Do 40% of Americans support dismantling democracy or are they unaware of it?

In a mere six months the United States has devolved into a kind of soft dictatorship. Although most people's lives are not yet being directly affected, rule OF law is being replaced with rule BY law. It is all happening with...ease, really. The Republican Congress is supine or openly enthusiastic. The Supreme Court has blithely given almost unlimited power to this President. The news media, much of corporate America, and other typically countervailing institutions are intimidated or even complicit. At least so far.

But the real bedrock of Trumpism is his voter base. Around 40% of the electorate supports the job Trump is doing as president. MAGA loves him and everything he does. This 40% public support is identical to Trump's popularity rating at this time in his first term!

Why are Trump's supporters so loyal? What motivates MAGA voters and roughly 10%-15% of other Americans to support this president, even as he and his party funnel wealth upwards, cut social programs his voters rely on, gut emergency management and scientific research, build a secret police force to go after immigrants, and on and on? Tampering to try to end free and fair elections is in progress, too, although at an early stage. Those famous "checks and balances" so far have barely been obstacles at all.

Do MAGA voters want this? Or are they unaware of the worst of it, kept in the dark by the news media they absorb? Or is it all about one big thing, such as immigration, economic hopelessness, or cultural decline and disrespect, or...something else other than just 40% of us are authoritarians that want strongman rule? If MAGA voters' attachment to democracy is weak or gone, what does that say about them and how well democracy was working for them pre-Trump?

On Monday 7/21, let's try to respectfully discuss MAGA Americans and how they got that way. Empathy does not have to mean sympathy, or even respect for MAGA choices. They sure don't respect the rest of Americans, judging by the fire hose of hate speech and fear mongering we all witness every day. Yet, empathy is a necessary tool for understanding how we got here and how we can crawl out, at least IMO.

Look back here the week before the 7/21 mtg for some optional background readings on this topic. They will focus on MAGA and the perhaps more persuadable MAGA-adjacent or soft Trump voters.

Background Readings -.

o TBA.