Support for drumpf comes from some pretty strange places. I know some of his Christian nationalist supporters. And I know some secular drumpfers. They are a stubborn bunch. Like any cult, they’re super-committed to their beliefs.

I can say unequivocally that trying to change their minds is like trying to convince “Naaazees” to change THEIR minds. Facts do not make a difference. Logic does not work.

True believers:  not the same as believing truth

We’ve seen clearly over the past 10 years that the commitment of true believers never wavers.

First, their “values” are deeply rooted. Sunk deep. Since they see the opposition (or minorities or poor people or whomever) as  “the other”, the scapegoat, it’s virtually impossible to present facts that convince them otherwise. Just as it was in ww2 Germany.

Did facts make a difference then? No.

Tribal identity

It IS a cult–they get a sort of tribal identity from banding together around their views. And the psychology of it: Even when faced with actual contrary facts, cognitive dissonance makes them double down on their original opinion.

How does that work? We cannot hold two opposing thoughts simultaneously, so to bring things into order in our minds, we’ll twist our beliefs. That is, should a contrary fact get in, which it rarely does.

Let’s not forget confirmation bias. It makes us only pay attention to information that supports our own views.

And of course Project 2025 overloards are running its propaganda machine in the background to help keep people aligned with the cult. Talkin’ about you, Faux News, which far too many believe to be factual. Which it is not. It is propaganda.

If you really think that we can change the minds of these cultists, I suggest you study ww2 Germany. Then get back to me.

So how are we going to win midterms?

Only by getting the blue vote out in a big way –coalesced around a single candidate. One candidate. Just one.

This will not be the time to split the vote and, as we often do, snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. But, I fear, we blue voters simply can not get out of our own way and that’s disheartening.

Oh and also, let’s not be delusional dT and eM told us numerous times the election was hacked. It may be the only credible thing either of them have ever said.

The aggravating thing about this is that our electeds have done little about this. No official kickback. Even Kamala rolled over, which made me lose respect for her in a big way.

Most Democratic officials are silent. No one is really investigating. I wish there was some secret something going on that would disclose it all in a big way and fight back. But I just don’t think there is.

That’s where we sit. A cult is responsible for madmen running our country.

This is not where I thought I’d be in my senior years.