Political discussion with Texan great nephew regarding

[ALBliberal]

His preferred candidate. He will vote for Bernie
in the general. However if Bernie doesn’t win the primary he will vote for Trump. Had little knowledge of other Dem candidates but did say he can’t stand Warren. I asked him why he didn’t like Biden. He said he thinks he’s creepy. I said you think he’s creepier than Trump? And he said Yes! Claims he likes Trumps China tariffs. I asked about the farmers in the Midwest whose markets were destroyed and we were bailing out. He thinks it’s worth our tax $ to teach China a lesson. He thinks no real Russia election interference.
Nutshell: patting himself on the back for bravery of supporting Bernie but no knowledge of basic tenets of impeachment inquiry or Trump wrecking ball policies. His dad can’t stand Trump as a human but is happy with the stock market. Neither cared about the deficit. Epstein and Clinton were mentioned as a defense of Trump. I asked them to explain the relevance since Clinton is not on the ballot and basically they use Clinton as an excuse it support an immoral Trump.

I really don’t think there is a way to influence or change the minds of some Republicans. These nephews are bright and successful and don’t talk politics generally. They brought up the political discussion as a topic to me to let me know that
“they aren’t as fanatical as we might think” they are and they are open minded politically.

But they aren’t open minded nor are they willing to change and reason or learn. The whole discussion was unsettling and I decided to end it before I got too worked up.

[JustAnotherGen]

1. Yeah

If they voted Trump the last time - they are voting Trump again.

It's ensuring the franchise for marginalized populations and GOTV for those swing voters who are pissed off.

[vlyons]

2. Your nephew is obviously a stupid idiot

None of what he says makes any sense. He obviously never learned how to reason logically, much less read history or research the news. He merely responds emotionally. He probably gets his opinions from Fox News and his friends. I suspect that he simply parrots what his fellow idiot friends say, because it makes him feel like he belongs to one of the bo

[Ohiogal]

3. He thinks it's worth our tax $ to teach China a lesson?

Does he realize that Don the Con has now spent TWICE the amount of $ on farm bailouts as Obama did with his bailout of the automotive industry? The same Obama bailout that the Right Wing ranted and railed on about as being way too costly??? And that the American people are the ones paying the higher prices in regards to the tariffs, not the Chinese?

Just wait until a Democrat gets elected, then all of a sudden, the deficit will be one of their #1 concerns.

As far as Biden being creepier than Dumpy .... I have no words for that one. IMO, Dumpy DEFINES the word "creep."

Good for you nipping that discussion in the bud. I can see it would have been like talking to a brick wall.

[mahina]

4. This.

Jesus.

[bucolic_frolic]

5. We all feel for you

Overcoming what is basically laissez-faire free market rampant libertarianism is a difficult hurdle. They see no social consequeces to anything because there is no social to worry about. It's all about them and freedom and no regulation. Yet there are consequences, even if they don't recognize them. Bernie is an escape valve to them.

[5X]

6. This sounds just like countless conversations I've had with all sorts of people around me.

Mostly, Tulsa suburbs. Almost word for word.

[Ford_Prefect]

7. I've met the same blunt minds here in Montana. They seem incapable of reason or doubt.

It's as if politics is a game show and they have the winner picked out. The idea that Trump policy or behavior is questionable let alone wrong is inconceivable. Trying to discuss issues without applying party labels does not help. They always come back to whatever the Trumpian meme is and spout it as if the party dogma was proven truth.

It hurts to think what will happen when Donny Bone Spurs finally falls. They will not only be lost. They will be quite angry about it. "I told you so," could provoke more than an ugly grimace.

[redqueen]

24. RW talking points are repeated ad nauseum

to ensure exactly this ability in their followers to maintain a rigid, illogical mindset.

It protects the listener's ego, so it's extremely effective.

[NoMoreRepugs]

8. I've told my 2 kids, both approx. 40, that not even in their lifetimes

will the parties reconcile. Understand that, accept it and use it to help make decisions in your life and you will save yourself bags n bags of stress you wont have to carry with you.

[PhoenixDem]

9. It is a mindset cultivated on purpose

by some.

1. Only one Democrat(?) can save us and all other Democrats are "establishment"

2. If the chosen Democrat(?) doesn't win the nomination, Trump is a better candidate because of No. 1 above.

[raging moderate]

10. .

Neanderthal "reasoning?"

Only gruff old men should be chief.

Trump is a gruff old man. Sanders is a gruff old man. One of them should be chief.

[ehrnst]

11. Bingo. (nt)

[KPN]

21. Nah -- Bernie just gives them cover. They

think saying him if he’s nominated makes them look open-minded, thoughtful and reasonable; all while knowing full well he won’t be. Bernie’s a useful facade for tRump lovers like his grand nephew.

[crazytown]

26. 2016: Vote trump - All other Republicans are "establishment".

That trump's campaign was a appaling hoax, a grotesque Trojan horse, is something Faux and Co. spend most of their time deny, deny, denying with endless propaganda.

[Ferrets are Cool]

12. It is so depressing.

[PatrickforO]

13. Part of the blame rests on the media, and certainly on

right-wing talk radio and Fox.

Years of corporate propaganda have created these bitter, hateful people. Because that is what the big oligarchs want - a docile population that isn't unified because we all hate and mistrust one another. And, they want to strip the treasury because, hey, the national government doesn't work anyway, except for defense.

Because we gotta have a space force!

[Ferrets are Cool]

14. You didn't mention it, but I assume he is okie dokie with separating families and caging kids.

Anyone who accepts that as OK is dead to me.

[Bluepinky]

30. They will justify family separations by saying

“Well, if they hadn’t come here illegally, their families wouldn’t be separated. They brought this on themselves”.

I know this is their response because I have a Trump loving sister.

[paleotn]

15. I'd say, we've got a whole lot of educating to do....

if your nephew is good example of the non-political electorate. No offense.

[pazzyanne]

17. This is what scares me!

How many of our younger people have this mindset? If tRump is the best they can come up with to support, we will be in deep dark doo-doo.

[ToxMarz]

16. They're Republicans, I don't understand what the surprise here is.

[KPN]

22. True -- which basically means that they likely are

simply racists, bigots or both. Beyond that, ideology doesn’t occupy many cells in a majority of young peoples’ brains. They’re too preoccupied with young people stuff.

[Pepsidog]

18. It's fascinating. It's pure ignorance. I know a few like my son who is just like them. Sad.

[KPN]

23. Right?! Like they've got nothing to lose.

The ignorance IS scary.

[Hortensis]

19. Once again in 2019, Sanders supporters are two hugely different blocs.

The majority are Democrats who fully intend to vote Democrat (and do see Sanders as qualifying.)

A minority (@ a quarter in 2016) who will not. Sanders is running a campaign that also draws both anti-Democrat leftists and populists. I'm guessing that your nephew fits a very typical populist type, socially conservative and economically progressive, the latter at least to the extent that it benefits themselves. That's the mix that dominates the trumpsters.

I suspect some of those supporting Sanders this time instead of announcing directly for Trump or some undiscussed third-party person must expect he won't be the nominee but value the arguments he provides that Democrats are too corrupt and unrepresentative to support. Plus, it'll allow them to enjoy posturing in noisy outrage at our corruption in rejecting Sanders and failure to meet the needs of the people.

Oh-my at the thought of you listening to their “they aren’t as fanatical as we might think.” We've all been there, of course, with varying degrees of pain and irritation.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

20. If you talk to him again, ask him who actually pays the tariffs.

I bet he thinks that the government (or people) of China pay, with no clue that it's the American consumers.

As well as the other things already brought up in this thread.

[mr_lebowski]

27. Presumably since the kid thinks it's worth our tax $$ he'd say it's worth our consumer $$ as well nt

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

32. It's hard to say. You may well be right,

but given his total lack of knowledge of any candidate other than his preferred one, I bet he thinks that China or Chinese companies are paying the tariffs for the privilege of exporting their goods.

[mr_lebowski]

33. Agreed, and it's worth bringing up to make the point, just in case they're deluded thusly :) nt

[redqueen]

25. They obviously are the type to listen to talking points

and eagerly believe them so they can maintain their ego. Not all republicans believe or even listen to rw talking points.

Your nephews obviously do and that's too bad because it's really hard to chip through what is basically a means of protecting themselves from admitting to themselves that they've been conned.

Also, not all republicans are racists / bigots.

[handmade34]

28. I'm sorry!

ignorance is our greatest enemy these days...

"teach China a lesson" that is just silly and wrong headed

even if it were true... payback, vengeance, revenge, etc. are no way to run a country

[cilla4progress]

29. Such superficial understanding of

politics, economy, history.

Also, seems like the Civil War was never over. Two different countries, world, mindsets. Feels unbridgeable.

[TidalWave46]

31. You can't fix stupid.

But you can manipulate it. Get to work!