Before anything let me say that I am Canadian, and am not a supporter of either candidate during the recent American election. I must say - the Trump victory did surprise me, but not to a great degree.
Since I wrote my last blog about "The Donald and The Hillary", I decided that I would spend a enormous amount of hours looking at this campaign with unbiased eyes. Putting my own political views aside was difficult but possible because I'm Canadian, and simply an amazing guy with the ability to pat myself on the back!After the Trump win, Left wingers spent all day talking as if it was the beginning of the apocalypse. "Trump will do this and Trump will do that - we're doomed" Right wingers were no better the day before the election - calling Hillary Clinton everything from a criminal to saying if she win's there would be another civil war!
Let's be real here - neither one is the anti-christ (that we know of) and we can only judge them on their actions AFTER they are elected. Until then - let's just keep an open mind and not create unnecessary prejudice or prejudge.
But this blog isn't about reaction, or conjecture, or public opinion. I am hoping to explain to you good people how and why he won.
In order to do that you will need to wear several pairs of 'hypothetical' shoes. You will need to see things from the eyes of those who voted for him. For that reason, I have broken this into sections so you can easily change roles.
The Republican nominees:
The Republican guard was so sure that American's were sick and tired of Obama and his leftist policies that they put forward a bunch of 'white - upper class, old guard' candidates. Among them was another Bush - Jeb. They failed to realize that the US had put up with 2 Bush administrations in the past 20 years and were sick of the same old Bushes. Few people had any respect for George W and many blamed Bush Sr. for the trouble brewing in the middle-east (and rightly so). Trump's momentum started here and galvanized many voters during the run-up to the Republican Nomination.
Immigrants:
While the media claimed Trump was anti-immigration, this was a far cry from reality. He basically said "Illegal" immigrants are taking jobs from Americans and real immigrants. Now if you put on your immigration shoes, he is saying that "you" came into the country looking for a better life the right and legal way and that 'Illegal' immigrants have taken your jobs away from you. His comments about Mexicans were not aimed at all Mexican's - but simply those that immigrated 'illegally". In one of his rallies, he saaid "If you are Mexican and came into the US legally, it's because you wanted to create a better life, those that came here illegally, were not likely going to be accepted here anyways, and those are the murders and rapists.
In other words, he isn't anti-immigration, he is anti-illegal immigration. He gained the immigrant vote (or much of it) with those statements.
Votes gained - Check√
Campaign Donations:
While Donald Trump may be a rich man, his financial empire isn't what it once was. Everyone knows this. Yet, he claims his campaign was entirely self-funded. This played into American's corrupt government theories. Getting multi-millions in donations, simply means that you have favours to repay if elected. He used this and - in his campaign often said, he was using his own money to fund the campaign and didn't owe any favours to anyone. Americans love a self-made man (or woman). The hero that comes from nothing and becomes something! How many movies have been made with this theme in mind?
Anti-big government people - he just rallied to their existing cause.
Votes gained - Check√
Stop Big Government:
Votes gained - Check√
The Blue Collar Voters:
He used China and Free Trade agreements - that many Americans have used to blame their shrinking job base - as a tool to tell blue collar workers that there would be real changes. Put on your factory worker shoes - for years you have been worried about having a job. You may have been laid off in one of the auto workers factories, or a unionized steel worker now without work. Or someone who has had to give back part of his salary so a number of staff could continue being employed. All of these events have happened. Now along comes Trump telling you he'll redefine or rip up Nafta, pull out of other trade deals, stop jobs from going overseas. Your option is Clinton, who is the same as the previous 8 years of Democratic rule, she offers you welfare, food stamps and Obama-care.
Blue collar voters heard Trumps message - no plan, no structure, but also no rhetoric - this turned a lot of people towards him.
Votes gained - Check√
Lower taxes and Obama-Care:
Trump offered middle class workers up to a 35% reduction in taxes. On October 24, Obama's administration said Health care premiums would rise 22% in 2017. WOW - what a choice. Trump said he would scrap Obama-care and fix it, and at the same time drop taxes 35% for the middle class. Not much of a choice for the average tax payer. In a stark contrast, Clinton said she wouldn't raise taxes on those earning under $200,000 a year. So the choice boiled down to keeping the status quo or reducing income taxes?
Votes gained - Check√
The email scandal:
Lastly, Clinton and her email scandal. Let's face it, she 'likely' didn't do anything illegal, but she did do many dumb things. Where she got in trouble and gave Trump ammunition is - she denied it ... until caught. Had she admitted it and claimed she made a mistake at first, the entire thing would have been a non-issue. Americans would have forgiven her both her stupidity and not worried about voting for a potentially impeached President.Votes gained - Check√Where Trump lost votes is in his treatment of women. He alienated much of the educated, and feminist women's movement. Although he didn't say anything that offended them, his past actions, interviews, taped meetings and leaked video's did all the damage. He would have had many more voters if he had apologized - said he was wrong in the past and has been enlightened since - instead of calling it 'locker room talk' or denying it took place. This stance of his set him back in the polls.
Votes lost - Check√
The underdog card:
Everyone loved the underdog. The Green Bay Packers for example - a football team that plays in front of a full house every week, has had consecutive sellouts for a number of years, playing in the worst, coldest environment in the NFL in a town that has about the same population as seats at their football stadium. People love to cheer for these guys come playoff time - why? They are the little guy beating up on big money! Donald Trump played this card to a tee.
- He had no political background (the outsider),
- Was not being funded by big corporations (The self-supportive guy club),
- The media is crooked and out to get him (little man syndrome),
- The system is rigged - be careful when you vote (corrupt government),
- Came from nothing and will win (will win despite the odds stacked against him)
While Hillary paid for traditional TV, Magazine, Radio, Newspaper ads, Trump used social media and people more than the traditional publicity. Yes he used and paid for ads, but nobody was more active on social media than his team. He has posted 34,000+ tweets since the campaign started. We have 365 days in a year, that's more than 900 a day! He prayed on the fears and anger of Americans and told them what they wanted to hear - but more so - he told them in many ways, on many media's, and over and over, and over again. he never talked about facts, he used emotions. People respond to emotion. Emotion is what sells Apple computers, Coke, Pepsi, Pizza, MCD's, and much more. Trump knows this and is a master at it.
Clinton didn't help herself either, that entire campaign was boring, lifeless and without colour. The only time it came to life, was when Trump pushed her into a corner and she fought back.
Like him or hate him, Trump is going to be the next US president, and he deserves it. His campaign was better organized, better aimed and better marketed that his opponent.
Like him or hate him, Americans need to be on him like white on rice. If he messes up, let him know - and if he does well - praise him so he does better.
Like him or hate him, "The Donald" will make life more interesting for the next 4 years. And you have the power to say "You're fired" in 4 years from now if you don't like his work.
Comments
Post a Comment