An existential threat to our democracy?

In the run-up to the 2016 Presidential election, 37 prestigious psychiatrists published a series of essays concerning Donald Trump. 

They concluded that as President, Trump is an existential threat to our democracy. When a person often lies (“We won’t touch Medicare, Medicaid”), cheats, manipulates others to get what they want, doesn’t care who they hurt as long as it gratifies themselves (increase tax benefits for the wealthy), is indifferent to the feelings of others (11 million lose health care), it may be a sign of a disturbance called sociopathy. 

People who characterize this indifference lack empathy. Sociopathy leads to an absence of guilt and capacity to inflict harm on others for pleasure or power (arrest, detain, investigate, lawsuits, extort opponents).