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iluvtennis

(19,758 posts)
Sat May 27, 2017, 12:32 AM May 2017

He played me for a fool: Kentucky Trump supporter laments he should have voted for Hillary

Source: Raw Story
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/05/he-played-me-for-a-fool-kentucky-trump-supporter-laments-he-should-have-voted-for-hillary/

[img][/img]

In a heartbreaking interview, one Kentucky voter for President Donald Trump revealed that he believed it when Trump told voters he would fight for them. Now, however, Trump is cutting programs that help people like him survive while jobs are scarce.

Wesley Easterling noted that Trump had a kind of “charisma about him, something different.” The county he lives in typically goes for Democrats but in 2016 it went for Trump, despite having one of the highest poverty rates in the country.

Easterling is on food stamps and Medicaid and he believed Trump when the then-candidate swore he’d never touch Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Trump lied and Easterling and his family are fearful they’re going to lose critical benefits they need to stay afloat.

“I mean, I felt just like I was — just like he played me for a fool,” he said with a look of sadness in his eyes. “I mean, I kind of took it personal.”

...continued at link

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I have a big ole heart, but I'm finding it hard to have empathy for these ppl who didn't think through the consequences of Trump

133 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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He played me for a fool: Kentucky Trump supporter laments he should have voted for Hillary (Original Post) iluvtennis May 2017 OP
Dumbass BootinUp May 2017 #1
Not dumb. Uneducated itsrobert May 2017 #104
Willfully so. Public education until age 16 is compulsory. WinkyDink May 2017 #119
Your stupidity will harm my family Horse with no Name May 2017 #2
+1 hamsterjill May 2017 #59
Given 45's long history of screwing over people, only a fool would believe anything he says. LonePirate May 2017 #3
Sad thing is there are millions of others like this guy onetexan May 2017 #11
suffice to say there are millions of racist idiots n/t orleans May 2017 #20
"Racist idiot" is redundant, imo. :) - nt KingCharlemagne May 2017 #68
I think so too. iluvtennis May 2017 #15
I would argue that you need to admit better May 2017 #31
Question atreides1 May 2017 #36
Didn't say we need to excuse being a fool better May 2017 #110
I think you're probably overestimating your friends' character Bradical79 May 2017 #64
Because better May 2017 #111
Oh please, give me a fucking break. This guy was just peachy keen with Trump KingCharlemagne May 2017 #69
Here we go again with the racism deniers Solomon May 2017 #89
+100000000000 irisblue May 2017 #91
There's also always a few in the barrel better May 2017 #114
Supporting a racist is not racism? Quayblue May 2017 #116
That depends upon whether or not one recognizes the person in question to be a racist. better May 2017 #118
I think they recognized it and it ignored it. Quayblue May 2017 #122
To look past mercuryblues May 2017 #117
If we don't have empathy then we're as bad as the Republicans FakeNoose May 2017 #4
fuck them, let them suffer for their vote gopiscrap May 2017 #26
Blame it on the Democarts? Bullshit. Those who voted for trump knew he was a still_one May 2017 #37
Amen! iluvtennis May 2017 #130
I don't hate "them" JustAnotherGen May 2017 #48
I will bet he was one of the ones chanting kacekwl May 2017 #53
+Infinity - nt KingCharlemagne May 2017 #71
I bet he also rags on others who are receiving the same benefits he is. cyndensco May 2017 #77
It's all Trump! ginnyinWI May 2017 #60
They need to suffer long and horribly. - nt KingCharlemagne May 2017 #70
The Democrats do reach out to them nini May 2017 #94
Guess what? Those benefits he needs? Democrats. 'Nuf said to him. No excuse. WinkyDink May 2017 #120
I have several friends that are poor mountain grammy May 2017 #5
Thanks for that story. My heart goes out to your friend. So glad she could pull together the $$... iluvtennis May 2017 #16
Your friend is organized, informed, and law-abiding. yardwork May 2017 #61
Dealing with issues beyond her control mountain grammy May 2017 #99
i can feel bad for him and glad he admitted it. but i want to ask these people what they thought JI7 May 2017 #6
They have to accept JustAnotherGen May 2017 #49
He admitted that he fucked up . . . hatrack May 2017 #7
Ya think? Heartstrings May 2017 #8
Sigh. Mz Pip May 2017 #9
He thought Hillary was worse, bc of right wing lies sharedvalues May 2017 #45
Really? Thrill May 2017 #10
If you take someone by their word and do not do research Doreen May 2017 #12
+++ agree iluvtennis May 2017 #17
+1000 JustAnotherGen May 2017 #51
Wesley, me man, looks like you've got some ironstone cannisters, a food mixer, etc. you can pawn.... Judi Lynn May 2017 #13
Well said. iluvtennis May 2017 #18
He proves the truth of P.T. Barnum's maxim that "there's a sucker KingCharlemagne May 2017 #72
Sort of like the rubes who attended Trump University? Jake Stern May 2017 #14
Seriously. This guy is on our side now. sharedvalues May 2017 #46
Dems should have a better message, though, and I think it's crass to kick a person when they're down manicraven May 2017 #19
You might see it as knocking them in the teeth, Glamrock May 2017 #21
More to the point, this guy's 'contrition' and 'guilt' oozes pure KingCharlemagne May 2017 #74
fuck that make them feel like the worthless gopiscrap May 2017 #25
Yes and they were presented with lies about Obama, Hillary sharedvalues May 2017 #47
Hillary had a great message, I thought. It resonated with me. yardwork May 2017 #63
Well put. I did have some misgivings about how she planned to accomplish her KingCharlemagne May 2017 #76
It was impossible to talk about this on DU during the primaries and election. yardwork May 2017 #83
I'm a Democratic Socialist, so I naturally gravitated in Sanders' direction. But I had KingCharlemagne May 2017 #84
How often did she go to Kentucky? FakeNoose May 2017 #96
Most people haven't a clue how to think for themselves or how PoindexterOglethorpe May 2017 #22
This should be its own OP. Trump represents the apotheosis of American KingCharlemagne May 2017 #78
This message was self-deleted by its author crosinski May 2017 #93
I think I'll take your suggestion and make that its own OP PoindexterOglethorpe May 2017 #108
Thanks, i want to see your comment as an OP as well. I will be looking forward to reading it! n/t ms liberty May 2017 #128
Post removed Post removed May 2017 #23
this is just disgusting . i have no problem calling him out his decisions but to hope he suffers is JI7 May 2017 #24
too bad I have no sympathy for an ignorant gopiscrap May 2017 #28
"Former chair of peace and justice project for a UMC congregation in Tacoma, Washington." n/t QC May 2017 #112
He was just fine with others suffering (like Muslims and Latinos) and probably KingCharlemagne May 2017 #79
But he hated all the right people!!1! JNelson6563 May 2017 #27
That was the "something different" about him Kittycow May 2017 #33
right? Unlike those RINOs with their dog whistles! JNelson6563 May 2017 #40
Lots of hopeful, well-meaning people get taken by con men. Beartracks May 2017 #29
They cheered that tRump was gonna stick it to all them stopbush May 2017 #30
Hopefully this won't be just a lesson in self pity for him, but a door towards some empathy for JCanete May 2017 #32
Feel for him, didn't listen to us. But Justice May 2017 #34
No, Trump DID NOT PLAY YOU FOR A FOOL, Wes. You're just a frog who believed in the scorpion. Miles Archer May 2017 #35
Chickens coming home to roost Blue_Roses May 2017 #38
Why would a person who regrets believing Trump's lies turn to Democrats femmedem May 2017 #39
Oh it will take time. JNelson6563 May 2017 #41
Not enabling; being practical. femmedem May 2017 #42
Geezus a lot of the replies in this thread are brutal SticksnStones May 2017 #43
Blame right wing propangandists. sharedvalues May 2017 #44
If he is still ALIVE in 2020, maybe he'll make a better choice. NurseJackie May 2017 #50
half of me wants to say WELL ITS TOO EFFING LATE NOW.... samnsara May 2017 #52
Invite him to our side. sharedvalues May 2017 #56
Wesley, Here's A Life Lesson For You Vogon_Glory May 2017 #54
Let people like Mr. Easterling come crawling back to us. Paladin May 2017 #55
Agreed. dalton99a May 2017 #58
Well said! LonePirate May 2017 #62
Post removed Post removed May 2017 #66
I want a united Democratic Party, ready to win in 2018 and 2020. Paladin May 2017 #80
Please (meaning I agree with you) Cary May 2017 #124
he voted for pure self interest and his regrets now are pure self interest Swagman May 2017 #57
No sympathy, but he can try to redeem himself Freethinker65 May 2017 #65
He was just fine with Trump beating down Muslims and Latinos, as long as KingCharlemagne May 2017 #67
+1, n/t RKP5637 May 2017 #107
charisma about him, something different TrishaJ May 2017 #73
Said originally in response to WellDarn May 2017 #75
The guy in this story is no "victim." He's a racist PoS. - nt KingCharlemagne May 2017 #81
How many mosques has Wesley Easterling walked into since having his Trumpgrets? ck4829 May 2017 #82
Yeah... well watch gonna do about it dumbass? C_U_L8R May 2017 #85
Stories like this frustrate me... Adrahil May 2017 #86
yeah, you fucked up edhopper May 2017 #87
People don't like to be scammed. Rparty let their man lie to you, even after they knew his character Sunlei May 2017 #88
Yep. I wonder if he'll vote Dem next time? Is he a lost cause? n/t crosinski May 2017 #123
once his parents pass away, his total household "income" will drop well below poverty level. Sunlei May 2017 #132
Nope. He played himself for a fool. n/t Different Drummer May 2017 #90
Trump had charisma? nancy1942 May 2017 #92
We've lost our message, and we need to get it back. crosinski May 2017 #95
You're so right on this FakeNoose May 2017 #100
Thanks, I like Matt Taibbi too. crosinski May 2017 #115
Fuck this asshole ellie May 2017 #97
"The county he lives in typically goes for Democrats... Different Drummer May 2017 #98
Republican voters need to understand that voting GOP is harmful and stupid. hrmjustin May 2017 #101
A great start! taught_me_patience May 2017 #102
Lamenting mistakes is not useful. OrwellwasRight May 2017 #103
Okay, Wesley, what now? NastyRiffraff May 2017 #105
we need more stories like these.... TalenaGor May 2017 #106
I used to have compassion .... LenaBaby61 May 2017 #109
You speak for me, as well. WinkyDink May 2017 #121
It's not just World's Most Obvious Con Man who played him... JHB May 2017 #113
They call him Don the Con for a reason. CrispyQ May 2017 #125
He looks the idiot tazkcmo May 2017 #126
Glad you woke up Westley riversedge May 2017 #127
Well, Mr. Easterling, you are far from alone. GoCubsGo May 2017 #129
If that is his kitchen behind him it looks much more well-appointed than mine. Boomerproud May 2017 #131
Hop on board my friend. NCTraveler May 2017 #133

hamsterjill

(15,214 posts)
59. +1
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:04 AM
May 2017

My sentiments exactly.

My sympathies lie with those who were smart enough to vote for Hillary and will be devastated by Trump's actions, like my own family.

LonePirate

(13,386 posts)
3. Given 45's long history of screwing over people, only a fool would believe anything he says.
Sat May 27, 2017, 12:45 AM
May 2017

Easterling needs to admit he voted for 45 because he is a racist.

better

(884 posts)
31. I would argue that you need to admit
Sat May 27, 2017, 03:20 AM
May 2017

that there is a difference between voting for someone because you are a racist and voting for someone because you believed lies that were born of someone else's racism.

There are plenty of people whom I personally know without question not to be racist, but who support Republican candidates simply because they believe lies that they were told in the interest of manipulating them to support the positions of people who actually are racist.

You need not actually be racist to be co-opted by racists.
You need merely be unobservant.

People like this guy are coming to grips with the reality that they have been manipulated by their Party.
We best serve our own interests by fostering their education in reality, not hindering it by assuming facts about them not in evidence.

To call him a fool may be justified by the evidence.
To call him a racist is not.

better

(884 posts)
110. Didn't say we need to excuse being a fool
Sat May 27, 2017, 12:53 PM
May 2017

Just said that evidence of being a fool does not prove racism.

 

Bradical79

(4,490 posts)
64. I think you're probably overestimating your friends' character
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:21 AM
May 2017

Not sure why the person you're replying to needs to admit anything. You're talking about a candidate who wore his racism on his sleeves. He had nothing else going for him and he wasn't orchestrating some grand manipulation.

better

(884 posts)
111. Because
Sat May 27, 2017, 01:10 PM
May 2017

it is a fact that people react to what they perceive to be true, not necessarily what is true, and that is a dynamic which we are going to need to adequately grasp in order to combat the ways in which this fact is exploited by those pulling the strings on the other side of the aisle.

And because we are going to need the cooperation of the vast many who supported Trump not because they actually are racist, but because for any of a number of reasons (none of which are an excuse), they did not recognize the reality all of us on this side readily saw to correct this mess, and we hinder our ultimate goal by condemning those who once were blind but who now see to the same extent we condemn those who supported Trump BECAUSE they saw what we saw, not because they didn't.

Coincidentally, Hillary herself explicitly alluded to this distinction when she talked about the now infamous "basket of deplorables".

"I know there are only 60 days left to make our case — and don't get complacent, don't see the latest outrageous, offensive, inappropriate comment and think well he's done this time. We are living in a volatile political environment. You know, to just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump's supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right? (Laughter/applause)


The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic — you name it. And unfortunately, there are people like that. And he has lifted them up. He has given voice to their websites that used to only have 11,000 people — now have 11 million. He tweets and retweets their offensive hateful mean-spirited rhetoric. Now, some of those folks — they are irredeemable, but thankfully they are not America. But the other basket — and I know this because I see friends from all over America here — I see friends from Florida and Georgia and South Carolina and Texas — as well as, you know, New York and California —

but that other basket of people are people who feel that the government has let them down, the economy has let them down, nobody cares about them, nobody worries about what happens to their lives and their futures, and they're just desperate for change. It doesn't really even matter where it comes from. They don't buy everything he says, but he seems to hold out some hope that their lives will be different. They won't wake up and see their jobs disappear, lose a kid to heroin, feel like they're in a dead-end. Those are people we have to understand and empathize with as well."

If you won't take it from me, take it from the candidate for whom the majority (myself included) actually voted.

 

KingCharlemagne

(7,908 posts)
69. Oh please, give me a fucking break. This guy was just peachy keen with Trump
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:29 AM
May 2017

attacking Muslims and Latinos (and Blacks, Asians, and Jews), as long as Trump didn't mess with his benefits. If that's not racism, i.e., it's OK to attack Muslims and Latinos but not little old white me, I don't know what is.

Solomon

(12,305 posts)
89. Here we go again with the racism deniers
Sat May 27, 2017, 10:26 AM
May 2017

There's always a few in the barrel that just can't help lecturing us on why that quacking webfooted duckbilled thingy is not a duck.

better

(884 posts)
114. There's also always a few in the barrel
Sat May 27, 2017, 01:20 PM
May 2017

who point out that there are Trump supporters whom we need to understand and empathize with.

65.8 million of us voted for one of them to be our President.
See above.

better

(884 posts)
118. That depends upon whether or not one recognizes the person in question to be a racist.
Sat May 27, 2017, 02:57 PM
May 2017

I agree that ignoring racism makes one just as complicit in the outcome as does actively condoning it. But it remains true both that to ignore something requires that one first recognize it (to ignore is always active, to be ignorant of at least can be passive), and also that being complicit in the outcome of racism does not necessarily demonstrate racism.

The effect of either is still the perpetuation of racism, but the causes are different.

I am not excusing either ignoring Trump's racism or being ignorant of it, by the way.

I am merely pointing out that there are some whose support for Trump was the product of racism, and some for whom it was not, and that the two groups merit different reactions.

Exactly like Secretary Clinton herself did when she defined who occupies the other "basket".

Quayblue

(1,045 posts)
122. I think they recognized it and it ignored it.
Sat May 27, 2017, 03:16 PM
May 2017

Those weren't dogwhistles this guy was spouting, they were bullhorns. It was okay that he was loudly and openly racist. I can't stand by that.

mercuryblues

(14,491 posts)
117. To look past
Sat May 27, 2017, 02:32 PM
May 2017

and ignore, make excuses for trump' racism in order to justify voting for him, does indeed, make one a racist. They saw it and were ok with it.

FakeNoose

(32,356 posts)
4. If we don't have empathy then we're as bad as the Republicans
Sat May 27, 2017, 12:45 AM
May 2017

Come on people, there's no reason to hate these desperate Americans.

Most of them are at the end of their ropes, whether they realize it or not. If the Democratic Party had been reaching out and helping them, they probably wouldn't have voted for the lying snakes.

How will we ever get rid of Trump and McConnell if we turn our backs on these poor people of Kentucky?



still_one

(91,965 posts)
37. Blame it on the Democarts? Bullshit. Those who voted for trump knew he was a
Sat May 27, 2017, 06:34 AM
May 2017

racist, sexist, and a xenophobe, and they still voted for him.

25% of the populace believe the President Obama isn't and American, and is a Muslim. Approximately, the same number that voted for trump.

Elections have consequences.



JustAnotherGen

(31,683 posts)
48. I don't hate "them"
Sat May 27, 2017, 08:08 AM
May 2017

They don't factor into my life at all.

I'm indifferent.

They are all over there with their "I was duped" and I'm all over here with my black woman self married to an immigrant like - Trump isn't going to take away what we've earned to make you happy.

That's not hate - that's self preservation.

Just because they didn't hear the dog whistles doesn't mean I have to pretend I didn't hear them - or the blatant racist nativist sexist discriminatory bullshit coming out of 45's blow hole.

How does the Republican party win affluent blacks - when they turn their back on us because of the . . .

The same way the Democratic Part keeps us. Me before thee because of my loyalty fellow Americans in Kentucky.

kacekwl

(6,994 posts)
53. I will bet he was one of the ones chanting
Sat May 27, 2017, 08:28 AM
May 2017

Lock her up and cheering when people were punched and thrown out of trump rallies. He voted for pain for the others but he would be spared cause he's white and deserves it. Any 6year old could see who trump is , no surprise here .

cyndensco

(1,697 posts)
77. I bet he also rags on others who are receiving the same benefits he is.
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:45 AM
May 2017

I bet he sees them as lazy do-nothings scamming the system. He, on the other hand, is a patriotic American down on his luck because the world is changing around him and he is simply struggling to support his family.

No sympathy.

ginnyinWI

(17,276 posts)
60. It's all Trump!
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:06 AM
May 2017

It's his fault, not his victims' fault. He is a master con artist and the average person was his prey. Hopefully they have learned something.

nini

(16,670 posts)
94. The Democrats do reach out to them
Sat May 27, 2017, 10:52 AM
May 2017

I am so sick of hearing that crap. What party has fought for every one of those benefits that man is worried about losing? They're brainwashed by the right wing religious freaks and fox news. They dont listen to dems because they think the bay jeebus will get mad.

Unfortunately they're going to have to suffer like they will to be snapped back into reality. They've ignored our warnings and now have to suffer the consequences - Unfortunately they're taking the rest of us down with them.

mountain grammy

(26,571 posts)
5. I have several friends that are poor
Sat May 27, 2017, 12:45 AM
May 2017

But only a couple were conned..they're poor, not stupid.

I just helped a friend with her tax return. She made $21,000 last year..paid $1205 in income tax..paid a $580 fine for not having insurance for 9 months, now has a subsidized policy and is thrilled to have it..refund covered most of fine, she had the rest saved..I honestly don't know how folks survive. Of course, she despises trump. Poor not stupid.

iluvtennis

(19,758 posts)
16. Thanks for that story. My heart goes out to your friend. So glad she could pull together the $$...
Sat May 27, 2017, 01:35 AM
May 2017

...for her health insurance.

yardwork

(61,418 posts)
61. Your friend is organized, informed, and law-abiding.
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:13 AM
May 2017

I would guess that your friend's income is relatively low because she is doing something she loves that doesn't pay well, or she is dealing with issues beyond her control. Either way, she's handling her life.

I think that many people are not handling their lives well at all, and/or are overwhelmed with caregiving others. Those folks fell for the easy lies that burbled from Trump. They're looking for a quick fix.

JI7

(89,182 posts)
6. i can feel bad for him and glad he admitted it. but i want to ask these people what they thought
Sat May 27, 2017, 12:46 AM
May 2017

when Trump was attacking women and minorities . how they feel about the muslim ban and deportations.

were they ok with him going after others ? did they think he would help them by going after others ?

JustAnotherGen

(31,683 posts)
49. They have to accept
Sat May 27, 2017, 08:10 AM
May 2017

That there are people like me who believe that about them. They don't have to like it - but they have to accept it.

hatrack

(59,442 posts)
7. He admitted that he fucked up . . .
Sat May 27, 2017, 12:48 AM
May 2017

Damned if I know how anybody can fall for a clown con like Trump, but this guy did - like many others.

But he manned up and admitted it. That's the starting point, and more than most of those who voted for President Shitstain have done to date.

Mz Pip

(27,404 posts)
9. Sigh.
Sat May 27, 2017, 12:51 AM
May 2017

Some people have to learn the hard way. Not a lot of sympathy for this guy. He got what he wanted.

sharedvalues

(6,916 posts)
45. He thought Hillary was worse, bc of right wing lies
Sat May 27, 2017, 07:55 AM
May 2017

Right wing propanganda taught him to hate Hillary and Democrats.

The first step is to stop Fox and Sinclair and conservative hate radio.

Doreen

(11,686 posts)
12. If you take someone by their word and do not do research
Sat May 27, 2017, 01:04 AM
May 2017

on what they are saying or research on them in particular and then vote for them you have no place complaining what you did to an entire country because it was your choice to remain uneducated about who you voted into office.

Judi Lynn

(160,219 posts)
13. Wesley, me man, looks like you've got some ironstone cannisters, a food mixer, etc. you can pawn....
Sat May 27, 2017, 01:12 AM
May 2017

Get your white sheet, stuff them all in there, and take them on down to the KKK pawn shop. That will tide you over for a day, maybe.

He played you for a fool? You ARE a fool.

Trump is "charismatic?" Really? He's grotesque.


Jake Stern

(3,145 posts)
14. Sort of like the rubes who attended Trump University?
Sat May 27, 2017, 01:16 AM
May 2017

This guy has been on teevee for years being a soulless wealthy asshole and yet people with more greed than brain matter paid big $$$ to attend his fraudulent university.

Why were they pitied but many, as you say, find it "hard to have empathy" for a guy who not only 'fessed up to voting for the Orange Con but actually showed contrition?


sharedvalues

(6,916 posts)
46. Seriously. This guy is on our side now.
Sat May 27, 2017, 07:57 AM
May 2017

We should embrace people like this who are waking up.


The true causes of our problems are the GOP donor crazies that fund and run right wing media.


We're only going to fix our problems if we can embrace people like this and make the country more unified.

manicraven

(901 posts)
19. Dems should have a better message, though, and I think it's crass to kick a person when they're down
Sat May 27, 2017, 01:47 AM
May 2017

Many of you sound like cruel Deplorables! People watching Fox were presented a better version of tRump. Many were desperate, even some who voted for President Obama. Yeah, it's frustrating because we're in a huge mess, but if tRump voters regret their decision and bravely admit that fact, let's not knock them in the teeth with our own anger and hostility. For the tRump diehards, I agree that there's no hope for them, but where's a bit of understanding for those who admit their mistake?

Glamrock

(11,781 posts)
21. You might see it as knocking them in the teeth,
Sat May 27, 2017, 02:10 AM
May 2017

and I get your point. However, I see it as "Hey man, you made that bed, no lay in it." I'm sorry but if this country is ever to move forward, people are going to have to feel the consequences of their votes.....

 

KingCharlemagne

(7,908 posts)
74. More to the point, this guy's 'contrition' and 'guilt' oozes pure
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:38 AM
May 2017

white privilege. He would have been just fine with Trump, so long as Trump attacked only Muslims and Latinos. So fuck him.

sharedvalues

(6,916 posts)
47. Yes and they were presented with lies about Obama, Hillary
Sat May 27, 2017, 07:58 AM
May 2017

I think that the hate engendered against Obama and Hillary and Democrats by right wing media is the biggest problem.

yardwork

(61,418 posts)
63. Hillary had a great message, I thought. It resonated with me.
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:15 AM
May 2017

The media misrepresented Hillary and the Democratic platform. I did my own research and realized that she had a well-thought out platform that offered real economic hope for poor states.

 

KingCharlemagne

(7,908 posts)
76. Well put. I did have some misgivings about how she planned to accomplish her
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:41 AM
May 2017

agenda with a fascist Congress, but a couple of my friends who are Hillary fans convinced me she had a real knack (never mentioned by the MSM) for reaching across the aisle to get things done.

yardwork

(61,418 posts)
83. It was impossible to talk about this on DU during the primaries and election.
Sat May 27, 2017, 10:07 AM
May 2017

Every time I tried, I was drowned out by posters who are now revealed to be Russian bots or dupes of Russian bots.

 

KingCharlemagne

(7,908 posts)
84. I'm a Democratic Socialist, so I naturally gravitated in Sanders' direction. But I had
Sat May 27, 2017, 10:11 AM
May 2017

the same misgivings -- maybe even more pronounced -- about his ability to govern with a fascist Congress. Unless Sanders was prepared to rule by emergency decree, i.e., extra-constitutionally, there was no way, for example, that his 'free college for all' proposal was going anywhere anytime soon.

FakeNoose

(32,356 posts)
96. How often did she go to Kentucky?
Sat May 27, 2017, 11:14 AM
May 2017

Poor people in Kentucky have no way to travel out to eastern cities like New York.
The Dems have to go to the fly-over states too, and Hillary skipped a lot of them.

I'm not saying that she lost them, she just never tried to get any of them. Even Obama went to those Red states when he campaigned and the efforts did help. He was able to convince some people and get votes. Better yet, he got good press for it even when he lost the state.

Those goes beyond presidential campaigns though. The poor people of Kentucky need long-term help and nobody is giving it. If the Democrats can organize and help them with re-education, social programs and relocation programs then why would they have any reason to vote for the GOP? What is Kentucky doing for its own poor people?

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,750 posts)
22. Most people haven't a clue how to think for themselves or how
Sat May 27, 2017, 02:17 AM
May 2017

to ask questions or research anything to find out stuff.

I run across this all the time, not only on the interwebs but in ordinary life. Even people who ought to know better, who are reasonably intelligent and well educated. They just accept whatever some authority tells them.

The problem goes back to schools and churches. Both of them teach people to accept whatever they are told. Not to question anything. To believe. Believe. Believe. Churches are generally worse than schools, but both are at fault.

And then people leave school and get a job, and on the job they're told to follow orders, do the work, don't question the bosses.

It's a self-perpetuating cycle. This is also why the things we call conspiracy theory are so popular. Those "theories" masquerade as questioning authority, but they do no such thing. They feed a lot of untruths, ill-thought-out questions with dubious answers, and seem to offer a relief from the conventional wisdom. But those who buy into such conspiracy theories are as bereft of independent thinking as anyone deep in the grips of a cult.

And so, the Trump supporters. They thought they were exercising some sort of independent thought. They bought the various lies about Hillary Clinton. Or they were already pre-disposed to not vote for a women, especially not for her. (And anyone here who doesn't understand the baggage she brought into the election, and why she was a genuinely bad choice is likewise not thinking very hard, but I digress.) Or they were Democrats who thought they'd show their independence by voting for some third party candidate. Those third party voters really didn't think it through. And the defiant voters who went to the Trump camp truly deserve whatever happens. Alas, the rest of us don't.

Just to offer a small fact here: At it's peak, coal employed a bit under 900,000 people. And that was in the early 1920's. Currently Solar and wind employ around 500,000 people, while coal employs a bit over 100,000 people. So all the promises in the world to bring back jobs in coal mines are total bullshit, and people depending on those jobs ought to do a bit of independent research. But no, people would rather believe lying promises than find out how things really work. And so, all the Trump voters. They deserve what they get, and it's a goddam shame the rest of us have to suffer along with them.

 

KingCharlemagne

(7,908 posts)
78. This should be its own OP. Trump represents the apotheosis of American
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:46 AM
May 2017

anti-intellectualism, set in motion by Reagan back in 1980, but present in American life since Colonial days. Lest I sound like an elitist snob, intellectuals brought us such beauties as Vietnam. So maybe a certain degree of skepticism about intellectualism is warranted. But the sneer at anyone who asks a question about the official story has a long and storied tradition in American cultural life. Trump personifies that sneer and makes it manifest.

Sincere hat tip!

Response to KingCharlemagne (Reply #78)

Response to iluvtennis (Original post)

JI7

(89,182 posts)
24. this is just disgusting . i have no problem calling him out his decisions but to hope he suffers is
Sat May 27, 2017, 02:25 AM
May 2017

just fucked up. especially since he is admitting he was wrong and saying he would not do the same thing again .

gopiscrap

(23,674 posts)
28. too bad I have no sympathy for an ignorant
Sat May 27, 2017, 02:30 AM
May 2017

racist fuck that sold his country down the river..I hope he suffers painfully and in solitude for his fucked up decision

QC

(26,371 posts)
112. "Former chair of peace and justice project for a UMC congregation in Tacoma, Washington." n/t
Sat May 27, 2017, 01:11 PM
May 2017
 

KingCharlemagne

(7,908 posts)
79. He was just fine with others suffering (like Muslims and Latinos) and probably
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:48 AM
May 2017

hoped they suffered. He probably cheered when protesters were beaten up. So it's not fucked up to hope for some instant motherfucking karma for this POS.

Kittycow

(2,396 posts)
33. That was the "something different" about him
Sat May 27, 2017, 04:53 AM
May 2017

He said all the hateful things out loud. Over and over again.

Beartracks

(12,761 posts)
29. Lots of hopeful, well-meaning people get taken by con men.
Sat May 27, 2017, 02:37 AM
May 2017

Last edited Sat May 27, 2017, 03:15 AM - Edit history (1)

And when those people are not as well-educated or well-informed, it is ever so much easier for them to be played as fools -- which is why Republicans hate public education, critical thinking, and honest journalism.

=============

stopbush

(24,378 posts)
30. They cheered that tRump was gonna stick it to all them
Sat May 27, 2017, 02:40 AM
May 2017

illegals, libruls and "others" who weren't "real Americans."

Their hatred of others was just as powerful an enticement as the hope that they would be better off under the con man.

Shitheads.

 

JCanete

(5,272 posts)
32. Hopefully this won't be just a lesson in self pity for him, but a door towards some empathy for
Sat May 27, 2017, 03:25 AM
May 2017

other people and suffering he never rightly considered. It isn't uncommon for people to lack empathy for those they don't understand, and frankly, you can read the evidence of that right here in this thread. It usually takes something impactful in a person's own bubble to change that state. In some ways the disillusionment Trump is fostering in some of his voters is an opportunity that should be used to nudge these people in the right direction.

Miles Archer

(18,837 posts)
35. No, Trump DID NOT PLAY YOU FOR A FOOL, Wes. You're just a frog who believed in the scorpion.
Sat May 27, 2017, 05:59 AM
May 2017

Trump told you exactly who he was, and you decided to believe something else, even though it came from the same guy who told you he liked to grab pussy because he could get away with it, and stiffing contractors is the BEST (second only to bankruptcies and letting someone else pick up your tab).

I posted one of these "how could I be so stupid" threads myself yesterday, and all I can say is "prepare for more just like this, or worse."

Right now, the stories are simply "I was SO stupid, he LIED." But when people actually start getting sick and die, I'm wondering if the people who voted for Trump will revolt in the streets or step up to Greg Gianforte and beg "PLEASE, sir...may I have ANOTHER?"

femmedem

(8,188 posts)
39. Why would a person who regrets believing Trump's lies turn to Democrats
Sat May 27, 2017, 07:10 AM
May 2017

if they read some of the attitudes expressed in this thread?

To say it's his bed, he should lie in it, to have no empathy is exactly the kind of hard heartedness I abhor in Republicans. It reminds me of Republicans saying people should rot in jail for making bad decisions about drug use or about not having been able to get a job with a living wage.

People make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes are serious. Democrats--hell, humans--are better when they forgive.

JNelson6563

(28,151 posts)
41. Oh it will take time.
Sat May 27, 2017, 07:17 AM
May 2017

First we need to get through a great deal of drama where the fools who continue to support Trump will be fighting justice every step of the way. I say let the awakened come to their senses, lick their own wounds and then get the fuck up and join the effort to help clean up this mess that they helped to create.

Then maybe they will get something more than disdain from me.

This was no lamb-to-slaughter mistake, this was clear courting of racism and hatred. Were they duped? Oh yeah. Innocent? NOT BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION. He threw them red meat marinated in hatred and they screamed for more. You want to sing around the campfire with 'em? Go ahead. That does not make you more enlightened or in any way superior to those of us who see it differently. I would go so far as to say rather the opposite. The word enabler comes to mind.

femmedem

(8,188 posts)
42. Not enabling; being practical.
Sat May 27, 2017, 07:31 AM
May 2017

Why would someone join us in cleaning anything up if the people he's joining have a "fuck you" attitude?

I've strategized and put many hours into more than a few political campaigns, and a big part of my current job is community organizing. I never once reached out to anyone by saying, "Hey Jackass, come and join us when you've suffered enough."

Yeah, some people were happy to be duped because of racism. And sometimes when I'm out canvassing, I realize quickly that I'll never reach this person, and I politely extricate myself from the interaction asap. But there's no reason to make that assumption about every Trump voter who now regrets their vote.

SticksnStones

(2,108 posts)
43. Geezus a lot of the replies in this thread are brutal
Sat May 27, 2017, 07:44 AM
May 2017

And completely ignore the big picture of just how micro targeted these kinds of voters were, with a constant flow of anti Hillary venom.

There was an extraordinary mind game at work in the election. The likes of which we are slowly coming to understand.

If we can't find a way to incorporate that and not vilify those duped voters who are finally waking the hell up then WE become part of the problem not voices echoing solutions.



sharedvalues

(6,916 posts)
44. Blame right wing propangandists.
Sat May 27, 2017, 07:53 AM
May 2017

People like this were lied to by Rupert Murdoch and his right wing GOP donor allies who fund and run the right wing propanganda media.

Our blame should fall on right wing media.

samnsara

(17,570 posts)
52. half of me wants to say WELL ITS TOO EFFING LATE NOW....
Sat May 27, 2017, 08:14 AM
May 2017

...the other half wants to invite him over to our side....

sharedvalues

(6,916 posts)
56. Invite him to our side.
Sat May 27, 2017, 08:46 AM
May 2017

Blame the people that lied to him - Murdoch, Bannon, Mercer, CEO of iHeartRadio, Ailes, Koch.

This is an information war and our side is losing.

Vogon_Glory

(9,086 posts)
54. Wesley, Here's A Life Lesson For You
Sat May 27, 2017, 08:28 AM
May 2017

Don't ever vote on the campaign promises alone. Always, ALWAYS check a candidate's background and his or her history before you vote for him or her.

Is he honest? Is he truthful? If he's a businessman, well does he do by his partners and his customers? Does he give good service or does he cheat and cut corners?

Does he really know what he's talking about? If he doesn't, is he willing to learn?

How well does he handle pressure? Can he stay cool or does he panic or blow his top when the heat's on?

All of these things can be found out with a little digging. You don't have to be a rocket scientist or even a college grad to find out.

Oh, and Wesley , "liberals" don't hate you. In fact, a lot of the white ones think you're every bit as smart as they are. They do think you'd use your brains when you make a major decision, which you didn't when you voted for Donnie.

Oh, and Wesley, when your great-grandfather said "don't take any wooden nickels", that guy Donald and his line of Bull was the sort of fellow he was talking about

Paladin

(28,204 posts)
55. Let people like Mr. Easterling come crawling back to us.
Sat May 27, 2017, 08:38 AM
May 2017

I don't want the Democratic Party devoting much time, energy or money to chasing after trump's Angry White Male base. We can win without those people. Let the newly enlightened ones come back to us; as to the rest---fuck 'em.

Response to Paladin (Reply #55)

Paladin

(28,204 posts)
80. I want a united Democratic Party, ready to win in 2018 and 2020.
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:52 AM
May 2017

The kind of ideological splintering you're talking about contributed to putting trump and his goons in power. A "real lefty party" sounds attractive, but I don't want such aspirations to bring about the destruction of this country. Face it---we're at Germany 1936 right now. Immediate, effective, united action is called for, not the stupid intra-party squabbling we saw so much of on this site during 2016.

Cary

(11,746 posts)
124. Please (meaning I agree with you)
Sat May 27, 2017, 05:26 PM
May 2017

I have had enough of the "both sides do it' bullshit. Liberals need to leave KKKarl Rove's dirty work to KKKarl Rove.

Swagman

(1,934 posts)
57. he voted for pure self interest and his regrets now are pure self interest
Sat May 27, 2017, 08:47 AM
May 2017

very difficult to have sympathy for him when there are so many millions more we should sympathize with who did not support the racist con-man Trump.

But no reason why the Democrats should not get very smart and harness this buyer's regret

Freethinker65

(9,934 posts)
65. No sympathy, but he can try to redeem himself
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:21 AM
May 2017

Go out and convince neighbors, friends, family members, and other locals to actually listen to both sides and not be manipulated by fear next time they vote.

 

KingCharlemagne

(7,908 posts)
67. He was just fine with Trump beating down Muslims and Latinos, as long as
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:25 AM
May 2017

Trump didn't mess with his benefits. (He's probably still just fine about Trump beating on Latinos and Muslims.)

Fuck this racist POS. He deserves to suffer long and horribly.

TrishaJ

(797 posts)
73. charisma about him, something different
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:37 AM
May 2017

was the BULLSHIT. I have no sympathy for anyone who was "played for a fool."

 

WellDarn

(255 posts)
75. Said originally in response to
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:39 AM
May 2017

The attack on West Virginia miners, also relevant here:

It's not just Trump, other politicians, union bosses, friends, neighbors, teachers and preachers and not just the Republican ones have told coal miners and their families that their jobs were being lost due primarily to government regulation for at least two decades. It has even been argued here that one of the primary perpetrators of that lie should be allowed to continue in office for the good of the rest of us.

Why is it surprising that they rejected the one person who told them the truth?

Why do stories like this deteriorate into attacks on the victims even more so than on the liars?

ck4829

(34,977 posts)
82. How many mosques has Wesley Easterling walked into since having his Trumpgrets?
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:56 AM
May 2017

How many immigrants has he spoken to?

When someone says gay and/or transgendered people are "deviant", does he speak up in disagreement?

When people who look like him and believe like him are in his company and they call minorities lazy but that they earned their government assistance, does he stand up and call that wrong?

If these are non-zero numbers, then welcome aboard.

If it's zero though, then no. No place for you. Your Trumpgrets are not genuine. No mercy.

C_U_L8R

(44,897 posts)
85. Yeah... well watch gonna do about it dumbass?
Sat May 27, 2017, 10:17 AM
May 2017

Why don't you go get all your friends to shut off their rightwing media and get a brain.

 

Adrahil

(13,340 posts)
86. Stories like this frustrate me...
Sat May 27, 2017, 10:18 AM
May 2017

They act like there was no evidence that Trump is a lying, con man muthafucker. ANYONE who looks at that man honestly knows he's a liar and cheat thT give a shit about no one but himself...

edhopper

(33,208 posts)
87. yeah, you fucked up
Sat May 27, 2017, 10:23 AM
May 2017

now all of us have to suffer because of you and people like you.

You lived through Bush nearly destroying the country and learned nothing.

Let's see if you use your brains in the next election. Not holding my breath.

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
88. People don't like to be scammed. Rparty let their man lie to you, even after they knew his character
Sat May 27, 2017, 10:24 AM
May 2017

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
132. once his parents pass away, his total household "income" will drop well below poverty level.
Sun May 28, 2017, 08:29 AM
May 2017

Homeless if he doesn't have enough family members, to afford rent & household expenses. He probably won't even vote.

crosinski

(403 posts)
95. We've lost our message, and we need to get it back.
Sat May 27, 2017, 10:53 AM
May 2017

People used to know what Democrat's stood for. If you were poor, you circled that D when you voted because you knew who was on your side. So emotional thinkers like this voter weren't swayed so easily by 'charismatic' candidates.

Thanks to rightwing radio, we've lost that edge. That was its goal. I mean, possible racism aside, this guy on Medicaid didn't know that Democrats were his best bet for a future! We've got a lot of work to do to if we want people to automatically know who we are.

FakeNoose

(32,356 posts)
100. You're so right on this
Sat May 27, 2017, 11:32 AM
May 2017

I was just reading Matt Taibbi's regular column in Rolling Stone and he's saying the same thing.

Link: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/taibbi-the-democrats-need-a-new-message-w484569

SNIP

Barack Obama ... continually insisted that the Democrats needed to find a way to reach lost voters. Even in the infamous "guns and religion" episode, this was so. Obama then was talking about the challenge the Democrats faced in finding ways to reconnect with people who felt ignored and had fled to "antipathy toward people who aren't like them" as a consequence.

Even as he himself was the subject of vicious and racist rhetoric, Obama stumped in the reddest of red districts. In his post-mortem on the Trump-Clinton race, he made a point of mentioning this – that in Iowa he had gone to every small town and fish fry and VFW hall, and "there were some counties where I might have lost, but maybe I lost by 20 points instead of 50 points."

Most people took his comments to be a dig at Clinton's strategic shortcomings – she didn't campaign much in many of the key states she lost – but it was actually more profound than that. Obama was trying to point out that people respond when you demonstrate that you don't believe they're unredeemable.

You can't just dismiss people as lost, even bad or misguided people. Unless every great thinker from Christ to Tolstoy to Gandhi to Dr. King is wrong, it's especially those people you have to keep believing in, and trying to reach.

The Democrats have forgotten this. While it may not be the case with Quist, who seems to have run a decent campaign, the Democrats in general have lost the ability (and the inclination) to reach out to the entire population.


SNIP

(More at the jump)

Matt Taibbi is one of my favorite columnists. My point is that we're not getting anywhere by framing "us vs. them" arguments. If the Democratic Party is to win, we win one vote at a time and it's hard work to get every vote. Barack Obama still has some very good ideas and he's a great leader who teaches by example.








crosinski

(403 posts)
115. Thanks, I like Matt Taibbi too.
Sat May 27, 2017, 01:30 PM
May 2017

And thanks for the link too. I like Matt Taibbi and haven't read that column yet.

Thing is, I really want to jump on the poor guy too, but I'm old enough to remember when Democrats were who you voted for if you were poor, sick, out of work, or needed help, and who you voted for if you wanted to lend a hand, help others, and share the bounty. Republicans were who you voted for if you were rich. It was as simple as that.

We'll never have that good simple message back again, but we can surely do better. This poor guy on welfare didn't realize that republicans were going to cut him off first chance they got! I think we are at least guilty of being complacent about our message.

Different Drummer

(7,532 posts)
98. "The county he lives in typically goes for Democrats...
Sat May 27, 2017, 11:30 AM
May 2017
but in 2016 it went for Trump, despite having one of the highest poverty rates in the country."

Can someone please explain to me why this so often happens?! Do a lot of people truly not think beyond flag/guns/Bible?!

 

hrmjustin

(71,265 posts)
101. Republican voters need to understand that voting GOP is harmful and stupid.
Sat May 27, 2017, 11:42 AM
May 2017

I feel sympathy but the man is an idiot and deserves our scorn.

 

taught_me_patience

(5,477 posts)
102. A great start!
Sat May 27, 2017, 11:48 AM
May 2017

It's a big step to admit you're wrong. I applaud the guys am slightly dismayed at the responses in this thread.

OrwellwasRight

(5,170 posts)
103. Lamenting mistakes is not useful.
Sat May 27, 2017, 11:48 AM
May 2017

Changing future behavior is. I know these stories make people feel good and able to say "see I told you so," but they do not spell a different outcome in the future. That takes action, not the smugness that being right provides.

NastyRiffraff

(12,448 posts)
105. Okay, Wesley, what now?
Sat May 27, 2017, 12:09 PM
May 2017

Not only for you, but for the rest of the country, including people who you believed would be the only ones affected by Dump's VERY CLEAR, OFTEN REPEATED racism. You didn't think he meant YOU, did you? Only those icky Muslims, Blacks, Hispanics. Not YOU, a White Man.

The Orange Menace played you for a fool because you LISTENED to a man who proudly screamed his bigotry. You listened because you thought he'd never, ever meant you. You are, after all, a White Man and you only wanted to "make America Great Again" for yourself and other White Men. So now you're scared. So am I because PEOPLE LIKE YOU voted for a monster.

LenaBaby61

(6,965 posts)
109. I used to have compassion ....
Sat May 27, 2017, 12:33 PM
May 2017

For folks like him, but haven't for a long while ....

Because I'm too busy worrying about MYSELF and about others who were intelligent enough to know what was going on for most of our lives and who voted accordingly in our own best interests. Choices have consequences.

Sorry Wesley Easterling's of the world. You and people like you all made your own beds, and have to sleep in them with your RACIST-IN-CHIEF

JHB

(37,132 posts)
113. It's not just World's Most Obvious Con Man who played him...
Sat May 27, 2017, 01:17 PM
May 2017

...or, more properly stated, that he allowed to play him ("party of personal responsibility" and all that).

How many horseshit claims about both Clinton's and Obama did he just swallow whole? You don't have to love them or even like them to know there were people who made their living throwing turdballs at them in the hopes some flecks of them would stick to show how dirty they were. The stuff that didn't stick piled up at their feet, steaming ever more as the pile rose, and then the Professional Pitchers of the Turdballs League would point with alarm at that fogbank of steam and warn "where there's smoke...".

He's only the latest guy to play you, pal, but the only reason it didn't seem obvious is because you've let lots of other people hook into your pet peeves and drag you farther than you've thought.

CrispyQ

(36,231 posts)
125. They call him Don the Con for a reason.
Sat May 27, 2017, 05:45 PM
May 2017

That he was a lying, cheating asshole of the highest order, was there for anyone to see.

GoCubsGo

(32,061 posts)
129. Well, Mr. Easterling, you are far from alone.
Sat May 27, 2017, 06:20 PM
May 2017

He played 62,984,824 other people for fools, as well. Well, maybe not quite that many, when you consider at least some of those people voted for hm because they admire his assholishness.

Boomerproud

(7,889 posts)
131. If that is his kitchen behind him it looks much more well-appointed than mine.
Sat May 27, 2017, 09:12 PM
May 2017

I work 60 hours a week from August through November and 40 hours the rest of the time. "Heartbreaking"? Really"? I jumped off the empathy wagon regarding people like Easterling and he was never on it.

 

NCTraveler

(30,481 posts)
133. Hop on board my friend.
Sun May 28, 2017, 08:37 AM
May 2017

We are working to protect your concerns. We need help in fighting the evil that you so recently supported.

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