Abandoning Trump

One of the biggest problems facing the United States as a country is that very few people have abandoned Trump, or are even capable of abandoning him.  The slim majority recognized him as a conman the moment he opened his mouth, but almost half are forever wedded to the idea that he is here to make America great again.

As suggested above, precious few of that second segment have the cognitive ability to realize they were simply wrong.  They believe the election was stolen.  Why?  Because there’s evidence of that?  Because that’s not what a single one of 60+ courts of justice found?

No, it’s because that’s what Trump says.

I’m reminded of a piece of dialog from the 1970s sitcom “Happy Days” between Fonzi and Richie Cunningham, where Fonzi is engaged to a woman who claims to be a virgin.

Richie: How do you know she’s a virgin?

Fonzi: She told me.

Richie: What if she lied?

Fonzi (looking at Richie with great intensity): Virgins don’t lie.

This is an example of the logical fallacy called “petitio principii,” aka “circular argument” or “begging the question.”  It’s so obvious that television audiences of 50 years ago found it funny.

Well, America, it’s no longer funny.  It represents the quality of thinking of tens of millions of voters.