To the editor:

The MAGA movement seemed weird from the beginning. Why would anyone think a former TV reality-show host, celebrity playboy and mafia-friendly millionaire was qualified to be president of the United States of America?

It was weird that the “Make America Great Again” campaign was just a 35-year-old recycled Reagan slogan that relied on attracting people who resented “restrictive, intrusive” federal legislation. Odd that it’s now MAGA politicians pushing for restrictive legislation against women, LGBTQIA-plus individuals, non-Christians and non-whites.

It’s weird that MAGA every-day working Americans actually believe that a spoiled, self-centered Trump, living in his privileged moneyed cocoon, has any interest in understanding what life is actually like for them. Odd how they worship him with starry eyes believing he cares about them, when all he wants is their vote and the millions he’s pocketing from his Trump junk souvenirs (and his pleas for their campaign donations).

It’s weird that any self-respecting woman can stomach being a voter (or a mouthpiece like Rep. Stefanik) for a man who parades his wife around like an object, belittles women if they don’t adore him, is a known womanizing “grabber,” sexual predator and was found liable by a jury for sexual abuse.

It’s weird that old and disabled people who depend on Social Security and Medicare are some of his biggest fans; even though MAGA politicians make no secret about wanting to eliminate those “entitlement” programs and enhance the profits of pharmaceutical and insurance companies instead.

It’s weird that Trump thought the presidency was “The Trump Show” and so did the people attending his rallies. How odd to value a president for his entertainment value and crowd size.

It’s weird how hard MAGA politicians try to dig up every possible bit of dirt on Democrats. But can blatantly ignore Trump’s past lifetime of crimes, his actions on Jan. 6 and his present 34 felonies for falsifying business records.

It’s weird that MAGA followers completely swallow trumped-up anti-Democratic information provided by conspiracy websites, shock-jock radio shows and outrage commentary. But never question a thing Trump says. How is it that every negative accusation against Democrats must be true? But any negative assertion about Trump (verified by video footage and legal testimony under oath) is only a “witch hunt.”

It’s weird that Trump actually admitted to misleading voters when he said that he just tells people “Democrats are socialists and communists” so they’ll vote for him.

It’s weird that the government as planned by MAGA won’t be “great” unless you’re very white, very male and very rich. I don’t understand why Trump voters, who don’t meet those qualifications, haven’t figured that out?

Martha Hodges

Massena