The Answer: Because a significant percentage of Americans are stupid, ill informed and batshit crazy

[cali]

The question? Take your pick:

Why do so many Americans support Trump?

Why do so many Americans believe the nuttiest conspiracy theories?

Why is it so easy to gin Americans into supporting war?

And on and on.

[Warren Stupidity]

1. 50 years of pandering to stupidity has had the desired outcome.

People is stupid.

[PJMcK]

2. American ignorance

Your answer is correct, cali. The ignorance and lack of critical thinking exhibited by such a large percentage of Americans is staggering. It's the inevitable result of Republican efforts over the last 30 years to undermine public education. The foundation of our country is predicated on the idea that an educated and informed public will be able to oversee their government. In the absence of this knowledgable perspective, the people will react with fear and hatred. Our country is no longer the one I grew up in.

[hifiguy]

3. As Richard Hofstadter noted decades ago

anti-intellectualism, fear and mistrust of education and the educated has a very long tradition in this benighted republic going back well into the 19th century. It's part of the national DNA and always has been.

What's new is that these days people are PROUD of being both ignorant AND stupid. And that can be laid at the feet of reichwing propaganda, the "news" media that sell and never question said propaganda and religion. Though when it comes to making people bone-stupid religion may still be the champ.

[Fumesucker]

4. You could ask Hillary why it's so easy to gin Americans into supporting war

I don't think she is stupid, ignorant, ill informed or batshit crazy.

[cali]

5. She wasn't grinned into anything. That was a political calculation.

[Fumesucker]

6. If so then it was a piss poor job of calculation

Probably lost her the nomination if not the Presidency in 2008.

She made the grievous error of assuming Bush and Cheney were competent at anything beyond aggrandizing their own power and wealth.

[elias49]

7. It was political calculation. She isn't stupid

I don't think she assumed Bush and Cheney were competent.

[Fumesucker]

10. She definitely didn't foresee Iraq becoming a huge quagmire and a political liability in 2008

[ladjf]

11. Why not? A majority of Americans knew that the invasion of Iraq was a terrible mistake. nt

[hifiguy]

9. It can only have been one of two things:

1 - she actually trusted Cheney 'n' the Chimp, which shows a disastrous lack of anything resembling analytical abilities or sound judgement; or

2 - it was a craven and cowardly act of political ass covering of the cheapest and most unprincipled sort.

Either is a presumptive disqualifier for the presidency as I see it, though I'd opt for #2.

[lpbk2713]

8. And why do so many believe Faux Snooze is a credible info source?

Because they are intellectually lazy.