Truth be told, a great majority are rather okay with Trump being president

[Kaleva]

Extreme situations illicit extreme actions.

You just don't see much or any of that in regards to Trump. Posting about Trump or attending an occasional protest doesn't qualify as extreme actions. If the nation really is being destroyed and our democracy is being over turned, then one would expect to see more of a response then angry posts and peaceful protests.

Back in the 60's, there were sections of cities burnt to the ground, riots, civil rights and anti-war protesters being murdered, government buildings and college campuses taken over, people fleeing the country to avoid the draft and the existence of radical left wing groups such as the Weather Underground and Black Panthers.

Now I'm not suggesting that people engage in violent and/or illegal activities. I am just making an observation that the actions people are taking doesn't match the rhetoric.

The lack of action leads me to draw two conclusions. Either Trump isn't a threat to our nation and to the world and he's just a bump in the road. Someone who will be dealt with by legal, peaceful, political means in due course and thus people are rather okay with him occupying the Oval Office for the time being. Or he truly is threat to humanity and this is a 1930's Germany situation where a sizeable percentage can see the danger but don't want to make waves or put their current standard of living at risk.

[Anon-C]

1. Yep. And to blazes with them! Nt

[msongs]

2. christian white racists are fine with everything trump and republican. others not so much nt

[whathehell]

54. It's not just "Christian white racists"..

Do you realize that Eight Million Obama voters voted for Trump in '16?
In addition, 33 percent of Hispanics voted for him as well as 13% of Black men....As for religions, you need only look to the White House Administration to know it's not a "Christians only" affair.

[Bradshaw3]

3. I'm going with the latter

[cilla4progress]

4. I agree

I've recently been in contact with two old friends.

One works in human services in Ohio.

One I've been in touch with recently on FB, and we both indicated disdain for trump.

NEITHER replied when I hinted at my current disdain for him. I want nothing more to do with them! It's like they've been brainwashed!!!!!

[kentuck]

5. I cannot envision a "great majority" support Donald Trump?

I have always thought our country was better than that?

[Kaleva]

10. I'm not saying a great majority support him

What I'm saying is that many are tolerant of him being in office while we work to neutralize him by legal and peaceful political means. And to have him removed from office by defeating him in in the 2020 election or earlier by legal processes.

[bdamomma]

16. The "great majority"

will not support it, but this situation with the FBI if another person steps down or is fired this will be our defining moment that our democracy has been threatened. Republicans should be rounded up for treasonous bastards that they are. Party over country plus they are so deep in this they would cut off their legs to protect themselves. If there is a higher power up there please help us.

[RKP5637]

27. At this stage it is treasonous behavior. Just how far are TPTB in the GOP going to

let this country slide off the cliff. ... of course, Trump is pushing it off a cliff and the republicans are cowards. ... or, he is dong exactly what they want, and I fear it's the latter.

[parkerMcDavis]

46. Republicans should be rounded up ?

I remember someone in history declaring the Jews needed to be rounded up, is that what you mean?
Let’s keep some perspective, don’t ya think?

[Glamrock]

6. I don't know.

The presidunce has been in office a year. How long were we in Vietnam before the dam broke? How long did it take for the civil rights movement to pick up steam? I still have faith.

[mountain grammy]

8. Exactly! It's only been a year.. we're slow to react.

I too thought of the Vietnam War.. I also still have faith.

[Glamrock]

9. Thanks for having me back Grammy!

I was born in '71,so I'm just basing my faith on history as opposed to experience.....

[mountain grammy]

12. Born in 47

I was there. Started with a few petitions in the mid 60's.. I signed my first in 65, a freshman in college. Between Civil Rights and the War, it finally got heated, but it started as a slow moving train. Your history is right on.

[Glamrock]

13. Kick ass!

I think we're headed in the same direction. It's my opinion that this sanction bullshit may be what takes the brake off said train. We'll see, but again, I gots faith in us (or U.S. if you like)

[mountain grammy]

25. Damn, I hope so.

Corporate interests seems to always win these days. I hope people are waking up. Take the brakes off before it's too late.

[OhNo-Really]

52. I think we are scared shitless

Afraid our kids and grandkids will take the heat if we are too actively opposed.

I've read Chinese 20th Century history. The sins of parents did fall on their kids.

Hell, we backed the Indonesian takeover that murdered thousands of "leftists" opposition.

Our government tortured people.

Habeus Corpus is dead, if I remember correctly.

All groups and organizations are easily infiltrated.

The deck is stacked.

So isn't the real question

What are we willing to risk?

And if we are willing to risk, what can we do?

We are like deer in the headlights. Where are the leaders?

Our only hope is through elections from dog catcher to President and natioanal strikes if DC continues to ignore the will and basic needs of the people.

[bdamomma]

29. I have faith too

we will rise.

[SharonClark]

7. "A great majority" doesn't think Trump is a good president but

they may be too lazy or uninformed or self-involved or uncertain what action they should take.

[appalachiablue]

33. Check. Tuned out, not following the 'deconstruction state'

and all that's being trammeled, rolled back and the extent of damage taking place, rapidly.

Many are busy with jobs & lives, and unaware of real news sources. It's also not true that all T. supporters are raving, ignorant, vicious bigots. Plenty in the middle and working class are also apolitical, strange as that is in these times.

Some Americans are satisfied with their current life situation, jobs, 'the stock market,' their '401 Ks', and 'he's good for business!' evidenced by segments on PBS, CNN and other MSM outlets where citizens share views on POTUS and issues.

Most of the tuned out ones we know can't be budged, and they're few. But plenty more are aware, active or learning fast.

[regnaD kciN]

11. I think it's more a case of not knowing just what to do...

We've seen hundreds of marches with millions of people in the street. But you can't keep those going 24/7/365 without energy gradually ebbing. And there is a decided, and understandable, disinclination to resort to violence unless you're pushed so far you see no alternative.

At this point, I'm not sure people see us at that stage yet. Part of it is the sense that there are still judicial and electoral solutions (the Mueller investigation and the November midterms) that can remove Trump or blunt his power. If all such hope was taken away? But that would take drastic events -- not just the closing-down of the investigation but the cancellation of November's elections -- that most people still see as "unthinkable."

Finally, just because some of the citizenry is outraged enough to move from peaceable to forceful resistance doesn't mean it is bound to succeed. I was around during the time you refer to, and all it resulted in was the strengthening and reelection of an authoritarian "law-and-order" administration. And government today has far more resources -- from surveillance to firepower -- to brutally put down any civil unrest than they had fifty years ago.

If push comes to shove, and events require direct action to preserve/restore democracy and the rule of law, any uprising will need to be of the scale and type to make it likely that the Police/National Guard/Army will side with the people rather than with Trump and refuse to fire on their own citizens. Rioting of the sort we saw in the '60s won't accomplish that...in fact, it may bring about the exact opposite.

[Kaleva]

15. Some thoughts on your comments

"Finally, just because some of the citizenry is outraged enough to move from peaceable to forceful resistance doesn't mean it is bound to succeed. I was around during the time you refer to, and all it resulted in was the strengthening and reelection of an authoritarian "law-and-order" administration. And government today has far more resources -- from surveillance to firepower -- to brutally put down any civil unrest than they had fifty years ago. "

I disagree. As a result of the civil rights and anti-war movements we scaled down our involvement in the war and finally withdrew. The draft was discontinued. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed into law. Affirmative action began. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed into law. The protests lead to great changes.

"At this point, I'm not sure people see us at that stage yet. Part of it is the sense that there are still judicial and electoral solutions (the Mueller investigation and the November midterms) that can remove Trump or blunt his power. If all such hope was taken away? But that would take drastic events -- not just the closing-down of the investigation but the cancellation of November's elections -- that most people still see as "unthinkable." "

I agree. Most of us still see peaceful and legal judicial and electoral solutions to the Trump problem. He is not such a threat as to necessitate removing him by extrajudicial and violent means.

[RKP5637]

28. The Trump regime would not hesitate to kill off as many Americans as needed if it came to that IMO!

[Demsrule86]

14. 32%? I doubt it...but what are average people to do?

Sadly the voters set out to screw Democrats, but screwed themselves and the entire country.

[UTUSN]

17. A great majority 33 1/3%?!1

[Kaleva]

18. If you aren't fighting in the streets, then you are part of the great majority

Most of us want him out but we are going to do it by legal, political means and until we accomplish our task, if that actually happens, we are okay with him sitting in the Oval Office.

[UTUSN]

19. I'm not?!1

[Kaleva]

20. Are the police looking for you?

If not, then you have not fought in the streets.

[UTUSN]

21. Uh, o.k. (Not playing the VN or Dem cards.)

[Oneironaut]

22. I'm fairly certain that, without a massive Democratic voting effort, Trump will win again in 2020.

Of those who claim to hate him, many will either find some reason to vote for him, or are enjoying the drama playing out in the White House like one would a reality TV show. They feel entertained, and will therefore vote for Trump because he's "more interesting" than any potential Democratic candidate. Trump isn't really hated - he's a beloved villain to most Americans, and they can't get enough of him! Even CNN and MSNBC love to hate him.

People simply will not remember anything bad Trump has done. The attention span of the American public is at most one week. For the bad things he does do, it's just "Trump being Trump."

Let's face it - Americans are so divorced from reality that they do not understand what it means to be free. They're ripe for being suckered into throwing their rights away to Machiavellian Fascists. When Americans think of Fascism, they imagine that it could never happen again, or have a cartoonish notion of Fascists as "arm-band wearing Nazis that go around picking on people, so I'll know a Fascist when I see one!"

It may not be Trump who does it, but someone will.

[TwistOneUp]

26. All we need...

Is either the House, the Senate, or both.

Then we can block these hateful acts.

[RKP5637]

30. Americans of today are fodder for being led like sheep and Trump knows it, and he knows how to

work the crowds. Americans have been bred to be ruled by Trump or similar in the land of Idiocracy.

[lunasun]

32. +greed supersedes all with too many in the US.......My stocks are up My 401k up so blah blah

[radius777]

55. Agree, especially w Russia/Wikileaks on his side.

The alt-right/nativists are fanatical and see Trump as their white nationalist hero, and will do anything to retain power.

The flipside is that Trump will have a record to run on, of failed promises, lack of accomplishments, corruption, etc. He won't be able to talk about draining the swamp because he is the swamp now.

The left and anti-Trump forces are far more energized than they were during 2016, because just as much as Trump's attacks on various groups riles up his base, it also drives the Dem base and the groups he's attacking to the polls, ex: Dems have won both big races (VA gov, AL senate) and may very well retake the House.

[kurtcagle]

23. I am more inclined to say that people are now in a wait and see attitude.

I think most Americans tend to believe in due process. They want to see how the investigations with Mueller turn out, they want to see how the mid-terms turn out. The economy is in fair shape (at the moment), the country is currently not in the middle of a war that is affecting most people, and Trump seems mostly contained. I think that attitudes have already hardened to the point that those who were going to choose to follow Trump will not back down now, while those who think he's a piece of crap will not change their minds either. There are few "undecided voters" anymore - and no amount of PR is going to change that. If, as I suspect, Congress changes hands in November, the most immediate danger of Trump doing longer term damage goes away, as he will have effectively already spent any potential political capital he ever had.

Additionally, Trump is ultimately an opportunist. Faced with a Democratic Congress, Trump will most likely swing to the left, if it keeps him in perks. He is not, ironically, that much of an ideologue - he's just a narcissistic incompetent.

[C_U_L8R]

24. A greater majority are embarrassed of Trump

and disagree with pretty much everything he does. They may not be rioting in the streets but neither is Trump's base. But they do vote. And there are more of us than of them. GOTV !!

[RKP5637]

31. Excellent point! A lot of democrats whine, and then don't bother to vote. GOTV!!! n/t

[MFM008]

34. Every day maggot is around

Is like restless leg syndrome.
You feel if you don't move you must scream.

[delisen]

35. Did you participate in the women's march?

[mariesa]

36. A great majority?

His base is 30%.

If he's not impeached he will be challenged in the primary. He was only nominated because too many idiot Republicans clogged their field, splitting the votes between the more sane ones and leaving him as the favorite for the deplorables.

It was a perfect storm. It won't happen again. Many voters who sat out the last election won't make that mistake again.

[Sugar Smack]

40. WOW. Truly amazing 1st post. Welcome!

I'm going to read this again. I've authored several posts also noting the actual warfare (mass microvave pain machines, piercing alarms & "not deadly" tasers) we face today as protesters.

[ResIpsa]

41. Thanks Sugar.

I appreciate that and your support.

[smirkymonkey]

42. Thank YOU!

And welcome to DU!

[Adelante]

43. Still eloquent, loquacious

[CrawlingChaos]

47. Great post ResIpsa

Deserves its own thread.

[Ferrets are Cool]

57. ...

"Until 'We the People' are ready to sacrifice for our country again in that manner, we will never again be a free country. The battle is the homefront...and we as individuals are losing fast. Kids these days think making a brilliant comment on facebook et. al is all they have to do to say, they've 'put it on the line' for their country. "


MY GOD, that is a profound statement. You nailed it, and I am sorely afraid of what it would/will take for people to be willing to "sacrifice" like they did in Selma in 1965.

edit: welcome to DU

[gopiscrap]

59. welcome to DU

[haele]

38. People will tolerate a great deal that happens to other people, so long as they're okay.

Spouse is frustrated with his elderly mother, who in many ways has still not emotionally evolved much past the 1960's. It's all just politics as usual on the national stage; she doesn't understand how much of what is being done will directly affect her once the "other people" are taken care of.

And that's pretty much the way it is with most ordinary people. What happens to others might be sad or shameful, but it's not an emergency until it's happening to someone they personally know.

Haele

[cwydro]

39. I remember more than a few DUers when he was elected

saying all they were willing to do was “turn magazines backwards”.

So there ya go.

Oh, and safety pins!

[Squinch]

60. I am one who turns magazines backward, but no one here ever said that was all they were

willing to do.

[book_worm]

44. Great majority? Sure doesn't reflect that in his approval ratings. His disapproval ratings

show a "great majority" against him.

[Kaleva]

45. His approval ratings have little to do with accepting the fact that he is president.

If we truly thought he was destroying this nation and was a dire threat to all of humanity, we'd be doing more then telling pollsters we disapprove of his job performance.

[LanternWaste]

48. More accurately, that the actions people are taking doesn't conform to your

"that the actions people are taking doesn't match the rhetoric"

More accurately, that the actions people are taking doesn't conform to your own personal frame of reference.

Your conclusion also directly implies you have absolute knowledge of actions currently being take; that also is inaccurate and subjective.

[Kaleva]

49. The greater the threat, the greater is the observed response to that threat.

That's just human nature.

The actions one would expect to see in response to a threat to our nation and to humanity itself would be newsworthy. But we don't see that so one must conclude that while many may not like Trump or his policies, they are fine with him being in office as progressives, moderates and even some conservatives work to defeat him by peaceful legal and political means while at the same time engaging in mild forms of civil resistance.

[maryallen]

51. Don't agree.

Most people don't pay as close attention as we do here at DU. Trump's implosion is coming. Take a look at the bags under his dead eyes. Those are not "natural" occurrences. Anxiety is eating him alive.

[RainCaster]

53. Nobody asked me!

I am not one who wants that moron as my president.

[Ferrets are Cool]

56. You had two conclusions....one more might be

that Americans are just too busy working, raising their kids and/or watching The Batchelor to have time to know just how bad things are. Most gave up on watching the news long ago because it's so depressing.
Many on DU don't understand that WE are in a minority because we are informed and well read.

[triron]

62. OK I bet a lot are in for a rude shock.

[pnwmom]

63. Not true. Just because a great majority isn't out there having violent protests

doesn't mean we're "rather okay" with Trump being President.

We're trying to get him out through peaceful means. Your memories of the 60's are warped. The vast majority of people in the 60's were also peaceful, whether they supported the war or not.