There is a growing contingent of people in this country who are totally and completely fed up with our entire political system. They don’t care about pragmatism, or policies, or outcomes. They just want to give everyone from the pundits to the politicians both middle fingers and they don’t care who else is looking when they do it.
For his part, Trump hasn’t merely knocked over the chessboard or set the rulebook on fire as Jazz postulated. That’s more like Ted Cruz level stuff. No Trump’s going the full Reservoir Dogs on our entire political process, dancing around as he cuts off its ear and pours gasoline on it while it begs him not to burn it alive. (Explicit content warning for those who haven’t seen the movie.) The reality is most people are just looking for a candidate who reflects how they feel, and right now what most people feel is anger, frustration, and resentment. They’re tired of the games and have absolutely had it with political parties and the rich old white guys in Washington running them. Trump’s very existence as a political entity is as an expression of that anger. Indeed, anger itself is probably too weak a word. This is not merely some mild irritation with the GOP establishment. His support comes from raw, unadulterated fury directed at all the levers of power that have failed us all again and again and again. After all these years of being lied to, stabbed in the back, and disappointed at every turn, some people have just decided they want the entire structure burned to the ground, and if they have to immolate the whole country to do it? So be it.
Bingo.
Helter-Skelter.