Blunt Force vs. Delicate Sensibilities

There is a great cultural and political divide on how power should be used and more generally on style and sensibility.  Trump's brand is to be on one side of this divide and the Democratic left is firmly on the other side.

The election will be based on cultural symbols, not policies.   Hillary's speeches are a list of policies, but they are irrelevant except as how they reflect and reinforce her side of the cultural divide.   Same with Trump, but on the other side.

Trump has the better positioned brand in the sensibility war.  The pendulum swung toward nice-nice under Obama but people may be ready to swing back.   Michelle Obama spoke of eating vegetables and getting up off the sofa, but people may be ready to hear a presidential family validate steak, fried potatoes, and football on TV.   Michelle said it nicely, but no one likes to be reminded to eat our vegetables , even if she is right, and it is for our own good.

But Trump, or the Republican who slips in front of him to get the nomination, may overplay his hand in order to get the nomination, which would be Hillary's best hope.

Here are some matched pairs on the sensibility scale:  Trump vs. Hillary.

Plain Talk vs. Politically correct
Tough and combative vs. Weak and cooperative
"Bomb the shit out of them" vs. Diplomatic partnerships
Simple and Clear vs. Complicated and nuanced
Lead vs. Coalition partners
Surge vs. Withdraw
Cop vs. Black teen
"Rough him up" vs. Let him speak
Pro Israel Settlements vs. Two State Solution
Russia is enemy vs. Russia is partner in Syria
Truck vs. Prius
Country Western format vs. Motown
Beef vs. Tofu
Pro-gun vs. Anti-gun
Defend the border vs. amnesty
Fellowship and Evangelical vs. Mainline and Unitarian
Welder vs. Philosopher
Anti-immigrant vs. immigrant is OK
Anti-Muslim vs. Religious tolerance
Second Amendment vs. Fourth Amendment
Merry Christmas vs. Happy holidays
Traditional family vs. Single mom
TV "Law and Order" vs. TV "Modern Family"
Man-and-wife vs. Partner
Prosecute vs. Treatment
Business vs. Government
Churchgoer vs. lapsed
Stop and frisk vs. presumption of innocence
Farm and Factory vs. Office
Real World vs. Academia
SEC vs. Ivy League
Jobs vs. Environment
Free enterprise vs. government regulation
Traditional elites vs. multicultural
White working class vs. globalism
American Flag vs. Peace Symbol
"Illegal Immigrants" vs. "Undocumented resident"
White "regular" folks vs. newer, darker strangers
Christian vs. non-Christian
''Founding Fathers" vs. "Founders"
Nashville vs. San Francisco
American cheese vs. Brie
Duck Dynasty vs. Oprah
Fox News vs. New York Times
Talk Radio vs. NPR
Rush Limbaugh vs. Jon Stewart
Tim Tebow vs. Mahmoud Abdul Rauf
Right to work vs. public employee unions

I could go on and on.