I’ve said this hundreds of times - for the life of me I will never understand the appeal of a demented narcissistic con man. The complete capitulation of elected republicans is mind boggling. I’ve read many analysis but again, I just don’t get it and never will.
I'm with you. Will spend the rest of my life figuring that one out. I knew our Founders feared demagogues, but they had in mind smart, educated, clever, handsome, eloquent ones. I don't think they seriously entertained the possibility that Jabba the Hutt would be the one millions of Americans would go 'YES, THATS HIM, THE MESSIAH, THANK YEW JEEZUS' for.
Mencken wasn’t actually so great. Snappy lines, yes, but he was a German apologist in WW1 who worshipped the Kaiser and the German culture (Mencken was German-American). He was the precursor for today’s Tucker Carlson and his pro-Russian propaganda. For details, see the book “America Last: The Right’s Century-long Romance with Foreign Dictators”, by Jacob Heilbrunn.
Mencken despised the Third Reich from the outset, but his private diaries reveal antisemitic comments. He hated FDR and was opposed to the U.S. joining the fight in WW2. Jacob Heilbrunn is the editor of The National Interest and has written columns for The Atlantic, NYT, and other media. Don’t know where he grew up.
Exactly!! He’s not clever, he’s not handsome, he has no sense of humor whatsoever, he’s negative all the time, he’s mean and the list goes on and on and on. I understand some people would be attracted to this but I would think it would be a small minority
But we must rememer that it isn't himself who makes all his hideous decisions. His pathetic cabinet and surrounding flunkies take a sentence from him and turn it into what are supposed to be his ideas, if he ever had one.
Joanne, I wouldn't blink at assassination. That said, I'd much prefer suicide so that he isn't worshipped as a martyr by the faithful. It occurred to me that, had he ever had one moment's decency, he would be so appalled by his existence that he would see it proper to end it. Fat chance.
Unfortunately, as a malignant narcissist, he probably would only contemplate suicide if he were in such a bind that the only way to escape facing the consequences of his actions would be exiting this mortal coil. As long as he can deflect blame for his failure to others, he'll continue to keep up his belief in his superiority. Damn shame, ain't it?
Mitch had his chance to be "Judas" to Trump during the impeachment, but he stayed loyal. Vance, on the other hand, would betray Trump in a New York second if he knew he'd succeed. He wants Trump's job!
It works better if you turn the whole thing inside out...and if you put Trump in as the main character of Jesus, you already have started turning it inside out. so if Jesus the good guy, is turned into Trump the really bad guy, then Judas, the betrayer, has to be turned into a good guy...so who, by leaving the Trump org has "betrayed" Trump? It would have to be Michael Cohen as Judas.
So Peter, who denied Jesus three times...would be Musk.
What a fun game. Ted Cruz or Lindsey Graham for Simon Peter who denied Jesus three times before the cock crowed? Either one of them can be counted on to switch support in a heartbeat.
Mike Johnson is only in consideration for the Presidency if BOTH Trump and Vance were bumped off or if Trump died and Vance was incapacitated or otherwise was somehow unavailable. Hence, why Trump and Vance NEVER travel on the same plane or in the same vehicle.
If Trump kicks the bucket, then yes, Vance will become President, but little Mikey remains Speaker of the House. Vance would get to choose his own VP.
Judas would turn out to be a good guy--that might be a good role for Michael Cohen! I can (almost) see Melania as Mary Magdalen...although Loony Lauren Loomer is a strong contender...I have to think about the other Disciples and who amongst the Cabinet of Fools would best fit the roles.
he also hates dogs (and cats and birds and fish and ferrets and hamsters too), and any other animals we could think of. that's the strongest sign of weak character there is!
Who Supports a Morally Bankrupt Leader? Here’s One Theory.
I was talking with someone here in Denmark yesterday (I’m an expat), and we found ourselves asking the same question that keeps so many of us up at night: Who are these people who still support someone so proudly ignorant, morally bankrupt, and fundamentally unfit for leadership?
Here’s the rough sketch we came up with. It’s a bit tongue-in-cheek—but also painfully close to the truth, backed by what we know from psychology and voter data:
1. Under-informed voters (~25%)
About a quarter of American adults read at or below a fourth-grade level. These individuals may struggle to critically evaluate political information, especially when bombarded with disinformation. Let’s say just 20% of this group were swayed by populist messaging and fearmongering. That’s a solid chunk of the electorate.
2. Low-empathy voters (~5%)
Roughly 3–5% of people exhibit traits associated with psychopathy or sociopathy—low empathy, high aggression, and an ability to rationalize harm. They’re drawn to strongman figures, not despite the cruelty, but because of it.
3. Grifters & ego-driven types (~5%)
Think of those who stand to benefit from deregulation, tax cuts, or chaos in general. Add in opportunists, narcissists, and true-believers in American exceptionalism at any cost. We estimate this group at around 5%.
4. Party-line voters (~15%)
No matter the candidate, they’ll pull the lever for their team. Even if that team is on fire and being sued in four states.
5. The disengaged
And then there’s the quiet tragedy: millions of well-meaning, intelligent people who simply don’t vote. Whether due to cynicism, logistical barriers, or burnout, their absence tips the scales.
Add it all up, and it’s not hard to see how a deeply unqualified figure can rise to—and cling to—power. Rough math: 20% (under-informed supporters) + 10% (sociopaths + grifters) + 15% (party-line voters) = 45% of the electorate.
Sure, the real story is more nuanced. But let’s not pretend this isn’t a huge part of the equation.
Quick Notes on the Numbers:
1. Literacy: ~21–23% of U.S. adults read at a 4th–5th grade level. [NCES, NAAL]
2. Psychopathy: ~1% clinically diagnosed, up to 5% may show traits. [Hare, et al.]
3. Dark Triad traits: Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy observed in ~4–6%.
5. Disengaged voters: ~40% of eligible Americans didn’t vote in 2020. [U.S. Census]
So, no—we’re not all doomed. But understanding the psychological and structural forces at play might help us stop wringing our hands and start taking strategic action.
I agree with much of this. Two quibbles. First, I have friends that fit in none of these buckets. They are the fearful voters. They have been persuaded by decades of “bad news” that we are on a precipice and they see a blunt object, even one that disgusts them, as their only hope. They include the very religious folks who see Trump as the bitter pill they need to swallow to (ironically) set America on a path of purity. Autocracy is ok with them as long as it wipes out evil. Second quibble is that the grifters/ low empathy bucket is much much larger. There are a lot of upper income Americans and, more significantly, upper income wannabees, who fit in this combo bucket. They don’t care about anything or anyone except themselves. “Greed is good.”
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I would have to counter that both your religious folks and fearful voters land squarely in the "under-informed" camp--at least from where I sit. You have to either purposefully or stubbornly suspend reality to hold onto either position.
Perhaps some are in that camp. But I perceive a difference between being fearful and being underinformed. I agree you can be fearful and hide under a rock in response. That’s stubbornly and/or purposefully suspending reality. Take me, for instance. I am very fearful of what is going on. I am most certainly not underinformed nor am I avoiding what is happening, much as I might like to some days. But fear often turns people towards bullies. (I refuse to use the term “strongmen” to describe Trump et al.) The people I know fully admit to Trump’s narcissism, greed, and corruption. But they see him as the lesser evil. Whatever he does is ok as long as he is protecting them. His SCOTUS nominees, for example, protect their beliefs. His detention and deportation and of immigrants make them feel safe. His economic policies protect them from socialism. And if they have to pay the tariffs and watch the wealthy get richer and drive further to get to a hospital or doctor, well, that’s ok. These people aren’t true grifters nor are they low empaths. They don’t want kids caged or moms ripped away from their babies or children going hungry or drinking water from lead pipes. But those things come in second because their fear is so powerful.
I'm trying to understand, but you've lost me at "lesser evil". Less evil than what, or who? What does Trump protect them from? Do these people actually feel threatened by immigrants? And do they not feel threatened by the prospect of an oligarchy and a dictatorship? My head is exploding...
Less evil than Democrats. I cannot speak to the foundation of their fear because while some fears are quite rational, many are not. All I can say is that these people I am talking about are afraid, both for themselves and their families. I do think that much of that fear is the result of religious teachings that emphasize evil rather than love. This is what makes it so hard for me to understand them. I can't reconcile believing in Jesus with fearing evil. He didn't win converts by preaching fear. He won by preaching love. But I think some of the fear is just the fact that the world is so very complicated and there is so much coming at all of us every day from every angle. You can react to that world by being curious and learning. Or you can react by going under a rock. Or by 'hiring' someone to protect you. That's compounded by the fact that Trump gives these folks a focus for their fear and a focus for the anger that often accompanies fear. Of course that'd be a minority group like immigrants or people of color. Our country has a very long tradition of fearing both those groups. So, no, they don't fear a dictatorship IF the dictator is someone they view as a protector. If you put yourself in the shoes of a someone who is essentially afraid of the world, I think it becomes easier to see why they would see Trump as a protector and not Hilary, Joe or Kamala.
A large swath of people don't like to think. They are lazy and/or stupid. They just want their beer, guns and video games and let "Daddie" make all the decisions. Not very scientific but I think is a decent explanation (for those who don't want to think?)
I am suddenly recalling the words of Nazi of Minister of Justice Emil Janning (a true character, but a composite) from the brilliant "Judgement at Nuremberg" starring Burt Lancaster, explaining to the Court why the German people supported Hitler:
"Hitler said to us: 'Lift your heads! Be proud to be German. There are devils among us: communists, liberals, Jews, gypsies. Once these devils will be destroyed, your misery will be destroyed!'....What difference did it make if a few political extremists lost their rights? What difference did it make if a few racial minorities lose theirs? It is only a passing phase. It is only a stage we are going through. It will be discarded sooner or later. Hitler himself is a phase. He will be discarded, sooner or later....But then one day, we woke to find that what was only going to be a 'passing phase' had become the way of life."
An excellent and powerful movie! I remember that speech -- I found it chilling then, but it's become so true of us here & now that it scares the hell out of me.
Autocracy is ok as long as it wipes out evil… that’s it. The German Lutheran Evangelical Church was Nazi through and through, exactly because it crushed the “evils” of modern society, embodied in gays, uppity women, “decadent” artists, writers, and any independent thinkers - along with of course anyone who wasn’t racially pure.
I moved here 11 years ago, and it was one of the best decisions of my life--even if scary as heck at the time. Unfortunately, it is quite difficult for people outside of the EU to move here. Studying or through work are usually the best ways in. Held og lykke!
I'm pea-green with envy, having visited Denmark a couple of times. Were it not so close to Russia, it would be my first choice were I to leave my country.
Lucky you, Susan! I have Danish ancestry and have always wanted to go, but poor health and lack of funds (plus now, the dreaded 'old age') will keep me from it. I hope you can do it! My parents went many years ago and just loved it there! :)
Remember the good old days when the Danes invaded everywhere they could sail to? Couldn't they charter some planes and head for the US of A? An anxious nation awaits... (Maybe bring some stegl flaesk.)
A useful, thoughtful analysis. Thank you. As a numbers person this helps me organize my mind a bit but doesn’t help cope with the reality of the chaos or help get my daughter’s long time position at USAID back after she was fired by a drug addled toddler with a sledgehammer.
Did you mean he’s being sued in 40 states? 4 sounds like too few.
Yes, you're correct, definitely more than four states--it was a bit of a joke. I was trying to infuse this sh*tshow with a modicum of humor. If that is even possible.
I would probably divide the categories a little differently: Fox news watchers (misinformed voters); opportunists (your sociopaths and grifters); conspiracy theorists (a few of whom I am unfortunately related to); evangelical Christians; dark triad traits + fear of transsexuals; underinformed voters (the ones who don’t really consume any direct news); and disengaged voters.
Good analytical data. Thank you. You can say we're not all doomed, but look where we are. Only if people wake up, get engaged, get smarter can this be turned around.
I told this to my girlfriend in California after the election Nov 2024 (I'm in Ohio) because she just was in shock he got re-elected: A third of the American people votes for Dump, a third stayed home, a third voted for Kamala. Republicans have been chipping away at public education since 1980. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
As Denmark has a higher literacy rate than the U.S., I commend your observations. I researched to find that 40% of eligible U.S. voters didn't choose to do so. If they had, and if your calculations are correct, Harris would have won. The problem is, our population does not know the strength of voting. With lack of involvement, there is no Democracy! We did this to ourselves.
Michelle ~ excellent, thorough evaluation of why we're in the dumpster fire we're in! As you said, understanding this information would be beneficial to the democracy.
An excellent analysis, Michelle. One thought re Category 3: though it is a small percentage of the electorate, it contains the likes of Thiel, Yarvin, and Musk and thereby wields a disproportionately large influence. Too bad for the rest of us.
People have always been duped by the "alpha-male" type of leader throughout history. It's because humans are basically emotionally driven. Make them fear something and they are willing to listen to your description of "villains" to hate. Then they are primed and ready to believe that only you (the asshole tyrant), can fix things. Trump is textbook bully/tyrant/asshole
Rachel Kushner said in CREATION LAKE "Charisma does not originate inside the person called charismatic. It comes from the need of others to believe that special people exist." Maybe those judges need someone to tell them what to do.
Good point. I didn't mean my list to be all inclusive. It's open-ended so everyone can add their 'reason'. And yes, FEAR is a major factor. trump has studied the Hitler playbook very well.
But why are they intimidated by Trump? They're appointed for life which should give them the freedom to adjudicate based on the law. Amy Coney Barrett recently voted with the liberal judges and although the MAGA folks were outraged, she's still there. I don't get it. I guess I'll just add it to the growing list of things I don't get.
They're intimidated because trump and crew will say and do ANYTHING to discredit them. Not just ruining their careers but ruining their lives as well. It would not surprise me if some have been physically threatened or, unfortunately, their families have been threatened. This is so disgusting. This is so Gestapo.
That's a good point. It also occurred to me that if Thomas and Alito stopped ruling in lockstep with Trump they risk losing the big gifts from their MAGA billionaires.
They were hand-picked. The process of packing the Court was long and organized by the Federalist Society. The Federalist Society is funded by some of the wealthiest conservative elements in America. These Supreme Court justices are predisposed to defer to the wealthy and powerful. That is why they are in power to start with.
There is something in the American psyche that is vulnerable to the huckster, to P.T. Barnum, to The Music Man. We find a fascination/admiration for that slippery, fox-like quality- at least for a time. I think of the movie with Andy Griffith, "A Face In The Crowd", if anyone is old enough to remember that one. America is fascinated for a while, but ultimately, at least in the past, we have always rejected con men. I hope that still holds true.
It’s taking way too long of course. Trump has been the grifter con man for decades. Ask anyone in NY - they despise him for all the cons he has pulled. And he’s been on the national lever now for a DECADE - still pulling off the con.
But when realization eventually dawns, will the electoral apparatus be too compromised for that to matter? Greg Palast's research shows how in several states voter suppression was a major factor in 2024.
This is a culmination of 70 plus years planning and implementation at all levels starting with local, of
people who think they're better because of their religion, their color, their status, their education, their origins, but largely because of the ideas they hold that incorporate all those characteristics; those ideas have to do with the intrusion of capitalism into this democracy, where greed enters our laws through interpretations of the founding words stretched very thin here. We've all been affected through the barrage advertising, through the pounding persistence of the competitive life. I watched this happen as a 10-year-old when WW2 ended and Life magazine began advertising goods that had been unavailable during the depression and during the war when we were oriented towards supplying the troops in both Europe and the Pacific. The capitalist class was well established then and had been already responsible for the great crash of 29 from which they apparently learned nothing except how to sell better and misuse public psychology around those ideas, pushing competition among people and at all levels, promoting it with all the characteristics I mentioned above. So we're in a time of a huge ideas clash, where beliefs have turned into long planned actions. The wrecking of democratically oriented institutions has been going on at least since Bush2, 45 years ago, Nixon was the first of the bad apples. One starting a completely unnecessary war, Iraq, that kept the capitalist war machine going again, always using the fairly loose constructions of a democratic republic to put their ideas into profit.
I so wish the progressives, Democrats, independents can get together to firm up how we deal with the ideas, beliefs and consequences of and for a healthy nation. And maybe somebody could set up retraining camps for the soon to be defeated Republicans promoting and allowing this rampage effect of careless greed. :-)))
This has been an orchestrated plan of this minority zealot party that knew they were the minority and Nazis since the days of Nixon and the Southern Strategy. They just had Russian help to complete the coup this time.
I disagreed with a high school American history teacher who posited that the Civil war was about the 10th amendment. This orchestration has been conducted for 160 years.
Have you watched “ reality tv”. ? This is how we Americans are being groomed toward violence, vindictiveness, pettiness, intellectual laziness and meanness.
I just saw on CNN that the Muskrat is promising to get a primary challenger for every congressional Republican who campaigned on reducing the deficit and then voted for “The BB Bill”. Can it be true? Maybe a way to reduce the 🍊monster’s iron grip ? 🤞🤞
I've said exactly the same thing over and over. Imagine this heinous monster controlling a once revered judicial system. And his IQ is far below average. There is no logical answer to the question. Even my beloved dog is baffled.
Sheryl Thompson, That is certainly the biggest mystery of this century. That monster insults people to their faces, and they cheer for him. He threatens people to their faces, and they cheer for him. He lies to their faces, and they cheer for him. He celebrates hate and corruption and cruelty, and they cheer or him. He admits to committing crimes, and they cheer for him. He gets caught and convicted of more crimes, and they cheer for him. He has a well documented history of destroying everyone and everything that gets close to him, but they line up to do his bidding, and they cheer for him. He is so obviously pure evil, and they cheer for him. I am completely baffled.
That doesn’t even take into account the political “direction” that the court has moved. It was intended to be neutral, and long before the felon, it became a tool of the political parties. They only wanted judges who agreed with them.
Pretty sure those who wrote the constitution would be surprised we have moved so far from what they envisioned for our government.
Thank you Andy for injecting some humor into what is the most terrible situation possible. In all my 67, almost 68 years, I took for granted the Democratic republic of the US. I can't believe how threatened our democracy is. Many thanks as always for your humor.
However, I do not agree with nietzsche’s “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”. There’s a better than good chance, for a woman in this country, that the “what” will kill them.
Your humor is so freaking important in helping us deal with these willfully ignorant traitors to our country. We no longer live in a Constitutional Republic. Period. Full stop! Amy Coney Barrett and her corrupt cohorts on the Supreme Court have destroyed the last vestiges of our democracy.
This empire is ending just like all the rest. We are living in a police state with the ICE Brownshirts and equally corrupt policemen assisting in making this a white nationalist country.
I guarantee it’s going to get messy real quick under this dictatorship because that’s what they want. Resistance to the most immoral government this country has ever seen will be crushed by those who have been given unlimited powers by the Republican Congress and corrupt Supreme Court.
They have already tested the waters bringing the Marines into L.A. and have succeeded in ignoring our Constitution in so many ways. May God have mercy on our country.
I am of such a great age that it is unlikely I will be around to rejoice at the end of the incredibly blatant misuse of power by a United States President. In the meantime, what I know is this. I am an American incredibly fortunate to have been born in a country with a strong Constitution and a firm Democracy. My forefathers put these in place so future generations would be safe from people like this creature now running laps over them. I am mandated by my strong beliefs in this amazing country to stand tall, not cave in to despair, but to maintain faith in the best of the best of us.
I agree. I’m 75 and really don’t expect to see our country make a U-turn back to democracy in my lifetime. My hope is for the youth of our country to save it
If only this were a funny headline. 😢 As you’ve said umpteen gajillion times, Andy, you write the truth, and this post is another example. They might as well call themselves The Supreme Rubber Stamp of the USA. I did laugh ruefully when I read the headline, and actually laughed at “The Constitution says ‘no backsies.’” That was a classic, brilliant, Borowitz gem.
I’ve said this hundreds of times - for the life of me I will never understand the appeal of a demented narcissistic con man. The complete capitulation of elected republicans is mind boggling. I’ve read many analysis but again, I just don’t get it and never will.
I'm with you. Will spend the rest of my life figuring that one out. I knew our Founders feared demagogues, but they had in mind smart, educated, clever, handsome, eloquent ones. I don't think they seriously entertained the possibility that Jabba the Hutt would be the one millions of Americans would go 'YES, THATS HIM, THE MESSIAH, THANK YEW JEEZUS' for.
Ah but let us not forget the observation of a great American curmudgeon H L Mencken
"No one ever lost money underestimating the taste of the American people." :-)
Mencken also said, "Here the buffoonery never stops "
His actual words were: "There's no underestimating the intelligence of the American public."
He also spozedly said, "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard."
right - and they're getting it "good and hard" now! keep well Hal
I always thought PT Barnum said: "You'll never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public." :-)
I know it was Mae West who said "Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?"
That's what I was gonna write. I remembered it as "people" rather than "public", but I'm betting you are correct.
I wasn't there.
Mencken wasn’t actually so great. Snappy lines, yes, but he was a German apologist in WW1 who worshipped the Kaiser and the German culture (Mencken was German-American). He was the precursor for today’s Tucker Carlson and his pro-Russian propaganda. For details, see the book “America Last: The Right’s Century-long Romance with Foreign Dictators”, by Jacob Heilbrunn.
But he definitely was a great curmudgeon. :-)
Was he a Nazi sympathizer too? Hmm..wonder where "Heilbrunn"
is from.
Mencken despised the Third Reich from the outset, but his private diaries reveal antisemitic comments. He hated FDR and was opposed to the U.S. joining the fight in WW2. Jacob Heilbrunn is the editor of The National Interest and has written columns for The Atlantic, NYT, and other media. Don’t know where he grew up.
And it has only gotten way worse since the time of Mencken!
So-o true!
Who said "The Republicans claim that big government doesn't work And then get elected and prove it." ?
I believe that it was P.J. O'Rourke.
thanks! :-)
Not sure but it’s a great one.
Yeah! and I believe it was P.T. Barnham, the circus magnate, who said something
like "A new sucker is born every minute!"
“There’s a sucker born every minute,” from P.T. Barnum.
And
Donald ConMan rump, of C
WC Fields?
Did Barnum say "There's a sucker born every minute"?
Exactly!! He’s not clever, he’s not handsome, he has no sense of humor whatsoever, he’s negative all the time, he’s mean and the list goes on and on and on. I understand some people would be attracted to this but I would think it would be a small minority
The “attraction” leaves me mystified. Only about the money, isn’t it?
He kicks down. That allows people to feel better than. Feeling better than feels good to people who don't feel better than much.
They think they know him b/c he was in their living rooms on TV for many years, incorrectly,
dishonestly portrayed as a successful businessman.
Btw, they are mean, as well.
Sheryl, sad that it is a pretty large, small minority.
Sadists are attracted and there are lots of them.
that small minority got him elected and they would push him out of the way from a speeding train
He's a bully and he's mean. Americans (especially men) seem to like these attributes for some reason.
How about bringing back “J.C.Superstar” to the Kennedy Center and casting DJT as J.C.? What would the other casting choices be?
Yes, as long as they really crucify him at the end.
Make it like a martyr board game: Trump takes a whipping and a scourging, each worth fifty points!
--and Pontius Pilate yells, "Get him the hell out of here!"
I know lots of people who are hoping for assassination.
On the day that happens, I will celebrate it as "Independence Day"
If I live so long! At 86 I hate going out with a total disaster for a govt.
But we must rememer that it isn't himself who makes all his hideous decisions. His pathetic cabinet and surrounding flunkies take a sentence from him and turn it into what are supposed to be his ideas, if he ever had one.
Joanne, I wouldn't blink at assassination. That said, I'd much prefer suicide so that he isn't worshipped as a martyr by the faithful. It occurred to me that, had he ever had one moment's decency, he would be so appalled by his existence that he would see it proper to end it. Fat chance.
Unfortunately, as a malignant narcissist, he probably would only contemplate suicide if he were in such a bind that the only way to escape facing the consequences of his actions would be exiting this mortal coil. As long as he can deflect blame for his failure to others, he'll continue to keep up his belief in his superiority. Damn shame, ain't it?
Trump is too much of a chicken $#it to commit suicide.
BRAVA!!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
!!!!!
You really nailed it!
Too soon?
JD Vance as Judas.
No, John. Mitch McConnell. For sure.
Mitch had his chance to be "Judas" to Trump during the impeachment, but he stayed loyal. Vance, on the other hand, would betray Trump in a New York second if he knew he'd succeed. He wants Trump's job!
Yes. Absolutely. I was too impulsive, earlier.
It works better if you turn the whole thing inside out...and if you put Trump in as the main character of Jesus, you already have started turning it inside out. so if Jesus the good guy, is turned into Trump the really bad guy, then Judas, the betrayer, has to be turned into a good guy...so who, by leaving the Trump org has "betrayed" Trump? It would have to be Michael Cohen as Judas.
So Peter, who denied Jesus three times...would be Musk.
In our dreams!!
What a fun game. Ted Cruz or Lindsey Graham for Simon Peter who denied Jesus three times before the cock crowed? Either one of them can be counted on to switch support in a heartbeat.
Don't forget Vance and Mike Johnson because they would be in line for his job. They are waiting with bated breath.
Yay, you spelled "bated" correctly! Thanks!
I would expect nothing lesselse from Kandy.
Are you sure? And how did you know I was concerned about that. Thanks for verifying!
lol
Mike Johnson is only in consideration for the Presidency if BOTH Trump and Vance were bumped off or if Trump died and Vance was incapacitated or otherwise was somehow unavailable. Hence, why Trump and Vance NEVER travel on the same plane or in the same vehicle.
If Trump kicks the bucket, then yes, Vance will become President, but little Mikey remains Speaker of the House. Vance would get to choose his own VP.
Well.... "if wishes were horses, beggars would ride". It's just that heard him put himself in the running, that's all.
Judas would turn out to be a good guy--that might be a good role for Michael Cohen! I can (almost) see Melania as Mary Magdalen...although Loony Lauren Loomer is a strong contender...I have to think about the other Disciples and who amongst the Cabinet of Fools would best fit the roles.
Little Marco as the drummer boy!
It might help to substitute "Dipsickles" for "Disciples."
That’s a real insult to Mary Magdalene
The 6 conservative justices could take turns playing Judas.
Thank, MLK. Andy’s piece was about the deplorable Roberts Court, not the psychopath this time.
May the traitors Roberts, Alito, Beer Kavanaugh, Gorsuch, Barrett (almost all the time) and the criminal Thomas burn in hell.Soon.
They have been the leaders in destroying the Constitution, the rule of law and our country.
I agree 100%, Betsy. SCOTUS has thrown out the Constitution and the Rule of Law. They are traitors!
That’s what they were hired to do. Their employer: Leonard Leo.
Kristi as Mary Magdalene. Although she probably wouldn't like the wardrobe much.
Or the no-makeup thing.
And from the cross, he would say, “they don’t know what the eff they’re doing!” He will already have a closing line.
Julius Schumer, Pontius Newsom, Judas Hegseth?
LOL! I 'm wasting no time thinking about him. I've been terrified since he decided to run again and the contents of Project 25 were made public.
I agree with you Joanne, but we all need a break, and, thanks to Andy we get one daily.
There will be no future elections if tRUMP remains in office. Isn't this obvious?
"There will be no future good news."
I wish I could stop thinking about him but he has revenge and vengeance on his dementia addled brain. So…..
No thanking Jesus for this one!
he also hates dogs (and cats and birds and fish and ferrets and hamsters too), and any other animals we could think of. that's the strongest sign of weak character there is!
No wonder he bonded so well with Kristi!
And some people DO think God sent him. Incredible and disgusting.
If God sent Trump, it was to test these "Christians" and they are failing the test. Trump is their Golden Calf.
OMG My thoughts exactly.
Who Supports a Morally Bankrupt Leader? Here’s One Theory.
I was talking with someone here in Denmark yesterday (I’m an expat), and we found ourselves asking the same question that keeps so many of us up at night: Who are these people who still support someone so proudly ignorant, morally bankrupt, and fundamentally unfit for leadership?
Here’s the rough sketch we came up with. It’s a bit tongue-in-cheek—but also painfully close to the truth, backed by what we know from psychology and voter data:
1. Under-informed voters (~25%)
About a quarter of American adults read at or below a fourth-grade level. These individuals may struggle to critically evaluate political information, especially when bombarded with disinformation. Let’s say just 20% of this group were swayed by populist messaging and fearmongering. That’s a solid chunk of the electorate.
2. Low-empathy voters (~5%)
Roughly 3–5% of people exhibit traits associated with psychopathy or sociopathy—low empathy, high aggression, and an ability to rationalize harm. They’re drawn to strongman figures, not despite the cruelty, but because of it.
3. Grifters & ego-driven types (~5%)
Think of those who stand to benefit from deregulation, tax cuts, or chaos in general. Add in opportunists, narcissists, and true-believers in American exceptionalism at any cost. We estimate this group at around 5%.
4. Party-line voters (~15%)
No matter the candidate, they’ll pull the lever for their team. Even if that team is on fire and being sued in four states.
5. The disengaged
And then there’s the quiet tragedy: millions of well-meaning, intelligent people who simply don’t vote. Whether due to cynicism, logistical barriers, or burnout, their absence tips the scales.
Add it all up, and it’s not hard to see how a deeply unqualified figure can rise to—and cling to—power. Rough math: 20% (under-informed supporters) + 10% (sociopaths + grifters) + 15% (party-line voters) = 45% of the electorate.
Sure, the real story is more nuanced. But let’s not pretend this isn’t a huge part of the equation.
Quick Notes on the Numbers:
1. Literacy: ~21–23% of U.S. adults read at a 4th–5th grade level. [NCES, NAAL]
2. Psychopathy: ~1% clinically diagnosed, up to 5% may show traits. [Hare, et al.]
3. Dark Triad traits: Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy observed in ~4–6%.
4. Party-line voting: 10–20% vote straight-ticket. [ANES, Pew Research]
5. Disengaged voters: ~40% of eligible Americans didn’t vote in 2020. [U.S. Census]
So, no—we’re not all doomed. But understanding the psychological and structural forces at play might help us stop wringing our hands and start taking strategic action.
I agree with much of this. Two quibbles. First, I have friends that fit in none of these buckets. They are the fearful voters. They have been persuaded by decades of “bad news” that we are on a precipice and they see a blunt object, even one that disgusts them, as their only hope. They include the very religious folks who see Trump as the bitter pill they need to swallow to (ironically) set America on a path of purity. Autocracy is ok with them as long as it wipes out evil. Second quibble is that the grifters/ low empathy bucket is much much larger. There are a lot of upper income Americans and, more significantly, upper income wannabees, who fit in this combo bucket. They don’t care about anything or anyone except themselves. “Greed is good.”
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I would have to counter that both your religious folks and fearful voters land squarely in the "under-informed" camp--at least from where I sit. You have to either purposefully or stubbornly suspend reality to hold onto either position.
Perhaps some are in that camp. But I perceive a difference between being fearful and being underinformed. I agree you can be fearful and hide under a rock in response. That’s stubbornly and/or purposefully suspending reality. Take me, for instance. I am very fearful of what is going on. I am most certainly not underinformed nor am I avoiding what is happening, much as I might like to some days. But fear often turns people towards bullies. (I refuse to use the term “strongmen” to describe Trump et al.) The people I know fully admit to Trump’s narcissism, greed, and corruption. But they see him as the lesser evil. Whatever he does is ok as long as he is protecting them. His SCOTUS nominees, for example, protect their beliefs. His detention and deportation and of immigrants make them feel safe. His economic policies protect them from socialism. And if they have to pay the tariffs and watch the wealthy get richer and drive further to get to a hospital or doctor, well, that’s ok. These people aren’t true grifters nor are they low empaths. They don’t want kids caged or moms ripped away from their babies or children going hungry or drinking water from lead pipes. But those things come in second because their fear is so powerful.
I'm trying to understand, but you've lost me at "lesser evil". Less evil than what, or who? What does Trump protect them from? Do these people actually feel threatened by immigrants? And do they not feel threatened by the prospect of an oligarchy and a dictatorship? My head is exploding...
Less evil than Democrats. I cannot speak to the foundation of their fear because while some fears are quite rational, many are not. All I can say is that these people I am talking about are afraid, both for themselves and their families. I do think that much of that fear is the result of religious teachings that emphasize evil rather than love. This is what makes it so hard for me to understand them. I can't reconcile believing in Jesus with fearing evil. He didn't win converts by preaching fear. He won by preaching love. But I think some of the fear is just the fact that the world is so very complicated and there is so much coming at all of us every day from every angle. You can react to that world by being curious and learning. Or you can react by going under a rock. Or by 'hiring' someone to protect you. That's compounded by the fact that Trump gives these folks a focus for their fear and a focus for the anger that often accompanies fear. Of course that'd be a minority group like immigrants or people of color. Our country has a very long tradition of fearing both those groups. So, no, they don't fear a dictatorship IF the dictator is someone they view as a protector. If you put yourself in the shoes of a someone who is essentially afraid of the world, I think it becomes easier to see why they would see Trump as a protector and not Hilary, Joe or Kamala.
A large swath of people don't like to think. They are lazy and/or stupid. They just want their beer, guns and video games and let "Daddie" make all the decisions. Not very scientific but I think is a decent explanation (for those who don't want to think?)
I would charge functional idiocy and willful ignorance.
I am suddenly recalling the words of Nazi of Minister of Justice Emil Janning (a true character, but a composite) from the brilliant "Judgement at Nuremberg" starring Burt Lancaster, explaining to the Court why the German people supported Hitler:
"Hitler said to us: 'Lift your heads! Be proud to be German. There are devils among us: communists, liberals, Jews, gypsies. Once these devils will be destroyed, your misery will be destroyed!'....What difference did it make if a few political extremists lost their rights? What difference did it make if a few racial minorities lose theirs? It is only a passing phase. It is only a stage we are going through. It will be discarded sooner or later. Hitler himself is a phase. He will be discarded, sooner or later....But then one day, we woke to find that what was only going to be a 'passing phase' had become the way of life."
An excellent and powerful movie! I remember that speech -- I found it chilling then, but it's become so true of us here & now that it scares the hell out of me.
There is NO DOUBT we are on that path. For this reason I am glad to be old....
Autocracy is ok as long as it wipes out evil… that’s it. The German Lutheran Evangelical Church was Nazi through and through, exactly because it crushed the “evils” of modern society, embodied in gays, uppity women, “decadent” artists, writers, and any independent thinkers - along with of course anyone who wasn’t racially pure.
Thank you. This really helps. I may join you in Denmark.
I moved here 11 years ago, and it was one of the best decisions of my life--even if scary as heck at the time. Unfortunately, it is quite difficult for people outside of the EU to move here. Studying or through work are usually the best ways in. Held og lykke!
I'm pea-green with envy, having visited Denmark a couple of times. Were it not so close to Russia, it would be my first choice were I to leave my country.
Lucky you, Susan! I have Danish ancestry and have always wanted to go, but poor health and lack of funds (plus now, the dreaded 'old age') will keep me from it. I hope you can do it! My parents went many years ago and just loved it there! :)
Remember the good old days when the Danes invaded everywhere they could sail to? Couldn't they charter some planes and head for the US of A? An anxious nation awaits... (Maybe bring some stegl flaesk.)
The Mouse That Roared?
Good for you, Susan. Help them hang on
to Greenland.
A useful, thoughtful analysis. Thank you. As a numbers person this helps me organize my mind a bit but doesn’t help cope with the reality of the chaos or help get my daughter’s long time position at USAID back after she was fired by a drug addled toddler with a sledgehammer.
Did you mean he’s being sued in 40 states? 4 sounds like too few.
Yes, you're correct, definitely more than four states--it was a bit of a joke. I was trying to infuse this sh*tshow with a modicum of humor. If that is even possible.
Thank you for the infusion; that's why most of us are here at TBR!
So Trump got elected by about 20% of literate eligible voters. The rest of us have to live with the results
Pretty much? Numbers don't lie...even though our "leaders" sure as sh*t do!
I would probably divide the categories a little differently: Fox news watchers (misinformed voters); opportunists (your sociopaths and grifters); conspiracy theorists (a few of whom I am unfortunately related to); evangelical Christians; dark triad traits + fear of transsexuals; underinformed voters (the ones who don’t really consume any direct news); and disengaged voters.
you forgot racism .
& misogyny.
Good analytical data. Thank you. You can say we're not all doomed, but look where we are. Only if people wake up, get engaged, get smarter can this be turned around.
I told this to my girlfriend in California after the election Nov 2024 (I'm in Ohio) because she just was in shock he got re-elected: A third of the American people votes for Dump, a third stayed home, a third voted for Kamala. Republicans have been chipping away at public education since 1980. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
And that is the Pierce Cliffnotes Edition.
It goes back further than that. They have been chipping away at our trust in government since Ronnie told us, "Government is the problem."
As Denmark has a higher literacy rate than the U.S., I commend your observations. I researched to find that 40% of eligible U.S. voters didn't choose to do so. If they had, and if your calculations are correct, Harris would have won. The problem is, our population does not know the strength of voting. With lack of involvement, there is no Democracy! We did this to ourselves.
American voters are lazy and willfully stupid
Michelle ~ excellent, thorough evaluation of why we're in the dumpster fire we're in! As you said, understanding this information would be beneficial to the democracy.
An excellent analysis, Michelle. One thought re Category 3: though it is a small percentage of the electorate, it contains the likes of Thiel, Yarvin, and Musk and thereby wields a disproportionately large influence. Too bad for the rest of us.
Very astute observation and theory. Thanks!
It's great you note R. Hare’s work on psychopathology. He's done remarkable, and scary, research.
Then add the percent of
Republicans who don’t give a fig who this horrible spending bill will
hurt……
People have always been duped by the "alpha-male" type of leader throughout history. It's because humans are basically emotionally driven. Make them fear something and they are willing to listen to your description of "villains" to hate. Then they are primed and ready to believe that only you (the asshole tyrant), can fix things. Trump is textbook bully/tyrant/asshole
racism
Rachel Kushner said in CREATION LAKE "Charisma does not originate inside the person called charismatic. It comes from the need of others to believe that special people exist." Maybe those judges need someone to tell them what to do.
Wow. That is really interesting. Thanks for this.
A few reasons: greed, stupidity, gullibility, no principles, no ethics, no morals, no spine...
You forgot FEAR—they’re scared to death of Trump’s vitriol and shaming.
Good point. I didn't mean my list to be all inclusive. It's open-ended so everyone can add their 'reason'. And yes, FEAR is a major factor. trump has studied the Hitler playbook very well.
According to his first wife, he read Mein Kampf or kept a copy of Adolf's "Masterpiece" on his nightstand.
his edition had to have pictures, or perhaps Ivana read it to him as a bedtime story
I liked the succinctness of your list - straight & to the point. But yes, the list could go on...and on...
But why are they intimidated by Trump? They're appointed for life which should give them the freedom to adjudicate based on the law. Amy Coney Barrett recently voted with the liberal judges and although the MAGA folks were outraged, she's still there. I don't get it. I guess I'll just add it to the growing list of things I don't get.
They're intimidated because trump and crew will say and do ANYTHING to discredit them. Not just ruining their careers but ruining their lives as well. It would not surprise me if some have been physically threatened or, unfortunately, their families have been threatened. This is so disgusting. This is so Gestapo.
That's a good point. It also occurred to me that if Thomas and Alito stopped ruling in lockstep with Trump they risk losing the big gifts from their MAGA billionaires.
Didn’t AOC start impeachment proceedings against Thomas?
What happened with that?
Right you are! Masked bandits dragging people from their homes, businesses, their families. And we call ourselves a a DEMOCRACY
They were hand-picked. The process of packing the Court was long and organized by the Federalist Society. The Federalist Society is funded by some of the wealthiest conservative elements in America. These Supreme Court justices are predisposed to defer to the wealthy and powerful. That is why they are in power to start with.
Obnoxious and dangerous wealthy people are at The Heritage Foundation.
And clearly something to hide that would send them to prison... orangeaid just calls them bad names if they cross him ...
That is the creed of the Republican Party.......
They would rather hold onto their offices, than represent the people who elected them. It's truly mind-boggling.
and while we, the voters, can affect their livelihood, it takes time... and the bloated yam seems to be rushing through Project 2025 in warp speed :(
They are representing fellow Fox News viewers
Feels good
They're in it for the power and the monetary rewards.
let’s see what happens next year
There is something in the American psyche that is vulnerable to the huckster, to P.T. Barnum, to The Music Man. We find a fascination/admiration for that slippery, fox-like quality- at least for a time. I think of the movie with Andy Griffith, "A Face In The Crowd", if anyone is old enough to remember that one. America is fascinated for a while, but ultimately, at least in the past, we have always rejected con men. I hope that still holds true.
It’s taking way too long of course. Trump has been the grifter con man for decades. Ask anyone in NY - they despise him for all the cons he has pulled. And he’s been on the national lever now for a DECADE - still pulling off the con.
There is a point where the con is revealed to most, if not all. I think we are getting there with Trump. We will reach the tipping point.
But when realization eventually dawns, will the electoral apparatus be too compromised for that to matter? Greg Palast's research shows how in several states voter suppression was a major factor in 2024.
that is a concern.
I am starting to put all my hope in us, i.e., We the People out on the streets protesting in huge numbers continually. And a general strike.
I agree Katherine, tigers are fun rides up to a point.
I’m in that club too.
I want to understand so maybe I can cope with the chaos and fear better. But I can’t.
…to be with the cool cats…like in high school
Don’t over-think it…😎
Perhaps. But again I’ll say that their definition of cool is warped.
Waste of time and energy better used to fight them.
This is a culmination of 70 plus years planning and implementation at all levels starting with local, of
people who think they're better because of their religion, their color, their status, their education, their origins, but largely because of the ideas they hold that incorporate all those characteristics; those ideas have to do with the intrusion of capitalism into this democracy, where greed enters our laws through interpretations of the founding words stretched very thin here. We've all been affected through the barrage advertising, through the pounding persistence of the competitive life. I watched this happen as a 10-year-old when WW2 ended and Life magazine began advertising goods that had been unavailable during the depression and during the war when we were oriented towards supplying the troops in both Europe and the Pacific. The capitalist class was well established then and had been already responsible for the great crash of 29 from which they apparently learned nothing except how to sell better and misuse public psychology around those ideas, pushing competition among people and at all levels, promoting it with all the characteristics I mentioned above. So we're in a time of a huge ideas clash, where beliefs have turned into long planned actions. The wrecking of democratically oriented institutions has been going on at least since Bush2, 45 years ago, Nixon was the first of the bad apples. One starting a completely unnecessary war, Iraq, that kept the capitalist war machine going again, always using the fairly loose constructions of a democratic republic to put their ideas into profit.
I so wish the progressives, Democrats, independents can get together to firm up how we deal with the ideas, beliefs and consequences of and for a healthy nation. And maybe somebody could set up retraining camps for the soon to be defeated Republicans promoting and allowing this rampage effect of careless greed. :-)))
I suggest an MIB Neuralizer for all the sheep
Brilliant.
I think lobotomies should be performed on the Repubs.
Totally. You might like my film Dreams from a Planet in Peril on youtube, the last section where Earth accuses the Capitalist class...
This has been an orchestrated plan of this minority zealot party that knew they were the minority and Nazis since the days of Nixon and the Southern Strategy. They just had Russian help to complete the coup this time.
I disagreed with a high school American history teacher who posited that the Civil war was about the 10th amendment. This orchestration has been conducted for 160 years.
Have you watched “ reality tv”. ? This is how we Americans are being groomed toward violence, vindictiveness, pettiness, intellectual laziness and meanness.
I'm with you. It's breathtaking what an iron grip this one monumentally stupid/destructive grifter has on the Republican party.
I just saw on CNN that the Muskrat is promising to get a primary challenger for every congressional Republican who campaigned on reducing the deficit and then voted for “The BB Bill”. Can it be true? Maybe a way to reduce the 🍊monster’s iron grip ? 🤞🤞
Maybe, but 🤫, don't tell anyone.
I've said exactly the same thing over and over. Imagine this heinous monster controlling a once revered judicial system. And his IQ is far below average. There is no logical answer to the question. Even my beloved dog is baffled.
Well said ,and I am confused too on how they will do anything for a demented crook!!!
$$$$
Power
lack of critical thinking skills
--lack of thinking!
Sheryl Thompson, That is certainly the biggest mystery of this century. That monster insults people to their faces, and they cheer for him. He threatens people to their faces, and they cheer for him. He lies to their faces, and they cheer for him. He celebrates hate and corruption and cruelty, and they cheer or him. He admits to committing crimes, and they cheer for him. He gets caught and convicted of more crimes, and they cheer for him. He has a well documented history of destroying everyone and everything that gets close to him, but they line up to do his bidding, and they cheer for him. He is so obviously pure evil, and they cheer for him. I am completely baffled.
Well said, dear Marmo.
It's greed, power thirst, hate and fear, Sheryl.
On a scale I never would have believed. No other politician has gotten away with one one hundredth of what he’s gotten away with. Not R or D.
Have a look at Prequel by Rachel
I’m with you on that.
I' m with you
Pretty sure congress is working on the same unintended consequence.
After all, think of all of the money we could save by not having elections, paying them, or giving them staff.
Elon Musk approves.
Agreed! What Andy said is humorous, but so true. If you carry out their decision to its logical conclusion, the judiciary is irrelevant.
That doesn’t even take into account the political “direction” that the court has moved. It was intended to be neutral, and long before the felon, it became a tool of the political parties. They only wanted judges who agreed with them.
Pretty sure those who wrote the constitution would be surprised we have moved so far from what they envisioned for our government.
Borowitz helps me deal with the frustration these times produce. He is essential to maintaining a hope for our future
Thank you! That is my goal.
And helps us realize we are not alone.
Thank you Andy for injecting some humor into what is the most terrible situation possible. In all my 67, almost 68 years, I took for granted the Democratic republic of the US. I can't believe how threatened our democracy is. Many thanks as always for your humor.
The smug mugs on those six faces says it all. We’re truly screwed.
“Smug mugs” 🎯🩵
Don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Better to laugh. 🙃
Carole, let's do both! After all tis life. I'm chuckling still...and then found myself shaking my head!
However, I do not agree with nietzsche’s “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”. There’s a better than good chance, for a woman in this country, that the “what” will kill them.
there are other choices: protest/rally, contact your elected officials, support those working to take our democracy back
I’m with you on that!
Andy,
Your humor is so freaking important in helping us deal with these willfully ignorant traitors to our country. We no longer live in a Constitutional Republic. Period. Full stop! Amy Coney Barrett and her corrupt cohorts on the Supreme Court have destroyed the last vestiges of our democracy.
This empire is ending just like all the rest. We are living in a police state with the ICE Brownshirts and equally corrupt policemen assisting in making this a white nationalist country.
I guarantee it’s going to get messy real quick under this dictatorship because that’s what they want. Resistance to the most immoral government this country has ever seen will be crushed by those who have been given unlimited powers by the Republican Congress and corrupt Supreme Court.
They have already tested the waters bringing the Marines into L.A. and have succeeded in ignoring our Constitution in so many ways. May God have mercy on our country.
this is exactly what Captain Chaos wants - he loves the confusion and frustration, it's like watching a WWE fight, with no holds barred
This is a very consequential ruling. It gets harder and harder to see the funny but it should be noted that the keg was empty…….
I am of such a great age that it is unlikely I will be around to rejoice at the end of the incredibly blatant misuse of power by a United States President. In the meantime, what I know is this. I am an American incredibly fortunate to have been born in a country with a strong Constitution and a firm Democracy. My forefathers put these in place so future generations would be safe from people like this creature now running laps over them. I am mandated by my strong beliefs in this amazing country to stand tall, not cave in to despair, but to maintain faith in the best of the best of us.
I agree. I’m 75 and really don’t expect to see our country make a U-turn back to democracy in my lifetime. My hope is for the youth of our country to save it
i’m 85 and i am going to hang around til a dem takes over and puts everything right by undoing what blondy has done to this country
Go for it, lounger. Love your spunk!
Hard to understand the Judiciary helping to destroy it all. We thought the country could always rely on our Courts as the backstop.
You nailed the humor! As usual, but I also wish it was true. Thank you for continuing to cut through the BS and handing out much needed laughs! 😁
I totally agree.
Now they can be deported to North Korea.
Not El Salvador to a certain health spa where they shave your head?
If only this were a funny headline. 😢 As you’ve said umpteen gajillion times, Andy, you write the truth, and this post is another example. They might as well call themselves The Supreme Rubber Stamp of the USA. I did laugh ruefully when I read the headline, and actually laughed at “The Constitution says ‘no backsies.’” That was a classic, brilliant, Borowitz gem.
Back to medieval justice as portrayed by Monty Python. She weighs more than a duck, so she is a witch.
Even our esteemed colleagues at Holy Grail, Ltd. couldn't have made up this reprehensible sh*t!
Kavanaugh can take the keg and join Kegsbreath over at the Pentagon. It will be a legendary bender!
Is it an unintentional consequence? No more pesky briefs, obscure Latin phrases and black robes.
Now they can hide behind their wall of ICE and luxuriate in the spoils of spoiled justice.