and I always have to distinguish between the GOPers (who probably would have much preferred Jeb Bush) and the Cultists (who have some incomprehensible worship for Trump).

The GOPers are relatively rational. At some point, they might decide Trump is bad for the GOP, though they always have voter suppression to fall back on-- that is, so what if the majority hate Trump, as long as they can keep the majority from voting. They are willing to use him, though they're also still capable of humiliation if not shame. They don't particularly like him... they just hate Democrats more.

The Cultists, like one of my in-laws, well, frankly, there's nothing to be done with them. The two in my family aren't like the ones you see at rallies with t-shirts. They're professional-class workers, but what characterizes them is anger. It's weird. What do they have to be angry about? But they are angry at everyone-- at their bosses and the cashier at the grocery who asked for their ID when they bought wine and the people who say "Happy Holidays" rather than Merry Christmas, and their kids who don't want to travel to Florida at Thanksgiving and their neighbors who have a menorah in the window and their parents who didn't bequeath them enough money and the NFL stars who are young and athletic and black, and the doctors who ask them if there are guns in their houses.

They're angry about everything. There's nothing really wrong with their lives, but they're still angry. Just like Trump. He's like the embodiment of their privilege/mixedwith/anger. "I deserve more!" is their cry. They are fundamentally NOT democratic. They think they deserve more than they get, and that everyone else deserves less.

I'm tired of trying to reason with them. Thanksgiving approaches. I'm thinking of shrugging and just saying that: "I'm not going to bother to reason with you. You're a cultist. I'm going to go to talk to the two-year-old who has more rational things to say."

We are doomed.

How do you turn around a ship of crazy that’s this big?

I deal with every day...friends and family, you know.

Fear. Always fear. Plus fear. With a dollop of fear on top.

Nearly all of them live in homogeneous communities, where they are in the majority.

I live in a much more diverse city, and do not get upset at all about the things that terrify them. (This bothers them.)

It's strange to me, but this article certainly gave me insight.

I guess I have a smaller amygdala. Who knew?

Mr Azarian says “ It should be strongly emphasized that not all Trump supporters are racist ... “. “It would be grossly unfair and inaccurate to say that every one of Trump’s supporters have prejudice against ethnic and religious minorities”

Why all the hand wringing? It is grossly fair and accurate to say that MAGA is a racist, bigoted movement: The majority ARE racist, and those who turn a blind eye, standing shoulder to shoulder with rabid racists and bigots are, if anthing, more culpable.

Not all Nazi’s were anti-semites. Herman Goering was not, for example. But no one can deny that National Socialism was, at it’s core, racist. And sois MAGA. The nature of the beast is indisputable. This is the No.1 key trait - the defining characteristic of the Trump’s propaganda. To water it down is cowardice. Mr. Azarian should be ashamed of himself.

Trust me, it wasn't easy growing up in my family.