Updated: Here's how MAGA is coping with Trump's destruction of America

[I should add to what's itemized below how far-right website operators deceive their maga-ized readers: by deploying half-truths. That's no secret, I'm telling you nothing new, but perhaps it's helpful to see, firsthand, an exhibit now on display:

In the comment section to which I linked (also below), a reader joined the site's owner and poster, one Don Surber, in celebrating Trump's insanely high tariffs. I questioned in response to the reader why she would support such taxes, since she will pay them, "not Japan, the EU, China, etc." Mr. Surber noticed I had offered his readers some "fresh" information in conflict with his pro-Trump, pro-tariffs remark. So he replied to my comment with this: "In 6 months, Trump has collected more in tariffs than any president in a single calendar year I have shared this information with readers at least twice now in newsletters."

True enough. Rather, half-true enough. What Surber has repeatedly failed to "share with his readers" — either intentionally, or he's as ignorant about tariffs as they are — is that it's American consumers who pay for those marvelous tariffs. About that, he said nothing. And nothing is precisely what his maga-ized readers will gain from my informational comment — because Surber promptly deleted it.

Now back to yesterday's post, "Here's how MAGA is coping with Trump's destruction of America":]

Ignore it. Change the subject. Make light of serious journalism, critical thinking, higher education. Comfort one another with reassurances that the cult knows all. Insist (again, and out of the blue) that Russia, Russia, Russia was a hoax, that James Comey was a criminal, that Donald has always been persecuted by Democrats, all of whom are communists.

Share with others that Stephen Colbert isn't funny and Robert De Niro is a terrible actor.

Praise a Newsmax host. Remind the brethren how virtuous life was in the 1950s (before "those people" got uppity). Turn on fellow fascists for even the slightest apostasies. Decry nonexistent rising crime, the Dems' doing. Bitch about the national debt, also the Dems' doing (exclusively). Pretend that AOC is the Democratic Party. Diskus how stoopid them Democrats is.

Whenever "bad news" is unavoidable, note that it's Biden's fault. Or Obama's. Or, somehow, Hillary Clinton's or John Brennan's or Nancy Pelosi's.

Or, with pathological intensity, focus on the most bizarre topic imaginable; bonus points for reaffirming one's "Christian authenticity" to others via plunges into mythology-as-reality, one-upmanship and rank misogyny. Such as this thread in a MAGA comments section yesterday:

David Thompson: We are in a spiritual struggle. It has been going on since Adam and Eve listened to the snake instead of God. But unlike some sci-fi character, we have a savior who can make us stand against the lies they push onto us.

dancingtime: As I recall the story, it was Eve, the woman, who listened to the snake....not Adam...

Chuck Goldman: And Adam, instead of putting his foot down, knowing it was wrong, said OK Honey. And here we are! Sound familiar!

Marlan Hoerer: GMTA ! [great minds think alike]

darrell: Nailed it.

Ruth Knight: Yup!

RevMikeyMac: Read the passage carefully; Adam was standing passively right beside Eve when she took the fruit - instead of protecting her and stopping her, he stood there like a wimp waiting to see what would happen. Passivity in men who should know better ( and proactively make better moral decisions) is the cause of much grief in our world. I'm not saying women are innocent - there's enough blame to go around; you'll notice that God punished EVERYONE involved in that deceitful decision.

Shrugged: Amen. Adam was as complicit in the fall of man as the media is in Russiagate. (Sorry to use an analogy of current political state, but it fits so well)

darrell: I believe Chuck's statement says that. He knew it was wrong but did not stop it. I own several large commentaries on the Bible and I have not been able to find any ink on The Curse, Genesis 3:15-17. So Adam is still siting on his hands.

TeaPartyGal: Great comment!

Shrugged: Leaves me wondering if Adam would have been a leftist Democrat . . .

David Thompson: Please forgive my verbal shorthand; I do understand there was a sequence of events. However, rather than recount them exactly, I tried to point out that both Adam and Eve committed the same sin: they rejected the word of God to satisfy their desires – placing themselves above God.

Chuck Goldman: I actually think Adams sin was worse because not only did he know it was wrong but he let Eve convince him (and it reads like it didn’t take much of a struggle either)to convince him to take a bite as well.

LuAnn: Eve is no longer blamed; now both Adam and Eve are responsible to make it more palatable.... Or maybe Adam was just a weak, beta man.

Chuck Goldman: So, and I may be open to criticism here, Gods first attempt at a human male was a pussy-whipped yes man?

***

It goes on. That's merely a fraction of MAGA's intellectual depth in number; there are replies, replies to replies, replies to ... you get the point ... and every one of them, sincere in imagined profundity. My favorite is the last: I may be open to criticism here ... Not from these yahoos, you aren't. Or perhaps that was the commenter's attempt at humor. Who the hell knows.

Who cares? Few outside the cult. Nonetheless, it's wise to check on them from time to time — because these idiots vote, and there's a whole lot of these idiots. Don't be afraid, be aware.

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