There is a basic choice in ruling approach.
One is a more universal approach - the ideals of 'justice for all', that when you win you're the president of everyone, not just those who voted for you, that while we might disagree on our choice of policies and leaders, we need to be loyal to each other anyway and draw lines at how much we oppose the other side that stop short of oppression and include respect for equal rights.
The other is the divisive approach - to gain power by appealing to part of society - either a majority group, or a powerful minority - by giving them priority and benefits at the expense of others.
This tends to mean dehumanizing, demonizing some groups, and trying to take as much, to exploit them as much as possible, for the benefit of the 'base' group of supporters.
Perhaps the most famous case of this was Hitler's appealing to the German people by attacking other groups - Jews, gays, socialists, communists, the handicapped, in the name of making Germany 'great' for the 'master race' - and it included conquering the rest of the world as well.
It doesn't have to be that dramatic or extreme.
Republicans are showing themselves the masters of this divided appeal.
America is (still, for now) majority white; they appeal to whites by attacking people of color and hurting them.
America is majority Christian - so they appeal to them by demonizing others - from the more severe, supporting violence overseas, Muslim bans, to the trivial but popular, attacking 'happy holidays' instead of 'Merry Christmas' as a greeting, and more, telling Christians they're under attack but Republicans will protect their right to discriminate, such as against gay people.
This rule is especially ugly, because it requires creating the desire to hate and discriminate as the base of their power among the targeted groups against others.
Analysts have said, 'everything trump does is aimed at his base'.
Sadly, his base doesn't even realize the divisiveness is being done to target them - nearly 100% of Democrats say trump is increasing division while a majority of trump supporters say he's reducing it.
The antidote to this includes appealing to those being offered the benefits with American values - to support equal rights, universal justice, and not be pandered to at the expense of others.
It's the equivalent of asking a slave society to give up their benefits in the name of justice for others - historically, it's a long shot. But it's the right thing.
We need to reinforce American and human values by teaching everyone this idea of governing by division and to oppose it as wrong - an easy message for those on the losing side, but important for those being offered the benefits.
As a practical matter,* justice on this is obtained more by the strong resistance of the* oppressed groups - after which the groups who had the benefits and did not willingly give them up pat themselves on the back for the progress - but we should attack the approach by the leaders who adopt this approach to gaining power.
It's ugly. It's harmful. It's telling people to support them, because they're more on their side against the other group, and guarantees discrimination.
It's un-American. And it's almost the entirety of trump's politics. It's not new to Republicans - they've all done it since Eisenhower t least - but trump is the most blatant.
One is a more universal approach - the ideals of 'justice for all', that when you win you're the president of everyone, not just those who voted for you, that while we might disagree on our choice of policies and leaders, we need to be loyal to each other anyway and draw lines at how much we oppose the other side that stop short of oppression and include respect for equal rights.
The other is the divisive approach - to gain power by appealing to part of society - either a majority group, or a powerful minority - by giving them priority and benefits at the expense of others.
This tends to mean dehumanizing, demonizing some groups, and trying to take as much, to exploit them as much as possible, for the benefit of the 'base' group of supporters.
Perhaps the most famous case of this was Hitler's appealing to the German people by attacking other groups - Jews, gays, socialists, communists, the handicapped, in the name of making Germany 'great' for the 'master race' - and it included conquering the rest of the world as well.
It doesn't have to be that dramatic or extreme.
Republicans are showing themselves the masters of this divided appeal.
America is (still, for now) majority white; they appeal to whites by attacking people of color and hurting them.
America is majority Christian - so they appeal to them by demonizing others - from the more severe, supporting violence overseas, Muslim bans, to the trivial but popular, attacking 'happy holidays' instead of 'Merry Christmas' as a greeting, and more, telling Christians they're under attack but Republicans will protect their right to discriminate, such as against gay people.
This rule is especially ugly, because it requires creating the desire to hate and discriminate as the base of their power among the targeted groups against others.
Analysts have said, 'everything trump does is aimed at his base'.
Sadly, his base doesn't even realize the divisiveness is being done to target them - nearly 100% of Democrats say trump is increasing division while a majority of trump supporters say he's reducing it.
The antidote to this includes appealing to those being offered the benefits with American values - to support equal rights, universal justice, and not be pandered to at the expense of others.
It's the equivalent of asking a slave society to give up their benefits in the name of justice for others - historically, it's a long shot. But it's the right thing.
We need to reinforce American and human values by teaching everyone this idea of governing by division and to oppose it as wrong - an easy message for those on the losing side, but important for those being offered the benefits.
As a practical matter,* justice on this is obtained more by the strong resistance of the* oppressed groups - after which the groups who had the benefits and did not willingly give them up pat themselves on the back for the progress - but we should attack the approach by the leaders who adopt this approach to gaining power.
It's ugly. It's harmful. It's telling people to support them, because they're more on their side against the other group, and guarantees discrimination.
It's un-American. And it's almost the entirety of trump's politics. It's not new to Republicans - they've all done it since Eisenhower t least - but trump is the most blatant.
The gubment is gonna pay for it.......