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When you shame someone ( Trumps followers) and it is not acknowledged, it breeds obsessive attachment to the leader who is humiliated the most …Trump. This is not going to end and shaming breeds violence too.

— John D Grove (@GroveGrovej85) December 22, 2023

Not indulge just own the causes of thevMAGA illusion

— John D Grove (@GroveGrovej85) December 22, 2023

I think they blame the rest of us for their failure to thrive…and he is their revenge…it is that simple…

— crockpot12000 (@booandcoo0220) December 23, 2023

a) There are stupid people in the world.

b) Saying that is not a moral judgement.

c) Those people are the prey of con men.

d) Donald Trump is a con man.

e) He’s doing all this for the grift. He runs for president, people give him money.  It’s the biggest bird’s nest on the ground he’s ever seen, and he’s latched onto it. He’s also running so he can stay out of jail.

f) I don’t care for shaming. Tom Nichols may think it serves some purpose. I think he’s wrong. In this situation, it simply doesn’t work. The only reason not to do it, in brief, is that it demeans you more than the people you try to shame. It’s also a very ineffective political strategy.

g) Any opposition to Trump seems to at least breed threats of violence. But the only violence Trump ever truly inspired was January 6th, in response to the election. That violence ended in failure (the election was not reversed), and a massive number of arrests and (AFAIK), 100% convictions. There hasn’t been any Trump inspired violence since. Threats are bad; actual violence is worse.

h) The “MAGA illusion” is only that Trump is a con man, and he’s found a con that seems to be self-replicating. Every four years there are people who say the President is “not my president.” They’re convinced the races are rigged, elections are useless, voting is a sham. And the establishment refuses to countenance their complaints, and so no one has to listen.

In 2020 the ultimate establishment figure told the malcontents they were right. He’s still doing so. 

How do you shame such people? How do you even deal with them? By making the majority defend their right to authority in a Democratic system.

Tonight feels like a good time to tell you all that, for me, the absolute lowest moment in the post election battle we endured to protect Michigan’s accurate and legitimate election results in 2020 was not when armed protestors stormed my home. It was the night of the Wayne…

— Jocelyn Benson (@JocelynBenson) December 22, 2023

As long as the majority defends its legitimate interests in the system, the malcontents will be…malcontent. There is no obligation to change that, or to cater to it.

i) The cause of the MAGA illusion is as multifarious as the individuals who hold it. But have they failed to thrive? Or are they just malcontents?

Does it matter?

j) The major illusion is the support for Trump.

Man, @LaCivitaC is gonna have a rough Christmas. pic.twitter.com/AoMJpCcXpH

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) December 22, 2023

Polls are the reason everyone thinks Trump has already won. But 67% of New Hampshire voters don’t support Trump. MAGA may be rabid; but MAGA is a minority. Do we have to cater to them, or shame them, or understand what motivates them?