Many of us who despise Trump's evident power in some USA domains, wonder how such a selfish, destructive man could win the hearts and minds of anyone? What happened?
No conscience
Trump, many of his family members and his cronies have little to no conscience. Think of how many times you desired to do something, but stopped because your conscience told you that was wrong. But for Trump, a man without conscience, that doesn't happen. If he thinks words or actions will prop up his personal wealth, power, pleasure or privilege, nothing stops him because he has not conscience.
Fearful
Underneath that bullish demeanor, Trump is real fearful baby. Why do you think he came up with bone spurs to avoid the draft? Why didn't he get out there and walk the neighborhoods of the USA during campaigns? Why does he let everyone else do his dirty work? He told his manipulated mob that he'd march to the Capitol with them--he led them on with words, but then scurried to the protected comfort of the White House to happily watch them carry out his racist, violent domestic terror insurgence. Trump, at his most basic self is a fearful man.
Damaged
If you take a look at Trump's childhood, there are clear signs of damage. He was a bully as a child. He didn't have the love and care of his family at a young age due to his mother's illness. He was relegated to a military academy early on. He was the son of seemingly overly ambitious parents who put their financial gain ahead of good morals or caring family life. He is damaged goods.
Plays to weakness
Trump knows that most Americans are too busy with their own lives to look deeply at political causes or opportunities. He used that knowledge to promote very simple feel good messages for the people--messages they could hold on to and feel good about. He never went into depth about any issue--just a few feel good words to rouse the crowd and gain allegiance.
Says what people want to hear
Trump could care less about truth and honesty, he simply says what people want to hear whether it is truthful or not, and if his words don't gain traction, he says something else. Always simple, always spoken to gain a reaction.
Outrageous
Trump's knows that incivility is outrageous, and he also knows that outrage garners front page news and name recognition. So he often acted and spoke in outrageous ways to gain the attention he desired.
Repetition
Trump used repetition all the time--simply repeating any act or phrase that created the results he desired. Again, his phrases were super simple and he repeated those same words and phrases again and again and again.
Bad guys
Rather than work against harmful myths and prejudices, Trump played to America's racism, prejudice and hate. Using name calling, inferences and multiple racist actions both subtle and overt, Trump increased America's long held hatred towards groups distanced from the mainstream. He knows that at our most basic selves, it's much easier to blame others for our woes than it is to look deeply at what has happened and what we can do to make better.
Big daddy
Trump played the big daddy personna leaving people to believe that he was there for them, when in truth, if you look deeply at his actions, he is clearly there for himself alone. He has cheated the American people time and again by not paying his share of taxes, not paying his bills and acting in other selfish, lawless ways. He's a big crook, not a big daddy.
As horrible as he is, Trump, his family, and like-minded, me-first cronies gained traction in the United States. This has happened throughout time, the world over with evil, self-serving, hateful, destructive regimes. How can the Democrats and others who work for the common good learn from Trump's evil ways.
I think that the Democracts have to do the following:
Keep the message simple
Just like a good website, keep the main message simple, straightforward and appealing to the people. Then back it up with the layers of greater and greater complexity for those that want to learn more. The Democrats should focus on two or three main messages that are catchy and make sense about their main objectives which I believe are to better opportunity today and going forward for all. Crafting those messages will take skill.
Act with conscience
Of course, unlike Trump, act with conscience--keep the focus on strengthening humanity and our ability to work with and for one another in safe, enriching, positive ways. Trump's clear focus on dividing us as a people and creating enemies is unnatural. The truth is that diversity is naturally benefitial to all of us, and our diversity within the United States is what makes us strong and future-ready.
Repetition and simplicity is needed
Many democratic leaders are intelligent, scholarly folk--they think with great detail and knowledge. These good leaders are unafraid to go after tough, complex issues. These leaders have to layer their messaging beginning with a common, simple, straightforward Democratic message that relays their efforts to make progress in humane ways that maximize our individual freedoms while helping us to live in harmony and respect with and for one another.
It's okay to create enemies
I'm not sure why, but people like to blame enemies. So do create enemies, but do it in justifable, humane ways. For example, climate change is an enemy to the people since it threatens the resources we need to survive such as clean air, clean water and clean soil. Make climate change the enemy it is. Violence against innocents is another enemy--when people are the object of violence for no reason, that is horrible. Make violence against innocents an enemy--tell people you are going to protect them against that enemy. Racism is an enemy that holds us back as a people--make racism the enemy. We can clearly name enemies that people can unite around, fight against and conquer. You can use Trumpian name calling with those enemies too--catastrophic climate change, life-ending violence, raging racism. . . . . .
Point out propaganda, misinformation and lies and replace it with sound-bite truths
Help people to see propaganda clearly and simply--with sound bite responses and lots of repetition, call out propaganda by telling why it is false and what is the truth of the matter. For example CRT is not the bad guy Youngkin and others make it out to be, but instead it is a way of understanding the harmful effects that raging racism has on our good lives--the money spent, the lives lost, the potential blocked by racism has held the United States back for too long, and learning about CRT at the right time and in academically solid ways will help us to rid the country of raging racism which threatens our good living as a wonderfully diverse, creative, humane and good people.
I have read a lot about Donald Trump, his family and cronies. Clearly they are self-servers without conscience who will do anything they can to prop up their personal pleasure, wealth, power and privilege. They are modern day Hitlers that act with no regard for humanity and the potential we hold as a wonderfully diverse, creative, good people. The Democrats have to think about the good they want to do and how they will honestly, simply and successfully relay that message. Onward.