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Comment by tstrimple | Hacker News Reader

Given who the president of the United States is. They are at least a plurality.

I think that’sa harmful oversimplification. You should avoid arguing against a boogeyman version of your political opponents. People vote for crazy candidates for a multitude of reasons. Most people have fairly average opinions on the majority of topics but can only vote for candidates that partially represent their preferences. I for example have fairly radical preferences when it comes to environmental policy but agree more with conservative opinions on other topics. There are no parties in my country that promise to make me completely happy.

The broken US voting system amplifies the effect.

Stop being so fucking patronizing. I was raised by these people. Most of my family are still these people. I’ve experienced their bullshit for over 40 years. Your high minded nonsense in no way applies. I see what they cheer for.

I don’t claim that nobody matches the stereotype.

And here you are playing their fucking game. They wouldn't be such degenerate shitheads if people weren't mean to them. As if there isn't a strong line of cruelty throughout all of conservative history in this country. Your argument is she wouldn't have been raped if she hasn't been wearing what she was wearing. That black boy wouldn't have been lynched if he hadn't cat-called a white woman. Regardless of whether or not he actually did. It puts the fault of the worst of our society on the normal folks just trying to live their lives. Conservatives are shit people because are incapable of empathy for the out-group. Not because liberals were mean to them online.

Democracy breaks down when you demonize people with different opinions instead of figuring out on why they believe what they’re believing and on which topics you can find consensus. When you assume to know everything about a person by where they put a cross in an election you give up on trying to convince them of your convictions. You can’t have a functioning society if you let the identity politics propaganda win. If you believe that roughly half of your country is a raping, lynching mob beyond reason you might as well stop elections and proceed to civil war.

Democracy breaks down when you have one political party explicitly attacking it and "enlightened centrists" like you defending them while they do it.

> instead of figuring out on why they believe what they’re believing and on which topics you can find consensus.

They already told us. They hate anybody who isn't a cis white christian male. There's not a lot to find consensus on when one side wants healthcare for everyone and the other wants some people to cease to exist within the country.

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