Obsessive Trump Hatred

Lots of lefties are trying to paint a picture in which Republicans have zero chance in the forthcoming election.  Most of the people I listen to (there are no “experts” here) indeed think the House is a forgone conclusion, but the Senate is up for grabs.  But the game at this point is to depress turn out for Republicans and so the stories designed to produce just that outcome continue.  One thing you can say for sure, Democrats and the left generally, are competing in this election with passion, reason not-so-much, but passion for certain.

Earlier this week, completely out of the blue. I got a DM from an old acquaintance.  I have not spoken to this person in several years, and barely did before that – mostly a few social media pleasantries.  So, up popped this DM that read, “I sincerely hope you are not still backing this evil, corrupt administration.”  That’s odd from two standpoints.

For one, a reasonable person never unquestionably supports any administration.  Once the election has occurred, you try and get things done given the players that the election put in place.  That’s how America works.  I disagreed with the Obama administration most of the time and I opposed their actions most of the time.  But that is different than “not supporting the administration.”  They were duly elected and legitimately in office.  Not supporting the administration is a pointless exercise under those circumstances. Heck, the Biden administration was legitimate, even if Biden himself was not for an extended portion of his term.

Conversely I do not agree with everything the Trump administration has done.  I neither support or oppose the administration – I agree or disagree with the administration’s stance on a specific issue.  Once an administration is elected, one neither backs it or opposes it.  You just get about business.

The second oddity in that DM is what is truly troubling.  Why would a person I barely knew feel compelled to send such a message when we have not spoken in years?  Such behavior is indicative of an obsession of some sort.  Think about it, this person had to be sitting around thinking about how much they hate Trump – then who they knew that voted for Trump that they could spill their bile upon – and then summon the will to actually spill it.  Who spends that much time on someone or something they do not care for?  It is simply not healthy.

Needless to say I am on a million political mailing lists, on both sides of the aisle.  Even more needless to say, I have been buried in political messaging as the election approaches.  Increasingly the ads I am getting hit with from the left are of the same sort as the DM.  They are some variation of “vote for me to oppose Trump.”  That is the agenda they are messaging.  No issues, no mention of “affordability” which is supposed to be the Republican Achilles Heel.  Nope, the messaging is simply, “I hate Trump as much as you do.”  See what I mean about “all passion, no reason?”

That people are unhealthfully obsessed with politics is hardly a new phenomenon in this nation – although the numbers so obsessed have risen significantly since the inception of the 24-hour news channel and talk radio.  The volume of that obsession has risen significantly since the advent of social media.  But what is troubling is that our politics have chosen to both feed and feed upon that unhealthful obsession.

That is a recipe for the end of our republic.  And I think people know that. Which is why I am not at all sure about the purported incoming “blue wave.”  I think all this noise is going to be like most tsunami warnings – unrealized.