Lessons in the much-abused Art of Insult.

Deplorables have been on my mind. Of course, they have been in the news a lot lately.

Guests on a recent CNN show lampooned the deplorables who support President Trump. In response, Trump lovers lightning-zipped that video round the internet. To show the world how the uppity elites scorn and belittle Trump supporters.

Hillary set this particular ball a-rolling with her “basket of deplorables” remark. That was during the campaign. Many on the left (and Never-Trumpers on the right) have been happy to kick it along. Which is how it ended up on CNN. Among many other programs.

Deplorables are fat targets for those who see Trump as their enemy. Hollywood types, politicians, political mouthpieces, commentators – so many of them go beyond criticizing or attacking the President.

They also belittle his supporters, his voters. Let me strengthen that verb. They insult his supporters.  They call them rubes, dumbkoffs, idiots and disgusting repulsive illiterates. And you should see the nasty names.

This is not an organized campaign. Except that in some ways it is. It is not organized. By that I mean that Hollywood types and assorted celebs don’t put their swollen heads together and come up with scripts.  They just spout off when they happen to be near microphones and cameras. “I want to thank you for this award. And also say that people who support Trump are effin’ stoopid!”

The columnists and bobbing head commentators are not part of an organized effort either. They are just doing their jobs of commenting and entertaining.

The political guys, however, are organized. They do pow-wow. They shape and follow the party line. Frequently that line is to attack not just Trump, but also the deplorables who support Trump.

To me, such a strategy is a puzzlement. But what do I know?

The political guys study lots of polls that tell them whether their strategies work or flop. All I have are scraps of what we think we know about behavior. One tidbit is that if you want to persuade a person to agree with you, you don’t call him a doofus.

I hear a few readers shrieking “Nyah, nyah, the other guys do it too.” Yup, they do. But the guys on the left hog the spotlight and microphones at the moment. Only because Trump lives in the White House and dominates the dialogue these days.

Those who insult voters, left or right, don’t do their causes any favors. Their insults repel those who might support their cause and vote with them. Repel rather than persuade or attract or soften them up. That is my humble suggestion.

When I hear the insults I think of a big-time business guy. He was the number two man in the world’s largest shoe manufacturer. He told me that in the depths of the Great Depression his company was desperate for business. Any amount of business at any price, just to keep the plant open.

The owner dispatched his son on an urgent mission. To win a big order from a major chain store company.

The son met with the top buyers of the chain stores. He sent a telegram back to his father. Something like “No order. I can’t get anywhere with these stupid s.o.b.’s.”

The number two exec decided to try. He too called on the buyers at the chain. He won them over. He brought back a large order. “Our profit was a penny a shoe,” he told me. “But it kept the plant going.”

The son was gob-smacked that the exec succeeded where he had failed. He asked the exec how in hell he had done it.

“Well, for starters,” he told the son, “I did not regard my customers as stupid s.o.b.’s.”

All of this brings to mind Jim, who used to drink occasionally at my father’s saloon, the Empire Hotel. (Located in downtown Gilbertsville, population 348… on a busy night.) After my father died, Jim came to the saloon more often than before.

Why?

“Well, as you know, your father was a pretty smart fella. He probably forgot a lot more than I ever remembered. Compared to him, I was pretty dumb. I was stupid. He knew that. I knew that. I just didn’t like him reminding me of it all the time.”

The Left has a challenge. They need to persuade a number of Trump voters to vote their way. Something tells me that spending four years telling them they are moronic rubes ain’t gonna help that effort.

I am pretty certain Jim and the shoe executive would back me up on this.

From Tom…as in Morgan.

Find Tom at tomasinmorgan.com. You can write to Tom at tomasinmorgan@yahoo.com.