I should have been more clear. I wasn't disagreeing with you that the Democrats had some of the same problems with identity politics and lacking a clear vision for the future.
The point I was trying to make was that I'm not sure I understand how that can be responsible for Trump's win when he also had those problems. Did he just play the identity politics game better? I'm genuinely curious what you think (hence the reason I'm responding to you rather than to a couple others who came after me.) I mean, couldn't I say that Trump also is all about "demonizing anyone...that will garner votes for their power" and be right? I just don't see how you can say that identity politics is a problem only on one side of the aisle. It's a problem with the entire system, no?
My feelings is that Trump won because he captured the attention of a segment of the population that felt completely ignored by both parties. Some - certainly not all, but just as certainly a significant minority - of which actually are racist morons who think that all of their problems are the fault of black and brown people. The question that historians and political scientists will be studying and writing on for many years is exactly how he managed to do that.
Joe, thank you for your reply. I read it before church Sunday morning but haven't been able to reply until tonight. Apologies if I don't articulate my points of view as well as I'd like.
When you said, "(Trump) won by playing identity politics and by demonizing everyone other than his so-called "base", it looked like you meant that was a tactic exclusive to Trump. In fact, it's been a tired, worn out tactic by the divisive left for a long, long time.
Yes, I think you're correct, "Trump won because he captured the attention of a segment of the population that felt completely ignored by both parties." To a degree, that was summarized in Greenberg's article I referenced. But, Greenberg still doesn't get it. Those people not pawns to be played. They're real human beings with genuine concerns. And they've been mocked, ridiculed, marginalized, called "white supremacists", "racists", and more.
I'm also curious who you think comprise these "racist morons" are. Is that a MSM narrative with no real meaning, or are these real people comprising a significant number?
Stated differently, are they the overwhelming majority who think we should secure our borders?
Are they the overwhelming majority who don't think we should be admitting unvetted immigrants from predominantly Muslim countries, which includes women, children, AND young men?
I don't know what racist leanings cause you to believe there are some people "who think that all of their problems are the fault of black and brown people." Where does this come from? Is this an MSM narrative? Is this something substantiated somewhere?
You also wrote, "What is going to get Trump re-elected, if he wins, is the fact that he is brilliantly playing the cultural war, and his "base" lacks the self-awareness to realize they are being played."
I'm not sure what "cultural war" he's playing, and also curious how his 'base' is being 'played.'
For sure, he's tapped into a large segment of the population tired of politicians promising they're going to secure the country, secure her (our) borders. After all, a country without borders isn't a country at all.
He's tapped into a large segment of the population that realizes they've been played by the career politicians who have promised middle class growth, they've promised growth of manufacturing jobs, but then say such incendiary things as promising to bankrupt coal companies and the like.
Truth be told, whether he means it or not Trump tapped into the mother lode. He seems to realize the entire country has been taken over by people who are interested in nothing more than controlling the populace, and finding ways to line their pockets.
Whether he means to 'drain the swamp' or not, that's resonating with people. Not the bullsh*t 'white supremacy' meme being advanced by the never Trump-ers.