I am familiar with Florida politics, and the situation is the same here. Ron DeSantis won by 34,000 votes (0.4%) but the Florida House went to the GOP by 75-45 (estimate) and the Florida Senate 24-16.
This is mostly due to gerrymandering, the great scourge of our time, so what I think we should do locally is one get EDUCATED on the statehouse, join up with groups that do advocacy issue, and then tell your friends.
Set up a voting guide, send a blast email to your friends, host a weekend canvas. Its not nor sexy, but it is what gets the work done.
I'm (unfortunately) living in one of these states at the moment. If states were countries, I'd live in an authoritarian nation, and it's deeply unsettling that the fascist right has realized the effectiveness of turning to local politics. Statehouses are indeed laboratories of autocracy, and I guarantee places like where I live will see armed Proud Boys attending lawmaking sessions (like some school boards have) in the next few years. What I wish people understood was just what a post-democracy US would look like in their own lives; we say they should fear the autocratic GOP taking power, but don't describe in explicit terms what our only other option is. I'd love to write an article to publish somewhere describing a near-future Trumpist police state, with connections to present-day fascist policies.
Also, anyone else wonder why the trolls are targeting such luminous and informed sources of reporting? As if they're, I don't know, organized?
You are not alone. Arizona is awash in politicians using fascist politics. It has turned into a post-truth wonderland, replete with hooka smoking caterpillars and mad hatters.
While import, and powerful, it seems having only voter registration in response to full-on assault by purging, gerrymandering, and suppression won’t cut it. We need national voting rights action. Even as the autocratic powers will contest it to SCOTUS.
My takeaway from reading Mr. Pepper's book is that we individuals who are not politicians can most effectively volunteer our time to register voters. My goal in NY's Westchester County is to find the best group that does this (perhaps, League of Women Voters?) and sign up. It's not such a blue state out here in the suburbs. We need to register voters and get out the vote! Thanks!
League of Women Voters is doing a great job with registration of high schoolers, right in the high schools themselves, this happening in the suburbs of Chicago.
He offers a playbook to counter autocratic capture. Ohio is a microcosm of how democracy is being steadily eroded at all levels. They've infiltrated states all around the country with new voter suppression laws that are designed to allow the take over of elections by partisan loyalists, who want to see Trump returned to power. If this is part of a slow moving coup, the sanctity of free fair elections don't matter in the least to them.
It seems to me undeniable that so many state legislatures are "laboratories of autocracy". But ultimately, isn't that the fault of voters who do not turn out to vote--voters who, it would appear, don't care who gets elected to state legislatures, and who don't care what happens to our democratic republic?
My concern is that every analysis that I read about the dangers of losing democracy fails to paint a picture of exactly what that means. Americans born into freedom have little concept of a world without such freedoms. Few are connecting the dots, and the lack of urgency or direction or leadership from the White House and Congressional Democrats has led to a false sense of complacency about the dangers ahead. We are quickly moving towards a reality where there will be restrictions on first amendment rights and no restrictions on second amendment rights. A portion rights are minutes from disappearing. Democrats lost 1,000 state and local seats across the country after Obama's election, yet there was no 'war room's to address this catastrophe. Every significant change in the past 5 years has come from grassroots efforts. "Run for Something" will train anyone to run for local office, and have had great success since so many Republicans have run unopposed in the past. Voters also have to make a real effort to vet candidates...there are too many biased Rittenhouse judges running unopposed term after term. The window to prevent complete disaster is closing quickly, but there is time to save some of the state and local offices. It's up to us, there is little to no leadership or funding from DC. What kind of country do we want to live in?
Some good points here, but I'd liike t0 see more analyses by experts in political behavior, such as political psychologists, political scientists, etc.
Some books/psychiatrists/socio- and politico-psychologists who have helped me greatly, understanding the autocratic leader and followers. Mentioned before by others: psychiatrist Dr Bandy X Lee’s 2 books on Trump….. Trump’s niece, psychologist Mary Trump has a good recent book and 100s of interviews on audio/video. Socio-psychologist Dr Jonathan Haidt‘s THE RIGHTEOUS MIND is probably the most helpful understanding the differences in core values between righties and lefties. David McRaney has interviewed dozens of social scientists on his youarenotsosmart.com podcast since Trump’s election. He grew up in the South and was profoundly mystified by Trump’s popularity among family and friends (just as I was witnessing the same by mine). Early on, David and I had to abandon any notion of “othering” our family and friends to understand what happened to their brains … and blundered upon the necessity of being radically empathetic (thank you Heidi C for this lovely phrase) to gain a practical understanding that offers the possibility of bridging the gulf with those family and friends on “the other side”. I gained no understanding by starting from the accurate observation that autocrat lovers were exhibiting really unhealthy, counter-productive behavior, and therefore, have some pathological psychological condition. It’s an easy (unconscious) next step, to make the common mistake when “othering” folks that way, to conclude “them bad”, therefore “me good”. It’s profoundly disturbing to push as hard as you can to help deluded people, and then have them push back twice as hard. Thankfully, there are better, more enjoyable strategies. Ruth’s stories about her own mother who has been horribly influenced by Fox and RT, are illuminating. I know we started talking about state legislatures, but it gets real personal real fast when you tackle the mystery of why so many folks fear freedom, support others who also fear freedom, and then work so hard together to pass laws in state legislatures to restrict the freedoms of others, like you and me.
The inability of people (especially conservatives) to change their minds after being given corrective information is known as the Backfire Effect. Not only will these people disbelieve you, they will double down on their original belief. This can be traced to the larger, fear-based amygdala in the brain of conservatives. This effect partially explains why fascism is so hard for people to shake off, once inculcated.
Interesting explanation & good to know because this is a group that we don't have to invest time on -- and move onto the moderates for conversations (mutual) of influence.
The backfire effect and amygdala malformation are popular theories used to explain our reluctance to receive new information and change our minds. New research by social psychologists (reported on by premier science writer Annie Murphy Paul in THE EXTENDED MIND, great 1hr interview on youarenotsosmart.com podcast 208 .. got more sources if you need them) suggests our behaviors are HIGHLY contextual…. so all those yucky responses that make learning impossible during contentious discussions (backfire and halo effects, confirmation and available heuristic and anchoring and self-selection and attribution and recency biases - to name a few!) are NOT responses we are likely to use in many different contexts …. so in spite of supposedly malformed amygdala, changing our previously entrenched beliefs is not only possible, but likely. Check out Annie’s reporting Steve, it’s very hopeful research … practically applied by the street epistemologists now, for example, to encourage vaccination
Ruth offers a great example in the resistance chapter of STRONGMEN, (of the possibilities of changing minds by creating a new context), in the rise of Istanbul’s new mayor, Ekram Imamoglu
I can add a bit to the subject of political psychology. Part of what we have going on with the Trump movement is what is known as the charismatic leader/follower relationship. This situation comes about when needy individuals seek redemption in their lives and find it in a charismatic leader who promises to make them whole again. Here's a quote from JM Post on the subject--- " The sense of grandiose omnipotence of the leader is especially appealing to his needy follower. A hallmark of the destructive charismatic leader is absolutist polarizing rhetoric, drawing his followers together against the outside enemy. ". Trump is a destructive charismatic leader but also a sociopathic role model. Sociopathic role models in the past have destroyed countries because those who follow such a person begin to emulate their hero's deviant behavior. Sociopathic behavior becomes normalized in society by the followers. Sociopaths have no conscience, so following them can cause the social fabric to be ripped apart. Sociopaths are inveterate liars but that is a subject for another day.
Very interesting info. Thank you. I've followed the research on him and his followers done by some eminent psychologists (names escape me at this moment).
One thing perhaps you can elucidate for me: from what I've read, many of his follokwers are well-aware of all his lies. But how come that doesn't bother them?
Another interesting aspect of the Grifter: it appears to me that his self-esteem is very strongly tied to the lies he puts out about his net worth. Interestingly, though, he could gain a lot of praise and esteem from others if he gave $X to some charities. $X could be on the order of, say, $500K or even $1 MILL, and in all lieklihood he'd never miss it, and he's probably gain lots of praise--but he's so strongly tied to his money that he never gives away any of it. *And then stiffs people he's contracted with for relatively tiny amounts, like that piano vendor he stiffed for $30K.)
Agree, that they remain small minded when it comes to money. They're still squeezing every 1/2 oz of toothpaste out of the tube and rudely demanding that of others. It's all bluster in public.
Most of his followers see him as sane and believe that what he says is the truth. Others, who realize that he lies, rationalize these by saying that this is only Donald being Donald. They minimize the danger of this trait because he is a part of their tribe. Trump wants followers to trust in their emotions, not truth. This is closely related to the concept of post-truth, where emotions rule. Sociopaths are master manipulators and use people as pawns.
He lies about his net worth and many other things because that's what sociopaths do. There is nothing real about them. They are total phonies, total fakes. They view themselves as demigods, and lies are a mechanism to bolster that facade. He's also a megalomaniac (narcissistic personality disorder), so money is a part of his power structure. Sociopaths lack empathy, so it makes perfect sense that he would not give money to charity. He would have to "feel" something about others and he is just not capable of that.
Sociopaths are extremely dangerous people, as we saw with Josef Mengele, Hitler, John Gacy and others.
Everything you say seems highly plausible and--the most important point-- borne out by his behavior.
It seems to me that he is motivated primarily by 3 things:
contempt for regulations--i.e., sociopathy
desire to have others show respect
seeking respect based primarily on what he claims is his net worth, rather than on anything he's done--other than make money (and even then, how much money he's made, and how he's made it, is highly questionable)
But as to his followers, from what I've read--based on research by behavioral scientists--their motivations and personalities are complex and varied. E.g., the Jan 6 rioters had a significantly higher rate of personal bankruptcies than the general public, a lower rate of travel outside the US, concern about the shrinking number of white "Christians", etc.
I am familiar with Florida politics, and the situation is the same here. Ron DeSantis won by 34,000 votes (0.4%) but the Florida House went to the GOP by 75-45 (estimate) and the Florida Senate 24-16.
This is mostly due to gerrymandering, the great scourge of our time, so what I think we should do locally is one get EDUCATED on the statehouse, join up with groups that do advocacy issue, and then tell your friends.
Set up a voting guide, send a blast email to your friends, host a weekend canvas. Its not nor sexy, but it is what gets the work done.
I'm (unfortunately) living in one of these states at the moment. If states were countries, I'd live in an authoritarian nation, and it's deeply unsettling that the fascist right has realized the effectiveness of turning to local politics. Statehouses are indeed laboratories of autocracy, and I guarantee places like where I live will see armed Proud Boys attending lawmaking sessions (like some school boards have) in the next few years. What I wish people understood was just what a post-democracy US would look like in their own lives; we say they should fear the autocratic GOP taking power, but don't describe in explicit terms what our only other option is. I'd love to write an article to publish somewhere describing a near-future Trumpist police state, with connections to present-day fascist policies.
Also, anyone else wonder why the trolls are targeting such luminous and informed sources of reporting? As if they're, I don't know, organized?
You are not alone. Arizona is awash in politicians using fascist politics. It has turned into a post-truth wonderland, replete with hooka smoking caterpillars and mad hatters.
While import, and powerful, it seems having only voter registration in response to full-on assault by purging, gerrymandering, and suppression won’t cut it. We need national voting rights action. Even as the autocratic powers will contest it to SCOTUS.
My takeaway from reading Mr. Pepper's book is that we individuals who are not politicians can most effectively volunteer our time to register voters. My goal in NY's Westchester County is to find the best group that does this (perhaps, League of Women Voters?) and sign up. It's not such a blue state out here in the suburbs. We need to register voters and get out the vote! Thanks!
League of Women Voters is doing a great job with registration of high schoolers, right in the high schools themselves, this happening in the suburbs of Chicago.
He offers a playbook to counter autocratic capture. Ohio is a microcosm of how democracy is being steadily eroded at all levels. They've infiltrated states all around the country with new voter suppression laws that are designed to allow the take over of elections by partisan loyalists, who want to see Trump returned to power. If this is part of a slow moving coup, the sanctity of free fair elections don't matter in the least to them.
It seems to me undeniable that so many state legislatures are "laboratories of autocracy". But ultimately, isn't that the fault of voters who do not turn out to vote--voters who, it would appear, don't care who gets elected to state legislatures, and who don't care what happens to our democratic republic?
My concern is that every analysis that I read about the dangers of losing democracy fails to paint a picture of exactly what that means. Americans born into freedom have little concept of a world without such freedoms. Few are connecting the dots, and the lack of urgency or direction or leadership from the White House and Congressional Democrats has led to a false sense of complacency about the dangers ahead. We are quickly moving towards a reality where there will be restrictions on first amendment rights and no restrictions on second amendment rights. A portion rights are minutes from disappearing. Democrats lost 1,000 state and local seats across the country after Obama's election, yet there was no 'war room's to address this catastrophe. Every significant change in the past 5 years has come from grassroots efforts. "Run for Something" will train anyone to run for local office, and have had great success since so many Republicans have run unopposed in the past. Voters also have to make a real effort to vet candidates...there are too many biased Rittenhouse judges running unopposed term after term. The window to prevent complete disaster is closing quickly, but there is time to save some of the state and local offices. It's up to us, there is little to no leadership or funding from DC. What kind of country do we want to live in?
Agree, Americans born into freedom, have little concept of a world without such freedoms. How do we message this best?
Many good points, HW.
And here's a point often overlooked by the Second Amendment crowd:
the Second amendment begins, "a well-regulated militia, being necessary..." So to what militia do those gun-owning Second am,endment belong?
Some good points here, but I'd liike t0 see more analyses by experts in political behavior, such as political psychologists, political scientists, etc.
Some books/psychiatrists/socio- and politico-psychologists who have helped me greatly, understanding the autocratic leader and followers. Mentioned before by others: psychiatrist Dr Bandy X Lee’s 2 books on Trump….. Trump’s niece, psychologist Mary Trump has a good recent book and 100s of interviews on audio/video. Socio-psychologist Dr Jonathan Haidt‘s THE RIGHTEOUS MIND is probably the most helpful understanding the differences in core values between righties and lefties. David McRaney has interviewed dozens of social scientists on his youarenotsosmart.com podcast since Trump’s election. He grew up in the South and was profoundly mystified by Trump’s popularity among family and friends (just as I was witnessing the same by mine). Early on, David and I had to abandon any notion of “othering” our family and friends to understand what happened to their brains … and blundered upon the necessity of being radically empathetic (thank you Heidi C for this lovely phrase) to gain a practical understanding that offers the possibility of bridging the gulf with those family and friends on “the other side”. I gained no understanding by starting from the accurate observation that autocrat lovers were exhibiting really unhealthy, counter-productive behavior, and therefore, have some pathological psychological condition. It’s an easy (unconscious) next step, to make the common mistake when “othering” folks that way, to conclude “them bad”, therefore “me good”. It’s profoundly disturbing to push as hard as you can to help deluded people, and then have them push back twice as hard. Thankfully, there are better, more enjoyable strategies. Ruth’s stories about her own mother who has been horribly influenced by Fox and RT, are illuminating. I know we started talking about state legislatures, but it gets real personal real fast when you tackle the mystery of why so many folks fear freedom, support others who also fear freedom, and then work so hard together to pass laws in state legislatures to restrict the freedoms of others, like you and me.
The inability of people (especially conservatives) to change their minds after being given corrective information is known as the Backfire Effect. Not only will these people disbelieve you, they will double down on their original belief. This can be traced to the larger, fear-based amygdala in the brain of conservatives. This effect partially explains why fascism is so hard for people to shake off, once inculcated.
Interesting explanation & good to know because this is a group that we don't have to invest time on -- and move onto the moderates for conversations (mutual) of influence.
The backfire effect and amygdala malformation are popular theories used to explain our reluctance to receive new information and change our minds. New research by social psychologists (reported on by premier science writer Annie Murphy Paul in THE EXTENDED MIND, great 1hr interview on youarenotsosmart.com podcast 208 .. got more sources if you need them) suggests our behaviors are HIGHLY contextual…. so all those yucky responses that make learning impossible during contentious discussions (backfire and halo effects, confirmation and available heuristic and anchoring and self-selection and attribution and recency biases - to name a few!) are NOT responses we are likely to use in many different contexts …. so in spite of supposedly malformed amygdala, changing our previously entrenched beliefs is not only possible, but likely. Check out Annie’s reporting Steve, it’s very hopeful research … practically applied by the street epistemologists now, for example, to encourage vaccination
Ruth offers a great example in the resistance chapter of STRONGMEN, (of the possibilities of changing minds by creating a new context), in the rise of Istanbul’s new mayor, Ekram Imamoglu
... changing minds by creating new context ...
I can add a bit to the subject of political psychology. Part of what we have going on with the Trump movement is what is known as the charismatic leader/follower relationship. This situation comes about when needy individuals seek redemption in their lives and find it in a charismatic leader who promises to make them whole again. Here's a quote from JM Post on the subject--- " The sense of grandiose omnipotence of the leader is especially appealing to his needy follower. A hallmark of the destructive charismatic leader is absolutist polarizing rhetoric, drawing his followers together against the outside enemy. ". Trump is a destructive charismatic leader but also a sociopathic role model. Sociopathic role models in the past have destroyed countries because those who follow such a person begin to emulate their hero's deviant behavior. Sociopathic behavior becomes normalized in society by the followers. Sociopaths have no conscience, so following them can cause the social fabric to be ripped apart. Sociopaths are inveterate liars but that is a subject for another day.
Is Post that (former?) CIA psychiatrist?
Yes he was.
Very interesting info. Thank you. I've followed the research on him and his followers done by some eminent psychologists (names escape me at this moment).
One thing perhaps you can elucidate for me: from what I've read, many of his follokwers are well-aware of all his lies. But how come that doesn't bother them?
Another interesting aspect of the Grifter: it appears to me that his self-esteem is very strongly tied to the lies he puts out about his net worth. Interestingly, though, he could gain a lot of praise and esteem from others if he gave $X to some charities. $X could be on the order of, say, $500K or even $1 MILL, and in all lieklihood he'd never miss it, and he's probably gain lots of praise--but he's so strongly tied to his money that he never gives away any of it. *And then stiffs people he's contracted with for relatively tiny amounts, like that piano vendor he stiffed for $30K.)
Agree, that they remain small minded when it comes to money. They're still squeezing every 1/2 oz of toothpaste out of the tube and rudely demanding that of others. It's all bluster in public.
Most of his followers see him as sane and believe that what he says is the truth. Others, who realize that he lies, rationalize these by saying that this is only Donald being Donald. They minimize the danger of this trait because he is a part of their tribe. Trump wants followers to trust in their emotions, not truth. This is closely related to the concept of post-truth, where emotions rule. Sociopaths are master manipulators and use people as pawns.
He lies about his net worth and many other things because that's what sociopaths do. There is nothing real about them. They are total phonies, total fakes. They view themselves as demigods, and lies are a mechanism to bolster that facade. He's also a megalomaniac (narcissistic personality disorder), so money is a part of his power structure. Sociopaths lack empathy, so it makes perfect sense that he would not give money to charity. He would have to "feel" something about others and he is just not capable of that.
Sociopaths are extremely dangerous people, as we saw with Josef Mengele, Hitler, John Gacy and others.
we have to re-educate citizenry to seek truth only, and downplay emotion.
Everything you say seems highly plausible and--the most important point-- borne out by his behavior.
It seems to me that he is motivated primarily by 3 things:
contempt for regulations--i.e., sociopathy
desire to have others show respect
seeking respect based primarily on what he claims is his net worth, rather than on anything he's done--other than make money (and even then, how much money he's made, and how he's made it, is highly questionable)
But as to his followers, from what I've read--based on research by behavioral scientists--their motivations and personalities are complex and varied. E.g., the Jan 6 rioters had a significantly higher rate of personal bankruptcies than the general public, a lower rate of travel outside the US, concern about the shrinking number of white "Christians", etc.