This is what I have been chewing over in my head for some time now. It's tactically smart from Trump, but was only possible because he has nary a shred of human decency or morality.
I've always vaguely referred to it as (probably read it somewhere, but just don't recall) the rule of 10%. As in, you can get 10% of the public to believe alm…
This is what I have been chewing over in my head for some time now. It's tactically smart from Trump, but was only possible because he has nary a shred of human decency or morality.
I've always vaguely referred to it as (probably read it somewhere, but just don't recall) the rule of 10%. As in, you can get 10% of the public to believe almost anything. That is indeed (as Will noted) well-illustrated by the anti-vaccine/modern medicine kooks AND the 9-11 truthers. Not really ideologically based. Just insane person stuff.
Trump 2024 is the first person to really, REALLY commit to "I will let society burn/children die in order to get 100% of the crazy vote."
Why is that tactically smart? It took his "base" up to 45% (because I believe in a hard 40% floor each way based on ideology). He just needed "permission structures" and various hand-waving to nudge that up from 45 to the 49-50 range. That's way easier than doing the same starting from 40%.
VP Harris, on the other hand, started from 40%. She almost got there, and certainly did a way better persuasion job than Trump did. But his head start was decisive, because he very plausibly sold that he would give the crazies what they wanted.
And because the crazies delivered for him, he will return the favor. Just like with the Prosperity Gospel evangelicals.
This is what I have been chewing over in my head for some time now. It's tactically smart from Trump, but was only possible because he has nary a shred of human decency or morality.
I've always vaguely referred to it as (probably read it somewhere, but just don't recall) the rule of 10%. As in, you can get 10% of the public to believe almost anything. That is indeed (as Will noted) well-illustrated by the anti-vaccine/modern medicine kooks AND the 9-11 truthers. Not really ideologically based. Just insane person stuff.
Trump 2024 is the first person to really, REALLY commit to "I will let society burn/children die in order to get 100% of the crazy vote."
Why is that tactically smart? It took his "base" up to 45% (because I believe in a hard 40% floor each way based on ideology). He just needed "permission structures" and various hand-waving to nudge that up from 45 to the 49-50 range. That's way easier than doing the same starting from 40%.
VP Harris, on the other hand, started from 40%. She almost got there, and certainly did a way better persuasion job than Trump did. But his head start was decisive, because he very plausibly sold that he would give the crazies what they wanted.
And because the crazies delivered for him, he will return the favor. Just like with the Prosperity Gospel evangelicals.
Be afraid, be very afraid.