Many books document the aftermath of countries and cults that fail spectacularly. The scenario should be familiar to everyone: A charismatic leader convinces his cult followers that they have mighty, secret powers or standing in the world. He convinces them that their unique beliefs will allow them to triumph in the afterlife, the current life, or both.
Unfortunately, history shows that most radical cults fail. Examples include the Peoples Temple led by Jim Jones, the Manson Family led by Charles Manson, Heaven’s Gate led by Marshall Applewhite, and the Branch Davidians led by David Koresh. At a country level, the Nazi cult led by Adolph Hitler is a prime example of a whole country brainwashed to engage in unspeakable atrocities.
Late Members of Jones’ Peoples Temple
It does not end well for those involved in radical cults. Many die in a blaze of unrepentant glory (e.g., Jim Jones, Marshall Applewhite, David Koresh, and Adolph Hitler.) However, some members of these cults survived, and when asked about why they joined the cults, they either cling to their beliefs or they are simply dumbfounded. Those who snapped back into the “real” world have weak explanations for believing in ideas that hurt others and acted against their own interests.
The bulk of the MAGA base depends on Social Security for their retirement. Some Social Security recipients are currently retired or disabled, while others anticipate becoming recipients when they stop working.
It has been widely reported that Elon Musk and his uncontrolled DOGE group seek to curtail, if not eliminate, Social Security. Trump, Musk, and the MAGA ideologues have attacked Social Security in many ways. Musk calls it a Ponzi scheme and implicitly seeks to eliminate it. Another way to degrade the program is by reducing the staff and changing procedures such that it becomes difficult, if not impossible, for most elderly and disabled to apply for and continue to receive their benefits. Other popular old-school Republican ideas include privatizing Social Security. This plan would allow Wall Street traders to collect profits from the program by transferring the funds into riskier investments like Bitcoin, space travel to Mars, or real estate.
What will happen to Americans dependent on the program if the Social Security program is transformed into the image of Musk’s DOGE? What happens when an 88-year-old woman living alone has a problem with her Social Security payments and cannot travel 200 miles to the closest Social Security office? What happens if one of Musk’s 21-year-old DOGE experts loses a trillion dollars on a speculative Wall Street investment? What happens if the Social Security program goes up in smoke?
The Branch Davidian Compound in Waco, Texas
We should soon find out if Trump and Musk will radically change the Social Security program. Likewise, the changes will test the devotion of Trump voters who depend on Social Security. If the changes harm Trump voters, will they remain in the MAGA cult? Will they continue to drink the orange Kool-Aid, or will they not?
Other possible actions by the Co-Presidents, Musk and Trump, include trade wars that lead to higher prices for Trump voters. This will be particularly true for the farmers who voted for Trump. Their prices for equipment and other goods will increase, and the inevitable tariff increases by their foreign buyers will increase. It will be a double whammy for Trump farmers. Will they fall for Trump’s “pain before gain” sales pitch?
The question remains. When will Trump voters finally understand who they put into the Oval Office? Of course, many will say that the alternative was worse, but how much worse does Trump have to be before they realize their folly? There is no number 37 on a roulette wheel since the highest number is 36. Why do some people continue to place their bets on number 37?
