Putin is popular in Russia. Maybe not quite as much as his hey day, but still he has majority approval. Trump doesn't have a majority, but close to it. And that 96% would vote for him again. Could Trumps popularity actually rise and solidify as Putin's? Yes. Just as many scoffed at him winning both the primaries and then the presidency, there is an assumption that it will only be a matter of months that he will be impeached and gone.
Trump is tapping into the same strategy as Putin. Appealing to the basest prejudices and fears of the majority, and surrounding himself with family and yesmen. He has a national TV network, the most watched, that devotes 24/7 in defending him and demonizing his opponents, as Russian TV does.
But what is troubling is how much this works, from Hitler to Mussolini to every 'strong man'. Enough people voted in Turkey to strip themselves of democratic institutions and civil rights because their strong man told them it was important for their security. Duterte in the Philippines enjoys a majority of popularity for acting the same way.
This phenomenon is still not completely understood. Just how deadly it works on a population. Trump may well win in 2020 and get the popular vote as well. Especially if he manages to foment war and creates an enemy like North Korea to piss off and react to him.
I think the Democrats, if the media refuses to see the threat, must be on the forefront to educate the public of this possibility before, or even while it is happening. Because reading that list in the OP, there should be plenty there for the population to rise and demand he be impeached immediately, but its not happening. And it may never happen. If we cannot convince the frogs in the pot the dangers of the slowly rising heat in the water, it does no good just listing Trumps lies and hypocrisy, because that 'strong man' method is immune to that kind of criticism.
How can we make people aware of what is happening to them psychologically?
= new reply since forum marked as read