Essay – bendingtheneedle

The MAGA Chickens Have Come Home to Roost

For most of us, Donald Trump was fully transparent in his views. We saw clearly a misogynistic and pedophilic human being, unqualified morally, ethically, civically, and professionally to serve as president.

For most of us, judging his character was not difficult, because Trump is an unnuanced, open book with a detailed public record of abhorrent, narcissistic, and criminal behavior. Most of us understood that handing immense power to an individual with all of those disgusting and disgraceful traits would have a disastrous outcome for not only our country, but the world.

It was an easy call—for most of us.

Nowadays, all over social media, we’re seeing former MAGA voters trashing Trump for betraying them. I’m not quite sure what to make of these people. I don’t understand when they say “they’re shocked and disappointed because the President lied to them.” First of all, how can any person with eyes, ears, and the ability to think be “shocked” that Donald Trump lied? Donald Trump is a lie in a suit. He has a long public record of lying. Trump’s lies are central to how he conducts himself personally and politically.

I think the “shock” these people are feeling is from the realization that Trump’s lies and cruelty are affecting them personally – whereas before, those lies were affecting only “other people.” They were fine when all the ineptitude and cruel and draconian policies injured “other people.” Yet, as soon as the consequences of those lies and policies disrupted their lives – that’s when things became intolerable.

I don’t feel sorry for anyone who was OK with electing a convicted felon as president but now are upset when the actions of the felon they voted for come back to bite them in the ass. It’s not only that they were poor judges of character, but that they didn’t care enough to learn and understand what electing a narcissistic, misogynistic, racist, and power-hungry felon would mean to women, immigrants, the gay and trans communities, government and educational institutions, science, the environment, and our Democracy – they only cared about how electing this horrible human being might benefit them.

Now we’re in this terrible mess, and Trump and his cohorts will inevitably use the levers of power against the will of the people in November.

At the very least, every disillusioned MAGA voter in America should be doing everything in their power to get anti-Trump voters to the polls in November, because you are largely responsible for creating this nightmare.

The New Boy Paranormal

The collision of technology, conservative ideology, and the incel movement in American culture is resulting in a volatile mix of online radicalization, misogyny, and political extremism.

By amplifying exclusionary beliefs, digital platforms normalize violence and connect isolated individuals into communities that can spill over into real-world harm.

Online platforms, social media, and dedicated incel sites provide a fertile breeding ground and powerful echo chamber for individuals with extremist and misogynistic views. It is in these intellectually dank digital hangouts that we encounter the danger of algorithmic amplification and the recommendation systems, which push members of these online communities deeper into radical content, normalizing hostility toward women and liberal values.

There is also a porn-component to this toxic, digital culture. Studies show links between incel misogyny and online pornography, which reinforces distorted views of women and sexuality.

What’s even more concerning is the acceptance of misogynistic beliefs and behaviors as “boys will be boys” by the Trump administration, which is tapping into the aggrieved community of non-college-educated males, not for the purpose of assisting them, but rather to turn their growing sense of isolation and anger towards college-educated women into votes.

There is an overlap between MAGA conservatism and ideology and the INCEL movement in America, specifically around the anti-feminist narrative, where both groups tend to frame feminism as a threat to traditional gender roles.

INECELS adopt a worldview of being “dispossessed men,” which resonates with broader conservative rhetoric about cultural decline and loss of male authority.

It’s at our own peril that we turn a blind eye to the alignment of incels and far-right groups around exclusionary, anti-democratic, and xenophobic tendencies. Isolated and digitally immersed young men in America are susceptible to being drawn to extremist online communities that distort masculinity and normalize misogyny.

The blending of conservative ideology with incel dogma and rhetoric widens the divide over gender, sexuality, and democracy, fueling broader culture wars in a country that is more culturally polarized than ever.

I wrote a poem a while back about the radicalization of young non-college-educated males through far-right groups around exclusionary, anti-democratic, and misogynistic views. I used the AI music platform Suno to put my poem to music.

Here is the resulting song, New Boy Paranormal.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

If you haven’t had a chance yet, please check out my book, My Paper, My Words: Rantings from a Progressive Boomer and Peeved Parent, from Amazon. And if you feel moved to write a review of the book, on Amazon, or anywhere else, I’d be honored.

My Paper, My Words is a collection of essays, stories, and poems that reflect the challenges of a middle-class husband and father trying to navigate a rapidly changing political, religious, and technological landscape of post-911 America.

Dumbo’s Jumbo and the Emoluments Clause

Emoluments are a salary, fee, or profit from employment or office.

The Emoluments Clause of the US Constitution aims to prevent corruption and foreign influence on government officials.

The Qatari Jet Controversy

When Donald Trump accepted a 747-8 luxury jetliner from the Qatari government, it raised concerns of a potential violation of the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the US Constitution, which prohibits federal officeholders from accepting gifts, payments, or titles from foreign governments or the US government without the consent of Congress.

I doubt Donald Trump, who demonstrates ignorance and disdain for our Constitution on a regular basis, give’s a flying fuck about the Emoluments Clause. According to Donald Trump, “It would be stupid not to take the gift.”

Here are the tids and the bits:

Qatar reportedly gifted a luxury Boeing 747-8 to President Trump, intended for use as Air Force One and later transfer to his presidential library.

Critics argue this is a clear violation of the Emoluments Clause, especially since the jet is valued at $400 million or more.

Legal experts and former ethics officials say the gift appears to benefit Trump personally, even if routed through the U.S. military.

A DOJ memo reportedly justified the acceptance, but its contents haven’t been publicly released and are now the subject of a lawsuit

And although Trump claims the plane is a “GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE,” the American taxpayer will foot the bill for retrofitting the plane, just so our American Dumbo can fly his Qatari Jumbo.

The cost estimate for retrofitting the gifted jet liner for presidential use is between $400 million and $1 billion or more, the latter amount taking into consideration advanced security systems, encrypted communications, anti-missile defenses, and a full sweep for espionage threats.

The Qatari Jet Controversy isn’t the only potential violation of the Emoluments clause. Here’s a look at other Trump political initiatives and actions that have enriched him personally during his presidency.

Political Initiatives that Enriched Trump Personally

Retention of Business Empire

Trump refused to divest from his businesses while in office, maintaining ownership and control of the Trump Organization.
His properties—including hotels, golf courses, and real estate—continued to operate and profit during his presidency.

Foreign Government Patronage

Over 150 foreign officials from 77 countries stayed at or hosted events at Trump properties.
The Chinese government alone reportedly spent at least $5.5 million at Trump-owned venues.

Domestic Government Spending

U.S. government agencies spent taxpayer money at Trump properties, including Secret Service lodging and event hosting.
State governments also used Trump venues for official functions, raising concerns under the Domestic Emoluments Clause.

Promotion of Trump-Branded Products

Trump promoted personal products like branded Bibles, cologne, and even guitars during his presidency.
His media ventures, including Truth Social and Trump Media & Technology Group, gained visibility and investment while he was in office.

International Real Estate Deals

Trump’s business pursued or maintained real estate developments in Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the UAE, some allegedly funded by foreign entities.
These ventures continued without congressional approval, despite constitutional requirements.

Emoluments Clause Violations? You Be the Judge!

The U.S. Constitution contains two key provisions:

Clause	Description	Alleged Violation
Foreign Emoluments Clause	Prohibits federal officials from receiving gifts, payments, or benefits from foreign governments without congressional consent (Article I, Section 9, Clause 8)	Trump received millions from foreign governments via business transactions without congressional approval
Domestic Emoluments Clause	Prohibits the president from receiving any benefit from the federal or state governments beyond salary (Article II, Section 1, Clause 7)	Trump profited from federal and state spending at his properties

Should a sitting president be allowed to retain ownership of private businesses that receive payments from foreign or domestic governments? This question strikes at the heart of the Emoluments Clause debate. Trump’s refusal to divest created a direct conflict of interest and undermined the Constitution’s anti-corruption safeguards.

Thoughts?

My Paper, My Words is a collection of essays, stories, and poems reflect the challenges of a middle-class husband and father trying to navigate a rapidly changing political, religious, and technological landscape of post-911 America.