If the behavioral patterns we've seen from MAGAts are any indication, especially after the insurrection and attempted coup, they'll be doubling-, tripling- and quadrupling-down on their cultish fealty to the orange demagogue. And the best way to counteract this? Outvote them – in overwhelming numbers.
Agree on the importance of outvoting them -- but is it possible that the people you define as MAGAts are those who exhibit those behavioral patterns? IOW, this could be a bit of a tautology. Devoted Trump supporters who don't exhibit those patterns might not be identified as MAGAts.
Yeah, that doubling down, even in the face of compelling evidence to the contrary, is known as the Backfire Effect. It's quite common in conservative thinkers but rare in liberals. The difference is in the amygdala between the two groups. Once conservatives are settled into the emotion of being correct about a thought, they struggle to change. This is one reason why fascism is so persistent.
The MAGA people in my life—peripherally—are doing the following things as Trump sits in a courtroom: amassing stockpiles of guns so Antifa doesn’t get them, doubling down on Biden being the cause of inflation, continuing to believe Trump “really cares about Americans,” and sending around dumb memes. It’s pathetic.
May the numbers work against their “leader” in November.
The question that needs to be asked is how did a man like Trump end up in control of a major political party when is only agenda is his own self aggrandizement? Prior to 2015 and really for almost the past half century, the Republicans have increasingly become a purely reactionary party from Reagan's "the government is the problem" to the present day. Deregulation, tax cuts, and opposition to social safety net programs have been their agenda. Being against certain policies is fine, but if that is essentially what a party promotes, it becomes hollow shell with no agenda to advance the nation and correct its longstanding challenges. This absence of any substance allows a demagogue like Trump exploit a population that feels that it has no stake in the current system due to gross economic inequality, catastrophic war failures (Iraq, Afghanistan), and economic failures (the 2008 crash). I don't see those underlying factors changing, so if it is not Trump, it may be someone else.
Trump and MAGA are the symptom not the disease. The disease is our failure to address inequality in our post industrialization era. Divestment in our public education, public health, job creation and retraining, this is where we have failed to combat the billionaire libertarians that have amassed a massive 40 year plan on false narratives to influence the masses against their and the country’s best interests. The Koch Network, billionaires like Robert Mercer, Rupert Murdoch, Peter Thiel, etc, the Heritage Foundation, the Federalist Society. Fear, division, gun violence, in your face inequality served up in an unregulated media market is their tool to stoke grievance through identity politics. Oligarchy or equality? We Can’t have both.
The evolution of capitalism into neoliberalism has served only the elite class in our scoiety, while neglecting the working class. This elite class has had the power to affect our three branches of governemnt, with the intent to destroy all vestiges of the New Deal. The GOP has become the weaponized arm of this elite class. Our broken and angry middle class saw tRump as a solution to their problems, even though he was a part of the elite class; which they did not recognize. He was selling fascism, which aligns quite well with our elite class's goals. In 1933, a number of business elites attempted a coup aganist FDR, in an attempt to install fascism. It was thwarted but their goal has never really gone away.
For any member of the Lucid community who hasn't already read it, Rachel Maddow's most recent book, "Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism," would be well worth the time investment. As the saying goes, "History does not repeat itself, but it sometimes rhymes."
Great essay Ruth. Bragg’s case is just the tip of the iceberg and the pundits weren’t giving it too much credit, - but it sure seems to be taking its toll on Trump. As these other cases unfold, plus maybe another indictment or two forthcoming from these other states, Trump may begin to perish from “a thousand cuts’”. Of course, it’ll be telling to see what our “not-so-Supreme Court” pulls out of their hat today. There is NO TV show/series that can compete from the suspense we’re all living through, real-time. This is true history-in-the-making material and I really hope there is no other ending besides “justice being served”!
My takeaway from this discussion is that as with trauma (such as childhood abuse, or rape), most people don't want to face the fear or discomfort involved with facing reality. The truth is, and I know this from personal experience (not from anything cult like), that facing reality is painful only in the short term. In the long term facing and dealing with reality is what makes the pain go away.
Brilliant!! Thank you. I needed this explanation. It's so hard to make sense of what's going on in the world, you bring clarity to these complex ideas.
Thanks for the comparisons with the fall of dictators. After reading The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn years ago, when I heard about Putin creating a monument site for Stalin I was truly appalled that any citizen would want to honor a person who murdered millions of his own countrymen. The toppling of a monumental statue of Gen. Robert E Lee in Virginia took 160 some years to occur. Old habits of delusion die hard. Thanks for keeping the veil lifted on the signs of totalitarianism. I sure am hoping that Trump's weakness and pathetic defense in court will open more eyes to his fallibility and ineptness as a leader, and as an utter fraud, adulterer, and the grifter that he is.
Stalin was a paranoid sociopath. Putin is a likely psychopath. Pinochet was a sociopath, so was Mussolini. tRump is a sociopath, as was the fascist Slobodan Milosevic.
Authoritarianism is almost always led by these lunatics.
Steve, doesn’t Netanyahu deserve to be added to your list of fascist sociopaths? It seems that we ought not overlook Bibi and Zionism as we evaluate key fascist leaders and their pernicious ideology. If you agree that Bibi belongs to your list, perhaps we also should add Biden as; as an enabler—to say the least. I’ll suggest that Zionism, to which Biden subscribed, is and has been a fascist ideology.
Full disclosure: I’m troubled by apparent efforts to divert our attention away from the ongoing crimes committed by Netanyahu; armed, financed and protected by Biden, et al. DJT has provided a convenient fig leaf, as focus on our wannabe dictator seems to prevent many progressive pundits from multitasking to hold
Biden/Netanyahu accountable for their crimes against humanity—despicable atrocities occurring NOW and not justified by 10/7.
We need one standard of justice, denying impunity especially to the most powerful.
Fascism may be surging in part due to the denial of many reluctant to call out fascists as fascist.
Sure, I could have listed several more authoritarians that were also sociopaths, like Erdogan and BIbi but I didn't feel I needed to list all of them to get my point across.
Yes, I am concerned with the Israeli/Palestinian situation, however I am more focused on domestic fascism and fighting it here rather than abroad.
Studies have shown that people who needed to be hospitalized for Covid have shown aging of up to 20 years beyond their actual age. Given that trump was hospitalized with a severe case of Covid, I’m surprised that the Democrats have not pointed to these studies when Biden is questioned about his ability to handle presidential duties due to his age.
100%. He is also reported to taking daily Aderall, a stimulant to help him focus, but also has aging accelerant properties. ( that’s the farting and shitting his pants at the trial. This has been confirmed by the cast and crew of the Apprentice tv show. So gross!!
Excellent essay,Ruth! You really contribute to a full and operational understanding for us all.
I actually feel that Trump is not going to win the Presidency. Here is why: While the majority of his supporters and voters may have become cult followers in effect, with that aversion to the deflation and loss that leaving it would entail, there is a significant minority who were never all in. For these, Trump is starting to look like a “Has Been”, like a fat, sagging old movie star who has lost her glamour.
Yes he is still dangerous for Republicans who are try to step, or quietly slip away—dangerous the way an injured or dying animal is—but that is what he is. He is too damaged now to win a general election. And if he does not become president and the Republicans have no other candidate in this round who could win either, neither he nor that other R could pardon him and his corrupt associates either.
He will lose the popular vote a third time. It will come down to the county and precinct level election workers. If they don’t or can’t certify their counts, the election goes to the house. Like most coups and dictators that rely on gaining power more by bending administrative means and ends than by the vote. However, with Dobbs, J6, and his general unhindgedness, and R’s retirements, defunding of down ballot candidates…. I think D’s win the house too! 2024 is an all hands on deck. Every means should be deployed to save democracy.
Whether this trial ends in a conviction or a hung jury it is doing enormous damage to Trump, not yet among the MAGA faithful, but among the persuadables. He is being exposed for what he is, a petulant two bit low rent bully from Queens who thinks the rules don't apply to him and who has played everyone around him for maximum personal gain (for him) leaving a trail of broken and ruined people in his wake. And we won't even discuss the nodding off or the flatulence...
I think of the ‘Cant Complain ‘ song by Snyder as our statistics vary but the numbers are a fair representation +/- as in about anything , there are just so many cult followers in any population and the horrid ends are highlighted. Most don’t live to tell whether they were hostages or martyrs ie duped or devoted.
What more concerns me is accountability. That 7 more were indicted in AZ is long term progress . Albeit, I carry a double edged sword of sadness vs justice in that so much time, people,money,energy, history has gone to evil intent & selfish endeavor, not taught crime doesn’t pay..except for …and again …lack of accountability. I’m sure our host has studied this up one side and down to now..and why it all rather fascinates me… long years of study, career, and school of hard knocks underscored ‘their raising’, but MI is running second closely, and as Steve S.put it maybe just the bad seeds…it all still fascinates me….thanks Ruth , looking forward to Lucid tomorrow.
I recently read this article in the Wash Post, describing weapons, production manufacturing for Ukraine aid, by congressional district. It’s not surprising that these manufactures are in red districts and red states and in several freedom caucus members districts.
We need to call them out! they’ve been voting against the workers that they represent out of fealty to Trump and MAGA. If R’s claim they are the party for business and the economy, and security, why would they hold up for almost a year and aid package that economically benefits their constituents?
There is a rich history of R’s convincing their followers to vote against their own interests. This may be an area to shred some light on from education to health care to the economy and jobs.
Stories like this, I think can sway more voters that have not yet been radicalized.
As we all know, Trump is a very dangerous man & growing more so by the day. He and his MAGA cult must be defeated in November ‼️We simply cannot allow a fascist to win!
If the behavioral patterns we've seen from MAGAts are any indication, especially after the insurrection and attempted coup, they'll be doubling-, tripling- and quadrupling-down on their cultish fealty to the orange demagogue. And the best way to counteract this? Outvote them – in overwhelming numbers.
Agree on the importance of outvoting them -- but is it possible that the people you define as MAGAts are those who exhibit those behavioral patterns? IOW, this could be a bit of a tautology. Devoted Trump supporters who don't exhibit those patterns might not be identified as MAGAts.
Yeah, that doubling down, even in the face of compelling evidence to the contrary, is known as the Backfire Effect. It's quite common in conservative thinkers but rare in liberals. The difference is in the amygdala between the two groups. Once conservatives are settled into the emotion of being correct about a thought, they struggle to change. This is one reason why fascism is so persistent.
There’s a difference in their homunculi as well.
The MAGA people in my life—peripherally—are doing the following things as Trump sits in a courtroom: amassing stockpiles of guns so Antifa doesn’t get them, doubling down on Biden being the cause of inflation, continuing to believe Trump “really cares about Americans,” and sending around dumb memes. It’s pathetic.
May the numbers work against their “leader” in November.
Yes, I'll say it again: May the numbers work against their leader in November.
It's a case of collective delusion, which is what fascism breeds.
The question that needs to be asked is how did a man like Trump end up in control of a major political party when is only agenda is his own self aggrandizement? Prior to 2015 and really for almost the past half century, the Republicans have increasingly become a purely reactionary party from Reagan's "the government is the problem" to the present day. Deregulation, tax cuts, and opposition to social safety net programs have been their agenda. Being against certain policies is fine, but if that is essentially what a party promotes, it becomes hollow shell with no agenda to advance the nation and correct its longstanding challenges. This absence of any substance allows a demagogue like Trump exploit a population that feels that it has no stake in the current system due to gross economic inequality, catastrophic war failures (Iraq, Afghanistan), and economic failures (the 2008 crash). I don't see those underlying factors changing, so if it is not Trump, it may be someone else.
Yes, Kevin! Keeping a wary eye on V.D. Vance...
and an eye on a few others, too. But Vance is a pathetic hot-mess under the spot light.
TRUMPISM IS NOT TRANSITIVE.
Trump and MAGA are the symptom not the disease. The disease is our failure to address inequality in our post industrialization era. Divestment in our public education, public health, job creation and retraining, this is where we have failed to combat the billionaire libertarians that have amassed a massive 40 year plan on false narratives to influence the masses against their and the country’s best interests. The Koch Network, billionaires like Robert Mercer, Rupert Murdoch, Peter Thiel, etc, the Heritage Foundation, the Federalist Society. Fear, division, gun violence, in your face inequality served up in an unregulated media market is their tool to stoke grievance through identity politics. Oligarchy or equality? We Can’t have both.
The evolution of capitalism into neoliberalism has served only the elite class in our scoiety, while neglecting the working class. This elite class has had the power to affect our three branches of governemnt, with the intent to destroy all vestiges of the New Deal. The GOP has become the weaponized arm of this elite class. Our broken and angry middle class saw tRump as a solution to their problems, even though he was a part of the elite class; which they did not recognize. He was selling fascism, which aligns quite well with our elite class's goals. In 1933, a number of business elites attempted a coup aganist FDR, in an attempt to install fascism. It was thwarted but their goal has never really gone away.
For any member of the Lucid community who hasn't already read it, Rachel Maddow's most recent book, "Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism," would be well worth the time investment. As the saying goes, "History does not repeat itself, but it sometimes rhymes."
"....now finds himself exposed and mocked daily (for his involuntary sleeping and farting). "
You went there. Ha Ha Ha .
Thank you Prof Ruth. Make my day.
Yes, tRump is truly a gas bag.
Great essay Ruth. Bragg’s case is just the tip of the iceberg and the pundits weren’t giving it too much credit, - but it sure seems to be taking its toll on Trump. As these other cases unfold, plus maybe another indictment or two forthcoming from these other states, Trump may begin to perish from “a thousand cuts’”. Of course, it’ll be telling to see what our “not-so-Supreme Court” pulls out of their hat today. There is NO TV show/series that can compete from the suspense we’re all living through, real-time. This is true history-in-the-making material and I really hope there is no other ending besides “justice being served”!
Dr. Lance Dode reports trump showing signs of dementia. What if he’s not just worn out.
Worse than dementia. Dr Bandy Lee. “Malignant Narcissistic Sociopath”.
Dr Dodes has also called him a psychopath. We can add sadism and Machiavellianism to that as well.
My takeaway from this discussion is that as with trauma (such as childhood abuse, or rape), most people don't want to face the fear or discomfort involved with facing reality. The truth is, and I know this from personal experience (not from anything cult like), that facing reality is painful only in the short term. In the long term facing and dealing with reality is what makes the pain go away.
Brilliant!! Thank you. I needed this explanation. It's so hard to make sense of what's going on in the world, you bring clarity to these complex ideas.
Thanks for the comparisons with the fall of dictators. After reading The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn years ago, when I heard about Putin creating a monument site for Stalin I was truly appalled that any citizen would want to honor a person who murdered millions of his own countrymen. The toppling of a monumental statue of Gen. Robert E Lee in Virginia took 160 some years to occur. Old habits of delusion die hard. Thanks for keeping the veil lifted on the signs of totalitarianism. I sure am hoping that Trump's weakness and pathetic defense in court will open more eyes to his fallibility and ineptness as a leader, and as an utter fraud, adulterer, and the grifter that he is.
Stalin was a paranoid sociopath. Putin is a likely psychopath. Pinochet was a sociopath, so was Mussolini. tRump is a sociopath, as was the fascist Slobodan Milosevic.
Authoritarianism is almost always led by these lunatics.
Steve, doesn’t Netanyahu deserve to be added to your list of fascist sociopaths? It seems that we ought not overlook Bibi and Zionism as we evaluate key fascist leaders and their pernicious ideology. If you agree that Bibi belongs to your list, perhaps we also should add Biden as; as an enabler—to say the least. I’ll suggest that Zionism, to which Biden subscribed, is and has been a fascist ideology.
Full disclosure: I’m troubled by apparent efforts to divert our attention away from the ongoing crimes committed by Netanyahu; armed, financed and protected by Biden, et al. DJT has provided a convenient fig leaf, as focus on our wannabe dictator seems to prevent many progressive pundits from multitasking to hold
Biden/Netanyahu accountable for their crimes against humanity—despicable atrocities occurring NOW and not justified by 10/7.
We need one standard of justice, denying impunity especially to the most powerful.
Fascism may be surging in part due to the denial of many reluctant to call out fascists as fascist.
Sure, I could have listed several more authoritarians that were also sociopaths, like Erdogan and BIbi but I didn't feel I needed to list all of them to get my point across.
Yes, I am concerned with the Israeli/Palestinian situation, however I am more focused on domestic fascism and fighting it here rather than abroad.
Studies have shown that people who needed to be hospitalized for Covid have shown aging of up to 20 years beyond their actual age. Given that trump was hospitalized with a severe case of Covid, I’m surprised that the Democrats have not pointed to these studies when Biden is questioned about his ability to handle presidential duties due to his age.
100%. He is also reported to taking daily Aderall, a stimulant to help him focus, but also has aging accelerant properties. ( that’s the farting and shitting his pants at the trial. This has been confirmed by the cast and crew of the Apprentice tv show. So gross!!
Excellent essay,Ruth! You really contribute to a full and operational understanding for us all.
I actually feel that Trump is not going to win the Presidency. Here is why: While the majority of his supporters and voters may have become cult followers in effect, with that aversion to the deflation and loss that leaving it would entail, there is a significant minority who were never all in. For these, Trump is starting to look like a “Has Been”, like a fat, sagging old movie star who has lost her glamour.
Yes he is still dangerous for Republicans who are try to step, or quietly slip away—dangerous the way an injured or dying animal is—but that is what he is. He is too damaged now to win a general election. And if he does not become president and the Republicans have no other candidate in this round who could win either, neither he nor that other R could pardon him and his corrupt associates either.
He will lose the popular vote a third time. It will come down to the county and precinct level election workers. If they don’t or can’t certify their counts, the election goes to the house. Like most coups and dictators that rely on gaining power more by bending administrative means and ends than by the vote. However, with Dobbs, J6, and his general unhindgedness, and R’s retirements, defunding of down ballot candidates…. I think D’s win the house too! 2024 is an all hands on deck. Every means should be deployed to save democracy.
Whether this trial ends in a conviction or a hung jury it is doing enormous damage to Trump, not yet among the MAGA faithful, but among the persuadables. He is being exposed for what he is, a petulant two bit low rent bully from Queens who thinks the rules don't apply to him and who has played everyone around him for maximum personal gain (for him) leaving a trail of broken and ruined people in his wake. And we won't even discuss the nodding off or the flatulence...
I think of the ‘Cant Complain ‘ song by Snyder as our statistics vary but the numbers are a fair representation +/- as in about anything , there are just so many cult followers in any population and the horrid ends are highlighted. Most don’t live to tell whether they were hostages or martyrs ie duped or devoted.
What more concerns me is accountability. That 7 more were indicted in AZ is long term progress . Albeit, I carry a double edged sword of sadness vs justice in that so much time, people,money,energy, history has gone to evil intent & selfish endeavor, not taught crime doesn’t pay..except for …and again …lack of accountability. I’m sure our host has studied this up one side and down to now..and why it all rather fascinates me… long years of study, career, and school of hard knocks underscored ‘their raising’, but MI is running second closely, and as Steve S.put it maybe just the bad seeds…it all still fascinates me….thanks Ruth , looking forward to Lucid tomorrow.
Yes , the 💙💙VOTE💙💙 matters!
I recently read this article in the Wash Post, describing weapons, production manufacturing for Ukraine aid, by congressional district. It’s not surprising that these manufactures are in red districts and red states and in several freedom caucus members districts.
We need to call them out! they’ve been voting against the workers that they represent out of fealty to Trump and MAGA. If R’s claim they are the party for business and the economy, and security, why would they hold up for almost a year and aid package that economically benefits their constituents?
There is a rich history of R’s convincing their followers to vote against their own interests. This may be an area to shred some light on from education to health care to the economy and jobs.
Stories like this, I think can sway more voters that have not yet been radicalized.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/04/18/ukraine-map-districts-weapons/
=]
As we all know, Trump is a very dangerous man & growing more so by the day. He and his MAGA cult must be defeated in November ‼️We simply cannot allow a fascist to win!