Indeed... the "why" evades all rational, logical thought

[Irish_Dem]

17. I think the underlying motivations for the GOP leaders are quite simple:

Power and wealth.

They will kill and damage as much as it takes to get those two things.

The leaders choose any wedge issue they can think of that will appeal to voters' dark side.

But most of the leaders don't care about the issues.

For example, vaccines, Covid, abortion, etc. are not real issues for them.

Most of the GOP leaders are vaccinated, sent their children to schools with mask policies,
abortions are available for the women in their family, etc etc. They have LGBT family members
and attend their weddings, etc.

(But yes there are a few GOP leaders who do believe their own lies. GOP leaders who are mentally ill
and/or low IQ.)

So most of the GOP leadership is spewing hatred to conquer and divide for the purpose of obtaining permanent
power and access to all US assets. They want what Putin has.

I think the motivations of the American people are more complex.
Yes the dark side of human nature is being tapped by the GOP leadership.
Violence, racism, misogyny, religion.

Another issue is the fact of underlying discontent of the American people.

In the US our leaders let the oligarchs run rough shod on Americans.

We do not have the same standard of living as other modern countries.
We are the richest country in the history of the world.

Yet going to college, getting medical treatment, sick days, vacation, job security, etc
are all denied to many. That gives rise to discontent which is channeled into wedge issues.