From my friend on facebook:

[redwitch]

I realize some of my friends don't share my political beliefs. When something strikes me as important or thought provoking, I share it with ALL my friends because I want to hear the opinions of those whose views I value and respect, even if they are different from mine.
I've worked my entire life in the fields of environmental analysis and community development. Of course I'm going to fear and mistrust an administration that wants to destroy not only my life's work, but the entire world as I know it. So before calling me an ignorant libtard, please consider that I have a lot to potentially lose in order make America "great" again. I bet we will all miss clean water, breathable air, and the grant money that's kept our bridges safe and our downtowns economically stable.
The programs I work for build wheelchair ramps for disabled veterans and allows senior citizens to remain in their homes by making them accessible as they age in place. They support small business owners and build parks, and help keep the money we spend in our communities so everyone benefits. I nearly failed political science in college - I'm not pretending to know all the intricacies of any particular agenda. I do, however, have strong opinions on slashing funding for healthcare and environmental protection and community development.
I'm curious, what exactly do we think will happen if the EPA, HUD, and NPS are no longer funded? Will our salaries be raised? Will we all get better jobs? Will the economy improve when millions of state and federal workers are unemployed and rural communities no longer receive grant funds and our kids are all lead poisoned? I just don't understand.
So please, if you don't agree with me, let's have a conversation. I'd like to know how you arrived at your opinions. I will probably learn something. And I won't call you names.

[CrispyQ]

1. Excellent.

I'm curious, what exactly do we think will happen if the EPA, HUD, and NPS are no longer funded? Will our salaries be raised? Will we all get better jobs? Will the economy improve when millions of state and federal workers are unemployed and rural communities no longer receive grant funds and our kids are all lead poisoned? I just don't understand.

on edit: Excerpt doesn't appear to be working. ???

[SunSeeker]

2. I say the same thing. But Trump supporters are incapable of defending their positions with facts.

They always resort to name calling and right wing talking points, then disappear from the conversation. They are utterly, hopelessly, purposefully ignorant. But in talking to them, others with a more open mind read the conversation and respond to me with appreciation. So, at least I'm not totally wasting my time.

That is how we win as well. We may not be able to flip the true believers, but in trying to do so, we will flip some fence sitters.

[Caliman73]

3. Sounds reasonable

Perhaps your friend will get some responses, but I am somewhat cynical at this point. I have said on other threads, that we used to have political disagreements in the US, some of them were very passionate and some got very ugly. The difference I see today from in earlier decades is that before, we were arguing from the same set of facts. We would argue around the edges and about the interpretation and attribution of those facts.

The other day I saw Boris Epshteyn on Bill Maher and Maher was trying to get a dialogue going on certain facts regarding the current investigation. Maher even stipulated that there was "no collusion", but Epshteyn just spouted lie after lie which he claimed as fact.

When you watch FOX (and the other hard right outlets) the information you get is completely different than all other outlets. CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, NYT, WP, The AP, USA Today, Reuters, the BBC, etc... all have their slant and all have their focus on parts of the story, but typically they are reporting similar events and discussing them in generally similar terms, but again, FOX has a completely different frame.

The other outlets talk about, What is going on? Why it may be important? What do we know? Who said what? Are they credible? etc... FOX and allies jump immediately to "How this is false" "How to spin the conservative narrative in the best light"

My wife was arguing with a Facebook user yesterday about abortion from some story about Planned Parenthood. The other poster said, "Half the country knows that abortion is murder". When asked where she got that information, the other poster did not respond and another one came in and said something like, "it is true" as if that added anything.

People on the right have been fed the lie that the "government is bad" for so long that they do not even think about it. when it is stated all the time on their media. They really think that Trump is going to make things better even though they have NOT ONE SOLID POLICY or idea that they can name to support that belief.

The TPP, which I know many of us on the left had demonized (for some valid reasons) is another example. So, we have pulled out of the trade agreement with other nations in the Pacific Rim and they are moving forward with trying to implement it. Love it or hate it TPP was an attempt to gain or maintain a foot hold and strategic advantage against China's growing influence in the region. There were something like 11 other nations that joined together to support each other against the way China does business in the region. Again, I am not defending the TPP or what was in it, I am just saying that conservatives were for it, even though Obama was for it. Now Trump supporters think that pulling out of it was the greatest strategic move ever. Just a completely different set of information.

[elehhhhna]

4. Nobody is mentioning that if they get rid of the ACA

virtually all the small-town critical access hospitals will bankrupt and close . The largest employers in almost all of the small towns are the hospital and the school district. many small town voters will end up at least 50 miles away from emergency care. And without insurance, if course.