“I don’t know any Russians. I’ve never been to Russia.”
—Donald Trump, May 3, 2017.
“I do have a relationship with him.”
—Donald Trump, on Vladimir Putin (whom he’d never met at the time) at Miss Universe Pageant in Moscow, November 2013, where he met with oligarch Aras Agalarov, whose son, Emin Agalarov, was in a music video in which Trump participated.
“I have had a two-hour meeting with Putin. That’s all I need to know. I’ve sized it all up. I’ve got it. I know more about this than you do.”
—Donald Trump, on July 7, 2017, after meeting Putin for the first time ever, to then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who had had extensive dealings with Putin while ExxonMobil’s leader on Russian exports and later as CEO of the company.
Louisiana Voice 
As Zoe might say, “Picky, picky, picky.”
In an interview in October, 2019, Steven Hassan, author of “The Cult of Trump” says “People do not want to hear the truth because many of them are tuned into media sources which are essentially disinformation channels. They are trusting victims of deception and manipulation.”
Further, he states, “To get your loved ones or friends out of Trump’s cult, you need to reach out to them strategically. Don’t start with saying how stupid you think the Trump cultists are. And I would also appeal to people who are Trumpists to stop being so hostile to people who do not support Donald Trump. To try to get people out of Trump’s cult we should first try to engage them in an intelligent conversation about the psychology of influence. We should also talk to Trumpists about how to better discern facts from opinions and belief.” Mr. Hassan was once a follower of Sun Myung-moon’s cult.
Perhaps, instead of focusing on Trump the man, we should begin a dialogue about the impact his actions have on people in this country. For example, perhaps we should discuss this from CBS this morning: “If a pie represented the estimated $98 trillion of household wealth in the United States, nine pieces, or 90% of the pie, would go to the wealthiest 20% in the country, according to a National Bureau Of Economic Research study of household wealth trends in the united states from 1962 to 2016. Out of those nine slices, four would go to just the top 1%.”
So, now let’s talk about how recent tax cuts helped the corporations and the wealthiest people in this country. Was this good for the country or was it harmful? Does anyone have other facts for discussion? Likely so.
I’ve read the article you cite. I have also tried the tactics suggested. They don’t work for me. I hope they do for somebody.
My poor attempt at humor above reflects the frustration I have encountered.
In response to any criticism, however mild, of Donald J. Trump and the Republican Party, I am met with, “Obama, Obama, Obama, Hillary, Hillary, Hillary, Bill, Bill, Bill, etc.”, as if what any of them did excuses anything anybody, including Donald John Trump, does.
The latest fiction is that the only alternative to Donald J. Trump and the Republican Party is socialism – a claim ridiculous on its face.
Purely objective facts are met with silence, or “Fake news/statistics concocted by biased sources.”
Again, I hope the rational approaches you (and I) might favor work for you. They haven’t for me. As I have said many times before, the realities in which people supporting Donald J. Trump exist are not mine.
Amen. But I keep hoping…
I should also say that I get all the reactions you do and it exasperates me to no end. And there might very well be no way to reach them. Even after we vote him out of office later this year they will still be blaming the “liberals.” Which to them is anyone to the left of their reactionary views. My friends call me a “liberal.” So I told them they could do so if they could explain to me the difference between a reactionary, a conservative, a moderate, a liberal, and a radical. They couldn’t, so they finally stopped. As one of our national newspapers admonishes, Democracy Dies in Darkness. We saw an example of that today when the Senate voted not to call witnesses.
Thanks Mr. Winham, we must have the same friends and kinfolk. I agree the best solution is never argue just state the facts. I only spend time with kinfolk trying to explain that I I me me can’t solve any problem or issue. I admit I get angered when they attack my family and their service to our country. My recent anger however is with Garrett Graves pushing the investigations of convictions under the UCMJ, for Trump to use politically. He used the term “pooling our resources” to continue the RESEARCH. Where did those funds come from? Warriors Justice Caucus?? or dark religious funds??anyway doesn’t seem to comfort with the Campaign funds rules, but I see it as improper/illegitimate use of taxpayer money. I would ask Sen Kennedy but he might ask me if I believe in God and that is none of his F***ing business love always ron thompson