How to Anti-Trump for the Holidays
Some tips on how do deal with those pesky MAGA relations back home.
Many of you are headed home for the holidays, and unfortunately, you may be bracing yourselves for one or more exasperatingly Trumpy relatives.
So as a bit of a fun piece, and as a break from my normally more serious writing, I’m sending you home with some anti-MAGA talking points.
In considering and practicing these, remember that every MAGA accusation is a confession! So when someone cites the former guy in a positive way, thank them for proving your point and, hopefully, they will just stop talking.
What do I mean by this? Perhaps it’s best to learn by way of example. So here are some topic areas and possible conversation-enders to keep the holidays MAGA free.
The Colorado Supreme Court decision
The big decision out of Colorado is in the news a lot, and while most Americans approve of the decision, MAGA is fuming mad, so it may well come up. Be ready! For example, if they say,
“It’s un-American for the courts to decide who gets to be president!”
You can answer,
“Thank you! What was Trump thinking, filing over 60 court cases to overturn the 2020 election? And he lost all but one of them! Wow.”
See how that works? Let’s try another! When they say,
“We should let the American voters decide, not some deep state star chamber!”
You can respond,
“Totally. Trump never should have conspired to have Mike Pence overturn the will of U.S. voters. So illegal!”
In fact, this is a great opportunity to bring up a tired MAGA talking point and turn it right around. When they say, rather ignorantly,
“We don’t live in a democracy; we live in a Constitutional Republic!”
You can now say,
“You’re right about the Constitutional Republic. Our courts need to honor the letter of the Fourteenth Amendment, just as much as they do the Second!”
The Trump prosecutions
Ever since the “Russia Russia Russia” investigation, Trump has played the victim, and he’s trained his followers to see him that way. Poor Donald, always under investigation by law enforcement. And all in the quest to ruin him politically, right? So if they say,
“White House-led prosecutions are nothing but political witch hunts. It will destroy our democracy!”
You come back with,
“Thank you. Trump has been so open about wanting ‘retribution’ against his political enemies! Scary!”
Another MAGA talking point, gleaned from Donald’s many ALL CAPS “Truth Social” posts and rambling campaign speeches, concerns the timing of the prosecutions. When the MAGA folks complain,
“Jack Smith took so long to bring charges. Now it’s all about interfering with Trump’s campaign!
You can answer with,
“I agree we should settle this as quickly as possible! Trump needs to try to win his case long before the election! C’mon March 4th trial date!”
The economy
Trump’s base loves to believe the economy is in a tailspin, when that’s objectively untrue. When gas prices were high a year ago, they blamed Biden. Now that they’re much lower… they just insist they’re still high.
“It cost me $80 to fill a tank of gas!”
“Wow. Just think how much more Trump gear you could have bought with that!”
But seriously, they do love to insist that things were so much better before. When they say,
“The economy was so good under Trump!”
You can answer,
“Yes! We should always celebrate low inflation, strong and consistent growth, a record high stock market, historically low unemployment, and rising real wages!”
The MAGA folks might not get that you’re talking about today, but everyone else in the room will smile, I promise.
The gross stuff
It’s been scary to hear Trump talk about being Dictator on Day One. But when asked whether they’d actually like this to happen, MAGA folks respond enthusiastically.
“I’m all in favor of him being Day One Dictator. As long as he can drill, baby, drill! Climate change is a hoax!”
You’re up:
“So you must really love how the U.S. just set a new record for domestic oil production. Personally, it bothers me, but I’m one of those lefty liberals.”
Lately, Trump has begun using actual Hitler-speak at his rallies and on “Truth Social.” There has finally been pushback from the media, and even Trump grew defensive. Still, MAGA will come to his defense.
“He said he never read Mein Kampf!”
“Right? It’s amazing how much he knows about Hitler, having never read his autobiography.”
And if they actually parrot him saying,
“Immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country!”
You can coolly answer,
“And wow, just look at Trump’s sons. Clearly badly poisoned by their immigrant mother. Sad!”
Hope this helps!
Stay safe, and stay sane, during these Holidays.
Jay
“It cost me $80 to fill a tank of gas!” Your answer: "Might be a good time to trade that beast in for an EV." That would be sure to make the MAGAts see red.
I asked Bard, Google's AI, to provide me with a brief discussion of the errors involved in claiming that the US is a "Constitutional Republic not a Democracy." The answer is not all that brief, but very useful.
"The statement "The United States is a republic, not a democracy" is a simplification and often misconstrued. Here's why:
1. Misinterpreting "democracy":
The statement often conflates "democracy" with "direct democracy," where citizens vote directly on every issue. This type of democracy is impractical for large, modern nations.
However, "democracy" can also encompass representative democracy, where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. This is the system employed by the US, making it a democratic republic.
2. Oversimplifying "republic":
A republic focuses on the distribution of power, ensuring it doesn't reside solely with the majority. This protects individual rights and liberties from the "tyranny of the majority."
However, this protection doesn't negate the democratic elements of the US system. Elected officials are ultimately accountable to the people and derive their legitimacy from popular consent.
3. Intertwined concepts:
In reality, the US system is a blend of both republic and democracy. The Constitution establishes a framework for representative government (democracy) with checks and balances (republic) to safeguard individual rights.
Both elements are crucial for the functioning of the US government.
Therefore, the statement is misleading because:
It misinterprets "democracy" as solely direct democracy.
It oversimplifies "republic" by ignoring the democratic elements.
It fails to acknowledge the intertwined nature of both concepts in the US system.
A more accurate description of the US government would be a "democratic republic," reflecting its blend of representative democracy and safeguards for individual rights."
https://g.co/bard/share/3121372c7add