There are 3 categories of people who support this Trump mirage:

1. those who do so unconsciously, not aware that what they see is all an act, driven by their desire for a simple solution to the complex societal and economic problems;

2. those that do so consciously, i.e. who know they are supporting a ruse, out of fear of losing their current privileges.

3. those that do so consciously because they are the creators of the ruse. They understand how easy it is to grow the first two categories and manipulate them to their own benefit (power, wealth and adoration). Just look at the power, control and wealth that People like Putin and Xi can accumulate.

The Center and the Left rely more on facts, science and reason, a much tougher road when trying to convince people.
When the other side is prepared to die for their Leader and their mirage, will reasonable people risk their lives and that of their loved ones?
Most reasonable people will walk away from an armed mob of thugs.

That’s how the thugs take over.

That’s the lesson Trump learned from Putin.

Putin succeeded because he is intelligent. Trump failed because he thinks he is intelligent.

Maybe America should review its democratic institutions so it doesn’t depend on the 'heroic' acts of 2 key people (Cheney and Kinzinger) and a VP’s decision to just do his ceremonial job, to save America’s democracy from a cognitivily limited person-woman-man-camera-tv-how-does-he-do-that stable genius narcissist.