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Old book describes the Trump phenomenon........................My Turn
‘Now that the Trump presidency has come to an end, we are still trying to figure out how this brash, unconventional businessman and TV celebrity caught the attention of so many Americans. How were so many able to overlook his lack of experience, his many flaws in character, morality, ethics, etc.? ‘
BRUCE
FRASSINELLI is the former publisher of The PalladiumTimes. He served as a governor of the Rotary Club District 7150 (Central New York) from July 2001 to June 2002.
bfrassinelli@ptd.net
Book written nearly 70 years ago describes the Trump phenomenon
Imust confess that when Donald Trump in the park, until it wasn’t. announced his candidacy for president Many Republicans, even some Demoand was one of about 17 Republicans crats, wanted an outsider, someone to “drain vying for the nomination, I thought it was a the swamp” of the out-of-touch politicians publicity stunt. I was not alone. and political corruption and cronyism.
We all expected Trump to milk media Now that the Trump presidency has come attention for millions of dollars of free to an end, we are still trying to figure out how publicity for his brand, then at some point this brash, unconventional businessman and several months down the road, drop out of TV celebrity caught the attention of so many contention. Americans. How were so many able to over-
So much for that off-the-rails prediction. look his lack of experience, his many flaws
But who could blame our skepticism. in character, morality, ethics, etc.? Trump was up against either sitting or former Not only did these flaws slide off the governors from Ohio (John Kasich), New Teflon Donald, but some of his supporters Jersey (Chris Christie), have been almost cultNew York (George Pataki), Florida (Jeb My Turn like in their willingness to believe so many lies, Bush), Virginia (John most notably that the Gilmore), Arkansas (Mike Huckabee), Louisi- Democrats and President Joe Biden Jr. had ana (Bobby Jindal), Wisconsin (Scott Walker) stolen the 2020 election. and Texas (Rick Perry). Also in the race were This repeated false narrative was parsitting or former U.S. senators from Texas tially responsible for an angry mob of Trump (Ted Cruz), Florida (Marco Rubio), South supporters marching and sacking the Capitol Carolina (Lindsey Graham), Kentucky (Rand building on Jan. 6. Trump urged his supportPaul) and Pennsylvania (Rick Santorum). ers to go to Washington to “stop the steal.”
In the midst of all of these experienced He whipped up the crowd by saying, “We politicians was Trump with zero experience will never give up; we will never concede.” in elective office. Not that he needed any. The He then urged them to march to the Capitol U.S. Constitution lists these qualifications to and insist that the 535 representatives and be president: He or she must be a natural-born senators and his loyal Vice President Mike citizen of the United States, be at least 35 Pence set aside the election results, which years old, and must have been a resident of had been officially certified by the legislatures the United States for 14 years. That’s it. Why, and governors of all 50 states. heck, the president doesn’t even need a high Many level-headed Republicans say they school diploma to be eligible to serve. are “heartbroken” by these events. During
On top of all of this, Trump’s self-pro- Trump’s tenure, they convinced themselves claimed genius as the master of the deal that Trump’s faults were worth tolerating if sounded somewhat hollow because of his it meant furthering the conservative agenda. checkered business career where his com- They are saddened that Trump’s fulpanies have declared and emerged from fillment of campaign promises — such as bankruptcy six times between 1991 and 2009. strengthening the military, taking important He also has been accused of stiffing contrac- steps to bring peace to the Middle East, aptors, hiring illegal immigrants to work on his proving tax cuts for many Americans and projects and properties and other business protecting our southern border from illegal related no-nos. immigration by building a wall, along with
Through it all, Trump emerged from other accomplishments — were lost in a matthe gaggle of candidates as the winner and ter of minutes in the untenable and self-dethe GOP flag-bearer to go up against Hillary structive role of what will be remembered as Clinton, who, with her supporters, was elated a sinister day in American history. because they were taking on who they and These Republicans and Trump were on many in the country thought was her weakest the same page when it came to such major opponent. Democrats were expecting a walk issues as eliminating regulations stifling busi-
nesses, protecting gun rights, freedom of religion, school choice, opposition to abortion and smaller government.
But then came the Capitol episode that brought allegations of insurrection, sedition and domestic terrorism. Despite the aftermath, Trump has a fiercely loyal base. Again, many of us wonder why? How can they overlook what he has fomented?
I happened upon a book written in 1951 by Eric Hoffer called “The True Believer.” Hoffer was an American moral and social philosopher who died in 1983 at the age of 80.
Although written nearly 70 years ago, “The True Believer” describes the Trump phenomenon as closely as any explanation I have seen.
According to Hoffer, The True Believer is a “hitchhiker who thumbs a ride on a cause that he is willing to give his all for. He is a fanatic who needs a messianic-type figure to worship and, if necessary, die for. He is the mortal enemy of things-as-they-are, and he insists on sacrificing himself for a dream impossible to attain. He is today everywhere on the march.”
These movements begin with a desire for change from the discontented who have no confidence in existing culture or traditions. They feel that the power to change is beyond their reach, so they need to ally themselves with other, similarly disaffected people. They become open to the concept of participating in a movement that gives them the option of offering their individual lives to the larger goal.
Leaders are vital in the growth of a mass movement, but for the leader to find any success, the seeds of the mass movement must already exist in people’s hearts, Hoffer said.
And this is where Donald Trump came in. He was able to tap into and give voice to this smoldering frustration that many Americans have in a system that they feel is stacked against them and favors the elite, the connected, the rich and the famous. His battle cry of “Make America Great Again” emphasized not the future but a perpetual battle of what the present has become in their eyes.
Mass movements aggressively promote the use of faith over reason, which gave birth in the Trump administration to rampant misinformation, even conspiratorial theories that projected the Trump agenda forward. Any tactic that furthers the cause — even illegal ones — is fair game.
When Trump urged his followers on Jan. 6 to go to the Capitol to make their voices heard and to take back the “steal,” he gave license to his supporters to do what they had to do to make sure he would stay in office for another four years, even if it meant thumbing their collective noses at the will of the American people and to defy the Constitution which all presidents swear to protect and defend.
Adherents to mass movements must not question the leader’s word under any circumstances. When Trump insisted time after time that he had won the election — “by a lot,” — his followers believed him. A vast number of Republicans still do. The truth is that Biden won both the electoral and popular votes.
To spread and reinforce their doctrines, Hoffer said, mass movements use persuasion, coercion, misinformation, outright lies and misdirection. They don’t admit mistakes, because in their minds there is no such thing.
Successful mass movements don’t need to believe in a god, Hoffer said, but they must believe in a devil. Hatred unifies the true believers, and the ideal devil is someone who is perceived to be the personification of evil, such as the 2016 Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton and the 2020 opponent, Joe Biden and the Democrats.
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