I Engaged Them

But alas I do.

Admittedly, I have little ongoing contact with diehard tRump supporters. I pride myself on following some 20 solid news sources and look at the credentials and sources of those presenting information on Facebook. There has been an amazing amount of solid investigative journalism. Just check the books downloaded to my Kindle that I turn to when sleepless (which is pretty often these days).

Occasionally, despite my better instincts, I engage. The experience of exchanges consists of the following (1) grammatically challenged, misspelled words (2) liberal use of “fake media” and “lies” (3) insults (4) regurgitation of conspiracy theories (5) but the economy. I’m left with the feeling that there is a true dichotomy in America – between Republicans and Democrats, educated and less educated, men and women.

I’ve come to the conclusion that there are people who just do not have a grasp of what is happening in 2018 and the events leading up to the election of tRump.

One engagement came in respond to new clip of comments by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who listed the reasons why he supported Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony at the Senate Judicial Committee hearings for Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court.

Shock of the moment as presented in an article by Nausicaa Renner: 

“Online, people spend huge amounts of time in a shocked stupor, trying to steer others in useful directions. People workshop one another’s reactions to the news and police the reactions of their internet acquaintances, spending pent-up moral outrage slapping friends on the wrist for being insufficiently struck by some new development…”

Count me in here. It all just magnifies my bitchhood.

On another thread, tRumpers were claiming that liberals were communists, and that CNN is the communist media. I repeatedly asked them to cite their sources and, of course, they wouldn’t… or couldn’t.

I asked the question on five subsequent threads and got the same response… crickets.

Here’s one supporter playing the God card:

Linda Baccile Eismont: God put him in office for a reason. He’s tried to repeal and replace healthcare but congress didn’t have enough votes. I did look up the meaning of nationalist and patriot and I quoted what it said. He is not there for the money, he is not taking a salary. 0! He doesn’t need the money, he is doing this for America. America was heading toward socialism and we can’t let that happen. Thank God Trump is a fighter and he is fighting for all Americans! The truth is economy start rising and unemployment down after Trump was elected.

Of course, there are the Obama bashers:

Mary Ann Taft Obama was and still is a worthless idiot he tried to divide the US he let other countries run over us he didnt have courageYou are the one with the bullshot Obama hated the military proof when he let the military budget get cut he was the racist he is a secret moslem

Mary Ann Taft to Linda Desplanque: so...you want Muslims to take over our country? really smart....sure we have freedom of religion so what? that doesn't give a religion to throw their beliefs on others. and Obama has compassion ya right sure he does talk about a ignorant statement.... You all are so stupid I can't believe we actually have these many stupid people living in the US

tRump has stooped to new lows since his trip to Paris over Veteran’s Day weekend: (1) Refusing to visit the World War I cemetery in Paris and Arlington (2) Refusing to condemn Saudi Arabia’s murder of Jamal Khashoggi (3) Raking comment when visiting site of wildfires in California, alluding that Finland did that; refusing to deny that climate change was a factor (4) Giving himself an A+ on performance (5) Sending/removing troops as a political ploy (6) Bragging about mid-term GOP "wins" (7) Creating the Whitaker debacle (8) Insulting Navy SEAL Adm. William H. McRaven (9) Ivanka emails (10) Attempting to prosecute Hillary Clinton and James Comey through the Justice Department, blocked by Don McGahn (11) Insulting Adam Schiff (12) Statements that prosecutors have not been able to fund a “smocking gun,” which set social media ablaze.

More recently, Paul Manafort was revealed as tRump’s mole in the Russia investigation (Manafort’s lawyers pillow-talking with tRump’s) and Michael Cohen, tRump’s attorney, pleading guilty to lying about his work on the tRump Tower Moscow project and sentenced to three months in prison. Add the Michael Flynn court appearance and subsequent claim that the FBI didn’t warm him about lying during an informal conversation in the White House, shady inauguration spending, no one wanting the Chief of Staff position… wait, there’s Breaking News!

Haven’t heard much in terms of defense from tRumpsters, or the Republicans in Congress, but tRump himself responded with his usual witch hunt bluster and that Cohen is a “weak person and not a very smart person.”

Then there was this comment from a supporter in response to a discussion on tRump’s threat to shut down the government unless $5 billion for his wall: Do you really want to pay for all those illegals that tried to storm Tijuana and come in to America totally not ready to do this legally, trip paid for by G. Soros??? Some earlier are getting child care, food stamps, housing assistance $$ . More total per month than most of us are drawing on our EARNED Social Security !!! We pay for them mostly, they all do not want to work just as we have legal residents here who do not to work either!! Geez! (To which a Fact Sheet: Immigrants and Public Benefits was posted.)

She goes on to complain about all the illegals hanging around the streets in California, sleeping on cardboard and in tents, and stealing Social Security numbers.

I asked my usual questions, including her sources for news, and of course I heard nothing. 

Granted, this is all pretty complicated to understand, which may account for… crickets.