Last Post of 2020: Making Sense of the 70 Million Trump Voters.

Posted on | December 30, 2020 | 4 Comments

Mike Magee

On this final day of 2020, I continue to struggle with this 70 million Trump voter issue.

On the surface, it feels like a broad recrimination of the goodness and intelligence of nearly half of American voters – rendering us “unexceptional” at best.

Even if you grant targeted voters against abortion, or for state’s rights, or concerned about budget deficits, this requires that we accept a remarkable reliance on situational ethics: that you could accept evil, degeneracy, selfishness, and cruelty in a clearly unstable leader if you were able to get what you wanted in the bargain.

While there may be elements of truth in that, I think it’s too simple an explanation. There are other contributors.

We are a consumer society (aka greedy).

We are an individualistic society (aka no tradition of solidarity).

We are a gullible society (aka naive enough to embrace fantasies).

We are an entertainment society (aka easily distractible).

We are a young society (aka immature and quick to discard our elders).

We are Americans (aka vulnerable to someone exactly of the size and dimensions and character of Trump).

The good news, as we enter 2021, is – we are other things as well – innovative, creative, energetic, mostly immigrants, hopeful, and loving (sometimes).

This time around, good conquered evil – barely.

Now we must demonstrate that we know how to use the power to move the needle in favor of our better selves.

How do we make America healthy – in body, mind, and spirit?

That is the question for 2021.

Comments

4 Responses to “Last Post of 2020: Making Sense of the 70 Million Trump Voters.”

Laura L. Hudgins
December 31st, 2020 @ 10:13 am

Thank You Dr. Magee. I work in health and education. It’s very sad to me that people are so easily duped. The 70million people who voted for Trump, and the 80million people who didn’t vote in the 2020 presidential election.
I’m glad you asked the question, How do we make America healthy -in body, mind, and spirit? Spirit will help us immensely, and I am happy to state that some Doctors in the US are including more spiritual vibrational energy in their practice. On the other hand, some medical professionals are racist, and have a limited idea of how people may heal. I am grateful to your and others in the Progressive mind-spirit-body healing professions.
Mike Magee
December 31st, 2020 @ 10:42 am

Many thanks, Laura. Your voice is critical as our country moves forward. Healing and acting need to move forward in tandem. Best, Mike
Joshua Sands
December 31st, 2020 @ 3:25 pm

Mike, thanks for asking such a great question. Understanding the 70 million who voted for an ethically challenged candidate is complex because it is not an homogeneous group. Is Trump a symptom of the forces that changed patriotism from looking out for your neighbor to looking out for your personal liberty? One has to replace the science that backs up the necessity of mask wearing with a faith that science doesn’t have the answers. Are we in the midst of the Anti-Enlightenment? 2021 will have some explaining to do!
Mike Magee
January 1st, 2021 @ 10:33 am

Thanks for this insight, Josh! Much to think about as we enter 2021! Best, Mike