# Trump will be re-elected -- "Americans are a stupid people. We believe whatever we're told." **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 21, 2019, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844 "2019-04-21T09:50:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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:** [April 22, 2019, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/61 "2019-04-22T18:45:16Z")
> **[The Political Case for Impeachment](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/04/political-case-for-impeachment-after-mueller-report.html)** > > Politics isn’t as static as its leaders sometimes think. Here is a great article on why to impeach now. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/62 "2019-04-22T18:53:16Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Here’s my prediction. 62,984,828 people voted for Trump in 2016. That number will be virtually the same, and in virtually the same geographic distribution, in 2020. Because perhaps no President in history running for reelection has done less to draw more voters toward him without also driving his supporters away. > > If the Democrats want to win, they need to find roughly 50,000 more voters in Pennsylvania, 23,000 in Wisconsin, and 12,000 in Michigan, without\* losing\* roughly 45,000 voters in Minnesota, 27,000 in Nevada, and 3,000 in New Hampshire. > > Anyone who thinks they can predict that right now is a damn fool. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > And make sure they are 1) allowed to register, 2) allowed to vote, and that 3) their votes are counted. The Republicans at the state and federal levels are working overtime to place obstacles in the way of all of those. Here’s something I can see happening: If whoever is the Democratic nominee wins the popular vote, then, when the Electoral Votes are counted, there will be a challenge from, say, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, backed by, say, Senator Kamala Harris, for any of Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin that vote for Trump, claiming “irregularities” in that state’s election and that the Democrat should receive that state’s electoral votes; assuming the House is still in Democratic control after the 2020 election (since the electoral vote count takes place after the new Congress starts its term) while the Senate is still Republican-controlled, the House will vote for the Democrat, and the Senate for Trump, which means the decision is left up to “the executive of the state,” and in all four of those states, the Democrats are in control. Any complaints that the election was “rigged” will be answered, “We would claim (the Democrat) was elected every bit as legitimately as Trump was, but that’s not quite true; we have the additional legitimacy of a plurality of the people.” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/63 "2019-04-22T19:28:23Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I quoted what I see as the relevant bit. Out of idle curiosity: How would you describe the left-wing reaction to Biden calling Vice President Pence a “decent guy”? Once of the differences in Trump and Biden is that Biden is polite. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/64 "2019-04-22T19:45:07Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > To be fair, [neither do the Dems](https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/28/politics/joe-biden-mike-pence-decent-guy-criticize-respond/index.html). Just two things briefly. 1. The article you cited states that “actress and activist Cynthia Nixon” chastised Biden over the “decent guy” comment because he was “America’s most anti-LGBT elected leader”. I skimmed it fairly quickly but, I think, thoroughly, and I failed to see anything either in that single comment from Cynthia Nixon or anywhere else in that article that would support your contention that Dems as a group are against anyone “who talks about admiring an opponent’s accomplishments and being respectful”, let alone your preposterous comment that Dems are “throwing a tantrum” over it. 2. **Bone** did an excellent job in post #51 dissecting your disingenuous false equivalence on this. > [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Once of the differences in Trump and Biden is that Biden is polite. The _New York Times_ once tried keeping a list of all the people Trump had insulted. I think it was up to about 500 before they apparently gave up, because the list of people he’s insulted now amounts to “pretty much everyone”. Now they’re just tracking his lies, currently in the 6,000 range since inauguration, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/65 "2019-04-22T20:43:16Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Just two things briefly. > > 1. The article you cited states that “actress and activist Cynthia Nixon” chastised Biden over the “decent guy” comment because he was “America’s most anti-LGBT elected leader”. I skimmed it fairly quickly but, I think, thoroughly, and I failed to see anything either in that single comment from Cynthia Nixon or anywhere else in that article that would support your contention that Dems as a group are against anyone “who talks about admiring an opponent’s accomplishments and being respectful”, let alone your preposterous comment that Dems are “throwing a tantrum” over it. … The article I cited also states that Biden’s comment “frustrated some on the left”. Did you read that part? It was in the opening paragraph. If you’re doubting if there are other examples, aside from Cynthia Nixon, of Dems that took issue with Biden’s comment, you could start with Czarcasm’s post #44. He recognized that “some were against it, some thought it was unfortunate, some thought it was despicable”. If there’s still some doubt in your mind, you could read [this article](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-walks-back-decent-guy-praise-of-vp-pence-after-sex-and-the-city-star-cynthia-nixon-others-object), which contains a few more tweets from left-leaning people taking issue with Biden’s characterization of Vice President Pence as a “decent guy”. And if that hasn’t yet convinced you, you could try reading [this article](https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/03/joe-biden-calls-mike-pence-decent-guy-gets-duplassed/) which contains an experience Ben Shapiro had with an acquaintance who said nice things about him on Twitter. If you’re still unconvinced, I’ll refer to the words of Biden himself: > [@](#): > > [“I get in trouble,” Biden said at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C. “I read in the New York Times today that one of my problems is if I were ever to run for president is I like Republicans. OK, well bless me, Father, for I have sinned,” he said as he made the sign of the cross.](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/biden-on-liking-republicans-bless-me-father-for-i-have-sinned) Who do you think he gets “in trouble” _with_? Do you think he, or the NYT, is concerned that Republicans generally won’t like him if he is polite / nice / respectful / likes Republicans? Will they have a “problem” with it? Or is it Dems that he will be “in trouble” with & will have a “problem” with his reaching across the aisle for a kind word or a bit of decency? The answer should be obvious. ---
**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:** [April 22, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/66 "2019-04-22T20:54:55Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > If you’re doubting if there are other examples, aside from Cynthia Nixon, of Dems that took issue with Biden’s comment, you could start with Czarcasm’s post #44. He recognized that “some were against it, some thought it was unfortunate, some thought it was despicable”. Talk about creative cutting and pasting to make it look like we are on the same page! :rolleyes: Here is what I actually said: > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Some were for it, some were against it, some thought it was unfortunate, some thought it was despicable, some thought it didn’t matter compared to what is going on currently, some thought it doesn’t matter because they aren’t voting for him any way etc. etc. etc. > And some(or at least I) wonder why you give a fuck about this, other than as yet another diversion from current events. Here is another friendly suggestion-stick to direct quotations, and these little “accidents” won’t happen so often. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/67 "2019-04-22T20:59:15Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Talk about creative cutting and pasting to make it look like we are on the same page! :rolleyes: > Here is what I actually said: > Here is another friendly suggestion-stick to direct quotations, and these little “accidents” won’t happen so often. Did I misquote something? I gave a post # so anyone interested could go back and find precisely the post I was referring to. I thought the repeated use of “some” made it obvious we haven’t been talking about _ALL_ Democrats. The ones that “were for it” or who thought it didn’t / doesn’t matter aren’t really the issue here, just like the Republicans that were not perturbed by McCain’s being nice to Obama were not really the issue in Kimstu’s post. ETA: I think we’re on the same page on a few things. One of those is: some Democrats were upset by Biden’s compliment to Vice President Pence. Do you disagree? ---
**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:** [April 22, 2019, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/68 "2019-04-22T21:08:26Z")
I just posted to correct you. If you have nothing to say on the subject of this thread then I guess I’m done talking with you…unless you misquote me again, of course. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/69 "2019-04-22T21:17:14Z")
Correct what? You said “misquote”. What did I misquote? And have I got the essence of your position wrong? I thought you basically agreed that some Democrats were upset by Biden’s compliment to Vice President Pence. Did I misunderstand you? ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/70 "2019-04-22T21:44:49Z")
Who cares what point he thinks he’s making, another thread is being completely derailed. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/71 "2019-04-22T21:49:48Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > The article I cited also states that Biden’s comment “frustrated some on the left”. Did you read that part? It was in the opening paragraph. If you’re doubting if there are other examples, aside from Cynthia Nixon, of Dems that took issue with Biden’s comment, you could start with Czarcasm’s post #44. He recognized that “some were against it, some thought it was unfortunate, some thought it was despicable”. It strikes me that the “new” Democrats are just as rabid and blood thirsty as Republicans. Biden is perhaps now “old school”, an era where politicians could politely disagree. ---
**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:** [April 23, 2019, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/72 "2019-04-23T01:41:54Z")
Trump’s own lawyer has said that it is perfectly fine and good if Republicans work closely with Russians to gain access to stolen and hacked information, as long as that cooperation with a hostile foreign power is done in order to secure a Republican win. And Republican house leaders and Republican senators agree with this. This is what you have come down to; It’s now OK to work openly with hostile foreign governments. I wonder how low the bar can be lowered now. OK for Republicans to assassinate thier opponents, as long as they pay someone else to do it, and are not caught? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/73 "2019-04-23T01:43:21Z")
OK to fuck their daughters? ETA: Ok, only if they’re a fine piece of ass, amirite? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/74 "2019-04-23T01:51:24Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > It strikes me that the “new” Democrats are just as rabid and blood thirsty as Republicans. Biden is perhaps now “old school”, an era where politicians could politely disagree. I think you’re right. I’d also add that there’s a strain of similarly “old school” Republicans too that were more than happy to disagree politely. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/75 "2019-04-23T02:06:02Z")
Interesting take. The upside of re-electing thump. **There’s a Bigger Prize Than Impeachment _Keeping Trump in office will destroy the Republican Party_.** > **[Opinion | There’s a Bigger Prize Than Impeachment (Published 2019)](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/22/opinion/theres-a-bigger-prize-than-impeachment.html)** > > Keeping Trump in office will destroy the Republican Party. > [@](#): > > … > For Democrats, leaving Donald Trump in office is not only good politics — it is the best chance for fundamental realignment of American politics in more than a generation. Mr. Trump is three years into destroying what we know as the Republican Party. Another two years just might finish it off. Trumpism has become Republicanism, and that spells electoral doom for the party. > … ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/76 "2019-04-23T12:26:56Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Interesting take. The upside of re-electing thump. > > **There’s a Bigger Prize Than Impeachment > _Keeping Trump in office will destroy the Republican Party_.** > [https://nyti.ms/2W0iAtJ](https://nyti.ms/2W0iAtJ) Marginalizing the GOP would be a good thing for the nation but the price for doing so might be just too high. With the fairly rapid demographical changes occurring, the same thing might be accomplished by beating him in '20 and keeping the youth vote engaged. ---
**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:** [April 23, 2019, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/77 "2019-04-23T12:47:26Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Interesting take. The upside of re-electing thump. > > **There’s a Bigger Prize Than Impeachment > _Keeping Trump in office will destroy the Republican Party_.** > [https://nyti.ms/2W0iAtJ](https://nyti.ms/2W0iAtJ) Political win-maybe. Ethical loss-definitely. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/78 "2019-04-23T14:21:51Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > America has one political party which pushes the truth And exactly which party would that be? Sorry, but neither major party in America is pushing the truth. Trump lies as naturally as breathing but Democrats do themselves a great disservice by jumping on anything and everything. Remember Kavanaugh? Democratic Dopers were freely calling him a rapist when it was manifestly a political put-up job. Trump a Russian agent? Give over. It’s like the boy crying wolf: the people know to ignore it. The old Democrats have thoroughly discredited themselves and thus have squandered their gains; perhaps that’s one reason why newcomers like Buttigieg and Cortez are doing so well? Of course, I’ve money on Buttigieg, so I’m biased. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/79 "2019-04-23T18:04:41Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > “Americans are a stupid people by and large. We pretty much believe whatever we’re told.” And yet surprisingly you never see anyone so stupid that they don’t resent being told how stupid they are. See “deplorables”. ---
**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:** [April 23, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844/80 "2019-04-23T18:29:45Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > And yet surprisingly you never see anyone so stupid that they don’t resent being told how stupid they are. See “deplorables”. But they are certainly stupid enough to believe exaggerated retellings over the original words said in context. See “deplorables”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-will-be-re-elected-americans-are-a-stupid-people-we-believe-whatever-were-told/832844.md?page=5)