The pandemic is going to create a psychotic break among conservatives worse than the one they're having now. They've argued that government is the problem, Trump is the solution, and now there's a real time test of that theory while Dem governors get things done. /1

This is going to set up a cognitive dissonance that might be too much even for the most mushy-brained GOPers.
"See! Government is evil! Democracy is broken!"
"But it's your guy in charge."
"..."

This is why we're about to be flooded with even *more* conspiracy theories. /2

The only way the Trump cult will square this circle is by setting up the explanations you see them concocting already:

- Inflate death estimates, then claim Trump saved millions
- blame China
- blame Fauci and the doctors
- blame the Deep State (see "Fauci and the doctors") /3

his will work for Rube Nation, who will bury grandma while cursing Obama and Xi and Fauci. But it's going to be a tough sell to anyone who isn't glued to Fox all day. Trump will always have his 40% , but this really is the last stop in Crazy Town for what's left of the GOP. /4

And it'll be *really* hard to square Trump's "I alone can fix it" talk when we look back at Dem governors vs the GOP Trump Choir. (With some exceptions: DeWine.) This whole thing is already wrecking carefully constructed GOP and Trumpist narratives. A silver lining, I guess. /5x