https://www.salon.com/2024/06/19/it-doesnt-take-a-big-swing-expert-says-one-group-ditching-over-conviction--independents/
Democrats and Republicans are sticking to their corners — but new poll shows independents moving away from Trump.
I just do not understand how anyone is on the fence about DJT... Like, they see this conviction and that's what changes their mind? After everything else?
You vastly overestimate how much the average person pays attention to anything political, and when they do hear something they just assume they're all like that.
Not to mention the whataboutism.
My dad...
Djt got convicted... But Bidens economy... And Ukraine. Not to mention that judge in the trial ..
Like faux news talking points regurgitated.
The vast majority of people do not know enough about the world to be able to work out what they're receiving from the news is or isn't bullshit, and wouldn't have the mental tools to be able to work it out if they did have access to it. Their choice is between accepting what the news and social media are telling them, or else living in an incoherent jumble where all points of view are equally invalid and suspect and they are left with no idea at all of what's going on.
They actually get really uncomfortable in the landscape of "let's work out what is going on by subjecting these claims to criticism." It's disorienting for them, like upending of a bedrock unanimous-consensus world view that has been projected very sternly at them out of the TV. Like the introduction of something subversive and obviously wrong that they are going to let into their brain, and then they'll become wrong, too.
I actually can think of only one time when I was able to talk someone into admitting that the overall picture he was telling me probably wasn't true even though the internet had told him, and it took over an hour, and then he instantly followed it up by saying -- I am only slightly exaggerating -- that he was going to keep believing it anyway because holding onto it made him feel better.
Honestly, I'm somewhat surprised that American elections are still as connected to reality as they currently are. Their outcomes are like 25% connected to the reality of the candidates, where I would have expected more like 5.
that he was going to keep believing it anyway because holding onto it made him feel better.
Welcome to religion.
Not to mention that judge in the trial
Sadly, from context it does not sound like Cannon is the judge he's complaining about.
The latest talking point from the crazed MAGA-sphere is, "but his inflation". Never mind that inflation is way down, and going down. They parrot whatever elecits a negative emotion or anger in their fellow poorly educated cultists.
"Well, he tried to kill the vice president and many congress people because he lost the election and wanted to seize power anyway and they wouldn't help him. Also, he got dozens of CIA agents killed by just handing over top secret information for no reason at all to our active enemies during a shooting war. He stole, he lied, he got people killed, he put Hispanics in concentration camps, and during a second term he wants to do it all again, but with less guard rails of the people who were able to stop him doing much much worse the first time. He wants to shoot protestors and have the military seize the voting machines. He wants to do away with term limits and make it illegal for the media to criticize him. He wants to put all his enemies in prison. He wants a nationwide database of any woman that gets an abortion. It's literally impossible to even list what he has done or wants to do without missing something so grave that it would disqualify any other human being on the planet, but there are so many that they begin to blend together and you can lose sight of how terrifying they truly are individually."
"But wait, now you're telling me he fucked a lady who wasn't his wife and lied about it? Well, in that case, I gotta tell you my mind is pretty much made up about this guy then."
Or how mean.
So many trump voters just want to hurt people they feel are less deserving than themselves.
Does it matter why they changed their minds though?
Anyone who votes against Trump and the GOP is making the correct decision and I'm glad they do, regardless of what it took to make them see that. It's not easy to admit they were wrong and we need to make sure we're encouraging and accepting of those that do.
Nope, doesn't matter why, I'm just flabbergasted that people would still be like "hmmm I dunno, maybe this Trump guy is alright" after everything else. And I'm trying to imagine the psychology of a person that's on the fence about him for this long.
It's easier for me to understand the rabid fans and fascists than it is for me to understand those that are up in the air until now, so I was just throwing that out there.
Personally I think it does matter because the same things that led those independents to be incapable of determining that Trump really is a bad man/president (despite the fucking mountains of evidence to support it) will lead them down a similar path with the next wannabe despot the GOP puts forth.
I mean yes, congratulations for catching up to the rest of us. Why the fuck did it take them so long?
Yeah, that's a good point. I was trying to be too agreeable with the last guy but I think understanding the psychology of everyone that votes for trump, is enthusiastic about Biden, is on the fence for either of them is important. So we can potentially counteract that
I just do not understand how anyone is on the fence about DJT…
Gotta consider which fence we're talking about. For some folks, the fact that he let his daughter marry a (((Kushner))) means he was just too Woke. For others, the fact that he got successfully convicted means he's a big stupid loser. Some people just love an underdog and will vote for anyone who isn't currently in office.
You have to keep in mind that "independent" doesn't mean "in the middle of Democrats and Republicans". In the same way people abandoned Hillary over the Comey Letter, I'm sure there's a certain number of independents who are scared off of Trump entirely because they don't like the idea of someone being a convicted felon.