#election2020 #trump #democratichopeful
For all of his faults, and there are many, Trump does one thing very well, that is to make people feel as if they are part of the team. This should come as no surprise, just look at his rhetoric; America first, America against China, America against immigrants, Nationalism above globalism, us against them.
Trump’s opponents, myself included, often fail to appreciate the power of inclusion. I think part of it is because we are not seeking inclusion ourselves, we live it everyday, and therefore assume others are not either. If you look at how the country voted, the coasts voted democrat and the interior (mostly) voted republican.
With the exception of 4 populous states (Texas, Michigan, Georgia and Florida), the remaining states that voted for Trump are on the smaller population. This means their opportunities to interact with other people are few and far between; even with like-people. Most of these voters live in sparser areas, where they come together under special occasions and circumstances, whether fairs, celebrations, parades, etc. It is perhaps, because of this lack of interaction, these people put a lot of weight on inclusion and may be more wary of new faces and cultures. This is not good or bad. It’s just how it is.
And none of this is news. None of this deserves a study. This is self-evident. However, what may not seem as obvious is the default messaging of the democrats and how it by-passes Americans to include others. The default message assumes all voters are; 1) already feeling included and 2) are open to other people. Step #1 is required before #2 and if you ignore it, even with good intentions, your audience will not only feel excluded, they will despise you for it.
The message from the democrats must be about the inclusion of others, but not at the expense of the exclusion (even if only perceived) of Americans. The message of the democrats must include Americans first. After all, the election will be for the President of the United States. The message must make the interior population of the United States feel included first. Only after this message is clear and well received, can democrats begin to talk about immigration and asylum seekers.
The 2020 election will be contentious. There is very little doubt about that. However, if there is any hope of change, it must begin with the message that Americans come first. Only after American needs are addressed, can energy be expended on other priorities.
