HBR: how to build an exit ramp for Trump supporters

[zoogs]

https://hbr.org/2016/10/how-to-build-an-exit-ramp-for-trump-supporters

When Americans wake up on November 9, we will need to reexamine how we can work with and live with each other. We will have to re-learn how to respect and listen to one another. It’s never easy after a national election, but it has also never been more difficult. There is one simple reason for this. While presidential candidates of both parties, throughout American history, have often relied on fear and anger to boost their electoral odds, Trump is the first major party candidate to have relied so intensely on hate.

I think there's some really important writing here. I always like to say build a bridge to those on the other side of the fence in a debate. When positions are so far apart, it's not always easy to do. But it's important to remember the value, or lack thereof, in simple denouncement.

 

[TonyStalloni]

With the great divide between people on both sides, I'm not sure there will be a quick repair in relations. Both sides will nitpick the decisions of the politician that wins. My fear is the extreme event it may take to unite us again.

 

[zoogs]

Indeed, Tony -- such "unifying" events may well be both tragic, and result in troubling (if unified) responses.

 

[Danny Bateman]

The peaceful transition of power is a fundamental tenant of American governance. With all this talk of corruption and rigging, Trump is rattling a saber at that tenant. In a time when we're already polarized enough, he's doing nothing but exacerbating this problem with all of his unfounded accusations. I empathize with some Trump supporters, because they're just people who feel let down or unrepresented in our society today. I don't understand why they Trust him of all people to look out for them. He talks a good game, but when you examine his plans and ideas, they'd do nothing but break the back of the American working class even further.

I do shudder to think where we'll be at the day after this is all over, though. I fear his rhetoric will prevent this from ending civilly.

 

[JJ Husker]

dudeguyy, I don't think it will be all that hard to repair and heal after Trump loses. You've got to remember that many of the Trump supporters do not have another option. Hillary simply represents way too much of what has them disillusioned in the first place. I understand it all too well as I could never vote for Hillary. Luckily, I could never vote for Trump either but there has to be a whole bunch of people who feel it has to be one or the other. The situation we are in is as much to blame on the way our two party system has evolved to work as it is about anything either of these cadidates really represents. I refuse to believe that there are that many people that Trump appeals to. But, it easy to see how many feel they have no other viable option.

It may take 4 years of ugliness and another brutally painful election cycle but if we can get just one candidate that is not as polarizing as Trump or Clinton, I think we will be able to return to a fairly normal situation and back a whole bunch of people off the ledge.

 

[Mierin]

dudeguyy, I don't think it will be all that hard to repair and heal after Trump loses. You've got to remember that many of the Trump supporters do not have another option. Hillary simply represents way too much of what has them disillusioned in the first place. I understand it all too well as I could never vote for Hillary. Luckily, I could never vote for Trump either but there has to be a whole bunch of people who feel it has to be one or the other. The situation we are in is as much to blame on the way our two party system has evolved to work as it is about anything either of these cadidates really represents. I refuse to believe that there are that many people that Trump appeals to. But, it easy to see how many feel they have no other viable option.

It may take 4 years of ugliness and another brutally painful election cycle but if we can get just one candidate that is not as polarizing as Trump or Clinton, I think we will be able to return to a fairly normal situation and back a whole bunch of people off the ledge.

I see Trump supporters and Trump voters as a different demographic. Obviously all of the Trump supporters are Trump voters, but not all of the Trump voters are Trump supporters. What you're talking about in this post is the voters.

 

[JJ Husker]

dudeguyy, I don't think it will be all that hard to repair and heal after Trump loses. You've got to remember that many of the Trump supporters do not have another option. Hillary simply represents way too much of what has them disillusioned in the first place. I understand it all too well as I could never vote for Hillary. Luckily, I could never vote for Trump either but there has to be a whole bunch of people who feel it has to be one or the other. The situation we are in is as much to blame on the way our two party system has evolved to work as it is about anything either of these cadidates really represents. I refuse to believe that there are that many people that Trump appeals to. But, it easy to see how many feel they have no other viable option.

It may take 4 years of ugliness and another brutally painful election cycle but if we can get just one candidate that is not as polarizing as Trump or Clinton, I think we will be able to return to a fairly normal situation and back a whole bunch of people off the ledge.

I see Trump supporters and Trump voters as a different demographic. Obviously all of the Trump supporters are Trump voters, but not all of the Trump voters are Trump supporters. What you're talking about in this post is the voters.

Yes, I see what you are saying. But, I also feel quite few of the Trump supporters got where they are by having no other option. I think some may simply be voters who have ended up being supporters because "that's what you do" with the candidate you plan to vote for. Of course some of this is just me trying to rationalize how apparently so many could support what Trump stands for. I'm sure there are way more than I would like who really think he is some kind of answer. But that thought scares me so I try to come up with other reasons.

 

[zoogs]

I must flatly disagree that Trump voters/supporters do not have another option. There is plainly another option; they can use their vote (or abstention! Low turnout is a good result against Trump, too) to help elect Hillary Clinton.

It's the definition of another option.

To say there is "no other option" would be to say the two literal options* are the same. (*in Utah, arguably you can vote for McMullin and hope for 269-269 with the election being thrown to the House). That I cannot even begin to agree with. Hillary may be a typically problematic politician, but it's not in the same supercluster as Trump.

 

[JJ Husker]

I must flatly disagree that Trump voters/supporters do not have another option. There is plainly another option; they can use their vote (or abstention! Low turnout is a good result against Trump, too) to help elect Hillary Clinton.It's the definition of another option.To say there is "no other option" would be to say the two literal options* are the same. (*in Utah, arguably you can vote for McMullin and hope for 269-269 with the election being thrown to the House). That I cannot even begin to agree with. Hillary may be a typically problematic politician, but it's not in the same supercluster as Trump.

Sorry zoogs but you are failing to look at this in the same way many others happen to see it.
Hillary simply is not an option for many. Not only that, she stands for what many detest and most want to defeat. Liberal, progressive, lying, cheating, status quo, extension of the last 8 years, career politician that games the system and takes advantage of the common folk to bebefit herself, just to touch on the obvious items. Clinton simply isn't an option for many and, in fact, is what they feel must be defeated at all costs. And I think some of that cost is going outside a person's comfort zone to vote for somebody that spews hate, racism, misogyny, even to the point of supporting someone who has proposed nothing of substance. That is how bad many want to see what HRC stands for defeated. I know, I am very close to being in that demographic. But I simply cannot vote for or support a person like Trump. It is just too repulsive for me and trips way too many of my values.

As for the other options....those aren't really options. I thought Johnson was my out but the more I learn about him the more I realize what a flake and idiot he is. Stein? Much more of the same with even worse policy. Abstaining? That's the chickensh#t way out. I understand all too well that many many voters feel there is no alternative because there isn't one.

Right now, if I had to vote today, I've got it narrowed down to two choices; write in "they all suck" and check that box or go ahead and vote for the clueless idiot Johnson and hope that wasted vote sends some kind of message to the R's and D's. Don't let your political leanings cause you to think that there are really options for all voters. There are no options for many once you accept that HRC is not an option.

As detestable as it may seem, many view Hillary as a worse choice than Trump. It's a fact that people need to recognize.

 

[TGHusker]

The peaceful transition of power is a fundamental tenant of American governance. With all this talk of corruption and rigging, Trump is rattling a saber at that tenant. In a time when we're already polarized enough, he's doing nothing but exacerbating this problem with all of his unfounded accusations. I empathize with some Trump supporters, because they're just people who feel let down or unrepresented in our society today. I don't understand why they Trust him of all people to look out for them. He talks a good game, but when you examine his plans and ideas, they'd do nothing but break the back of the American working class even further.

I do shudder to think where we'll be at the day after this is all over, though. I fear his rhetoric will prevent this from ending civilly.

I think when you look historically at riots or demonstrations or marches in the USA it has been by liberal leaning groups supporting liberal leaning causes. When was the last time you heard of conservatives rioting, holding massive demonstrations to shut down businesses or govt services? True conservatives are generally law respecting, institution respecting (voting) people who try to work within the system to make change. So, if Trump were elected, I think there would be riots by liberal leaning groups against the election results and not visa versa. With that said, Trump, being who he is, may have some followers who will do some 'deplorable' things after the election. But I think a large part of his support see him as the only alternative to Hillary and are forced to be a part of a losing effort by 'default'. They will console themselves that their support for Trump was soft and that the result wasn't a surprise. The longer period prior to the election that it appears Hillary has it locked up, the less angry the Trump voters will be afterwards and the less Trump can do to stir up strife. Because Hillary, herself, is such a bad candidate, the longer we have to live wt this drama.

 

[TGHusker]

I must flatly disagree that Trump voters/supporters do not have another option. There is plainly another option; they can use their vote (or abstention! Low turnout is a good result against Trump, too) to help elect Hillary Clinton.It's the definition of another option.To say there is "no other option" would be to say the two literal options* are the same. (*in Utah, arguably you can vote for McMullin and hope for 269-269 with the election being thrown to the House). That I cannot even begin to agree with. Hillary may be a typically problematic politician, but it's not in the same supercluster as Trump.

Sorry zoogs but you are failing to look at this in the same way many others happen to see it.
Hillary simply is not an option for many. Not only that, she stands for what many detest and most want to defeat. Liberal, progressive, lying, cheating, status quo, extension of the last 8 years, career politician that games the system and takes advantage of the common folk to bebefit herself, just to touch on the obvious items. Clinton simply isn't an option for many and, in fact, is what they feel must be defeated at all costs. And I think some of that cost is going outside a person's comfort zone to vote for somebody that spews hate, racism, misogyny, even to the point of supporting someone who has proposed nothing of substance. That is how bad many want to see what HRC stands for defeated. I know, I am very close to being in that demographic. But I simply cannot vote for or support a person like Trump. It is just too repulsive for me and trips way too many of my values.

As for the other options....those aren't really options. I thought Johnson was my out but the more I learn about him the more I realize what a flake and idiot he is. Stein? Much more of the same with even worse policy. Abstaining? That's the chickensh#t way out. I understand all too well that many many voters feel there is no alternative because there isn't one.

Right now, if I had to vote today, I've got it narrowed down to two choices; write in "they all suck" and check that box or go ahead and vote for the clueless idiot Johnson and hope that wasted vote sends some kind of message to the R's and D's. Don't let your political leanings cause you to think that there are really options for all voters. There are no options for many once you accept that HRC is not an option.

As detestable as it may seem, many view Hillary as a worse choice than Trump. It's a fact that people need to recognize.

Good post - good way of explaining the Trump voters.

 

[Count 'Bility]

When this election is over, things will go back to "normal" as they always do after every election. Nothing will change, the status quo will remain, regardless of it's bad or good or steady eddy. People will forget about it within days. Literally days. Cuz that's what society do. Hammer on somethin for a bit, then move on to the next supposed issue. The world will not end either way. So I dont see this "division" being a problem. Society will not remain divided on this. Cuz within a few hours, theyll become divided on something else. Then something else a few hours after that.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

I must flatly disagree that Trump voters/supporters do not have another option. There is plainly another option; they can use their vote (or abstention! Low turnout is a good result against Trump, too) to help elect Hillary Clinton.It's the definition of another option.To say there is "no other option" would be to say the two literal options* are the same. (*in Utah, arguably you can vote for McMullin and hope for 269-269 with the election being thrown to the House). That I cannot even begin to agree with. Hillary may be a typically problematic politician, but it's not in the same supercluster as Trump.

Sorry zoogs but you are failing to look at this in the same way many others happen to see it.
Hillary simply is not an option for many. Not only that, she stands for what many detest and most want to defeat. Liberal, progressive, lying, cheating, status quo, extension of the last 8 years, career politician that games the system and takes advantage of the common folk to bebefit herself, just to touch on the obvious items. Clinton simply isn't an option for many and, in fact, is what they feel must be defeated at all costs. And I think some of that cost is going outside a person's comfort zone to vote for somebody that spews hate, racism, misogyny, even to the point of supporting someone who has proposed nothing of substance. That is how bad many want to see what HRC stands for defeated. I know, I am very close to being in that demographic. But I simply cannot vote for or support a person like Trump. It is just too repulsive for me and trips way too many of my values.

As for the other options....those aren't really options. I thought Johnson was my out but the more I learn about him the more I realize what a flake and idiot he is. Stein? Much more of the same with even worse policy. Abstaining? That's the chickensh#t way out. I understand all too well that many many voters feel there is no alternative because there isn't one.

Right now, if I had to vote today, I've got it narrowed down to two choices; write in "they all suck" and check that box or go ahead and vote for the clueless idiot Johnson and hope that wasted vote sends some kind of message to the R's and D's. Don't let your political leanings cause you to think that there are really options for all voters. There are no options for many once you accept that HRC is not an option.

As detestable as it may seem, many view Hillary as a worse choice than Trump. It's a fact that people need to recognize.

It's also a fact that a lot of opinions aren't based on fact, but on exaggerated fears and disinformation manipulated for political purposes.

I can recognize that many view Hillary as a worse choice than Trump. Who'd argue with that? But please respect my fervent and patriotic desire to keep that man out of office.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

When this election is over, things will go back to "normal" as they always do after every election. Nothing will change, the status quo will remain, regardless of it's bad or good or steady eddy. People will forget about it within days. Literally days. Cuz that's what society do. Hammer on somethin for a bit, then move on to the next supposed issue. The world will not end either way. So I dont see this "division" being a problem. Society will not remain divided on this. Cuz within a few hours, theyll become divided on something else. Then something else a few hours after that.

That's pretty spot on, Bility.