"Some of these so-called thinkers have seemingly come unhinged."
The academically rooted chattering class always becomes unhinged when there's a danger someone will actually do something to solve problems the chattering class constantly ponder and discuss.
Just think of them as lobbyists for keeping various problems rather than solving them.
Well stated! Trump's characteristics aside, these good-pundits-bad-pundits all have the same livelihood. By their chattering they have their wealth.
Have they said anything new in the past, oh, 40 years?