# Trump voters explain themselves **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 4, 2017, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307 "2017-01-04T13:50:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/121 "2017-01-07T20:40:07Z")
Is Wednesday “What Can Possibly Go Wrong!” Day? Instead of ears, do you get tiny little gloves? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/122 "2017-01-07T20:49:46Z")
What’s to understand? Trump voters are tired of seeing all the wealth in this country funneled into a tiny elite subclass or Wall Street elites. They are sick of their jobs being outsourced overseas and their factories closing. They are tired of not being able to afford health care or to pay their mortgages. If only those Liberals would get out of the way with their regulations and their social safety nets. So they vote for a billionaire reality show host with a history of shady business deals and his gang of Wall Street billionaire cronies. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/123 "2017-01-07T20:52:45Z")
Gotta admit, “Blue collar billionaire” is a stroke of evil genius, PR-wise. These people are really good at being really bad. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/124 "2017-01-07T20:58:33Z")
> [@NickerBot](#): > > …woman who know every button to push in order to make this place burn. Snipped a bit of screed, to the part I agree with. You are correct, in that she knows what buttons to push to make it burn. I disagree with your implication that she would push them, however, as everything in her public life has been about improving the lives of those less fortunate, and so, burning it all down would not be in keeping with her character. But, in and of the fact that the president actually does have (figurative) buttons that can burn the world, wouldn’t you rather have someone who knows where they are, than someone who just likes to push buttons? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/125 "2017-01-07T21:14:29Z")
I wouldn’t look for NickerBot to respond any time soon, or again, ever. Being a born again Hillary supporter, I’m sure he’s off to 4chan, breitbart and RT to spread the Good News. ---
**Author:** ![NickerBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5e925/32.png) [@NickerBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NickerBot)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/126 "2017-01-07T21:31:36Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I wouldn’t look for NickerBot to respond any time soon, or again, ever. > > Being a born again Hillary supporter, I’m sure he’s off to 4chan, breitbart and RT to spread the Good News. Nah, I’m in the background. Staying outta trouble, lol. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/127 "2017-01-07T21:43:09Z")
> [@NickerBot](#): > > Nah, I’m in the background. Staying outta trouble, lol. But are you better informed now? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/128 "2017-01-07T22:21:41Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > But, in and of the fact that the president actually does have (figurative) buttons that can burn the world, wouldn’t you rather have someone who knows where they are, than someone who just likes to push buttons? Well, if Obama acts on the suggestion that he hide the nuclear codes in a book of science, (or any book of facts, really), Trump will never find them. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/129 "2017-01-09T03:40:00Z")
Today I spoke to an extremely intelligent and sophisticated Trump voter. He did not in any way defend Trump’s personal qualifications - he essentially agreed with me about Trump’s emotional immaturity, political ignorance etc. etc. etc. (and added that he thought Trump was not too bright in general, even about matters that he had experience with e.g. real estate and other business ventures). However, he believed that things needed to be shaken up. He felt that there had developed a conventional way of doing things, accepted by all in power, and this prevented anything positive from being accomplished no matter what politicians promised or intended, because “that’s not the way things work”. He felt a complete outsider - and more than that, a complete outsider who was so obnoxious, clueless and arrogant that he wouldn’t feel the need to buy into the system and convention once he won the election - was a positive that would outweigh the many personal failings of Trump. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/130 "2017-01-09T04:05:37Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > **Today I spoke to an extremely intelligent and sophisticated Trump voter.** He did not in any way defend Trump’s personal qualifications - he essentially agreed with me about Trump’s emotional immaturity, political ignorance etc. etc. etc. (and added that he thought Trump was not too bright in general, even about matters that he had experience with e.g. real estate and other business ventures). > > However, he believed that things needed to be shaken up. He felt that there had developed a conventional way of doing things, accepted by all in power, and this prevented anything positive from being accomplished no matter what politicians promised or intended, because “that’s not the way things work”. He felt a complete outsider - and more than that, a complete outsider who was so obnoxious, clueless and arrogant that he wouldn’t feel the need to buy into the system and convention once he won the election - was a positive that would outweigh the many personal failings of Trump. I recognize the individual words but the order they’re in confuses me. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/131 "2017-01-09T09:44:52Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Today I spoke to an extremely intelligent and sophisticated Trump voter. He did not in any way defend Trump’s personal qualifications - he essentially agreed with me about Trump’s emotional immaturity, political ignorance etc. etc. etc. (and added that he thought Trump was not too bright in general, even about matters that he had experience with e.g. real estate and other business ventures). > > However, he believed that things needed to be shaken up. He felt that there had developed a conventional way of doing things, accepted by all in power, and this prevented anything positive from being accomplished no matter what politicians promised or intended, because “that’s not the way things work”. He felt a complete outsider - and more than that, a complete outsider who was so obnoxious, clueless and arrogant that he wouldn’t feel the need to buy into the system and convention once he won the election - was a positive that would outweigh the many personal failings of Trump. I had a similar feeling in 2000, when the vote in Florida was so close that no one knew who won. I thought “finally, here’s an issue that no one saw coming. There was no advance warning for the two camps to draw the battle lines, prepare their talking points, and dig in so they couldn’t be moved. After all”, I thought “there can’t be Democrat and Republican ways of counting votes, can there?” Let’s just say I was disappointed with how it played out. So yes, I can understand the desire to shake up the system. However… …if Trump is trying to do it, I seriously wonder if it’s worth all the damage he could cause. Let’s not make the cure worse than the disease. …is the establishment so entrenched that not even this short-fingered vulgarian can move it? …Trump seems determined to keep the worst parts of the system that everyone seems to hate. The conventional way of doing things (or of preventing things from being done) is why we have 7 investigations into Benghazi. So, tell me how getting crowds to chant “lock her up” at rallies is supposed to fix this. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/132 "2017-01-09T13:23:54Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Today I spoke to an extremely intelligent and sophisticated Trump voter. He did not in any way defend Trump’s personal qualifications - he essentially agreed with me about Trump’s emotional immaturity, political ignorance etc. etc. etc. (and added that he thought Trump was not too bright in general, even about matters that he had experience with e.g. real estate and other business ventures). > > However, he believed that things needed to be shaken up. He felt that there had developed a conventional way of doing things, accepted by all in power, and this prevented anything positive from being accomplished no matter what politicians promised or intended, because “that’s not the way things work”. He felt a complete outsider - and more than that, a complete outsider who was so obnoxious, clueless and arrogant that he wouldn’t feel the need to buy into the system and convention once he won the election - was a positive that would outweigh the many personal failings of Trump. This person may be intelligent and sophisticated, but the reasoning he gave you is the opposite, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/133 "2017-01-09T13:28:50Z")
In 1517, 1618, 1789, 1848, 1914, even 1932 it may have been understandable, even correct, to “shake things up” w/o concerns to the consequences (which were usually horrific). In a world with nuclear and biological weapons, it is the act of a petulant 5yo breaking his _and_ his sister’s toys because he didn’t like his dinner. But this time with radioactive fallout. There is nothing “intelligent” or “sophisticated” about a Trump vote. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/134 "2017-01-09T13:32:51Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Today I spoke to an extremely intelligent and sophisticated Trump voter. He did not in any way defend Trump’s personal qualifications - he essentially agreed with me about Trump’s emotional immaturity, political ignorance etc. etc. etc. (and added that he thought Trump was not too bright in general, even about matters that he had experience with e.g. real estate and other business ventures). > > However, he believed that things needed to be shaken up. He felt that there had developed a conventional way of doing things, accepted by all in power, and this prevented anything positive from being accomplished no matter what politicians promised or intended, because “that’s not the way things work”. He felt a complete outsider - and more than that, a complete outsider who was so obnoxious, clueless and arrogant that he wouldn’t feel the need to buy into the system and convention once he won the election - was a positive that would outweigh the many personal failings of Trump. Do you agree with his line of reasoning? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/135 "2017-01-09T17:41:31Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Do you agree with his line of reasoning? I have yet to find anyone who claimed to buy into that line of reasoning on it’s own to be telling the whole story-they usually buy into at least _some_ of the general philosophy of the person they are supporting, but because that philosophy is not popular in the circles they might run in, they fall back on the “I’m just voting that way to shake things up _generally_” excuse. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/136 "2017-01-09T17:51:32Z")
That’s not what it is. There’s more than one aspect of a candidate that goes into the equation. The “shake things up” aspect is primarily about the impact of Trump’s personal qualifications. But if you’re opposed to Trump ideologically, then that could tip the scale in the other direction regardless of whether you think having things shaken up by a bozo is a net positive. And the opposite is true if you think you’re on the same side ideologically. It doesn’t mean anyone is faking anything. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/137 "2017-01-09T17:54:12Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > …But if you’re opposed to Trump ideologically… I might be, does he _have_ an ideology? ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/138 "2017-01-09T17:57:24Z")
Well his main core belief seems to be that Trump is Great and will save America and possibly the whole world from the troubles wrought by lesser Losers. That said, he seems to have at least adopted a political ideology for purposes of his campaign. And it seems pretty clear that both liberals and conservatives have the sense that he will attempt to govern from the right side, for the most part. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/139 "2017-01-09T18:52:56Z")
Future comment from Trump voter: " I just wanted to vote Trump in to fuck things up. It’s not my fault that Trump fucked things up." ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307/140 "2017-01-09T18:57:03Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > That’s not what it is. > > There’s more than one aspect of a candidate that goes into the equation. The “shake things up” aspect is primarily about the impact of Trump’s personal qualifications. But if you’re opposed to Trump ideologically, then that could tip the scale in the other direction regardless of whether you think having things shaken up by a bozo is a net positive. And the opposite is true if you think you’re on the same side ideologically. > > It doesn’t mean anyone is faking anything. So no one ever prevaricates makes excuses or weasels on a political explanation? Thanks for clarifying that. I was just about to walk out the front door for the day and would not want to do that with any misapprehensions about people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-voters-explain-themselves/776307.md?page=8)