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| Former President Trump’s interview with Sean Hannity on Fox (Variety) |
The more negative news that cones out about our former president, the greater his lead becomes over his opponents. It’s shocking enough that the more indictments he gets, the stronger his support becomes. At least among his MAGA base. Even more shocking is the bump in the polls he got after saying that he would actually be a dictator for a day after he takes office. His lead over his Republican rivals is at an all time high.
Looking ahead to the general election, his numbers have risen there too. In a head to head contest, Trump is now ahead of Biden beyond the margin of error. That means he will be getting votes not only from his MAGA base, but from mainstream Republicans, Independents, and even some Democrats.
So… what gives? How is that even possible? How can a man who tried to overthrow the results of the last election; a man with a massive number of indictments; a man who has vowed to take revenge on all of his political enemies after he is elected; a man who dog-whistles to racists and antisemites; a man who openly said (in an interview with Sean Hannity) that he will be a dictator for at least one day ...be supported by the majority of the American people? Can that be explained?
It would seem to be inexplicable. And yet I am going to try, foolish though that may be.
One of the things that has bumped up Trump’s numbers is Biden’s poor approval ratings on both his domestic and foreign policies.
Although inflation has generally eased, the one place it hasn't is the grocery store. Everyone buys food. Food prices are as high as ever. And they have been rising ever since COVID. With no end in sight. the average consumer does not therefore see inflation easing
Support for Israel’s war with Hamas has taken a big hit. Most Americans no longer support Israel’s actions in Gaza. That is based on the media focus on the devastation in Gaza at the hands of the IDF plus the constant harangue by the UN about the catastrophe Israel is perpetrating against Gaza's Palestinian population. Calls for a ceasefire now resonate with the American people. It’s true that on an objective level Israel’s war with Hamas is just. Which is why Biden is still supporting it, But the optics of this war makes that diffcult for most Americans to focus upon. And that makes it difficult to approve Biden’s support for the war.
Another nail in Biden's coffin is the likely loss of Michigan to Trump in the next election. Michigan has the largest population of Muslims in the US. Just about all of them voted for Rashida Tlaib. Who has characterized what Israel is doing in Gaza as genocide. Michigan’s Muslims voted for Biden last time. But Biden's support for Israel’s actions in Gaza has upset them. Gaza has never had it so bad. Michigan's Muslim community will not be voting for Biden in the next election. That will very likely tilt Michigan into Trump’s column. It seems they don’t even care if Trump wins. Even though they must know that Trump will not be their friend.
How is it possible that someone who openly suggested that the US should suspend the constitution; and thereby democracy along with it - will be elected by a majority of the American people? Is the majority of the American people that stupid? Don’t they care about democracy? Isn’t it democracy that makes America great and not Donald Trump?
I hate to say this, but apparently the Americans who will be choosing Trump in 2024 don’t care that much about democracy. Which, it appears, is most American voters. This doesn’t mean they are totally abandoning democracy in favor of a dictatorship. But for some reason they don’t see Trump that way.
Taking things a step further, his MAGA base prefers a leader who reflects their values and will get things done. If it takes a dictator to do that. So what? They see him as a champion of their values who is being unfairly targeted by liberal elites that want to destroy him for things that don’t matter to them. Why would they care, for example, that he inflated his wealth in order to get a more favorable loan deal from a bank? That doesn’t concern them. And as they see it, it doesn’t diminish their rights in the slightest. His crimes do not violate their values in any significant way.
When Trump says he will be a dictator only on day one by closing the border and start drilling, drilling, drilling for oil, they cheer. This is the kind of effective leader they want. The kind that in their minds they once had. This is why the slogan ‘Make amerce great again’ resonates with them. They are proud to call themselves MAGA Republicans. And it doesn’t hurt that Trump sticks it to former supporters that have become disloyal to him. They absolutely love his confrontational style and his ridiculing of political opponents. Point being that his MAGA supporters are not some lunatic fringe. They are a substantial minority of the American people. They can’t all be morons. Nor is the majority of the American electorate poised to elect him in 2024.
Please do not misunderstand. I do to in any way support any kind of dictatorship for our country. Not even for a day. The rights based democracy upon which this country was founded is what made America great. Not Donald Trump. But if one wants to know why a man who promises to be a dictator on his first day in office; a man who was twice impeached; a man that has been indicted for a treasure trove of crimes and misdemeanors; a man that says he will exact revenge against all his detractors; a man that has said he will pardon all those found guilty of crimes on January 6th ...will be elected president in 2024... this is my best guess for an explanation.