"Trump was elected as a Republican, but in many ways behaves like an independent, upending 150 years of 2-party rule".
http://nyti.ms/2xm6na7
The giant question in my mind is, "why is the NYT hopelessly committed to exploring EVERY slant to normalize Trump?" Seriously... the mental gymnastics of normalizing is akin to journalistic gaslighting. Is the NYT compromised? Trump's only party is himself and Russia's. That doesn't make him an "independent." It makes him a narcissistic traitor. Trump only cares about Dems so he can stick it to McConnell for failing to carry out his wishes. That's not "independent" politics. It's him caring only about his image. He's lied, ranted, divided, obstructed, and imperiled rule of law. So they reward this by making him a political maverick? An independent who's destroying our political structures? This is extremely suspect. Ever notice how neither Obama nor Clinton got the ‘150 year rule’ treatment when they compromised? There is such a rush to lavish praise on Trump for small gestures, and a willingness to overlook large slights. We’ve got a strong case of normalcy bias - we want things to be normal, so any hint of it becomes a magnet for attention. Because people want Trump to be normal, they look for clues in his behavior that validate their interpretation of ‘everything’s fine’. This tendency to assume Trump is normal and willing to make bipartisan deals causes people to lower their guard, and assume it’s okay. The reality is that Trump is erratic. He is easily triggered and is desperate to retain the affection of a prejudicial base. Danger is real.
The giant question in my mind is, "why is the NYT hopelessly committed to exploring EVERY slant to normalize Trump?" Seriously... the mental gymnastics of normalizing is akin to journalistic gaslighting. Is the NYT compromised? Trump's only party is himself and Russia's. That doesn't make him an "independent." It makes him a narcissistic traitor. Trump only cares about Dems so he can stick it to McConnell for failing to carry out his wishes. That's not "independent" politics. It's him caring only about his image. He's lied, ranted, divided, obstructed, and imperiled rule of law. So they reward this by making him a political maverick? An independent who's destroying our political structures? This is extremely suspect. Ever notice how neither Obama nor Clinton got the ‘150 year rule’ treatment when they compromised? There is such a rush to lavish praise on Trump for small gestures, and a willingness to overlook large slights. We’ve got a strong case of normalcy bias - we want things to be normal, so any hint of it becomes a magnet for attention. Because people want Trump to be normal, they look for clues in his behavior that validate their interpretation of ‘everything’s fine’. This tendency to assume Trump is normal and willing to make bipartisan deals causes people to lower their guard, and assume it’s okay. The reality is that Trump is erratic. He is easily triggered and is desperate to retain the affection of a prejudicial base. Danger is real.
