Though, probably the best demonstration of "demagoguery" we've had in a while, in the hurricane of bluster, blather and bald-faced lying that is Donald Trump I think his appeal is on target in three areas:
- unscripted presentation
- critique of PC language policing
- globalization as a key factor in losing middle-class jobs
Bernie Sanders is genuine and unscripted, he hits these same three targets, but with more honesty and with specific content instead of inflammatory sloganeering - so why didn't more working folks support Sanders? It could be sexism, racism or the FOX-conditioned irrational fear/hatred of Liberals, Democrats and especially Socialists. Or it could be that Trump simply stokes their anger rather than offering informed explanations and detailed plans.
While the initial intent of "PC" or politically correct speech was to promote civil discourse with a move away from biased or offensive language. Conservatives think this is only a liberal thing but O'Reilly's annual whine about the "war on Christmas" is nothing but evangelical PC - and a bit exaggerated at that. There is an abundance of Christian iconography, slogans and prayers in our public spaces.
The problem of language policing is that it encourages heightened sensitivities so that many people hold what I call a "victim mousetrap" mindset, just waiting to spring shut on something they find offensive. The validation, in some corners, of "the trigger warning" is a sign that we've gone too far.
Aside from following basic rules of civility, pubic discourse should not be shut down according to the most sensitive person in the crowd - this is a dangerous absurdity. Anyone so raw as to need a TW should *stay home* until they are well enough to participate in the rough-and-tumble that is democracy rather than expect the rest of us to walk on egg-shells.
As for globalization, the first thing to note is that it has been defined for us all by small groups of mostly white men whose policies sometimes override national law if corporate profit is at stake. It has been money-grubbing, free-loading guys like Trump who have promoted and benefited from the outsourcing of jobs. That is is legal does not mean it is smart or right. The global economic model is called "liberal economics" but it is only liberal with those already awash in wealth.
The hypnopedia of laissez-faire slogans like tax-cuts, privatization, trickle-down and rising-tide has been repeated and tried for 40 years without achieving its lofty claims. In reality, this economic model has helped create an unprecedented and dangerous gap in wealth. One day "race to the bottom" won't be just a phrase, it will be our experience UNLESS we re-define a globalism not focused on maximizing the profit of a few but a more rational and sustainable globalization for the people and the planet.
