I think ultimately a lot of people don’t really care that much about this kind of crime. They are bothered by the policy differences other people help them get angry about and more importantly the social differences at the core of those policy differences. They are focused on their own lives and their children and what any changes mean for those things. Many of them are convinced that climate change solutions are just excuses for redistribution and government overreach, intersectionality is a conspiracy against them, their husbands, and their sons, abortion is widespread mass murder, immigrants are stealing jobs and committing terrorist acts, and/or police are the true heroes. They also have core identity formed around eating red meat, owning guns, and playing to archaic stereotypes of women, men, and nonwhites. These things matter a great deal to them, and graft, abuses of power, and the break down of democracy is not that big a deal compared to taking action on these issues.
This sounds insane and incomprehensible, but let’s do a thought exercise (“no, let’s not! you all say”):
Imagine Hillary had won in 2016, but then for whatever reason she lost or didn’t run again in 2020. There was GOP president in the mold of George W. Bush, who won again in 2024. It’s now 2028, the vice president is too old to run, and we’ve got another open election going. Mitch McConnell has continued his abuses of Senate rules and rampant disregard for any fair play beyond what can be forced on him, and he’s been grooming Kevin McCarthy in this same style of “leadership”. Rather than take over the senate, though, McCarthy has decided to run for President. Full of optimism, we all get ready for another great nomination battle between the Buttigiegs and O’Roukes, Bookers and Harrises. In a comic farce of an operation, Kid Rock parlays his recent campaign of Facebook- and Tesla-funded climate change music videos into a comically mercenary and ill-prepared run for President as a Democrat. Blatantly taking money from any tech firm or green energy corp, he runs on essentially the Green New Deal, plus the idea of giving Washington over to a new generation, and a pledge to appoint pro-choice justices. He starts saying things you don’t think he really believes but that sound good for the Democratic base. He is not interested in social justice, doesn’t change his demeanor at all, is clearly in the pocket of special interests, and has no idea what to do on half the items on his platform, but he wins the nomination due to some funny songs and debate moments and a general sense that he “gets it” on important issues, even if the other ones are a disaster. Do you vote for him or hold your nose and vote for Kevin McCarthy? Once he’s been voted in, do you want him ousted for graft or working with Canadian Pharma companies to try to get reelected?
Not a perfect analogy in any sense, but try to think about the actual issues people are facing here and see how easy it is to think Trump should be impeached and removed. It’s not that easy and I’m honestly surprised it polls as well as it does.
