Chatting with a friend who does not follow politics, his reaction was “all politicians are crooks.”
I replied that one is a rapist, a felon and brags about taking away women’s reproductive rights and the other wants to forgive student loans, and trusts women to control their own bodies.
He didn’t budge. He insisted they were all the same. And some have better PR.
When I asked how much time he spent thinking about politics in a week, his answer was “zero.”
To this unengaged friend, the reputation of politicians isn’t based on their actions or accomplishments. It’s based on a resentment fueled by the stereotype that both side are bad and you are always choosing between the lesser of two evils. News isn’t news to someone who fully ignores it.
MurMur’s mission of engaging with new voters is so important and you’re at the base of a mountain of resistance working against a flood of disinformation.
So, if you change one mind or convert one person from disengaged to informed, that’ll be a huge accomplishment. Keep fighting the good fight. And never be discouraged by slow progress.
Thanks, Shawn, I appreciate the message and the sentiment.
Whether your friend knows it or not, he is spewing right-wing talking points. The idea that "all politicians are crooks" is a deliberate message from the right, aimed at making people believe that both sides are evil, so regular Americans check out of politics, which allows for Republicans to run unchecked through our politics giving our country over to corporations and wealthy people. This is best amplified by Steve Bannon's "flood the zone with shit" strategy*.
I've always thought the best way to combat this type of thinking is by having the government do good things for people, which Democrats tend to do. My counter to this type of thinking is to point out all the good things Biden or Democrats have done for average Americans vs arguing the corrupt point. Something like, "Sure, you might feel the system is broken and all politicians are corrupt, but you still have a say in it. We get the government we vote for, so I personally choose to vote for people that fight for cheaper healthcare, hold corporations accountable, support unions and working people. . . "
*The great irony is in this election the "flood the zone with shit strategy" might actually backfire on Republicans. This is used to tamper down voter turnout which typically benefits Republicans. However, in this election polls are clear that Biden leads pretty significantly with likely voters and registered voters. Meaning Trump needs a higher turnout then Biden does. If people are so fed up with the system the generally opt out, that could help Biden (although it depends who is opting out, young voters and voters of color opting out - Bad for Biden, rural voters opting out - Good for Biden).
Chatting with a friend who does not follow politics, his reaction was “all politicians are crooks.”
I replied that one is a rapist, a felon and brags about taking away women’s reproductive rights and the other wants to forgive student loans, and trusts women to control their own bodies.
He didn’t budge. He insisted they were all the same. And some have better PR.
When I asked how much time he spent thinking about politics in a week, his answer was “zero.”
To this unengaged friend, the reputation of politicians isn’t based on their actions or accomplishments. It’s based on a resentment fueled by the stereotype that both side are bad and you are always choosing between the lesser of two evils. News isn’t news to someone who fully ignores it.
MurMur’s mission of engaging with new voters is so important and you’re at the base of a mountain of resistance working against a flood of disinformation.
So, if you change one mind or convert one person from disengaged to informed, that’ll be a huge accomplishment. Keep fighting the good fight. And never be discouraged by slow progress.
Thanks, Shawn, I appreciate the message and the sentiment.
Whether your friend knows it or not, he is spewing right-wing talking points. The idea that "all politicians are crooks" is a deliberate message from the right, aimed at making people believe that both sides are evil, so regular Americans check out of politics, which allows for Republicans to run unchecked through our politics giving our country over to corporations and wealthy people. This is best amplified by Steve Bannon's "flood the zone with shit" strategy*.
I've always thought the best way to combat this type of thinking is by having the government do good things for people, which Democrats tend to do. My counter to this type of thinking is to point out all the good things Biden or Democrats have done for average Americans vs arguing the corrupt point. Something like, "Sure, you might feel the system is broken and all politicians are corrupt, but you still have a say in it. We get the government we vote for, so I personally choose to vote for people that fight for cheaper healthcare, hold corporations accountable, support unions and working people. . . "
*The great irony is in this election the "flood the zone with shit strategy" might actually backfire on Republicans. This is used to tamper down voter turnout which typically benefits Republicans. However, in this election polls are clear that Biden leads pretty significantly with likely voters and registered voters. Meaning Trump needs a higher turnout then Biden does. If people are so fed up with the system the generally opt out, that could help Biden (although it depends who is opting out, young voters and voters of color opting out - Bad for Biden, rural voters opting out - Good for Biden).
It seems my comment drew a lot of fire from right leaning individuals. MurMur must be getting under peoples skin. Keep doing what you’re doing.