Let Trump Pull the Strings

Trump became president because he is a master persuader. People with Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) fail to acknowledge this, saying, “He’s not persuasive to me…” But this misses the point. Trump is not trying to persuade left-wingers; he’s only trying to persuade the right half of the country (and really only half of that half). Because of the polarization of society, it’s impossible for any politician to appeal to both the left and the right wing. So Trump just targets his populist base on the right, knowing the rest of the right will fall in line rather than vote Blue.

The left-wing media frames Trump as the most right-wing president ever, a racist fascist bigot, etc... But what actual racist sexist fascist bigoted things has Trump done? Not said, but done. None. Trump has shown he’s willing to work with liberals even for social justice causes, like he did with Kim Kardashian. The left overreacts to Trump’s rhetoric, not his actions.

Trump is actually the most progressive republican president ever. He is pro-gay marriage (the first president ever elected as such, of either party), and he’s the most anti-war president in recent history. Trump slips in popular progressive policies that the right has relented on because they don’t care about his actions (he never built that wall).

Trump's base cares about rhetoric, too—and they love Trump’s words. They’ll continue to support him as long as he says he’ll build a wall and continues being Trump, refusing to be politically correct in his speeches. Which is exactly the same reason the left hates him—all they care about is being politically correct in rhetoric. You can bomb Muslims and deport Mexicans as long as you say you support BIPOCs and LGBTQIA+… Just ask Obama.

The truth is that the left can work with Trump to achieve more populist liberal policies. All they need to do is ignore his rhetoric—which he needs to continue to keep his right-wing base. Trump is in a unique position to move the right toward the left and the left toward the right—not as in milquetoast centrism, but as in apolitical populism. What most Americans really want is not the DNC or GOP. They are not fully left-wing or right-wing, nor some compromise down the middle. True American populism is a mixture of far-right and far-left policies. And Donald Trump is one of the few American politicians crazy enough to pull that combination off.

But for that to happen, the left has to stop attacking Trump and work with him. He has the right under his control. Trump can pull the right toward the left (such as ending wars) without them realizing it, as long as he continues acting tough. So let him. Ignore the rhetoric and let him act. Let Trump pull your strings to lead the populist movement and make America great again.