POF ~ March 16, 2025 ~ Election cheating

MEntity: Hello to you, Uma. We are here, now. We can begin.

Uma: Hello Michael, Did Trump cheat or did he win legitimately? I can't help thinking he would cheat to make sure he would win, especially after last time when all his cheating didn't work. And I can't believe all those people actually voted for that criminal. But here we are.

MEntity: First, from a practical perspective that addresses systemic and tactical factors, we must say that the system in place for voting disproportionately favors white, rural, conservative States by giving them greater per-captia voting power than more diverse, more populated urban areas. Voter ID laws, polling place closures, and purging voter rolls targeted marginalized communities, making it harder for Black, Latinx, and younger voters to participate. Gerrymandering ensured Republican control of State legislatures, allowing them to manipulate voting districts in their favor. Mass disinformation and algorithmic manipulation by social meda, micro-targeting susceptible voters with fear-based ads, lack of voter turnout due to all parties perpetuating genocide, etc. All of these practical elements played a role in this win by a single point.

Uma: so, you're saying he actually won legitimately because of all those factors?

MEntity: All of this could be seen as "cheating" as there is nothing just or fair or balanced in these practical factors.

Uma: no, but they're all systemic issues that they exploit. I wouldn't call that cheating. I would call that using the system but that many people actually voted for him? did he mess with voting machines?

MEntity:

Second, in more psychological or philosophical terms, many are psychologically drawn to authoritarian leaders, craving reflections of their own desires to dominate, to be at the top of heirarchy, and to impose their politics and beliefs rather than support a nuanced democracy. This is usually the case with younger souls who see the authoritarian as their protector against a world they believe is becoming too diverse, too progressive, and too "soft." 

Trump's amplification of false existential threats such as immigration, crime, trans people, etc. convinces people that they have no choice but to "fight back." Radicalized white men are drawn to such displays of power due to being convinced they deserve all of the power or they will "burn it all down" to stop others from having power. As white people have been conditioned to that they are the default standard for existence, any devations or diversification from this is seen as an attack. Privileged and insecure are key elements for those who are drawn to fascism.Trump gives them permission to embrace cruelty, to paint themselves as victims, while oppressing marginalized groups.

In short, he "won legitimately" within a corrupted system.