A lot has happened in politics over the past month. Ever since the Paris terror attacks, Republican candidates, particularly Donald Trump, have increased their anti-Muslim rhetoric. Paris and the San Bernardino shooting have created a political maelstrom of fear and hatred that has provided a boost in the polls for Trump, reaching around 34% in the most recent survey, his highest ever. These radical comments are not only divisive in multiple ways, but they threaten to pull back fundamental rights of about 3 million Americans. So why is the rhetoric working so well?

Trump’s campaign strategy is based around a facet of nearly every political campaign, only no other candidate in recent years has taken this practice as far as Trump. Trump is a demagogue, someone who attempts to win support by exploiting the fears and prejudices rather than the rational side of an electorate. Trump has advocated for a special registry for Muslims and the banning of Muslims entering the country, both of which have jived well with his supporters. While both of these policies would be shot down by Congress or the Supreme Court, these proposals are still extremely frightening considering Trump’s popularity. It’s quite clear that many of his proposals are unconstitutional and even borderline fascist, as many political rivals claim. However, this doesn’t seem to register with Trump’s growing base, most of whom seem to revere the Constitution as much as the Bible when it comes to the 2nd Amendment.

The problem doesn’t lie so much in Trump’s comments, rather in the unwavering acceptance of them by his base. If Trump wasn’t the top Republican candidate, he would be labelled as any other racist wingnut, but Trump has the money and support to pose a real threat to the Democrats. So, while Trump is obviously to blame for his comments, the fault in allowing this dangerous candidate to get so far lies with the American people who have supported him. Many of his supporters certainly mean well and admire his business prowess. After all, Trump was able to become a real-estate mogul with just a small loan of 1 million dollars (around 6.8 million in today’s dollars). However, they either choose not to acknowledge his dangerous comments or, even more terrifying, agree with them.

Trump is no longer just the political nuisance he was a few months ago. With primaries coming closer and his poll numbers only rising, Trump has turned into a dangerous political machine that will test the American people’s belief in the principles our country was founded upon.