I just finished driving across 3 southern states, with a couple of ranch visits along the way.
I stopped at every cool-looking diner, taqueria, and dive bar for the immersion.
No one mentioned right wing twitter beefs. They don't care.
No one mentioned Israel conspiracies. They don't care.
All the legal immigrants I met want stronger borders. "Illegals destroy the schools, hospitals, housing, and stigmatize us. And make our neighborhoods poorer and more dangerous." They support ICE and DHS.
Alternative media is penetrating. Despite not caring about CNN, they were informed enough to be infuriated by the Minnesota and California fraud investigations (
@nickshirleyy), and even more so by the mainstream media blackout. "In terms of tax dollars, they are taking 10 years of my life."
They hate Iran, but don't really give a shit as long as it doesn't affect their daily lives.
They don't follow the news. "Who's Joe Kemp?" (No disrespect to him.) Instead, they talked about gas prices, supporting the SAVE America Act, missing DOGE, and what happens when Republicans lose the midterms, and the ensuing chaos and dysfunction.
Real America isn't raging online. It's grinding, paying bills, and tired of the circus. Who's actually listening to them?
Their conclusion: - It's all dysfunctional- Republicans are just as bad as Democrats- We have to focus on what we can control; the rest is theatre- Mainstream media is dead.
They get information from group chats and X- Trump's dismissal of DOGE has been a betrayal. "Drain the Swamp."