NC governor candidate Mark Robinson, MAGA spread Trump propaganda, repeat falsehoods

“...one of them fences that Joe Biden put up to protect himself from people because they were so mad, because he stole the election”— NC Lt Gov. Mark Robinson

N.C. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a Republican candidate for governor, said the above in 2021 in a sermon to the Beulah Baptist Church congregation in Bennett, regarding the violent Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. These words could have just as easily come out of the mouth of Donald Trump, who constantly repeats the falsehood that the election was somehow stolen, although that case has been thrown out of court 60 times (including by numerous GOP-appointed conservative judges). 

More:In Fayetteville, Mark Robinson tones down but stands by past remarks, some branded anti-Jewish

Patriotic Americans were fortunate to have other GOP officials around the nation who put the U.S. Constitution before their own political careers and the deceitful ambitions of a narcistic autocrat, one who has said he will only be a dictator on “Day One.” But for the MAGA hordes, encouraged by self-interested politicos like Robinson, science has taken a back seat to Trump’s “people said it” strategy. 

Under this underhanded method of spreading propaganda, you just repeat what you may have heard on the street or on social media, regardless of the truth. If enough people repeat the falsehood, it becomes fact for the brainwashed masses. And from what we have seen, this deliberate misleading of the public is working very well for Trump. His MAGA base is thoroughly brainwashed. 

Who is more popular abroad? Biden or Trump?

For example, I recently spoke with a long-time Trump supporter in North Carolina who told me that a relative of his, a military contractor, who lives in Germany, told him that Europeans make fun of Biden and want Trump back in office. I was skeptical. So, I checked it out to see if he was correct. The facts prove that he was not. 

More:Pitts: LGBTQ, ‘filth,’ Black people owe for slavery among NC Lt. Gov. attacks

Pew research studied 18 nations world-wide. Biden had an overall favorability rating of 58%.

His rating in Europe varied from a high of 82% in Poland to a low of 31% in Hungary (which has been moving towards MAGA type right-wing authoritarianism). Asia ran from 70% approval in South Korea to 48% in Singapore. The bottom line is that other countries believe Biden is doing a good job. 

During Trump’s last year in office, nations of the world did have a positive view of America. On the other hand, Trump himself was viewed very negatively by residents of other nations, especially democracies.

Less than a third of all nations, including dictatorships, viewed him positively, having confidence in his leadership. However, in key democracies, his rating was even lower; for example,13% in Germany, 18% in Sweden and 20% in France. 

In 2023, the views of other nations continue to be positive about Biden versus Trump. Biden has a net favorability rating (percentage viewing him positively versus negatively) in every nation polled. Trump is almost the exact opposite in democracies; for example, his net unfavorable percentages were Germany, 60%, UK, 41%, France, 41%, Japan, 37% and Australia 36%. 

Presidential election not about immigration or inflation

Here is the bottom line. Even after I showed the Trump supporter the research, he remained unconvinced. His reply was: “Should I believe the media or someone I know and trust?”.  

That statement is why Trump is winning the uneducated working-class voter, who will never abandon him. They hear deceitful politicians like Robinson; talk to other MAGA people; read social media, which reinforces their preconceived notions; watch Fox or OAN or Newsmax; and will not accept science — in this case, polling by one of the most respected nonpartisan groups in the world.

The 2024 presidential election is not about inflation or immigration. It is about democracy. And, unless the situation changes in key swing states, like North Carolina, we stand a very good chance of losing ours. 

Jack Bernard is the former director of Health Planning for Georgia and a retired high-level executive with a healthcare corporation. He was one of the founders of Premier, Inc. in Charlotte. He is a widely published health reform columnist.