While waiting at the deli counter

[augyboston]

While waiting at the deli counter last week a man engaged me in conversation about the high price of groceries. Then he starts in about how tRump will fix it. That's when I kicked into high gear by telling him that tRump had just stated a few days prior that bringing down the price of groceries would be very hard and how day glow basically said there wasn't much he could do about it.

Then I kick it up another notch by using my ant-MAGA strategy. I tell these knuckle draggers that I do not believe in tRump and that both parties deserve our disdain. I tell them that George Washington was against political parties and that both parties suck. I tell them that I wish a pox on both their houses and that I hate all politicians and politics in general. I finish up with the only people who can save us are ourselves.

These people are anti-government anyway, so it is quite easy to get them thinking that all people involved in the government are scum bags. Without creating confrontation I get them to question their fealty to anyone and that includes tRump and the Republican Party.

Then I finish with how the multi-national corporations own everyone and how the high prices are the result of big business gouging all of us.

I love seeing the confused look on their faces when I plant the seeds of doubt.

[Think. Again.]

1. Well done!

This isn't a fight between 2 parties anymore, it's a fight between Democracy and fascism.

Yes, we understand the Democratic party is on the side of Democracy, but they don't see that, and if we can get the red voters to start voting in their own interests, they will vote for Dems.

[ThePartyThatListens]

2. Well done

It's always a good thing when you can smack some reality into a MAGA"s face.

[gab13by13]

3. I live among the Magats

and I agree about using the both parties argument, I do it too and I rarely get a push back. If they mention something about a Democrat I am free to counter with a Republican example. That is the only way to debate with them.

I usually just choose to do zingers to them about something awful Republicans are doing and then shut them off.

[JI7]

4. I agree, you can't appeal to everyone to support democrsts. If you had tried that

they would have automatically had their answers ready about liberals made things expensive by giving free things to illegals and other bs.

One thing I often do is play clueless or like I'm not political. Like during covid when someone started in on the conspiracy with masks and things. I was like " oh , is that right " ? . Then I would just say something like how people even before covid with certain health conditions would wear masks and follow certain safety procedures so the Covid measures just made me think of that.

My attitude and tone is kind of unsure or questioning so I don't come off as political . So at lesst I can get some facts out that maybe some day they might think of. But it's also not a waste of time.

A lot of these people thrive on getting the liberal outrage.

[Timeflyer]

5. Glad you stood up to MAGA cultist. However,

claiming that both parties suck and all politicians are equally bad excuses them from the consequences of their involvement, or indifference, to our country's present turn to authoritarianism and plutocracy. Were FDR and Stalin equally evil? How about Churchill and Hitler?

[Kaleva]

8. It's a strategy

One won't be able to convince them to start supporting Dems but with this approach, one may be able to convince them to go third party or abandon Trump . No gain for us but still a loss for Trump and his minions.

[yardwork]

15. Trump will never run again.

This false equivalency encourages people to vote for the next Trump. The next guy who says exactly this: government is useless, only I can fix this, vote for me as a dictator.

That was Trump's message.

[Kaleva]

21. It's a common strategy used by those who troll

Pretend to be one of them but with the purpose of raising doubt.

There'd be no reason for sites like DU to ban those who do that if it wasn't effective.

[augyboston]

19. Exactly! It is addition by subtraction.

If we can get them to turn their backs on MAGA and either not vote at all or vote for a third party (perhaps write in their aunt's name!) we will have watered down MAGA support.

[yardwork]

6. I don't agree with this approach at all.

Both parties deserve our disdain? Just no.

[Fla Dem]

7. Not sure bashing the Democratic Party is a great strategy.

"I tell these knuckle draggers that I do not believe in tRump and that both parties deserve our disdain. I tell them that George Washington was against political parties and that both parties suck. I tell them that I wish a pox on both their houses and that I hate all politicians and politics in general."

If you're using this strategy of degrading the Democratic Party to convince the Magat guy you're not just picking on Republicans, not sure it's all that helpful to our Party.

[Kaleva]

9. It's addition by subtraction.

[Fla Dem]

11. Bit of a stretch.

[Kaleva]

12. You're not going to be able to convince a Magahat to start supporting Dems

But you might be able to convince them to reduce or even stop their support for Trump

[yardwork]

14. I think it's the worst possible message.

Encouraging people to think both parties are bad and government is useless creates the exact mindset that pushes people to vote for the next Trump.

Terrible strategy.

[travelingthrulife]

10. So both sides are the same?

Weak argument.

[yardwork]

13. I'm coming back to comment again because I hope you'll reconsider your approach.

I think our best strategy with MAGATs is to let them own Trump and his actions.

When somebody says, "Trump will fix this," respond "I hope you're right." Don't be drawn into complexities. Just keep saying "I hope you're right." This leaves them with the uneasy feeling that they've chosen a side and you're watching to see if their side keeps their promises.

The worst thing we can do is give them cover from Trump's failures by repeating the Big Lie that Democrats are just as bad, government is useless, etc. This is the absolute worst thing for us to do.

Don't give Trump cover. Hold him and voters to their promises. When they fail, make them own it.

[augyboston]

20. How'd that work out for us during and after his first term?

"I think our best strategy with MAGATs is to let them own Trump and his actions."

MAGATS don't hold him to account, so your approach has proven to be fruitless.

I'd rather they hate both parties and not just the Democrats.

[yardwork]

22. I don't think we've done it right.

We counted on the media and they failed us.

Democratic politicians ran around giving cover to Trump. Our best strategy is to let MAGATs know we're watching Trump, and not concede in advance.

"Trump will fix these prices!"
"Good. I hope you're right."

[sarisataka]

16. I am still shopping at the wrong stores

OTH I probably wouldn't do as well as everyone else. I have enough trouble remembering what I am supposed to pick up that I don't have my politics talking points ready to go when MAGAmbushed.

[Sympthsical]

18. I'm about to do a Costco/Safeway run

Yes, on the 23rd. Couldn't be helped.

But ear to the ground for the sizzling full-length political debates taking place in every aisle of every store previously unbeknownst to me. I've pocketed some talking points just in case. (They largely consist of "I think Lays are on sale" and "China wants to buy Lays" - I dunno, it's a work in progress).

[yardwork]

23. I was at the Panthers game in Charlotte this past Sunday.

Charlotte's on the NC/SC border, home to banks and Duke Energy. Not exactly a liberal enclave, and the last home game for the local NFL team brought out a fair number of rabid fans, decked head to toe in merch, despite the dismal season. I would guess that 90% of the people in the stadium voted for Trump, including most of the players.

I looked and looked for MAGATs in red hats but I didn't see any. (The Panthers are black and teal and they were playing the AZ Cardinals so maybe there weee some red hats but all I saw was a sea of black and teal.)

Conversations consisted of "tap your credit card on the top here" and "excuse us, coming through" and "is this the line for the cocktail hut?"

Great game (Panthers won in OT with a walk-off TD) but I didn't get to have a single argument.

[Sympthsical]

17. And then the macaroni salad applauded