The Democrats better figure out how to win over more blue-collar workers
The pro and con [sic] of these elections.
These are big general changes you must make to win, without a doubt.
1. Most working-class voters will vote anti-establishment. Explain ‘Biden gave them nothing’ because the rich kept price gauging, and saving ‘the economy’ only works for the stock market. Remove blame from Biden.
2. The best liar wins. Democrats must begin to contrast the facts with Trump’s fabrications in a way that blue-collar workers get it. ‘This is how much money you would earn now if Trump had been president in the last four years.’ New immigrants commit fewer murders percentage-wise. Migrant workers are crucial for the economy. They’re not taking your jobs. Trump’s lies are so outlandish that any normal person thinks: ‘You can’t make this up.’ Well, Trump can. That’s what he has done his whole life.
3. Get off the infuriation bandwagon. Stay level-headed when lied to.
4. It’s too little to say you grew up working-class. They see you as nouveau rich that, besides hollow phrases, forgot where they came from. Move to a smaller home. Promise to take lodgers once in the White House.
5. Trump portrays himself as successful. Desperate people cling to winners. You must show he’s been a chronic money loser all his life. Point out he doesn’t reveal his tax returns—not to hide he’s been dodging taxes, but to hide he is just squandering the Trump family fortune.
6. Call out his sexism and racism. Truly confident men protect women, don’t call them stupid. Real Whites protect Blacks, don’t call them stupid.
7. Steal Trump’s texts. He composed and tested them for success. Say to the working class, ‘You are the ones with brains.’ It’s true. Only academics can make mistakes violating common sense. Say you don’t flatter them to win him sympathy and votes. You praise them because they deserve it. Use more slogans. Over and over. Use props. Not everyone is wordy.
8. Tax the rich. Make detailed promises. Let the rich (GOP) go wild so that working Americans understand on which side you (and Trump) are. Stress that he meets and dines with racists, billionaires, and dictators because those are his people, not you. Face the bitter truth. He did not lower your taxes, health costs, rent, or gasoline, because his friends like to fleece you.
10. Look at Trump’s way of working. ‘You’re fired’ may have seemed funny in a TV show, but in real life, he’ll humiliate everyone, and you’re next.
11. As much as Trump appeals to the worst in us, appeal to the best. Say: Everyone hates being a racist or sexist. There is no shame in not knowing how to behave with people you don’t know. We’ll learn. We want to learn. We’re good people. Don’t follow those saying, be proud of being hurtful.
12. Say, I find it increasingly difficult to get angry at him. Listen, whatever he did and said, but his life is coming to an end. He’s losing it mentally, for all to see. Most friends have left him. He’s going to jail soon. It’s sad.
13. Stop giving up on your Republican-voting family members, friends, and acquaintances. They know it’s over. Just help them to change gracefully.
14. Who is a bully? Who will only work for his own glory? Someone who gets jealous and furious when he sees another smile, happy, and grateful.
15. Play the clip over and over again of Melania Trump saying she wants to decide on her own body.
About the Author
MM is a prolific and creative writer and thinker, previously a daily blog contributor to the TOI. He often makes his readers laugh, mad, or assume he's nuts—close to perfect blogging. He's proud that his analytical short comments are removed both from left-wing and right-wing news sites. None of his content is generated by the new bore on the block, AI. *
As a frontier thinker, he sees things many don't yet. He's half a prophet. Half. Let's not exaggerate. Or not at all because he doesn't claim G^d talks to him. He gives him good ideas—that's all. MM doesn't believe that people observe and think in a vacuum. He, therefore, wanted a broad bio that readers interested can track a bit what (lack of) backgrounds, experiences, and educations contribute to his visions. *
This year, he will prioritize getting his unpublished books published rather than just blog posts. Next year, he hopes to focus on activism against human extinction. To find less-recent posts on a subject XXX among his over 2000 archived ones, go to the right-top corner of a Times of Israel page, click on the search icon and search "zuiden, XXX". One can find a second, wilder blog, to which one may subscribe too, here: https://mmvanzuiden.wordpress.com/ or by clicking on the globe icon next to his picture on top. *
Like most of his readers, he believes in being friendly, respectful, and loyal. However, if you think those are his absolute top priorities, you might end up disappointed. His first loyalty is to the truth. He will try to stay within the limits of democratic and Jewish law, but he won't lie to support opinions or people when don't deserve that. (Yet, we all make honest mistakes, which is just fine and does not justify losing support.) He admits that he sometimes exaggerates to make a point, which could have him come across as nasty, while in actuality, he's quite a lovely person to interact with. He holds - how Dutch - that a strong opinion doesn't imply intolerance of other views. *
Sometimes he's misunderstood because his wide and diverse field of vision seldomly fits any specialist's box. But that's exactly what some love about him. He has written a lot about Psychology (including Sexuality and Abuse), Medicine (including physical immortality), Science (including basic statistics), Politics (Israel, the US, and the Netherlands, Activism - more than leftwing or rightwing, he hopes to highlight reality), Oppression and Liberation (intersectionally, for young people, the elderly, non-Whites, women, workers, Jews, LGBTQIA+, foreigners and anyone else who's dehumanized or exploited), Integrity, Philosophy, Jews (Judaism, Zionism, Holocaust and Jewish Liberation), the Climate Crisis, Ecology and Veganism, Affairs from the news, or the Torah Portion of the Week, or new insights that suddenly befell him. *
Chronologically, his most influential teachers are his parents, Nico (natan) van Zuiden and Betty (beisye) Nieweg, Wim Kan, Mozart, Harvey Jackins, Marshal Rosenberg, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, and, lehavdil bein chayim lechayim, Rabbi Dr. Natan Lopes Cardozo, Rav Zev Leff, and Rav Meir Lubin. This short list doesn't mean to disrespect others who taught him a lot or a little. One of his rabbis calls him Mr. Innovation [Ish haChidushim]. Yet, his originalities seem to root deeply in traditional Judaism, though they may grow in unexpected directions. In fact, he claims he's modernizing nothing. Rather, mainly basing himself on the basic Hebrew Torah text, he tries to rediscover classical Jewish thought almost lost in thousands of years of stifling Gentile domination and Jewish assimilation. (He pleads for a close reading of the Torah instead of going by rough assumptions of what it would probably mean and before fleeing to Commentaries.) This, in all aspects of life, but prominently in the areas of Free Will, Activism, Homosexuality for men, and Redemption. *
He hopes that his words will inspire and inform, and disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed. He aims to bring a fresh perspective rather than harp on the obvious and familiar. When he can, he loves to write encyclopedic overviews. He doesn't expect his readers to agree. Rather, original minds should be disputed. In short, his main political positions are among others: anti-Trumpism, for Zionism, Intersectionality, non-violence, anti those who abuse democratic liberties, anti the fake ME peace process, for original-Orthodoxy, pro-Science, pro-Free Will, anti-blaming-the-victim, and for down-to-earth, classical optimism, and happiness. Read his blog on how he attempts to bridge any tensions between those ideas or fields. *
He is a fetal survivor of the pharmaceutical industry (https://diethylstilbestrol.co.uk/studies/des-and-psychological-health/), born in 1953 to his parents who were Dutch-Jewish Holocaust survivors who met in the largest concentration camp in the Netherlands, Westerbork. He grew up a humble listener. It took him decades to become a speaker too, and decades more to admit to being a genius. But his humility was his to keep. And so was his honesty. Bullies and con artists almost instantaneously envy and hate him. He hopes to bring new things and not just preach to the choir. *
He holds a BA in medicine (University of Amsterdam) – is half a doctor. He practices Re-evaluation Co-counseling since 1977, is not an official teacher anymore, and became a friendly, powerful therapist. He became a social activist, became religious, made Aliyah, and raised three wonderful kids. Previously, for decades, he was known to the Jerusalem Post readers as a frequent letter writer. For a couple of years, he was active in hasbara to the Dutch-speaking public. He wrote an unpublished tome about Jewish Free Will. He's a strict vegan since 2008. He's an Orthodox Jew but not a rabbi. *
His writing has been made possible by an allowance for second-generation Holocaust survivors from the Netherlands. It has been his dream since he was 38 to try to make a difference by teaching through writing. He had three times 9-out-of-10 for Dutch at his high school finals but is spending his days communicating in English and Hebrew - how ironic. G-d must have a fine sense of humor. In case you wonder - yes, he is a bit dyslectic. If you're a native English speaker and wonder why you should read from people whose English is only their second language, consider the advantage of having an original peek outside of your cultural bubble. *
To send any personal reaction to him, scroll to the top of the blog post and click Contact Me. *
His newest books you may find here: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AMoshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&s=relevancerank&text=Moshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1