Only a flicker
Burnt Norton, TS Eliot.
Over the strained time-ridden faces
Distracted from distraction by distraction
Filled with fancies and empty of meaning
Tumid apathy with no concentration
tu·mid
/ˈto͞oməd/
adjective
1. (especially of a part of the body) swollen.
“a tumid belly”
2. (especially of language or literary style) pompous or bombastic.
“tumid oratory”
Jim Geraghty has a disturbing series of poll results in a recent edition of his Morning Jolt, (which I read religiously), displaying Trump’s likelihood of obtaining the GOP nomination alongside his distinct unlikelihood of winning in the general election. If the GOP nominates Trump, as it seems it will, he may very well lose again to a creepy dementia patient. DeSantis, on the other hand, does quite well against Biden, and yet fares poorly against Trump.
My question to the GOP remains the same as it has since they initially nominated Trump: What the actual fuck? The rabid support for the bombastic former president has been baffling to me — until a friend pointed out that Trump has managed to tap into the “asshole vote.” Trump’s most loyal supporters seem to feel validated by Trump’s general assholery. They identify with his ragey self-absorption, the grudges, the illogical combativeness. The phrase “he fights” has become a war cry to the perpetually oppressed.
It reminds me of the words of one of the greatest poets of our age, Alfred Matthew Yankovic: “Dare to be stupid.”
Humans are social animals, searching for the peaceful susurration of tribal groupthink. It’s easier to justify one’s unlovely impulses and pathologies from within the bosom of the hivemind. No need for self awareness or reflection when you’ve got that echo chamber, amirite?
The fear of being exposed to ideas that challenged one’s priors used to be an attribute associated most closely with the left, and yet, here we are. Those of us who have long felt more closely aligned with the right on many key issues find ourselves alienated by the paranoid vilification of “elites” and “intellectuals.” Resisting the urge to deify a politician, (ew), has become a cardinal sin to the teeming masses of the angry, intellectually incurious faithful.
Knowing a bit about history, I recognize it for what it is — human nature — but that doesn’t make it any less depressing.
I mean. What the fuck.
end of line. 
Here’s the actual fuck: 1) if being told by those powerful people who imagine themselves more clever than a Chinese cat that you’re a misanthropic rube who understands nothing Trump will hold a certain appeal. He is your sole voice in a rigged game and 2) if you think tables at the Temple need overturning, the crooked players whipped and the whole game brought as close to blowing up as possible, well…who better than Trump?
Me? I think he’s the closest thing to a truth telling machine DC has seen since…ever. I know he exactly who he is, what he is and what he thinks. He hides nothing. He doesn’t care to. Is he morally reprehensible? No more than 90% of than those haunt the halls of DC. Wasn’t that the appeal of “House of Cards”? Until 10 minutes ago we regarded public servants as backstabbing degenerates. How is he different or worse? Is he smartest guy? Nope. But few in Washington are. He is no more dumb than his successor and predecessor. In many ways he’s smarter. Trump at least understands human nature.
Will I vote for him? Probably not. But I damn sure understand why others would.
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Tl;dnr
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Well said… I have never seen a more pathetic giant asshole in the office, running for office whatever.
I think the question may be, what has happened to create so many disaffected people. I don’t think they were all formerly Republican.
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