I’m thinking about starting a new political movement–one with the goal of starting to bridge the political gap that often appears to be the forerunner of the next civil war. I call the movement “Stop Calling America Stupid” or SCAS. I am putting SCAS on grey baseball hats that I will sell online and hand out at SCAS rallies. SCAS is not a new political party or an effort to take over an existing one. It is a movement to encourage people to stop calling each other names. Nothing more.
In my opinion, America made a mistake on November 5. I worry about America’s future. For the next hundred years, historians will write about what led to Trump winning the election. Depending on what the next four years brings, MAGA voters will be credited with being prescient in bringing about much-needed change in American government or dismissed as voters who brought the wrong candidate to power. Some historians will make the same mistake many opinion leaders are making today—they will call MAGA voters stupid. The more charitable anti-Trump writers will call them “mistaken” or “misled.”
I like the later analysis because many Trump supporters, including a few who stoop to calling me a lunatic or “deranged,” are not stupid people. Some went to good colleges, have important jobs, and are solid family members. They look nothing like the beer-swigging, gun-toting militia members who are sometimes credited as being “Trump’s base.”
So, let’s acknowledge that you don’t have to be stupid to be glad Trump won the election. That means that there is hope. There is hope because it may be impossible to change the mind of a stupid person, but you can reason with an intelligent one. The problem is not the intelligent MAGA supporting understanding you but getting them to engage in discussions with you. And they will never engage in discussions with you if you are calling them stupid or if they are calling you deranged or suggesting that you be deported along with “migrant criminals.”
That is why America needs a cease-fire on the supercharged political rhetoric that has Made America Ugly Again. A case in point, we must stop calling the President-Elect a “NAZI.”
Like every ceasefire in history, this cannot happen unless one side takes the first step by stowing away its anger and hate. It needs to turn the other cheek when Donald Trump calls progressives communists, utters what they consider to be racial slurs, and makes proposals best described as acts of war—things like sending the army to Greenland to “take” it.
The Trump transition has made it difficult for those of us who might join my SCAS movement with his questionable presidential appointments, plans to pardon offensively named “January 6 patriots,” and his continued threats of retribution against his perceived enemies. Trump and MAGA are in the middle of a Dionysian dance of celebration that will not end for at least a few months. During this time, it will be unlikely for SCAS to make much progress, which is not to say that the effort to launch a civil dialogue should not begin now. Rather, it is urgent that it begins right now. Remember that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
I will not wish Donald Trump “God Speed,” like Judge Merchan did as he handed Donald Trump his sentence in the “hush money” case. I don’t want to see his policies become the law of the land. Joining SCAS doesn’t mean abandoning principles or empathy for people whom you believe will be harmed by Trump’s policies. Instead, good SCAS members believe that Trump’s agenda will eventually fail, or will fail to be enacted and implemented and that America will be left with the need to Return America to What it Was Before Trump or Make America Something Different from What Trump Wants to Make It.
America is not lost. America is not in decline. And America has not repudiated democracy by electing Trump. We are on a detour, not an elevator descending to hell. There is hope. And the way to turn that hope into a change in policy is to stop calling America stupid and begin setting the stage to work with others on a new and improved path.
J.E. Dean writes on politics, government, and, too infrequently, other subjects. A former counsel on Capitol Hill and public affairs consultant, Dean also writes for Dean’s List on Medium and Dean’s Issues & Insights on Substack.
Bill Anderson says
Mr. Dean — Seldom do I find myself able to agree with your written opinions provided to the “Spy”, but on this particular occasion, I not only agree but applaud you for writing it. I hope to attend one of your earlier SCAS rallies and whether or not I receive a hat is immaterial.
John Dean says
Thank you for your comment. It is much appreciated. I hope to follow my own advice.
JL Hawkins says
Our current political divide has become a huge issue that has many contributing factors. Political parties have become more ideological in their thinking and make it very hard for compromises. The Media continues to influence and present bias beliefs. Economic inequity leads to different priorities. The country is more diverse and leads to different values. With all of these in mind, it becomes harder to have compromise within our political parties. It is a shame that all our politicians who we voted in to office cannot work together to resolve issues and provide resolutions to help the people.
When we say that we are losing our Democracy, what are we truly saying? Is it that we are losing trust that our politicians are not representing our interests? Maybe it is more about executive overreach, like so many of our Presidents have done in the past.
Name calling has become a huge part of the media, politicians, and the extremists. This doesn’t provide any use in accomplishing the goals of the people.
Just my two cents…
Clark Bjorke says
While some of my own family are Trump supporters and are not stupid in the course of their every day lives, their reasons for supporting him amount to believing his ridiculous claims of omnipotence and accusations toward his political opponents. It’s very hard for me to bite my tongue and refrain from calling those reasons stupid. I am not about to turn the other cheek toward the abuses and ineptitude we are about to see unleashed.
John Dean says
Thank you for your comment. I appreciate your situation and, from my own family, understand the challenge.
And thank you for reading the piece.
James Nick says
Re: “America is not lost. America is not in decline. And America has not repudiated democracy by electing Trump. We are on a detour, not an elevator descending to hell. There is hope. And the way to turn that hope into a change in policy is to stop calling America stupid…”
To paraphrase the famous line from the movie “When Harry Met Sally”, I’ll have what Mr Dean is having. It seems Mr Dean must have fallen into a vat of pixie dust.
So here’s the latest post from Dear Leader yesterday, 1/15/2025:
“As of today, the incoming Trump Administration has hired over 1,000 people for The United States Government. They are outstanding in every way, and you will see the fruits of their labor over the coming years. We will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and it will happen very quickly! In order to save time, money, and effort, it would be helpful if you would not send, or recommend to us, people who worked with, or are endorsed by, Americans for No Prosperity (headed by Charles Koch), “Dumb as a Rock” John Bolton, “Birdbrain” Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, disloyal Warmongers Dick Cheney, and his Psycho daughter, Liz, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, General(?) Mark Milley, James Mattis, Mark Yesper, or any of the other people suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, more commonly known as TDS. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” – https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113835342903467996
What a classy guy! Imagine… This post is from the past and future president of the United States. It doesn’t sound very SCAS-y if you ask me. It doesn’t seem like trump has stowed away any of his hate and anger, Mr Dean. If this isn’t evidence of America in decline, what is?
Mr Dean seems to be calling for unilateral disarmament along the lines of “When they go low we go high”. That experiment had been run, Mr Dean. It didn’t work.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Trump is uncouth, crass and lied and faked his way through another election cycle with nary a policy but plenty of threats, bullying, and demeaning all Americans. He will become this nation’s first dictator. He forced a national news blanket of cover, and he was able to garner, through his acquaintances with MSM, Republican legislators and party sycophants, and CEO’s silence about his behavior. The judicial branch even was part of his conspiracy. Bless the courageous Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, the Jan 6 committee, the honorable military leaders, past trump administration members who risked much to speak their truth, and political wonks. He must have made a boat load of money as the leaders and oligarchs from around the world and this country kissed his ring at Mar a Lago and filled his personal off shore accounts in hope of favor and silence about secrets he uses to manipulate. He was shielded from almost everything he did and said. And yet, look around at your neighbors, poor or rich. Many of them voted for this disgraceful man.