The rise of figures like Donald Trump—someone with no prior political experience, no legal training, no foreign policy expertise, multiple bankruptcies, thousands of lawsuits, and a well-documented pattern of lying, bullying, and cruelty—is not just embarrassing. It is terrifying and a damning indictment of how broken the U.S. political …
The rise of figures like Donald Trump—someone with no prior political experience, no legal training, no foreign policy expertise, multiple bankruptcies, thousands of lawsuits, and a well-documented pattern of lying, bullying, and cruelty—is not just embarrassing. It is terrifying and a damning indictment of how broken the U.S. political system has become.
Let’s unpack this with brutal honesty, solid sources, and psychological insight.
🔥 WHY THE MOST DEVIANT, STUPID, OR UNQUALIFIED PEOPLE RISE TO POWER
1. No Real Qualifications Are Required
In the U.S., there are virtually no legal qualifications to run for high office:
OfficeRequirementsPresident35 years old, natural-born citizen, 14-year residencySenator30 years old, 9 years a citizenRepresentative25 years old, 7 years a citizen
There are no requirements for:
Education
Experience
Psychological fitness
Criminal record
Military or public service
That means a convicted felon with no college education can run for president — and Donald Trump is a convicted felon as of 2024.
Source: U.S. Constitution, Articles I and II
2. Psychological Research: Authoritarian Appeal
Psychiatrists and psychologists have studied why people follow deviant leaders. Here’s what they say:
People with authoritarian tendencies are drawn to leaders who seem “strong” and “decisive,” even if cruel or ignorant. (Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Personality)
Trump supporters score high in:
Social dominance orientation
Racial resentment
Fear of change
Narcissistic and sociopathic traits are often rewarded in politics because they allow a person to lie, manipulate, and dominate without shame.
“Trump shows symptoms of malignant narcissism, including antisocial behavior, paranoia, sadism, and grandiosity.” — Dr. Bandy Lee, psychiatrist, Yale School of Medicine
“We wouldn’t hire a school bus driver without a psych exam. Why would we elect a president without one?” — Dr. John Gartner, clinical psychologist
3. The American System Encourages Demagogues
The Electoral College allows a candidate to lose the popular vote and still win (e.g., Trump in 2016).
Gerrymandering lets politicians choose their voters, rather than the other way around.
Dark money from billionaires and corporations floods campaigns, overriding reasoned debate.
Sources:
Dark Money by Jane Mayer
How Democracies Die by Levitsky & Ziblatt
Pew Research Center, 2020: 77% of Americans believe money has too much influence in politics.
💣 WHY WE HAVEN’T FIXED IT
1. The System Is Designed to Protect Itself
Incumbents write the rules.
Congress has no incentive to demand stricter qualifications, because many current members would fail them.
Any real change would require Constitutional amendments, which are incredibly hard to pass.
2. Anti-intellectualism
Many Americans are suspicious of intelligence, education, and expertise. Trump famously said:
“I love the poorly educated.” — Donald Trump, 2016
This reflects a cult of ignorance that rejects nuance and critical thought. Smart, experienced leaders get branded as “elitist.”
🧠 WHAT PSYCHIATRISTS RECOMMEND
Psychiatrists like Dr. Bandy Lee, Dr. Justin Frank (Trump on the Couch), and Dr. Lance Dodes say:
All presidential candidates should undergo mandatory psychological evaluations.
Congress should pass legislation requiring fitness-for-duty assessments, just as military personnel or airline pilots must take.
The public needs better education in media literacy, civics, and critical thinking.
📚 BOOKS AND SOURCES
"The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump" – Bandy X. Lee, M.D., et al.
"Trump on the Couch" – Justin Frank, M.D.
"Dark Money" – Jane Mayer
"How Democracies Die" – Levitsky & Ziblatt
"Authoritarian Nightmare" – John W. Dean & Bob Altemeyer
Pew Research Center, various reports on political trust and misinformation
The Constitution of the United States, Articles I & II
❓SO WHY DID WE PICK TRUMP?
Because a toxic mix of:
Anti-intellectualism
Racism and xenophobia
Reality TV celebrity worship
Ignorance of civics
Fox News and right-wing propaganda
A broken system with no safeguards
…allowed the least qualified, most dangerous kind of man to ascend to the presidency.
🚨 WHY WE MUST CHANGE THE SYSTEM
If we don’t:
We risk permanent decline into authoritarianism.
We’ll continue to be ruled by sociopaths with no empathy or vision.
The most intelligent, experienced, and ethical Americans will stay far away from politics.
The rise of figures like Donald Trump—someone with no prior political experience, no legal training, no foreign policy expertise, multiple bankruptcies, thousands of lawsuits, and a well-documented pattern of lying, bullying, and cruelty—is not just embarrassing. It is terrifying and a damning indictment of how broken the U.S. political system has become.
Let’s unpack this with brutal honesty, solid sources, and psychological insight.
🔥 WHY THE MOST DEVIANT, STUPID, OR UNQUALIFIED PEOPLE RISE TO POWER
1. No Real Qualifications Are Required
In the U.S., there are virtually no legal qualifications to run for high office:
OfficeRequirementsPresident35 years old, natural-born citizen, 14-year residencySenator30 years old, 9 years a citizenRepresentative25 years old, 7 years a citizen
There are no requirements for:
Education
Experience
Psychological fitness
Criminal record
Military or public service
That means a convicted felon with no college education can run for president — and Donald Trump is a convicted felon as of 2024.
Source: U.S. Constitution, Articles I and II
2. Psychological Research: Authoritarian Appeal
Psychiatrists and psychologists have studied why people follow deviant leaders. Here’s what they say:
People with authoritarian tendencies are drawn to leaders who seem “strong” and “decisive,” even if cruel or ignorant. (Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Personality)
Trump supporters score high in:
Social dominance orientation
Racial resentment
Fear of change
Narcissistic and sociopathic traits are often rewarded in politics because they allow a person to lie, manipulate, and dominate without shame.
“Trump shows symptoms of malignant narcissism, including antisocial behavior, paranoia, sadism, and grandiosity.” — Dr. Bandy Lee, psychiatrist, Yale School of Medicine
“We wouldn’t hire a school bus driver without a psych exam. Why would we elect a president without one?” — Dr. John Gartner, clinical psychologist
3. The American System Encourages Demagogues
The Electoral College allows a candidate to lose the popular vote and still win (e.g., Trump in 2016).
Gerrymandering lets politicians choose their voters, rather than the other way around.
Dark money from billionaires and corporations floods campaigns, overriding reasoned debate.
Sources:
Dark Money by Jane Mayer
How Democracies Die by Levitsky & Ziblatt
Pew Research Center, 2020: 77% of Americans believe money has too much influence in politics.
💣 WHY WE HAVEN’T FIXED IT
1. The System Is Designed to Protect Itself
Incumbents write the rules.
Congress has no incentive to demand stricter qualifications, because many current members would fail them.
Any real change would require Constitutional amendments, which are incredibly hard to pass.
2. Anti-intellectualism
Many Americans are suspicious of intelligence, education, and expertise. Trump famously said:
“I love the poorly educated.” — Donald Trump, 2016
This reflects a cult of ignorance that rejects nuance and critical thought. Smart, experienced leaders get branded as “elitist.”
🧠 WHAT PSYCHIATRISTS RECOMMEND
Psychiatrists like Dr. Bandy Lee, Dr. Justin Frank (Trump on the Couch), and Dr. Lance Dodes say:
All presidential candidates should undergo mandatory psychological evaluations.
Congress should pass legislation requiring fitness-for-duty assessments, just as military personnel or airline pilots must take.
The public needs better education in media literacy, civics, and critical thinking.
📚 BOOKS AND SOURCES
"The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump" – Bandy X. Lee, M.D., et al.
"Trump on the Couch" – Justin Frank, M.D.
"Dark Money" – Jane Mayer
"How Democracies Die" – Levitsky & Ziblatt
"Authoritarian Nightmare" – John W. Dean & Bob Altemeyer
Pew Research Center, various reports on political trust and misinformation
The Constitution of the United States, Articles I & II
❓SO WHY DID WE PICK TRUMP?
Because a toxic mix of:
Anti-intellectualism
Racism and xenophobia
Reality TV celebrity worship
Ignorance of civics
Fox News and right-wing propaganda
A broken system with no safeguards
…allowed the least qualified, most dangerous kind of man to ascend to the presidency.
🚨 WHY WE MUST CHANGE THE SYSTEM
If we don’t:
We risk permanent decline into authoritarianism.
We’ll continue to be ruled by sociopaths with no empathy or vision.
The most intelligent, experienced, and ethical Americans will stay far away from politics.
We need:
Psychological screening for all candidates
Mandatory education requirements
Election reform
Media regulation and accountability
Civic education in schools