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pjohns
10-02-2018, 11:29 AM
Anyone who knows much about the state of Tennessee probably knows that it is divided into three sections--east Tennessee, west Tennessee, and middle Tennessee, according to the state constitution--and that Johnson City is in upper east Tennessee (past Knoxville).

Just last night (as I write this), President Trump was in Johnson City.

My fear is that he is preaching to the choir--trying to pump up those who already Republicans (in the hope of prompting them to be sure to vote), rather than reaching out to independents.

Have others noticed this propensity also?

Hoosier8
10-02-2018, 11:33 AM
Anyone who knows much about the state of Tennessee probably knows that it is divided into three sections--east Tennessee, west Tennessee, and middle Tennessee, according to the state constitution--and that Johnson City is in upper east Tennessee (past Knoxville).

Just last night (as I write this), President Trump was in Johnson City.

My fear is that he is preaching to the choir--trying to pump up those who already Republicans (in the hope of prompting them to be sure to vote), rather than reaching out to independents.

Have others noticed this propensity also?
Bigger crowds than Obama ever drew.

Lummy
10-02-2018, 01:40 PM
No, I haven't noticed.

What do you think he should be doing? :icon_scratch:

texan
10-02-2018, 02:48 PM
He should be doing that.

What rally are you going to full of independents?

pjohns
10-02-2018, 03:11 PM
No, I haven't noticed.

What do you think he should be doing? :icon_scratch:

I would really prefer that he would reach out to independents--as others (in the past) have done.

This appears too much like an Us versus Them thing--which is to say, like opposing teams.

Note: I failed to mention that east Tennessee is strong Republican territory--and has been ever since the Civil War (over 150 years ago).
Tennessee was the last (of 11) states to secede, and join the Confederacy. However, even then, east Tennessee was strong Lincoln country.

The rest of the state--well, not so much.

Captdon
10-02-2018, 06:03 PM
It is us versus them. What do you think it is? The Dems are playing to their base. The middle don't like either of them and will vote based on something neither side is addressing.

It is always the base turnout that determines elections unless it's a landslide.If the Republican base stays home we're sunk. trump needs to keep reminding them what will happen if the Dems win.

The Dems are doing the same thing for the same reason. The average voter votes with emotion not thinking. Take a good look at this forum.

pjohns
10-03-2018, 09:57 AM
It is us versus them. What do you think it is?

I do not wish to march in lockstep with anyone. That sounds almost...well, cultish.

I do agree with a strong majority of President Trump's professed beliefs--though not all.

And he is really not a true conservative (as I am). He is more of a populist--who has, I will readily admit, moved the country to the right a bit (especially with his court selections--not only to the Supreme Court, but to federal appeals courts, also).


The Dems are playing to their base.

This is definitely true. (Chuck Schumer is probably the very apotheosis of this--although he is far from the only Democrat to do so.)


The middle don't like either of them and will vote based on something neither side is addressing.

Why do you suppose that "neither side" is addressing the matter that is of greatest importance to most independents?

And just what is this matter, anyway?

It is always the base turnout that determines elections unless it's a landslide.

Are you seriously suggesting that winning a large slice of the independent electorate has never been as important to winning elections as firing up the party base?

Really?

The average voter votes with emotion not thinking.

I am guessing that many probably do.

Whether this constitutes a majority of voters or not, I simply do not know.

Captdon
10-03-2018, 10:06 AM
I do not wish to march in lockstep with anyone. That sounds almost...well, cultish.

I do agree with a strong majority of President Trump's professed beliefs--though not all.

And he is really not a true conservative (as I am). He is more of a populist--who has, I will readily admit, moved the country to the right a bit (especially with his court selections--not only to the Supreme Court, but to federal appeals courts, also).



This is definitely true. (Chuck Schumer is probably the very apotheosis of this--although he is far from the only Democrat to do so.)



Why do you suppose that "neither side" is addressing the matter that is of greatest importance to most independents?

And just what is this matter, anyway?


Are you seriously suggesting that winning a large slice of the independent electorate has never been as important to winning elections as firing up the party base?

Really?


I am guessing that many probably do.

Whether this constitutes a majority of voters or not, I simply do not know.

It is us versus them. It's not a cult, it's a political war. What is it that they do that you support? Honest question.

I don't care what he is as long as he does what I voted for him to do. Cutting spending is one I'm still waiting for him to do.

Neither side cares what the middle wants. They have to protect their base and hope for the best in the middle. There is no longer another way to run for office.

The middle decides every election. They have two realistic choices. They don't have any say on who runs. They have to choose between one or another.

Did that explain what i meant?

Tahuyaman
10-03-2018, 11:30 AM
Anyone who knows much about the state of Tennessee probably knows that it is divided into three sections--east Tennessee, west Tennessee, and middle Tennessee, according to the state constitution--and that Johnson City is in upper east Tennessee (past Knoxville).

Just last night (as I write this), President Trump was in Johnson City.

My fear is that he is preaching to the choir--trying to pump up those who already Republicans (in the hope of prompting them to be sure to vote), rather than reaching out to independents.

Have others noticed this propensity also?

Hes trying to energize his base. There's nothing wrong with that. He's been visiting all the states which are supposedly in play for the mid term elections. There's more to the US than Tennessee.

pjohns
10-05-2018, 10:12 AM
Neither side cares what the middle wants. They have to protect their base and hope for the best in the middle. There is no longer another way to run for office.

It seems that the Democratic Party is moving further to the left--Bernie Sanders (technically, an independent; but he caucus with the Democrats) and Elizabeth Warren are the very apotheosis of this--whereas the Republican Party is moving further to the right.

To say that there is "no longer another way to run for office" is to beg the question: Why was it once the way that most politicians ran for office, but it is no longer a realistic possibility?

Is it, perhaps, because of the deep polarization of America?

And is the current way of running for office merely an effect of this polarization--or the primary cause of it?