Psychologist Says Trump Supporters Are Submissive And Fearful

According to a new book by former Nixon White House lawyer John Dean and psychology professor Bob Altemeyer, Donald Trump's most passionate followers have some common characteristics that aren't very flattering. As Altemeyer puts it, they rank very high on the Right Wing Authoritarian scale, and this means that many of them are fearful and submissive, which is why they flock to people like Donald Trump who make them feel secure. Ring of Fire's Farron Cousins explains what's happening.

Become a member today!

Support us by becoming a monthly patron on Patreon, and help keep progressive media alive!

Find our merchandise at Teespring

Spread the word! LIKE and SHARE this video or leave a comment to help direct attention to the stories that matter. And SUBSCRIBE to stay connected with Ring of Fire's video content!

Support Ring of Fire by subscribing to our YouTube channel

Be sociable! Follow us on:

Follow more of our stories at

Subscribe to our podcast

*This transcript was generated by a third-party transcription software company, so please excuse any typos.

According to a psychology professor, Bob Altmeyer, who is teamed up with former Nixon, white house lawyer, John Dean on a new book, the main driving force behind some of Donald Trump's biggest supporters

Is fear.

Altima Meyer. Back in the 1980s, actually developed a what's called the right wing authoritarian scale. And he uses this scale to find out exactly how authoritarian people can be not necessarily in their own way, but what they crave in terms of leadership. And again, he's teamed up with John Dean. They have a new book called authoritarian nightmare, and here's what they wrote. Many Trump supporters are submissive, fearful, and longing for a mighty leader who will protect them from life's threats. They divide the world into friend and foe with the latter greatly outnumbering the former. Now this is something that is true of many Republicans, not just Donald Trump. Now Trump does exemplify this, uh, in a way that we haven't seen really in modern campaigns, but it's not limited to him. You know, Reagan did it with the welfare queen. They are your foe. You're hard working.

They're lazy living off the government. I will protect you from them. I will make them get a job. You will make more money under me. I will take care of you, but you have to submit to me in order for that to happen. Doesn't that sound familiar with Trump. These immigrant hoards are coming up from our Southern border. They're taking your jobs and if they're not taking your jobs, then they're trying to murder you. I will keep you safe. I will build the wall. They cannot get through the wall. I will protect you, but you have to submit to me

That's that's them. That's it. Now that's obvious as well. We've known for many, many years that not only do Republicans use fear to help manipulate people, but studies psychological studies that started way back in the sixties. Also prove that the small children who were more fearful and more in need of authority grew up to be more right wing than their less fearful counterparts. So these are all things again that are well established within the scientific community. There well-established within the political community. There is a reason why Republicans typically run their campaigns based on fear, whether it's, you know, and all of it, by the way is irrational fear for most of us, for rational thinkers. This is clearly irrational. You know, they tell you Democrats are coming for your guns. That's literally never happened. They tell you the Democrats are gonna raise your taxes. Well, if you're in the top 1%, absolutely otherwise not happening. They're telling you, the Democrats are a threat to your religion. That's literally never happened. The only people who've threatened religion are Republicans who want to impose their own version of Christianity on everyone. They say, they're the only ones that can keep you safe from all the, uh, evil forces out there. The terrorists that's a lie.

They use fear because they know fear works on far too many people. And it's not because they are Republicans. They become Republicans because they are fearful and submissive individuals who crave someone to rule them. But that's a psychology trait. That is a personality trait. They didn't become that way because they became Republicans. They became Republicans because they are that way. Trump tapped into it and he found huge success with it.