Quote Originally Posted by ReluctantSamurai View Post
Sorry, but those dogs just won't hunt. A vote for Trump, no matter the reason, is a vote for all the horrific, authoritarian ideals he stands for. It's like saying I like a strong, dominant military even though that military might likely use nuclear weapons to resolve disputes; or that military hasn't a care for human rights violations in the course of military operations and use drone strikes indiscriminately regardless of collateral damage.

If you voted for Trump, you voted for more undermining of democracy, you voted for more government corruption, you voted for more of the same kind of divisionist populism we've had here in the last 4 years, you voted for an administration that doesn't believe in science and therefore more of "the virus is a hoax" policy, and a continuing push to hold on to, or expand the use of fossil fuels, even though you don't need a science degree to see what's been happening to our climate the last 20-30 years.

So all those reasons to have voted for Trump are complete and utter bullshit. Having said that, if I came across a person in a life threatening situation where my help could save their life, I won't be asking for their political affiliation before I offer my help. But some Trump supporter who is suffering from a situation brought about by, or amplified by Trump Administration policies....sorry, you'll get no sympathy from me.
There ARE people who voted for him just because he had an R after his name. That they put party over country and community is pig-ignorant and/or morally reprehensible, but I am fairly certain such occurred.

I personally know at least one Florida voter who pulled the lever for Trump -- despite thinking him a vile person -- because 'his policies benefit small business (she owns one) and because Trump is pro-life. No matter how much my wife and I pointed out that his policies were NOT targeted on small business, only benefiting them because it made profits easier for all businesses (much to the added pelf of the big corps and 1% even more than our small business friend) and that his pro-life judges were probably selected more for their economic than their social conservatism. These policies benefited the business, so the vote was cast for a bad candidate anyway.

Sadly, some of the voters did vote for him because he looked/sounded/behaved as they would if they had that much money and power.

So, while neither you nor I find these reasons sufficient to deem those voters less morally culpable for the ills of this thankfully out-going President, I must note that Gil' was correct that these reasons WERE reasons that prompted a number of the Trump voters.

Sadly, far too large a cadre of Trump's support are "deplorables," and as I have noted elsewhere they are in the ascendant in the GOP. Which is why, as of yesterday when renewing my license, I am no longer affiliated with that party (and did not vote for a single one of the rapscallions in the past election. The first no GOP vote ballot I had ever cast).