Thread by @chrislhayes

For the first 3 or so years of Trump's term there was certain mode of analysis fairly common among self-styled savvy centrists, #Resistance averse leftists, and tons of conservatives that basically held that everyone freaking out about Trump was being overwrought and hysterical.

The argument went, look, yes, he's a jerk and says crazy stuff, but the country is basically not that changed: unemployment is low, daily life continues as normal, there aren't tanks in the streets. You libs have lost your minds, obsessing over Russia and each new scandal, etc

Now, the counter argument was: look at the incompetence and cruelty on display in the aftermath of hurricane Maria, and the mass child abuse of child separation, and the vicious racism. Look at how far he is willing to go for power, whether in 2016, or in the Ukraine affair.

The argument always was: this man is so wildly unfit and so evil in disposition, that putting him in the most powerful position on earth *cannot help* but cause horrible ruin and danger for Americans and America.

Now look where we are: there are 205,000 dead Americans, and a thousand more every day. 7 million have been sickened, tens of million of work. His own task force staffer has come forward to say he does not care about those deaths and thinks his own supporters are "disgusting."

The president is directly threatening violence to stay in power and working every day to undermine both the legitimacy of the vote and the administration of free and fair elections. With either explicit or tacit collaboration from the entire institutional Republican party.

AND YET!!! You stil see this savvy, arm's length mode of analysis across the spectrum.

"Oh calm down libs, is it really so bad?"

MORE AMERICANS HAVE DIED IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS THAN DURING ANY SIX MONTH PERIOD IN A HUNDRED YEARS.

YES IT'S THAT BAD. WAKE THE HELL UP.