THREAD 1/12
This @TheAtlantic article by @olgakhazan is a good synopsis of the seemingly unfathomable popularity of Trump and his policies that the left still can't wrap its head around.
theatlantic.com/politics/archi…
This @TheAtlantic article by @olgakhazan is a good synopsis of the seemingly unfathomable popularity of Trump and his policies that the left still can't wrap its head around.
theatlantic.com/politics/archi…
2/12
One result of this 50/50 election, whatever its outcome, should be to take hard look at "the other side."
Even if Trump is gone, polarization (and political gridlock) is here to stay—it has been and will continue to be America's undoing.
psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psych-…
One result of this 50/50 election, whatever its outcome, should be to take hard look at "the other side."
Even if Trump is gone, polarization (and political gridlock) is here to stay—it has been and will continue to be America's undoing.
psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psych-…
3/12
Arlie Hochschild's quoted words echo @JonathanMetzl (who's also quoted):
"[White men's] economic prospects are bad & American culture tells them that their gender is too. So they’ve turned to Trump as a type of folk hero, one who can restore their sense of former glory."
Arlie Hochschild's quoted words echo @JonathanMetzl (who's also quoted):
"[White men's] economic prospects are bad & American culture tells them that their gender is too. So they’ve turned to Trump as a type of folk hero, one who can restore their sense of former glory."
4/12
@olgakhazan's article is also in many ways an extension of this revelatory @TheAtlantic article from 2016—written before Trump was elected:
theatlantic.com/politics/archi…
@olgakhazan's article is also in many ways an extension of this revelatory @TheAtlantic article from 2016—written before Trump was elected:
theatlantic.com/politics/archi…
5/12
The failure of the anticipated Blue Wave once again highlights that dismissing conservative Americans (whether White or Cuban) as simple racists or "deplorables" isn't going to get us anywhere.
And vice-versa for the right's portrayal of the left as Deep State socialists.
The failure of the anticipated Blue Wave once again highlights that dismissing conservative Americans (whether White or Cuban) as simple racists or "deplorables" isn't going to get us anywhere.
And vice-versa for the right's portrayal of the left as Deep State socialists.
6/12
Cognitive biases (e.g. myside, confirmation, binary) keep us stuck in red/blue teams, but they're not insurmountable.
The challenge is getting people to try—centrism has become a dirty word because the identity poles are so far apart & vilified.
psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psych-…
Cognitive biases (e.g. myside, confirmation, binary) keep us stuck in red/blue teams, but they're not insurmountable.
The challenge is getting people to try—centrism has become a dirty word because the identity poles are so far apart & vilified.
psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psych-…
7/12
But psychology aside, economic disparity and access to the American Dream is also central to polarization today.
Looking at the election map, it's easy to see why Trump voters/Middle America discount liberals as "coastal elites" and urban anarchists.
But psychology aside, economic disparity and access to the American Dream is also central to polarization today.
Looking at the election map, it's easy to see why Trump voters/Middle America discount liberals as "coastal elites" and urban anarchists.
8/12
A closer look at the pivotal state of Nevada illustrates this geographic (urban/rural) divide even more starkly:
A closer look at the pivotal state of Nevada illustrates this geographic (urban/rural) divide even more starkly:
9/12
The regionality of the red/blue divide highlights how economic policies intending to lift the downtrodden are viewed as trampling the Middle class American dream for those whose historic privilege is fading and who don't see the benefits of social policies "trickling up."
The regionality of the red/blue divide highlights how economic policies intending to lift the downtrodden are viewed as trampling the Middle class American dream for those whose historic privilege is fading and who don't see the benefits of social policies "trickling up."
10/12
Indeed, the American Dream has always been about access to capitalism and Trump has embodied that success story.
In that regard, Make America Great Again was a genius slogan for his base.
Indeed, the American Dream has always been about access to capitalism and Trump has embodied that success story.
In that regard, Make America Great Again was a genius slogan for his base.
11/12
Going forward, smart economic reform that resolves the misperception that social policies don't benefit Middle America needs to be crafted and rebranded as something other than "socialism."
Long past time for Dems to drop the S word.
Going forward, smart economic reform that resolves the misperception that social policies don't benefit Middle America needs to be crafted and rebranded as something other than "socialism."
Long past time for Dems to drop the S word.
12/12
So long as such policies that aim to bridge the divide—economic and otherwise—continue to elude us, we should expect the political polarization pendulum to keep swinging back and forth with little progress.
@JoeBiden ran as a President for all Americans. I hope he can be.
So long as such policies that aim to bridge the divide—economic and otherwise—continue to elude us, we should expect the political polarization pendulum to keep swinging back and forth with little progress.
@JoeBiden ran as a President for all Americans. I hope he can be.
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