Chris Reeves wrote a diary today the effect of Trump’s immigration plans on Branson, Missouri. Branson, which depends on tourism to survive, is slowly figuring out that restrictions on immigrant workers will make it difficult to get enough hotel and restaurant workers for the season.
Branson voted for DJT over HRC by 78-18%.
Various people pointed out in the comments that this makes no sense. 22202 said DJT “was very clear about his intentions to institute travel bans and anti-immigrant measures” and asked whether 78% of Branson residents “failed to understand the implications of that.”
In point of fact, they *did* fail to understand the implications of that.
One of the problems with the Blue Team is that we keep assuming people have critical thinking skills when they don’t.
We expect them to say, hm. I live in an area where undocumented immigrants are necessary to the economy, because they clean the hotels or pack the chicken parts or harvest the produce, and if someone sends them all away local business will suffer and my life will be worse off.
But we underestimate the extent to which these people have never been taught to think things through.
They were raised by people who were never taught to think things through.
“If A then B” is not part of their experience. And in spite of how their party talks a good game about personal responsibility, the idea that actions have consequences frequently takes them by surprise.
This is why DJT loves the poorly educated.
This is what Rcon politicians exploit when they lie.
They realize they are dealing with the kind of mind that only operates in the present moment.
These are the same people who take out payday loans at triple digit interest rates. If they read the document at all, they are only thinking about the $1000 they can get today. The fact that it will cost them $3000 to pay it back does not rise to the same level of concern in their minds.
We read their stories and we exclaim, with exasperation in our voices, didn’t you realize he meant it when he was going to take away your health care? You have cancer! How are you going to survive?
They have no answer. They weren’t thinking about that. He promised “change” and that sounded good. In the moment. But did they think through what that “change” would actually mean in terms of day to day living? No.
When DJT said that the same job numbers he refused to believe when Obama was president are now proof that he has turned the economy around, we who can hold one idea in our mind while examining another are furious at the hypocrisy. But for deplorables, his old statement is shoved off to the side and the new statement just drops in as if he never spent months claiming all the job numbers were fake.
When the stock market is at record highs, his assertion that he inherited an economy that was “a mess” and “a disaster” is just shoved aside. The hateradio says DJT turned around the economy in the first 50 days, and they just take it in as if they have no retention of any fact before that.
We are surrounded by people who can easily accept that the chocolate ration has been increased to 20 grams. True, we outnumber them, but they have been more consistent about getting out the vote when it counted.
There isn’t time to teach critical thinking skills to millions of people between now and 2018.
But Dems can do better at speaking to the mind that can only hold one idea at a time, only focusing on the present moment and not interested in abstract possible future consequences.
Speak simply. Tell stories.
Talk about the people who are losing healthcare now.
The tourist industry being hurt now.
The people whose relatives are stuck overseas now.
Parents being separated from their young children now.
The native born citizen, child of a once-famous celebrity, detained at the airport on a domestic flight because his name is Muhammed.
The veterans services endangered by the government firing freeze now.
Keep everything simple and in the present moment.
Don’t waste time comparing to the past—“Remember when he said such and such? See we were right when we told you that wasn’t true!”
That is not as effective as the following: Do you see that he is not keeping his promises NOW?
There is no Obamacare repeal—they even kept the individual mandate that you hate.
DJT is not draining the swamp—it’s all still cronies and corruption and secrecy and lies.
Mexico isn't paying for the wall. There may not even be a wall. The cake is a lie.
Hillary is not going to be locked up.
He's deporting people but now the crops won't get picked and the hotel rooms won't get cleaned and the restaurants will close for lack of servers and local business depending on tourism will suffer.
You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink. You can lead a voter to facts but you can’t make him think.
So don’t try.
If we can just keep repeating the truth about the broken promises that they can see happening with their own eyes right now, that would be enough.
people walking round every day playing games and taking scores,trying to make other people lose their MARBLES be careful you don’t lose yours
Previous TRUE BLUE REPORT diaries
Mar 9: Where’s the fire? The real reason Rs are trying to rush TrumpCare through Congress
Mar 8: Message Discipline 101: TrumpCare, RyanCare, GOPCare, DonTCare—what’s in a name?
Mar 7: How very hard it is for a woman to go a day without paid (or unpaid) work
Mar 6: Can DJT really be stumbling into the exact investigation we want?
Mar 5: How is it even possible that deplorables see a man of faith when they look at DJT?
Mar 4: Blue Ribbon Winners—Chris Hayes, Malcolm Nance, Cierra Fields
Mar 3: I’m glad Bannon, Conway, Carson, Sessions, Miller, et al. are in the DJT Administration
Mar 2: “In every major fire it always starts with smoke. And smoke is what kills you.”
Mar 1: Am I the only one whose skin crawled at the Carryn Owens BIRGing moment?
FEBRUARY
Feb 28: Spinspotting 101: Special Prosecutor for what? It’s so easy to answer that question
Feb 27: Spinspotting 101: I’ve seen no evidence because I haven’t looked for any evidence!
Feb 26: If Neil Gorsuch were a man of integrity, he would decline the S.Ct. appointment
Feb 25: True Blue Ribbons: Russia Flag trolling, Dixie Swastika grabbing, District Days demonstrating
Feb 24: There is no such thing as a compassionate conservative
Feb 23: Chief of Staff, Nat’l Security Advisor, GOP Head, President Bannon—too many hats!
Feb 22: DJT has a few questions for you—SMURF THIS POLL!
Feb 21: The end of “access journalism” means it’s time to #sendtheinterns
Feb 20: KAC lying low for now… can we banish her (and all her ilk) from the airwaves completely?
Feb 19: DeVos cartoon, Ruby Bridges, unearned unhappiness and childlike faith
Feb 18: Blue Ribbon Winners—Vice Adm. Harward, Melissa McCarthy, and intel whistleblowers
Feb 17: And Ain’t I an American?
Feb 16: Please tell your family and friends—If you regret your DJT vote, speak up NOW
Feb 15: R-supported forced childbirth laws deny the autonomy of women
Feb 14: What did the president know? Everything. When did he know it? From the beginning.
Feb 13: Coping with The Madness of King Donald by hoping political comedy will save us
Feb 12: The Poverty and Justice Bible
Feb 11: Blue Ribbon Winners: Swastika removers, Ninth Circuit Panel, and the Persisterhood!
Feb 10: The first three words of the Constitution are “We, the People” not “I, the President”
Feb 9: Who first inspired your political activism? Who inspires you now?
Feb 8: We cannot and will not be silenced—Here’s what to do if they try to silence you
Feb 7: Plain Talk Tuesday: Tell people the Affordable Care Act is the same as OBAMACARE
Feb 6: Interview Skills 101—Internalized oppression and what Ryan Lizza did right. BRAVO!
Feb 5: These protest signs with Bible cites will confuse and befuddle RWNJs
Feb 4: Blue Ribbon Winners: Temple B’Nai Israel, Judge Robart, CNN, Senate Phone Callers
Feb 3: Not rich, not smart, not a good businessman, not a winner—DJT is NOTHING he claims to be
Feb 2: Thursday action—Encouragement, thanks, and apologies (pick one or more)
Feb 1: July 7, 2009 to August 25, 2009 and September 25, 2009 to February 4, 2010
JANUARY
Jan 31: If you’re on overload that’s part of their plan—there’s more than one way to #resist
Jan 30: Interview Skills 101 for reporters attempting to interview KAC and other Rcons
Jan 29: Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness
Jan 28: Blue Ribbon Winners: Women's March participants and #NoMuslimBan demonstrators and...
Jan 27: I wish Steve Bannon would tell me to keep my mouth shut
Jan 26: Thursday Action—Have you ever written a letter to the editor? Here’s how to start
Jan 25: The Asch Conformity Study, inauguration crowds, and the importance of speaking out
Jan 24: #ResistTrumpTuesday—good news day or another paying dues day?
Jan 23: Spy the Lie 101: How to enjoy watching Rcon spokesbot interviews, even KAC!
Jan 22: Why I prayed for the President* today
Jan 21: The only silver lining in the midst of these clouds
Inaugural (!) diary: Stop expecting Republicons to make sense
