Since January 20, a lot of us have spent a great deal of psychic energy trying to cope with the daily fire hose of lies and nonsense which we all knew would accompany the second coming of Donald J. Trump. Perhaps the best piece of advice in an effort to remain sane in the face of madness involves a renewed focus on local community. On Amelia Island there are many ways to reposition one’s perspective on national events. A small, but close-knit circle of kindred spirits. Volunteer and charitable efforts directed toward those who already are or will be likely victims of the Trump administration’s rejection of the social contract between a nation of great wealth and those in need. Despite the abnormally cold temperatures, a twice weekly round of golf at the municipal course where you are greeted by name and with a smile by staff who know your schedule so well they automatically schedule the following week’s tee times without asking. But most of all, enjoying the natural assets of one of the most unique bio-environments in America, one that includes an ocean seashore, salt marsh and maritime forest.
However, these “sanctuaries” are not immune to the cultish behavior of the MAGA universe. As you walk from the eighth green to the ninth tee on the South Course at the Fernandina Beach Golf Club, you are greeted by a four by eight foot banner plastered across a homeowner’s fence reminding you Trump is going to make America great again. But the final straw came on Friday when I biked the nature preserve near our home to see if any of the resident alligators were taking advantage of the warmer weather to make a rare winter appearance. No gators, but several bird species and a host of turtles enjoying the afternoon sun when I observed a man accompanying his unleashed German Shepherd.
When I asked him if he had seen the sign at the head of the trail which informed visitors that all dogs needed to be leashed. His reply? “This is America. There are no rules.” My first instinct was to challenge his premise. “Oh, there are rules, you simply choose not to follow them.” But I caught myself; he was correct. In today’s America, you can desecrate the nation’s Capitol and be pardoned. You can assault law enforcement officers with no consequences. You can try to overthrow the government and get off scot free. Why then would anyone think they have to leash their dog. Or come to a complete stop at a stop sign. Or share the road with cyclists.
As I tried to teach my creativity students, insight does not come from observation alone. It requires reflection, time for the brain to process what it senses. In the past two days, I realized the Trump cult is not a monolith. He and his sycophants have built a coalition of support, not by presenting a single vision of America, but by letting more than enough segments of society believe the administration shares their respective view of our country. The individual I encountered on Egans Creek Greenway, an apparent libertarian, is thrilled that the United States has embraced anarchy. The wealthy hope Trump ushers in a Russian-styled oligarchy. Christian nationalists pray for a theocracy. Insecure males are thrilled to join the chorus that proudly sings, “It’s a man’s world.” Racists, homophobes and xenophobes need only believe Trump is focused on their desire for a more white, straight or Eurocentric America.
That’s a mighty big tent, especially when only 63.9 percent of voting age Americans cast a ballot. Whether intended or not, they will interpret Trump’s words and actions as affirmation by each of these groups that he is with them. And nothing Democrats or liberals can say will change their mind. This is not about politics. It is about culture. And the cultural question that needs the most attention is simple. Your vote IS the difference. The message for the next four years is straight forward.
- You did not lose your health care because Trump is president. You lost it because you did NOT vote.
- If you are now paying for child care for your three to five year old because Head Start was terminated, it is not because Trump is president. It is because you did NOT vote.
- When consumer goods cost more, it is not because of Trump tariffs. It is because you did NOT vote.
Upon his election as the new chair of the Democratic National Committee, Ken Martin got it wrong. “The fight is for our values. The fight is for working people. The fight right now is against Donald Trump and the billionaires who bought this country.” The real fight is to remind non-voters, any grievance with Trump, oligarchs, incompetent cabinet secretaries and agency heads can only be corrected if they register and cast a ballot. Again, that requires a change in culture, not politics. I am sorry to have to inform you if you believe in democracy. Without broader participation in the political process, “that is NOT today’s America.”
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP
Excellent commentary, Dr.ESP
But I DID vote! And I gave money to candidates in swing states where I don’t even live. And I’m still losing all those things. Now what?
I have the same question as Harry M.
Beyond that, though I I know your questions to the non-voters are rhetorical, nonetheless, sadly they are not even the ones reading them!
I definitely find it quite difficult to stay upbeat. Rational argument and attempts to maintain a culture of tolerance and civil discourse appear to be no match for what I call “UNrighteous indignation” in this new “dark age” of UNreason!😢
You are right to question whether they will read them. But the answer is “definitely not” if no one develops a coherent and consistent strategy to put these questions in front of them. When I taught entrepreneurial marketing, I told my students there are two categories of customers: migrants and virgins. In this context, the migrants are people who already vote but unfortunately are now voting MAGA. They have brand loyalty and have to admit they are WRONG before switching to a new brand. The virgins are new to the product category, in this case, voting. Task one is to convince them they need a product that they do not think has enough value. Then, free of previous brand loyalty, you have a better chance of selling them what you are offering.
It’s not just about YOUR vote or contributions. It’s whether you become part of an evangelical army of volunteers who identify non-voters’ grievance and explain nothing will change unless they get off the couch and vote. In other words, you need to help others understand the connection between voting and lost rights/services that you articulated in your comment.
So, what is the way forward? More postcards? More $$$$?
Devotees of one party will crawl over broken glass to make their righteous selection. The other…..”nah, it doesn’t make any difference , and anyway, I gotta go to work”.
Great question. We learned some valuable lessons in Nassau County, FL in November which may provide the answer. Not more but targeted postcards. Better messaging that speaks to individual voters not collective audiences. And as any marketing guru will tell you, do not expect the customer to come to you. Meet them where they already are. More to come.