OK. Trump is inspiring. Biden is a boring business-as-usual, wise, wiley technocrat. The question is, what does Trump inspire his followers to think and do?
This poll explains much, and gives a glimmer of hope to Democrats. "In contrast, a full 50% of Americans (and 53% of registered voters) agree with Biden that “Donald Trump's campaign is about him, not America. He's willing to sacrifice our democracy to put himself in power.” Few, if any, of them are likely to vote for Trump in November." https://www.yahoo.com/news/new-yahoo-newsyougov-poll-shows-why-biden-trump-rematch-is-still-neck-and-neck-193252126.html
Biden has just challenged Trump to a debate on the issues that "matter to people." He feels confident the debates will help him publicize a favorable contrast to Donald Trump's policies. However, Biden still has a hill to climb on issues. Data may be one thing, but public perception is another. He is underwater for most issues or tied as the YouGov poll recently indicated. (above) It is linked to partisan identification and loyalty. He still has an advantage on the issue of choice/abortion and is firmly ahead on Biden's position of democracy. Both of those advantages appear to be unshakeable.
Trump's appeal has little to do with public policy issues. There are many theories, but looking at the heavily white male-dominating, non-college graduate demographics of those supporting him appears to have much to do with stoking the anger of those who fear they might become losers in a country with racial demographic changes and the rise of power of women at the ballot https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/04/09/changing-partisan-coalitions-in-a-politically-divided-nation/ One of the puzzles of this research is the support Trump has from those identifying themselves as Christian Evangelicals, mostly white. Trump is easily the winner of the indecent behavior award, yet he is seen as The Second Coming. Is it all because of the abortion issue? If so, the former GOP of the Moral Majority now overlooks Trump's character flaws and has recreated itself as the amoral minority.
Biden has challenged Trump to "make his day " in the debate format he proposes. Trump accepted the debate dates, the first June 27 and the second September 10, on CNN/ ABC, but not yet to the Biden format: no audience, media anchors/existing staff moderating. In the past, Trump has found ways to squirrel out of such debates.
It will be up to the ABC/CNN anchor moderators to make sure a debate does not devolve into two warships passing in the dark, taking cannon potshots at each other as they pass by. Biden will discuss data and issues, and Trump has another agenda. Trump's appeal inspires the dark side of humanity. It stokes their sense of victimhood, only fixed by him by changing America to a dictatorship and ending democracy. He will get revenge on his followers' behalf and their grievances, which Trump himself has identified and dramatized. He is all-powerful in his mind, and anyone who stands in his way should fear his wrath, retribution, and revenge, including political violence. He blames the system of democracy that stands in his way of doing stuff because it isn't fair. To whom? Trump? Certainly not to all people in this 50-50 country. In fact, per a just-released poll by YouGov, "Americans now approve of the indictment and trial by double digits". How Biden would make his case in an issue debate is one thing. It will take some delicate phrasing if these character matters arise. His lies are his truth: the election was stolen, and the January 6 rioters are patriots. Turmp's idea of fairness is what he defines it himself. All elections that do not show he wins are corrupt. It is not as courts, juries, and other independent arbiters decide what is corrupt. His answer to all the criminal indictments and trials he faces is that the justice system is corrupt. Prosecutors are corrupt. Courts who rule against him are all and in every instance (except for the one judge he appointed, "corrupt," though what he defines as corrupt means "against him.". Bribery and the usual meaning of corrupt government officials are either unproven or not what means. So, it follows scrap that: replace the "establishment" with his one-man rule with "yes men" cheering him on. The deep state is conspiring against doing what he wants, so he replaces civil servants and the justice system with those who are loyal to him. (Fair for him, but not to anyone else who would like some neutral arbiters to check in, like juries of his peers). So who does he see as his peers he prefers, and on behalf he would decide and govern?. Taking clues from dog whistles and calling neo-Nazis are some fine people, and even dominating sexually over women and their ability to control their lives, white males. preferable Evangelical Christians.
A puzzle that probably answers itself: The GOP was once the party of the Moral Majority, but the white Christian Evangelicals have looked the other way, excusing their favored candidate of winning the award for his indecent behavior. They even see Trump as their Second Coming. My guess? The issue of abortion. On that one issue alone, the Moral Majority has become the A-Moral Minority. https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/poll-finding/kff-health-tracking-poll-march-2024-abortion-in-the-2024-election-and-beyond/
An essay on Trump's contribution to American culture: indecency https://mufticforumblog.blogspot.com/2024/04/trumps-greatest-contribution-to.html
From the Muftic Forum Facebook posting 5/16/24
https://mufticforumblog.blogspot.com/2024/05/more-messaging-theme-to-consider-biden.html.So here is Biden's possible debate presentation on issues. I suggested this in this prior post. His main goal is to contrast Trump's ineptitude on public policy issues. Trump's rejoinder could well be "make me a dictator and I will get it done." Biden has to pin him down on getting WHAT done. From the prior post:
Trump promised Foxx Conn. He failed. Biden brought you Microsoft: Biden delivered
Trump promised you a dictatorship, and he has a plan to deliver it in place of democracy. Biden promised you a continuation of democracy, and he has delivered and will deliver.
Trump promises violence if he loses in 2024. Biden promises peaceful transitions. Trump delivered violence on January 6. Biden has delivered bipartisan legislation helping people's safety and lives.
Trump denies climate change and touts drill baby drill. Biden directed resources to renewables and job-creating industries but also made the US energy independent and an exporter of gas as bridges to greater use of renewables. Biden has delivered.
Trump promised you the Wall to end the "border crisis"; he failed. Biden brought you a bipartisan, very conservative solution; Biden delivered, but Trump sabotaged it
Trump promised Mexico would pay for the wall. Biden created legislation to address the border problem, providing personnel to enforce immigration laws and paying for more of the wall. Trump sabotaged it.
Trump promised you "made in America," but he failed to get more jobs. He failed even before COVID-19. Biden: I delivered after COVID-19 x number of jobs, even above pre-COVID levels.
Trump promised you infrastructure funding and brought you nothing but Infrastructure Day. Biden delivered.
Trump promised to make America's economy great again. Biden delivered. Even before COVID-19, Trump rode the coattails of what those before had done. After COVID's worldwide blow, Biden's economy is the world's envy, with the lowest inflation rate and the highest growth. Biden delivered much and knows there is more to do.
Trump claims he, only he, can lower inflation by destroying the brakes on it. Biden brought inflation down from 10 to under 4% and knows how to keep working on it himself by cracking down on monopolies. Trump promises to raise tariffs across the board by 10%, which will be passed on to consumers, raising inflation, not lowering it. In the meantime, Trump promises to destroy the only tool that can put the brakes on inflation: the Federal Reserve. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1317878/inflation-rate-interest-rate-by-country/ If it ain't very broke, don't very break it.
If Trump claims he can reduce grocery prices, he is a con man. Trump cannot set grocery prices and interest rates. Neither can Biden. Trump cons you into saying he can fix it, but he does not tell you how. Free market systems are at their slow work as grocery prices and retail sales show good trends.
For years, Trump promised a better replacement for Obamacare. All Trump delivered were promises. In fact, he has never even provided a plan. Biden has even lowered Medicare medication costs to government by forcing competitive bidding.
Biden lowered health care costs for millions on prescription drugs and diabetes meds. Obamacare has only gotten more popular doubling beneficiaries and participants. Biden delivered; Trump did nothing but back big Pharma.
Trump opposes lowering student debt. They signed the papers, and they owe it, accumulated interest and all. Biden promised and is delivering relief to millions.
Trump promised you a dictatorship, and he has a plan to deliver. Biden promised you a continuation of democracy, and he has delivered and will deliver.
Trump promises you violence if he loses in 2024. Biden promises you peaceful transitions. Trump delivered his promise on January 6 and promised violence if he lost in November 2024.
Trump ridicules and criticizes national security, the military, the CIA, and more, and praises and supports Russian national security goals and aggressions. Biden delivers on national security and acknowledges and works to defend us from obvious adversaries who want to do us harm.
Trump tries to get himself immune from criminal acts. Biden abides by the rule of law and delivers daily.
Trump promises states' rights to control women's health; Biden supports and will support making Roe v Wade-type legislation for all in America. Biden is committed to delivering it. Trump delivers a record of infidelity, sexual abuse, and rape and boasts about setting in motion the end of Roe v Wade.
Trump only wants those around him to say yes to whatever he wants and plans. Biden treasures aides who tell him both the good and bad news. Biden delivers reality and pragmatism with decisions that are based on reality and pragmatism. (Obama had a team of rivals because he wanted a good debate before he made a judgment call.) Neither Obama nor Biden schemed to see how they could break the law to stay in power after losing the election
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-tells-billionaires-ll-keep-taxes-low-50-million-fundraising-gala-rcna146748
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/trump-promises-to-undo-biden-s-environmental-agenda-if-oil-company-ceo-s-raise-1-billion-for-his-campaign-the-washington-post-reports-210627141698
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