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DetlefK

(16,670 posts)
Wed Dec 21, 2016, 06:18 AM Dec 2016

It's not the economy, stupid. "Drain the Swamp" has different meanings for liberals/conservatives: [View all]

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/21/drain-the-swamp-of-all-those-p-c-liberals-turns-out-trumpers-dont-care-about-lobbyists-or-plutocrats/

During the campaign, Donald Trump frequently promised that once in Washington he would “drain the swamp.” That phrase was generously interpreted by huge swaths of the news media to mean that Trump intended, in populist style, to reduce the influence of elite bankers and corporate lobbyists in politics. That, in turn, means that the president-elect has been accused of hypocrisy when he immediately turned around and started hiring a bunch of bankers and billionaires and other such swamp critters.

But there’s little evidence that Trump’s supporters ever thought he was talking about the influence of financial elites or big corporations when he swore to drain that swamp. On the contrary, they seem to be have understood it as reading it as an attack on liberalism and its defenders.

A new poll, conducted by the Glover Park Group and Morning Consult, was released on Tuesday that asked a series of far-ranging and in-depth questions of Trump supporters. What one finds, digging into the results, is that Trump’s base has no coherent ideology around economic issues like trade policy or financial regulation.

...

That’s why it’s important, especially for journalists, not to assume that the phrase “drain the swamp” is meant by Trump, or heard by his supporters, as describing the influence of special interests or lobbyists on Beltway politics. Yes, that’s what most politicians mean when they use that phrase, but there’s reason to believe that for Trump, it’s a vague phrase that allows his followers to define “the swamp” however they want. And what they really want to do is hate on liberals.

Trump himself admitted that the phrase is empty rhetoric he spews because it’s a good applause line.
In a post-election rally in Iowa, Trump let this bit of truth slip out during one of his tedious ramblings:

"It’s funny how that term caught on. … I told everyone I hated it. Somebody said, “Drain the swamp.” I said, “Oh that’s so hokey, that is so terrible.” I said, “All right, I’ll try it.” So like a month ago I said, “Drain the swamp.” Place went crazy. Then I said it again. Then I started saying it like I meant it. And then I started loving it. And the place loved it. Let’s drain the swamp."

...

Most Trump supporters don’t go that far, but the conversation on Twitter shows that, by and large, “drain the swamp” is understood as a culture-war term referring to liberals, and not corrupt politicians.





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Can we pleeeeeeeeeeeeease stop with the bullshit now that the Trump-voters are economically hurting?

There is no way the Democrats can win these voters back with any promise, be it economy or otherwise, because these people don't care about anything Democrats have to say.

They hate your guts for no reason.

They just do.

Stop trying to please them, quit this abusive relationship and move on.
70 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Stop trying to please them, quit this abusive relationship and move on. Comatose Sphagetti Dec 2016 #1
You do understand that is precisely the definition of an election? Rage4Bacon Dec 2016 #47
K&R BumRushDaShow Dec 2016 #2
Sounds an awful lot billh58 Dec 2016 #60
Except BumRushDaShow Dec 2016 #61
It would be nice to think that billh58 Dec 2016 #62
I do not consider trolls to be worthy of inclusion on DU. nt BumRushDaShow Dec 2016 #63
For the 1,000th time Cosmocat Dec 2016 #3
half argue hibbing Dec 2016 #24
I've tried telling that to people since he began using it. Pacifist Patriot Dec 2016 #4
but the phrase has a historical meaning that is about corruption and Washington deals Fast Walker 52 Dec 2016 #7
You'll get no argument from me on that. Pacifist Patriot Dec 2016 #14
do you think he knew how misleading it was or the real connotation? Fast Walker 52 Dec 2016 #17
I don't think he cared either way at the start. Pacifist Patriot Dec 2016 #18
sounds about right Fast Walker 52 Dec 2016 #19
As do many things. liberalmike27 Dec 2016 #44
what I would love is to have is Trump really be forced to listen to and answer Fast Walker 52 Dec 2016 #48
This is exactly why it alarmed me so. kaiden Dec 2016 #12
Swamp ni***r freepotter Dec 2016 #39
I figured that was their fallback meaning BUT he also explicitly ran a campaign against Fast Walker 52 Dec 2016 #5
to Trumpists, "global bankers" equal Jews 0rganism Dec 2016 #28
He hammered Clinton on Goldman Sacks. Sorry, but trying redefine what Trump said is bull. KittyWampus Dec 2016 #49
tell it to the Trumpists, they do it all the time 0rganism Dec 2016 #57
Nancy Pelosi used the term extensively in 2006 as well n/t MichMan Dec 2016 #6
As Fast Walker Said Above. . . ProfessorGAC Dec 2016 #8
Trump voters are not coherent Caliman73 Dec 2016 #21
Essentially Agree ProfessorGAC Dec 2016 #25
Thank you. This is redefining the term to benefit Trump. It's to benefit Trump. Don't buy it. KittyWampus Dec 2016 #51
Some of them might literally destroy protected wetlands and kill wildlife IronLionZion Dec 2016 #9
The results of the poll of Trump voters are interesting muriel_volestrangler Dec 2016 #10
So they are against polluting, just don't link it to climate change or they lose their shit. Ace Rothstein Dec 2016 #15
Well, that slide does link it to climate change muriel_volestrangler Dec 2016 #16
It shows their lack of understanding Caliman73 Dec 2016 #22
You Need liberalmike27 Dec 2016 #45
We are the swamp Politicub Dec 2016 #11
I concur. kaiden Dec 2016 #13
You are wrong. That is not what he said. The OP is wrong. He cast himself as an outsider KittyWampus Dec 2016 #52
It's a stupid metaphor from the get go. Tommy_Carcetti Dec 2016 #20
True, but swamps also carry a lot of vectors and dangers. Caliman73 Dec 2016 #23
DC is built on a swamp Angry Dragon Dec 2016 #31
Don't You Think liberalmike27 Dec 2016 #46
No ........... I would be surprized if they know that it was built on a swamp Angry Dragon Dec 2016 #66
Just wait until tRump gets his group hug from the twin Tar-Babies.... Jacob Boehme Dec 2016 #26
Great read ismnotwasm Dec 2016 #27
Abe Lincoln was great at double entendres bucolic_frolic Dec 2016 #29
Trump is going to drain the swamp and replace it with a SEWER Angry Dragon Dec 2016 #30
I think Flatpicker Dec 2016 #32
Or as I like to say Generator Dec 2016 #33
Remembering President Wilson's Purge of Black Federal Workers IronLionZion Dec 2016 #34
WOW, words have specific meanings...you can't just redefine it... iluvtennis Dec 2016 #35
The new grand Wizard's method of "draining the swamp" is... MarianJack Dec 2016 #36
I heard somebody say Trump's manner of speaking was like a Rorschach test. tclambert Dec 2016 #37
That's A Scary Thought. Very Scary DallasNE Dec 2016 #38
The Constitution is under attack--draining the swamp Hortensis Dec 2016 #59
Means us Bear Creek Dec 2016 #40
This article is propaganda for Trump. His followers knew what drain the swamp meant UCmeNdc Dec 2016 #41
Thank you. To you and every one else who refuses to make excuses for Trump and the attempts to KittyWampus Dec 2016 #53
Perhaps "Drain the Swamp" is a euphemism They_Live Dec 2016 #42
Not really, i've heard several talking about the "swamp" including several republicans 7962 Dec 2016 #43
This is a lot of bull. Trump was referring to Hillary/Goldman Sacks and everyone spoke KittyWampus Dec 2016 #50
Now that he's in Washington... Blanks Dec 2016 #54
It does seem true. Here is an article treestar Dec 2016 #55
He is not draining the swamp mitch96 Dec 2016 #56
"They hate [liberals'] guts for no reason. " Beartracks Dec 2016 #58
This one line in the post sums it all up about trump supporters mdbl Dec 2016 #64
K & R Scurrilous Dec 2016 #65
Looks like the population sample of this research is his most ardent followers, not the voters we JudyM Dec 2016 #67
It's funny how Trump supporters incoherent views practically mirror what right wing media spouts hadEnuf Dec 2016 #68
Geeez, really? DonnaRx7 Dec 2016 #69
Throughout history bucolic_frolic Dec 2016 #70
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