When you play Texas Holdem tournaments the people not involved in a pot start yapping about all sorts of things. Sometimes politics is the topic. They’re a cross-section of the spectrum. They’re mostly casual observers- left, right and independent.
I listen to their conversations with a frightened inner-voice quietly screaming, “please God, please do not let this be an accurate sampling of the voting public.”
One thing is glaringly obvious, the more politically casual the pool of people, the more they’re concerned that they’re not going to vote for the eventual winner. This is all that seems to matter to them.
Weeks ago, when Donald Trump’s name came up, people were enthusiastic. They were emboldened by the buzz and couldn’t wait to vote for him because they felt “he had a real shot.”
Recently, I could see the enthusiasm wane a bit because the media was telling them that Trump’s popularity was going down. It’s like a friggin’ puppet show.
Awhile back, Bernie Sanders was poo-pooed, even by his supporters, as a guy that “can’t win.” Enthusiasm was poor. But reports of him gaining on Hillary had people “feeling a bit of the Bern.” Sanders’ policies hadn’t changed an iota, but suddenly they were ready to start wearing the teeshirt.
Months ago, when I brought up Ted Cruz, he was dismissed because “not many people have heard of him.” So, of course, he’d be a stupid choice to discuss because imagine the shame of discussing a candidate that you’re enthusiastic about voting for and having them lose. It makes you look stupid.
Conversely, voting for the eventual winner makes you look brilliant.
Now Ted Cruz’s name is met with a smile and a “yeah, he’s getting popular.” They are open to Cruz. We can sell the teeshirt.
Policy matters little. Most of them can’t tell you what the candidates stand for. They’re simply being told who the frontrunner is and that becomes their guy. It’s like a kid in New York with a bedroom filled with Michael Jordan posters. (Yes, I knew a kid like this. Out of nowhere he’d be wearing a Twins baseball hat. I didn’t have to look in the papers to see that the Twins were in 1st place. These people grow up to be voters.)
The political establishment knows this. So does the media, and the modern role of the media is not to report on elections, but to influence them. If they orchestrate it right, they can pretty much sway a race by manipulating a large enough percentage of the lofos into doing exactly what they want. Given that the media is left-wing, it is extremely difficult for the right to get their preferred candidate into the white house.
After Trump’s comment about pausing Muslim immigration, lofos were told that this was a very bad thing. I could feel a bit of a deflation in Trump support.
But recent polling is indicating that Trump is stronger than ever. I can’t wait to hear what the latest buzz is in lofo-land. There might even be a few “Make America Great Again” hats in the poker room.
“Given that the media is left-wing, it is extremely difficult for the right to get their preferred candidate into the white house.”
Which is why Cruz needs to learn how to give a Reagan-type speech. It’s the only way to get the LOFO’s attention.
You’d think Cruz’ ability to quote The Princess Bride would give him LoFo cred! Geek cred as well.
If Cruz quotes Yoda and rolls into a Chewbacca growl he’ll give Trump a run for his money! 😉
It’s the same reason women (most) read fashion mags and spend >50% of their income chasing the handbag and shoes some whore on TV wears.
There is a sizable segment of humans that want to be told what to think.
Hive Mind.
Everybody loves a winner.
Laugh, and the whole world laughs with you. Cry, and you’ll always cry alone.
“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”
(Winston Churchill)
People are “miserable sheep” to be led by their shepherds; and if their shepherds desert them, the people will only become victims of another passion and the ‘prey of impostors.’
(Burke)
I find it amazing on how ignorant and apathetic Americans are, in general. People can tell you who the Kardashian’s are but can’t name their Congressional representatives. With the liberal media propaganda spewing it’s b.s., Americans are to lazy to research anything and soak up what is spewed.
Cruz 2016!
Lofos may mostly care about voting for a winner…which is bad.
Ideologues may mostly care about voting for the closest thing to a “purist” (according to each person’s ideology)…which is also bad.
Taking “winning” into account as a factor is good and necessary (SEE WFBuckley’s axiom about “voting for the most conservative candidate who can win”).
Cruz is on Obamacare, that should make him popular.
Cruz said he will sign up the family for Obamacare last March.
There is an adorable photo shop of him wearing pajama-boy’s body and cup of coco, and a video of an interview with him discussing this.
Congress gets 72% of the cost of any medical insurance they want subsidized by taxpayers – that’s in the Obamacare law. I don’t know if Congress will have to pay the Cadillac tax.
That tax is a facet of o’don’tcare Congress is trying to do away with as we speak. It will be a blessing for the middle class.
http://thedailybanter.com/2015/03/ted-cruz-is-signing-up-for-obamacare-yes-really/
You have just clarified something that has always puzzled me, BFH. I guess I am abnormal, in that I have a strong natural aversion to going along with the crowd. Not to the exclusion of doing the right thing, but I have to be convinced that it’s right. So voting for the eventual loser is no shame, for me. In fact, I often think that if I had been old enough to vote for Goldwater, I’d still hold that up as a badge of honor. But I guess, from your vivid description of your poker opponents, some people just don’t think the way I do.
At this point does it really matter who votes when you can program voting machines to your desired outcome?
I still contend Hussein did not win the last election – the Demosleaze bought it – just look at some of the results from various key precincts in Philly & Cleveland.
I’ll never forget as a kid in Chicago watching the Kennedy-Nixon election of 1960. How razor thin it was & King Richard Daley bragging on how Cook County put Kennedy over the top & the next day 34 full ballot boxes were found floating in the Chicago River. Can it be imagined how their election stealing skills have improved in the last 55 years?
I learned a valuable lesson from that – they can steal ANY election except a landslide.
I find it troubling that this bred of lo-fos seem to not think they have a stack in the election. I can under stand back winners in sports, but there is a YUGE difference between what Hillary and Sanders believe government’s role and what the Republican feel view.
Which ever side wins the WH have an impact on every last one of them, whether they are a net take or net giver to government.
“Recently, I could see the enthusiasm wane a bit because the media was telling them that Trump’s popularity was going down. It’s like a friggin’ puppet show.”
Where have you seen the enthusiasm wane? The only place I see it is in the media.
As I said way down-thread: A very large number of people get that Trump is a warrior and unafraid to say the things that need saying. He’s right, you know. If he hadn’t broached illegal immigration and taken the heat for it, including talking about that taboo subject, “anchor babies”, not a one of the rest of the GOP roster would have had the balls to bring it up. He was the first of the GOP roster to state in unequivocal terms his stand on a muslim refugee moratorium. Which of the rest of the roster do you think would have a written statement delivered for the record? Which ones would have done that before consulting their legions of consultants, focus groups, pollsters, handlers and, possibly, donors?
But no. The press seizes upon a hair’s breadth of Trump controversy and the GOP roster circle Trump like cowardly scavengers of the animal kingdom, waiting for the scraps left over from the take down. They snarl and yap and nip at each other with blood lust for the kill. I hate them.
We have one chance in a lifetime to elect a real outsider with guts and at the first sign of waning enthusiasm (by our BFFs, the media) we help take him down. Who are the lo-fo’s again?
Anonymous, FYI you are in the company of some smarter women here at iOTWreport!
I understand where you’re coming from, and mostly I agree with your assessment, but the last two paragraphs seem to contradict each other, and the last paragraph sort of contradicts your whole argument. Maybe I’m not reading it right.
“We Want the Truth” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHLcrfhwPtc
//
“The time for misplaced sensitivity is over!”
“they’re concerned that they’re not going to vote for the eventual winner”
That would explain why most voters wait to the last minute to select their primary candidate.
It’s the same reason Big Money backed off of bush. They want the winner, too. Only-est difference is what they do with him, once they bet on him. It never changes. Follow the money.
Yep. Between wanting to give Cruz a “bump” (just as the media did Fiorina, Rubio, etc etc…only to see them drop again) to cynically justify their relevance, they also have tried – what? – 6, 7, 8 times to do the “it’s over for Trump!” schtick.
Some folks don’t even think about each “breaking! New Leader! story” (lofos), some sincerely *want* to believe the news when it’s their favorite”s turn, but I believe Americans really *do* sense this election – and Trump – as unique.
I’ve never sensed either the enthusiasm or the outrage toward a candidate.
I told you where I’ve seen it wane. With these lofos who are only waiting to be told who the winner will be so they can vote for the winner.
I know them. I talk to them.
I see them.
There is no contradiction unless you think the polling is asking no one but lofos
Here’s how it works.
Polling asks 5000 people who they like. There is a percentage of lofos in the poll.
Trump gets 35%.
The media informs the electorate that Trump is in the lead.
You hear people chirp Trump Trump Trump, including the lofos.
Then Trump says something the media elite can seize upon negatively.
The media between polling says “Trump is over.”
I hear lofos parroting, “Trump is over. I dunno. I’m looking at Fiorina.”
The pollsters do a new poll. 5000 people get asked. 31% say they like Trump.
The news says, “Trump statistically unaffected by latest gaffe. Still leading.”
Lofos say they “like Trump, again”
When the news was telling them Trump was over they put away the Trump hat.
The news says he weathered the storm, out comes the Trump hat.
All they need to do, when the time is right, is coordinate a media blitz where they just hammer away that Trump is fading, and release poll after poll that he’s not the projected winner.
This causes a prairie fire of lofos who want to be told who the winner will be so they can be on the winning team.
It’s how we end up with the candidates we don’t want and are left scratching our heads about how it could happen.
I’m still not convinced the media, the left, and the GOPe won’t allow Trump to win.
We’ll see.
I’ve seen these lofo people.
I know these people.
Mark Dice does videos all the time with these people.
Here’s a perfect example.
Hillary was the frontrunner in ’08 until the news started talking about the exciting new guy.
Hillary was dumped because Obama was the latest fad.
Now, 8 years later Hillary is great again??
I truly believe the media could hand Sanders the primary if they wanted to. The only dilemma is they have to figure out if Sanders can beat the guy the media picks on the right.
This is all media manipulation of the lofo.
Whaaaaa?!?
Media manipulating Lofos?!?
Say it ain’t SO!
😮
My enthusiasm has waned.
Perhaps because I follow the race too closely.
I cannot handle Hillary in the White House at all, so I felt Trump may be our only shot. Not that he is ideal or remotely flawless.
One reason I am down on Trump, he seems to think he can say anything that pops into his head.
Sure some of it is titillating, yet some of it goes against the conservative thought.
Yes the polls show it may be working and it won’t keep ME from voting for him, but the LOFOs?
Trump leaves a lot to be desired but I think he can be prodded into being closer to an actual conservative.
I know he listens to Rush and Levin and I think he can adapt.
Sheeze, Fur. Are you my long, lost twin or something? But I could never have stated it so clearly.
I think what accounts for the stick-and-stays is they knew what they were looking for in the first place. Not a lot of room, plus or minus, for “switching horses in the middle of the stream.”
You understand it.
NOW: put yourself in the candidates’ shoes…
…what you ya gotta say to win the nomination?
(…and then, the general election?)
It helps me to mitigate the bumps along the political road.
My comment wasn’t without its measure of sarcasm. Sorry.
But it was aimed at even those who think they are pretty hip to what’s going on. I’ve read comments both here and at other blogs of people who were pretty solid on their support, but with the increasing cacophony out of the media, they start doubting. And those doubts quickly turn into “I just knew….! Blah, blah, blah, such and such and furthermore…” I think what is worse than lofo’s being lofo’s are those who consider themselves knowledgeable political analysts being sucked in on the strength of the media’s BS. Lofo’s can be forgiven because we all know they only want a winner, not so much for those who think they are smarter than the media one moment but believe them the next.
+10
No shit. I swear I could write a doctoral thesis on “Misperceptions of the American Justice System as Evidenced by Comments Left on Celebrity Gossip Websites about Members of the Kardashian – Jenner Clan.”
I have two pocketbooks. One is black in case I have to attend a funeral. The other, which I love, costs $89 at Macy’s and is in a preppy floral print. Shoes? At a size 11W, I’ve learned that beggars can’t be choosers. My shoes are all sensible flats anyway.
The Kardashians: Robert Jr., Kim, Kourtney, Khloe. Other children of Kris Jenner: Kendall, Kylie. Got out while the getting was good (via divorce or breakup): Robert Sr., Kris Jenner, Bruce Jenner, Damon Thomas, Kris Humphreys, Scott Disick, French Montana. In-laws: Lamar Odom, Kanye West. Innocent children: Mason Disck, Penelope Disick, Reign Disick, North West, Saint West.
My elected officials in Congress are Schmuck Schumer, Kristen Gillibrand, and Eliot Engel.
I hate everybody on these lists equally.
Maybe you should give up poker for awhile?
I work with people like that. I find them very depressing.
They told me that if I voted for Goldwater, we’d be at war in Vietnam within a year. Well sure enough, I voted for Goldwater and a year later we were at war in Vietnam…
?
Worrying about what lofos will do is pointless, because:
Showing facts to them changes nothing because they won’t believe you – only the media can be trusted
Reasoning with them changes nothing because their mind is made up – for the moment.
Arguing with them changes nothing because they aren’t even listening to your side of the issue(s).
The only thing you can do is try to ignore them. Failing that, you should get away from them.
Anything else is madness or masochism. IMHO.
🙂
True but the scumbag media would have labeled Reagan a racist for setting America as the City on the Hill and you know it.
Old Joe bought every Sheriff in WVA, too.
CO, OH, PA, and FL – STOLEN.
Everywhere you find a (D) state Secretary of State, you will find rampant voter fraud and corruption.
If Mr. Hat’s premise is correct, then the Conservatives must take over the propaganda media and use it to manipulate the lo-fos to their advantage.
But, according to Goebbels, propaganda must be augmented by terror.