I was trying to accomplish the following, not necessarily in this order:
1. Sympathize with your frustration over the number of people who still think of Trump as a viable presidential candidate.
2. Give you and others some unsolicited, but I believe sound, advice about using hyperbolic invective to describe a politician we all know a lot of people support. My motive here is to persuade people to not use or normalize the term "sub-human" when describing any real life people. I also do this because I think people who write well--as you do--could actually persuade people better without using this rhetorical device.
3. Provide you with an answer to a question you asked (the one I thought fundamental): why would people vote for Trump given his character? The book I recommended provides a relevant and useful answer. If you accept its thesis, you might save yourself some time and anguish and stop banging your head against the wall trying to shame, persuade, or rail against Trump voters (and the same goes for those who try the same w/r/t Biden voters).
4. Engage you and others in a deeper discussion of motives behind the constant "Look here's a fact that shows Biden sucks!" or "Look here's a fact that shows Trump sucks!" posting that goes on here, and maybe dive deeper on the assumptions most of us--including me--have about politics that might be wrong. If I did that in too pointed a manner (with the accomplish language), I apologize. I wasn't taking a shot at you because I think everyone is always trying to accomplish something with a post, no matter how trivial (I don't perceive your reasons for the OP as trivial).
As for the reasons I left, let's just say I had some pressing business matters in Nigeria to address . . .
You strike me as an intelligent and decent person, and I appreciate your post.
I'm pressed for time this afternoon so I won't be able to respond to all your points, but I'll say this. You're right. The "sub-human" reference was unnecessary and inappropriate.
When it comes to Trump, the problem isn't merely character flaws. It's a whole host of actions and comments that are unprecedented in the history of the American presidency. His comments that I referenced in the first post in the thread are beyond the pale.
I'm not looking to shame Trump supporters. I'm not now nor have I ever suggested they're bad people. I simply don't understand how someone who views our war heroes with contempt can be seriously considered for the White House and CIC again. I'm hardly alone in that thinking. Some of the distinguished men who served under him have said essentially the same thing.
I'll have time at Christmas to catch up on some book reading and I'll add your title to my list. I did note, though, that it addresses the tendency of people to view things through a partisan lens. I don't know if it'll provide much insight into people like me who have no party affililiation. I was a registered Republican for many years but quit the party and moved to Independent status several years back. My perception of Trump has nothing to do with the fact that he has an "R" next to his name.
I also saw that the book was written before Trump was elected president. I think Trump has turned conventional political thinking upside down. His rise to power and continuing influence despite unending controversy and chaos is a phenomenon unlike anything we've ever witnessed in the US. I am genuinely (and I think understandably) concerned that if Trump is elected president again, we'll be governed by a strongman regime and there may be no turning back.
Finally, I was never a "political person" prior to Trump. I didn't follow politics very closely and usually avoided political discussions at all costs. I saw red flags in Trump, though, that I hadn't seen in other candidates, particularly his propensity for creating his own reality (going back to the "John Barron" days) and his own "facts." We've since seen how this has evolved and how dangerous it has become.