Instruction Manual: How to fight Trump
This post is for people who seek office, and for members of the press. There will be another post for Tech people.
Part of the material is based on these articles: https://www.caracaschronicles.com/2017/01/20/culturejam/ & https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/opinion/the-right-way-to-resist-trump.html?_r=1 & http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21715732-scolding-trump-voters-will-not-carry-democrats-back-power-rise-herbal-tea?fsrc=scn/tw/te/bl/ed/theriseoftheherbalteaparty
Premise
- Trump only cares about his base.
- Trump is add odds with some of the republican party (RNC/House/Senate) but they work together despite differences of opinion for a mutual good
If we don’t change our ways drastically Trump will have quick big wins for his base before the midterm elections, the democrats will lose further, and Trump be a two term president.
Your Goals
- Steal Trumps base from him
- Drive a wedge between the republican party and Trump
How to
Listening tours: Trumps base is willing to trade a flawed and possibly bad / evil candidate for being listened to. If they could have both their identity and a good candidate they would chose that.
You must go on listening tours around the district you hope to win, be it a county or the nation, and become a known face and show that you understand the people better than Trump. You must bring money to the district and proposals for projects and legislation that will directly impact them.
Take back language and symbols: Which party owns the word “Patriotic”? Which party owns the flag? You must become more American than the republican party. That means driving a truck with a big American flag, it means prayer, songs, and football. Not in a fake way, but in a relatable way.
You must also take back the language from the republicans. This article from 2003 describes what to do and who to work with. Lakoff needs money and structure around him to be as effective as the republicans. Make that happen.
Make switching from Trump socially acceptable: Some people voted for Obama and then Trump. Some people voted for Trump and are now uncomfortable. Find those people, tell their stories. People need social proof that their actions are ok. Don’t make up shit. Find real people and report it.
Take initiative from the Republicans: Trump is not republican. He is populist. He wants big infrastructure projects. Take initiative and make bills, projects, and proposals about things Trump wants that Paul Ryan hates. Bring them to Trump. Have him sponsor them. Call it the Trump bridge, the Trump road, the Trump whatever. Show your constituents that you worked on something they care about and show them how republicans fought you and fought against it.
Risks
The Democratic party and the herbal tea movement will be you’re biggest constraints. They will fight you to focus on issues instead of identity and values. To be an effective politician in this day and age you need to find a way to do what needs to be done and not get shot down by well intentioned people living in the past. I don’t know how to do that. That is why you are the politician, not me.
