Letter to the Editor: Writer sees a fraudster behind allegations of voter fraud

There was a saying when I was a kid that neurotics build castles in the air and psychotics live in them.

The more I read about what could be the pathological narcissism of Donald Trump (see Dr. Craig Malkin’s “Pathological Narcissism and Politics: A Lethal Mix”), the more I think that this saying needs to be amended: Psychotics may live in the other world, but the narcissists among them need a feeding tube to the real world for the adulation they crave.

One of Trump’s skills is an uncanny ability to spot from his “perch” those who might be enticed to shower him with the required praise without suspecting that he is a fraud who only cares about himself. A large part of his appeal, I think, is his showmanship, his faked business acumen and his ability to lie convincingly. So far, this has worked on a sizable minority.

His most dangerous skill is his ability to leverage the newly acquired loyalty of his followers (his “base”) and their “fellow travelers” for the purposes of staying in power, despite the will of the majority. This requires a degree of deception and persuasion that is truly otherworldly (e.g., selling the Big Lie). He is betting that he will succeed before his base realizes they’ve been had.

Are you listening, Merrick Garland?

Frederick Longacre

Hockessin