Without getting too bogged down in a theological discussion of non-biblical ancient myths, I prefer the simple definition of “the lawless one.” Clearly, as someone has shown disdain for the rule of law, even to the extent of considering himself to be above the law, then he fits that definition.

So what’s the point of name-calling? We already have too much anger, hostility, and division in this country without provoking more controversy. I do not hate him as a person, as many others do. In fact, I feel rather sorry for him. As a person who is totally out-of-touch with reality, he also qualifies as clinically insane. Some years ago, the legal defense of “not guilty by reason of insanity” established a precedent in law. So if he is not responsible for his actions, does that means that he is exempt from any accountability? This is what the Republican Party appears to claim.

There is strong evidence that he is rational at least in one aspect of his personality. He is a Savant genius in his expertise of knowing how to manipulate the media. That applies both to the traditional media of television, newspapers, and magazines, but also to social media. He used Twitter to “bypass” the media and “to speak directly to the people.” His intent was to stir up controversy, even sometimes leading to chaos, primarily to draw attention to himself. He had no policy, no goal, no political agenda. His only purpose was to promote himself and to fill the emptiness inside.

His niece’s book to me revealed the dysfunctional family life that surprisingly led to his history of never being held accountable for any of his mistakes or temper tantrums. I think that is probably unique in the development of the personalities of most people. No one ever said “No.”

So why did no one every invoke the articles of the 25th Amendment? It was because he served the purposes of his handlers and enablers. As long as he promoted a political agenda of low taxes, anti-abortion, and homophobia, his personality quirks didn’t matter. He joked about walking down 5th Avenue and shooting someone, but that wasn’t too far-fetched when you consider the consequences of January 6th. Unfortunately, we ended up with 800,000+ Americans dead because of his pandemic policies and lies. The cult of personality has taken on a life of its own, and its appeal to a certain minority group of people who consider themselves to be the victims of changing times. Facts don’t seem to matter anymore. He doesn’t think he’s lying. He may acknowledge that what he says isn’t true. As long as people believe his con, that serves his purpose.

So why have we become so obsessed with the personality of one individual? No other former President has so captured the people’s admiration, hostility, and rigid reactions. It belies the old saw: “You either love him or you hate him.” Maybe it is because we live in a world that is undergoing dramatic changes in all aspects of religion, economics, class divides, and racial conflict. We long for a Messiah, even if he is incapable of telling the truth.

So what about 2024? The odds are that he will be in jail long before then and finally held accountable for his actions.

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