Trump supporters not that unlike supporters of Obama, Trudeau

KAMLOOPS — There is near consensus here in Canada that Donald Trump is a deplorable human being whose victory in November’s presidential election would be a disastrous geopolitical development. 

But there is far from any consensus south of the border, where it seems Trump Nation cannot be stopped. 

It’s a reminder that media pundits do have a tendency to be out of touch with the groundswell of people who sway decisions in a democracy. 

So let’s get back in touch.

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Why do people like this man? 

In a way, Donald Trump is presenting the flip side of the coin that Barack Obama and Justin Trudeau also presented when they campaigned: something radically different than the average politician.

Obama and Trudeau both brought a youthful face to their respective campaigns, and talked about hope for change. 

When they ran for office, their messages focused on what they would do to make life better, and wasn’t bogged down by trips into the gutter like so many other campaigns. 

For his supporters, Trump also represents a radical departure from the norm. 

He is running a campaign the likes of which few have seen before. 

It doesn’t matter to Trump Nation that many of the facts he is quoting are completely false; he is speaking to his own truth. 

It doesn’t matter to Trump Nation that he is talking down to his competitors, calling them out as losers and morons. 

That’s such a switch from the normal reserved shots you hear in a national campaign, and many see that so-called tough talk as a virtue. 

It doesn’t matter to Trump Nation that promises like building a wall on the Mexican border are so outlandish there is almost no conceivable way they could come to fruition. 

The fact that he is saying what so many of their buddies are saying after a few drinks in the bar, is seen as a refreshing change. 

In a democracy, people get the government they deserve. 

If Donald Trump is the President-elect later this year, it will be hard to argue that idiom, tired as it may be.