues, in reality they often offer no solutions just broad unsubstantiated claims, which sound attractive to the majority of what in the US is a very unsophisticated voter base. I mean people who think having 10 days a holiday a year, piss poor wages and very basic health care, whilst an elite enjoy massive salaries and all the perks (of which Trump and his entourage are ironically a part of) and don't think that's odd clearly aren't deep thinkers.

Populists by their nature appear attractive to many because they appeal to be "different", they position themselves as being "one of them" - again Trump with his inherited wealth and lifestyle is about as far from being an ordinary American as one can get, but given the ordinary American doesn't actually think that deeply, they don't care. Somebody different from the rest of the political class is offering them something different, no matter that last time he was in power he didn't actually achieve much that changed things to their extremely simple view of life he might.

Your not wrong to class many of these voters as fools, because that's one of the problems politicians have the world over, the majority of the electorate aren't that bright or actually bothered about thinking deeply about matters, they want a politician that provides the things they value. Lets face it capitalism as it currently operates wouldn't succeed if people actually thought deeply about it, the populists know that if they can keep the majority happy either by lies or bribes, then they can continue to enjoy power and their lifestyles in plain sight.

We really haven't come that far from the peasants being kept in order by a small powerful cabal and indeed that's where Musk and Trump and the others would like to return to. The irony being that Musk and others like him, have openly said that people are too stupid for democracy, they want totalitarian regimes, the benevolent dictator because they know the vast majority of people are either not bothered or too stupid to understand the ramifications.