You ever stop and wonder how some things just don’t make sense? I mean, really stop and think about it? I’ve been doing a lot of that lately, especially when it comes to this whole MAGA thing. Now, I’m not here to pick a fight. Well… maybe I am. But I won’t tell anyone how to live their life—even if they are misguided. Heck, I’ve lived long enough to know that people will believe what they want to believe. But I’ll tell you this: I don’t get it. I don’t understand why so many people are willing, eager, and downright determined to be fooled by Donald Trump.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying everyone who supports Trump is a fool. That’s not fair. It’s not true because, well, some are racist bigots. Some are misogynists. Some are village idiots. And some are just along for the ride.

People are complicated. They’ve got their reasons, their struggles, their hopes. But what I don’t understand is how so many people can look at this guy. He’s had more failed businesses than a beach has sand. He’s changed his story more times than Pete Davidson has been to rehab. He’s been caught in more lies than Bernie Madoff with a checkbook. Yet they say, “Yep, that’s my guy. He’s got my back.” They still this knowing the long list of people he has turned on.

I mean, come on. Let’s be real here. Trump’s not exactly what you’d call a self-made man. Remember when his dad bought millions of dollars’ of unplayed casino chips? The goal was to keep his casino afloat. And even then, Trump still went belly up. He was born into wealth. He’s spent his life polishing that privilege. Meanwhile, he tells everyone else they’re not working hard enough. Just this week, he told remote federal workers they needed to return to the office. His reason? If they were at home working, they were really playing golf. He said this from the course at his own home! Meanwhile, he’s got union workers and farmers nodding along, convinced he’s just like them. Really? When’s the last time Trump worried about making rent or putting food on the table?

And then there’s the whole “Make America Great Again” thing. I keep asking: which golden age are we talking about, exactly? Was it the 1950s? The ‘60s? The ‘80s? Because I was around for the ‘80s, and let me tell you, they weren’t exactly perfect. We’ve got problems, sure, but nostalgia isn’t going to fix them. You can’t just slap a red hat on your head and pretend everything’s going to be okay. Life doesn’t work that way.

But here’s the thing that really gets me: the loyalty. The absolute, unshakable loyalty. To some folks, Trump isn’t just a politician—he’s a prophet. And prophets don’t make mistakes. He could walk into a room. He would say the sky is green, and they’d nod along. They’d agree with him like, “Yep, he’s got a point.” He could promise them the moon, and they’d start building a ladder.

Recently, Trump blamed Ukraine for starting the Russian-Ukraine war, and MAGA agreed. He called Zelenskyy a dictator, and they agreed. They’ve handed over their brains and said, “Here, you take care of this for me.” And I don’t get it. I just don’t get it.

What’s even stranger is that Trump’s followers don’t just believe what he says. They invent things he’s going to do for them. This happens even when he’s never said a word about it. They’ll tell you he’s going to eliminate all taxes. They believe he will make everyone rich. He will supposedly bring back jobs that haven’t existed since the 1950s. He will fix problems he’s never even mentioned.

I’ve heard more than one MAGA supporter claim Trump is going to provide universal healthcare. They also say he will make education affordable. They believe he will reduce the price of housing. I mean, why not vote for the party actually promising these things? Instead of the party opposing the very policies you imagine your guy supporting?

They’ve created this whole alternate reality where Trump isn’t just a politician—he’s a prophet. And prophets don’t make mistakes. It’s what I call a fantasy chain. You and I know it’s make-believe, but they believe it’s reality. And if you dare question them, they accuse you of having TDS. Imagine that—people so caught up in their own delusion that they’ve invented a psychological term for anyone who doesn’t share their psychosis.

Maybe it’s because he says what people want to hear. Maybe it’s because he’s got that whole “rich guy who doesn’t care what anyone thinks” thing going on. Or maybe it’s because he’s tapped into something deeper—a fear, a frustration, a feeling that the world’s leaving you behind. I don’t know. But what I do know is that blind loyalty is a dangerous thing. It’s how you end up with leaders who don’t have your best interests at heart. It’s how you end up being fooled.

So, here’s my two cents: think for yourself. Ask questions. Don’t just believe something because someone says it loud enough or often enough. And for heaven’s sake, don’t let anyone—Trump or otherwise—tell you the only way forward is backward. The future’s out there, and it’s messy and complicated and sometimes scary. But it’s ours. And we’ve got to face it with our eyes wide open, not with our heads stuck in the sand.

Anyway, that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong. But if I am, at least I’ll know I got there on my own. And that’s something, isn’t it?