Exploring the mindset of a typical hardcore Trump supporter

As I said these Americans are extremely angry and frustrated and want to see change so it seems like they are more than willing to support someone who is as angry as they are.

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Image Credit: Evan Vucci/AP

It’s time for a bit of political satire. Let’s begin with this question: how could Donald J. Trump, a man with a plethora of character faults, who surely will go down in history as one of worst presidents to ever occupy the White House, have so many staunch supporters?

I’m speaking of those who will stand by him no matter what he does, no matter how egregious his policies and actions may be?

That’s a question that has been baffling to many in the political world who can’t fathom why he has such a vice grip on these supporters who represent about 40% of Americans.

It is almost unfathomable, it’s mind-boggling. For the most part, they are working-class Americans, farmers and others living in rural areas, angry old white men, and quite a few angry old white women. The vast majority are rabid Republicans, there are few independents, plus there are more than a few Hillary haters.

I keep hearing that these are Americans who voted for him because they are very angry and frustrated at what is happening in America, that this country has been rapidly going in the wrong direction. And they see Trump as their great savior who will take it in new directions.

I can fully understand how and why they might feel that way, but if they were looking for a real agent of change to take this country in a new and positive direction why in the world choose someone like Trump? Someone who is extremely narcissistic, hateful, insulting, deceitful, and a master of the art of lying?

America is, in fact, very much in need of dramatic change to reverse its current course. But if you wanted someone to do that and “Make America great again” this man doesn’t have the most basic qualifications to do the job.

It’s important that we define mindset: “A fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a person’s responses to and interpretations of situations.” Take special note of the words, “fixed mental attitude” which I would say is an attitude that is locked into a person and cannot be changed even if conditions change to a great extent.

As I said these Americans are extremely angry and frustrated and want to see change so it seems like they are more than willing to support someone who is as angry as they are.

This group appears to be very afraid that various minorities are going to keep growing in numbers and that they, white Americans, will then become the new minority. That’s why they strongly support Trump’s very evident disdain for minorities, in particular, African Americans and Hispanics.

In the following we will present a series of issues relative to Trump’s temperament and behavior, followed by the typical responses to them by hardcore Trump supporters:

  • His narcissism: response; is there some problem with having a good feeling about yourself? So, he happens to like himself a lot, so what. That’s a whole lot better than hating yourself, isn’t it?
  • His insults, disparaging, demeaning remarks against others: response; all I can say is that he is a strong-willed person, who has little patience for those who he feels are inferior to him. He is not some kind of wuss, he speaks his mind, will stand up to anyone; and that’s why we like him so very much.
  • Lying, deceitfulness: remember the story about George Washington telling his father, “I cannot tell a lie. Well, if that had been Trump he would have, without a doubt, strongly denied ever doing it.

Trump is not like our first president, he’s very, very, different. Trump supporters say that he is not really lying, he is just making up “fake lies” to get the media to overreact and get them all hot and bothered. He just throws out this bait and the rabid members of the media snap it up like hungry fish; how very brilliant!

  • How he is constantly is granted forgiveness: Here’s where some of his great followers, the right-wing evangelicals, no matter what he has done, no matter how egregious, grant him immediate forgiveness. There is no need for any repentance on his part for he is special.
  • Sexual misconduct: response: many of the men in this group see this as no problem, it’s none of anyone’s business, he can do what he pleases. And a lot of these hardcore women personally don’t like it but think that he did it with low-class women; and, therefore, it’s o.k.
  • His lack of adhering to the principles of ethics and morals: response: who cares, he’s the president and he can’t be restricted in his decisions by high-minded ideals. That’s for weak-kneed liberals, not him.
  • His emotional state: response: he is not at all unstable, it might just looks that way. That’s just his different kind of personality. Let’s say that he is more than a bit eccentric, like today’s version of Howard Hughes, an American business giant, investor, record-setting pilot, engineer, film director, and philanthropist.

Now, what else is there to say about these hardcore Trump supporters?

At one of his rallies, when he talked about some politician who body slammed a reporter and how much pleasure it gave him, you see those supporters behind him grinning, laughing and giggling, really enjoying what he said.

When he talks about how Democrats are a mob they are simply ecstatic. We saw the same kind of glee when he was imitating a reporter who had some kind of disability that caused him to quiver and shake all over. They thought it was very amusing.

So, what can we conclude about this solid, unbreakable connection between Trump and his zealous, rock solid supporters? It’s simply this: these supporters are mostly good people who think they are doing the right thing; nothing wrong with that. And there is hope that one day before long they will think deeply about this president, his highly faulted policies, actions, and behavior, and do the right thing; just sever the connection.

FALL FUNDRAISER

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