Living in One Big Nuthouse

By James Banakis

September 19th, 2025

John Kass and I were speaking on the phone a few weeks ago, and I asked him what he was working on. He said he was in the middle of eavesdropping on Obama at his psychiatrist’s office. I immediately realized once again that Kass had struck gold. Why? Because any analysis of the former president and all his legions of true believers must begin with the premise that right now, they are all confused, unhappy, and being driven NUTS.

The reason for this collective insanity is and has always been power. The same topic that has always driven  human instinct. Four years ago, Democrats controlled the presidency and Congress. To maintain power, they needed to eliminate Donald Trump, and God knows they tried everything. They failed epically and herein lies the main source of the ongoing psychosis.

The common theme of the Democratic Party is the inclusion of all minorities no matter how small or insignificant. Beginning under Obama, they carried a huge umbrella of identity politics, that included almost everyone except white men.  The common thread was that all minorities were being exploited, and that the Democratic party would be their protectors. The problem of course was that the Democrats had no policy to lift the minorities  out of their perceived misery.

Why?

Because they need a permanent underclass. They need what Lenin referred to as “useful idiots,” referring to followers of the Russian Revolution who in fact had no idea what they were supporting, and were willing to be dupes of tyrants. If you believe Zohran Momdani has some good ideas, or that the Clinton Foundation is an instrument to eliminate poverty in the world, you just might be a “useful idiot.”

The connecting thread is the victomhood of all minority classes. Once the oppressed minorities and those who feel guilty that all the unfairness in the world is their fault wake up and understand they’re the “useful idiots,” they start leaving the plantation.

Which is what happened in the last election in which 50% of Latino men and 25% of black men voted Republican. This is the unfortunate reason Democrats insist on open borders. They need  a never-ending supply of “useful idiots.”

The preeminent scientific genius of the 20th century Albert Einstein came up with what I believe is the most concise definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and over again while expecting different results.

Am I qualified to delve into psychotherapy? Of course not. I’m a restaurant guy who took Psychology 101 as an elective. I thought it would be easy, and it turned out to be too much like a science course for my liking. However, among other things, I’ve always dreamed of charging an exorbitant fee just allowing people to talk to me. I’ve spent a lifetime listening, and it would have been wonderful to have gotten paid for it. Today, I’m going to put all my knowledge of listening to and observing the hungry, overserved masses, and with the help of WebMD, tell you what I think are the afflictions tormenting the Lefties.

The first Lefty disorder I’ve observed is controlling behavior. I have a lot of experience with this personality trait dealing with specific customers in restaurants I’ve operated. Basically, this person spends what should be a pleasurable experience in a self-imposed state of misery attempting to control the environment.

WebMD tells us that signs of controlling behavior are:

  • They insist on always being correct, having their own way
  • They refuse to accept blame
  • They need to be the center of attention
  • They’re unpredictable
  • They lie
  • They need to oversee finances
  • They need to dictate where you can go and how to live your life

When an individual demonstrates this type of behavior it may destroy marriages, and employee/employer relationships. We’ve all at the very least observed it. When a political party embodies this conduct the result is chaotic behavior on a national scale.

It becomes perilous when the group out of power is willing to resort to extreme, and often illegal measures to regain and hold onto power. Measures that rip at the fabric of the republic. Measures like refusing to accept any type of blame, misappropriating finances, and lying to the public. They want to pack the Supreme Court or eliminate the Electoral College, and the appointment of radical judges so that they can destroy all opposition.

WebMD warns that controlling behavior can turn violent. We’ve seen their organized protests turn violent . Being out of power develops rapidly into desperateness. Having lost the White House, the House, the Senate, and control the Supreme Court, they resort to frantic measures.

The fact that Trump is redecorating everything at the White House to resemble Mara Lago is driving them to distraction. Trump has been on such a marathon pace tackling issues and giving press conferences, that when he took an overdue day off on Labor Day weekend, the Lefties thought he died. Tim Waltz was of course, disappointed.

Their other disorder is Projection. It’s defined as someone attributing their own undesirable traits, feelings, thoughts, or behavior to another person. WebMD says it’s a defense mechanism to avoid coping with their own flaws or insecurities.

Common signs of projection, for example, are ignoring Joe Biden’s vegetative state for four years, saying he was “running circles” around everyone in his administration, and now accusing Trump of being senile, demanding he be removed from office under the 25th Amendment. How about all the grifters in Congress accusing Elon Musk, the richest man in world history of stealing money while investigating USAID. You know, the same USAID that the Clinton’s tapped to pay for their daughter’s wedding and give her $11 million for her starter house. This disorder is easy to identify. Simply take any outrageous claim by the Democrats and realize it’s their own previous behavior.

Projection leads to Gaslighting, which WebMD describes as one person, the “gaslighter,” who subtly tries to make another person doubt their own memory or sanity to gain power and control. For example, when the Biden administration allowed 10,000 illegals to enter the country daily, they claimed the boarder was closed, and it was all in our imagination. Another example is claiming that all the crime and urban gun violence is normal and not because the prisons have been emptied and the police defunded.

Over time this deceptive syndrome can lead to confusion, anxiety, and a feeling of hopelessness. Look at it this way, the entire Biden term in office, the faceless powers that be, the autopen guys, just denied all their devastating actions, saying the rest of us were racists, fascists, and garbage.

Presently, Democrats find themselves representing only 30% on the most pressing common-sense issues of the day, illegal immigration, crime, energy, foreign policy. They’ve jettisoned the middle class, once the spine of  their party. There is no more Democratic Party as America once knew it. They are also, ever so slowly losing the legacy media, which is beginning to question and probe for answers.

Today as our economy continues to improve, opportunities for peace increase daily. We have leaders who want to solve problems such as crime, illegal immigration, improving the quality of life for all Americans. Instead of working together or developing alternative programs the Lefties, 1/3 of the electorate  just want to obstruct. They champion criminals over victims. They’ve run out of ideas. Which exposes their ideology as one drowning in crises. It doesn’t address what middle America is discussing at the kitchen table, inflation, immigration, gas prices, crime, and unaffordable housing costs.

That makes the midterm elections critical. If the economy continues to improve, the left will get trounced. There you have it. That’s my personal professional medical opinion at least.

I must be honest, I’ve enjoyed playing a psychiatrist. It’s fun using WebMD and my amazing political insight to solve all the maladies facing mankind. I must be careful though because like my mother-in-law use to say, “Those doctors sit around all day with all the crazies, and pretty soon they’re all in one big nuthouse.”

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Jimmy Banakis is a life-long restaurateur.  He was an honorary batboy for the White Sox in 1964. He attended Oak Park River Forest High School, Nebraska Wesleyan University, and Chicago-Kent Law School.  He claims the kitchen is the room he’s most comfortable in anywhere in the world. He published an extremely limited-edition family cookbook. He’s a father and grandfather, and lives in Downers Grove Il.

Comments 46

  2. Bravo, bravo, bravo James. You’ve outlined it beautifully. This is brilliant.

    But, here is the problem now. It’s identified. It’s diagnosed. How do we solve the problem ? The damage is done. There is no miracle drug. Obama did his thing and with morons like Pritzker, Johnson, and Preckwinkle locally and Newscum, Walz, Crockett and Omar nationally out there, and now seen now actually hanging out with criminals who have warrants out on them (see CWB Chicago) what is one to do ? It’s outta control and quite frankly, seems hopeless.

  3. John you are amaze me. Always truthful and always on target. Brilliant reporting and God keep you safe and healthy. The World is gone mad I ama afraid. Christianity is lacking in the World today and our young have no clue as to what is happening. Bravo John.

  4. Hit the nail right on the head. I guess we could let the Democrats wallow in their misery, but that is not a long-term solution for their refusal to accept reality. We can hope that the “useful idiots” will see the light, but before they see the light, the Democrats will consume each other instead.

  5. Thank you James for your column. Sometimes I feel that our side, myself included, suffers from analysis-paralysis. We do an excellent job of diagnosing and identifying the political rot that infest our local and national body politic, but seem at a loss to suggest or engage in meaningful pushback or solutions. Love him or hate him, Steve Bannon(War Room) seems to come up with real world solutions to the political and social madness of the Left.
    By the way, in Neil Steinberg’s recent column on “Punch And Judy and Charlie Kirk” is Neil(Punch) and his wife Edie(Judy), the projections of a liberal wife beater? Just saying.

  6. “I’ve always dreamed of charging an exorbitant fee just allowing people to talk to me”, I love it. The link about Chelsea Clinton’s wedding was a bit outrageous, warranting some online searching. There are stories, such as from Newsweek, debunking those claims as being false. However, I didn’t feel like going down the rabbit hole of debunking the debunkers. I wonder if any deplorables and irredeemables were invited to the wedding? It sounds like it must have been real nice.

  10. This is why the first thing I do when signing on in the morning is to go to Johnkassnews.com for my daily dose of reality and common sense. ALL the writing is amazing and always “spot on.” I, too, LOVED “I’ve always dreamed of charging an exorbitant fee just allowing people to talk to me.” I also learned a new. appropriate catchphrase: “useful idiots.” Is that sorta like what we (in-the-know people) call a CHUMBALONE?

  11. Dimitraki,
    Bravou! Nailed it! You coulda been a “yiatro!” What the leftists are experiencing today reminds of the scene in “Kingsmen Secret Service” movie when all the heads of state, and other useful idiots, start exploding from devices that were implanted in them. Priceless! Many thanks for your refreshing analysis!!

  12. Mr. Banakis- Good article. Everything you wrote about the Democrats here is true, at least some of the time. The flaw, once again, is that most of this applies to today’s Republicans as well, and that does not seem to bother you.

    But it was your WebMD behaviors list that really made me LMAO-

    They insist on always being correct, having their own way
    They refuse to accept blame
    They need to be the center of attention
    They’re unpredictable
    They lie
    They need to oversee finances
    They need to dictate where you can go and how to live your life

    C’mon man, let’s be honest. Can anyone really read this list and not immediately think of one person in particular?

    Sometimes, the hypocrisy on this site makes me so mad I see Orange.

    1. Ok Mr. Lee, point taken – with one exception, the last item, and perhaps the most important one – “dictate how to live your life”. This is solely a lefty attribute, whether it’s what kind of car you may drive or type of stove you may cook on, etc – Trump is not in the same league.

      1. I agree. Bob Lee makes a good point but so do you. The last item – “dictate how you live your life” – is really paradoxical. Yes, on one hand, the Lefties wanted to dictate the car you drive and the type of stove you could cook on (check out the Peoples Republic of Oak Park for instance). On the other hand, at the same time, in the Lefty nirvana capitol the US – otherwise known as California – you are free to defecate on the street, leave your used needles on the public way, camp out in public parks. And if you’re a man but is delusional enough to claim you’re a woman, who’s to argue otherwise? Go for it. So who says that the Lefties dictate how you live your life? Hey you want to degrade the general quality of life for all? You want to deny biological reality? The Lefties say, “be my guest.” LOL.

        1. Bruce- California has it’s problems but on the other hand it now ranks as the world’s fourth largest economy- they must be doing something right. It’s been the tech center of the world for decades now.
          Billions in tax dollars collected from those lefty Californians are indirectly funding social benefits for those who hate them.
          BTW, the only place I’ve ever seen anyone defecate (or pee) on the street was in New Orleans which is in a red state. Also New Orleans typically ranks much higher in violent crime than, say Chicago, but you will never hear that mentioned here.

      2. Mr. Stark –

        Again so much hypocrisy!

        It’s true that the “Conservative Right” is more genuine about freedom when it relates to certain areas like economic or gun rights.
        On the other hand they are much more restrictive when it comes to social issues and other personal freedoms.

        Here are some very significant examples-

        – The extreme “right” wants to dictate what my young daughters can or cannot do if they get pregnant. They justify this with their personal, narrow religious views.

        – In some Republican controlled states they want to force certain religious symbols (but only related to their preferred religion) to be displayed in public schools. Some have even pushed to force the teaching of completely unscientific theories like “Creationism”.

        – Some want to dictate what kinds of sex are acceptable among consenting adults, and who should be able to marry whom.

        – They have decided and legislated that certain words (e.g. taking the Lord’s name in vain) must not be spoken on radio or public TV because those words would violate their own particular morals.

        – Although many Conservatives enthusiastically partake in alcohol, many want to ban any other form of recreational drug use, no matter how safely or peacefully used, including even cannabis.

        – Many far right conservatives would be outraged if a woman’s breast were to be visible in public or seen on a sports broadcast. Other than subjective “morality” can anyone explain the harm? And yet, ever more extreme depictions of graphic violence seems increasingly tolerated.

        – They take a hardline position on any type of sex-work, no matter how safely done. Again, because it violates their own personal morals. Can anyone explain why a “happy ending” massage should be a crime?

        – They want to ban certain books which they feel are unacceptable.

        I could easily go on with many more examples. The point is that neither the “left” nor the “right” are more freedom loving- it depends on the category.

        Hypocrisy.

  13. 100% agree that the Democrats are not working to “address what middle America is discussing at the kitchen table”. That reminds me of a earlier, more terse truism: it’s the economy stupid! So much “middle” ground for politicians to find common, cross-aisle causes yet they selfishly choose not to because division is the easiest path to reelection…

  18. I now live in Texas. The school district superintendent was recently named the best in the state. He happens to be a black man. He gave an interview to a local newspaper in which he stated his objectives to leading one of the fastest growing school districts in the country. His vision is to educate students and prepare them for leaving the primary schools to pursue better and productive lives. To ensure the best teachers he can hire educate these students.He didn’t mention social justice. Racism. Transgender politics. Illegals.Culture of
    victimhood aka, ” ..blacks and browns”. His leadership is valued here in Texas. In Illinois he would be a pariah. Shunned and probably unemployed. Let that sink in for a minute. Harris County values this man. This is what a true leader and administrator does. God bless.

    1. What is that leader’s name?? I can understand why you would nit want to mention his name ( protect him and his safety, but demonstrating a black man’s leadership ability is a great thing to do. It would also show a man that would likely attest that blacks in general are not and never have been well served by democrats. Go back to the “ underclass” statement in today’s article. We need to keep pointing g to the Dem and lefty patterns

        1. Lamar CISD superintendent Dr. Roosevelt Nivens. The interview was in the Fort Bend Herald. I based my assessment of his character from that interview. I didn’t research any social media or any other statements on Mr. Givens. He seems to have a genuine commitment to educating students. Hopefully I’m correct.

  20. Great article Mr. Banakis and right on target. Isn’t it interesting that democrats are now denying that they have utilized language which is volatile and can lead unstable people to violence. The people like Pritzker, Pelosi, Schumer, Durbin and other democrats resort to the same rhetoric that all this violence is President Trump’s fault.

    President Trump can be boastful and antagonistic. After ten years of lies, lawfare, assassination attempts, and other nefarious doing towards him, his family and his supporters it is clear he is a phenomenon that the Democrats have themselves created.

    The democrats are definitely responsible for the left wing violence that is occurring in our country. They refused to see it or even acknowledge it. I keep hearing that we need to have a dialog with each other to stop the violence. In my opinion you can’t dialog with a person who hates you and wants to kill you.

  21. When I entered Northwestern University in 1956, ‘psychology’ was one of the new ‘big things’. So I decided to add it to my list of majors that included political science, history and philosophy. After taking 3 courses in the alleged science of psychology during my freshman year, I decided that it was not science at all and dropped it as a major. Everything that has happened since suggests that I made the right decision.

  23. The overarching fact in the American nuthouse is that the last century and a quarter in our history have been hard pressed to produce leadership worthy of the people represented.
    And those that did prove worthy in their era would in no way likely be elected today, in part due to generational failures in our education provision.

  24. Very nice column James (Jimmy). Well stated and well thought out. I might be stuck in my own echo chamber, but what you state seems so obvious. If so, how is it that Gov JB is more than likely to be reelected by IL voters? Mystifying to me.

  25. THERE IS NOTHING MORE ABSURD OR OUTLANDISH IN COSTS THEN WHAT U SHARK LAWYERS CHARGE. AT LEAST PSYCHIATRISTS/PSYCHOLOGISTS TRY AND HELP PEOPLE. YOUR WORK IS TO ENRCIVCH YOURSELF. HOW MANY WORKERS CHARGE OR GET PAID BY 15 MINUTES INCREMENTS!
    As far as illegal immigration goes, most Hispanics, legal or not , do not vote. If they did all office holders would be Hispanic. Most Hispanics spend their time working hard, some 2 jobs.

    1. Thomas: Voting is not the issue. The issue is the census which determines apportionment of electoral votes and seats in the House. The US Constitution directs the census to specifically count the “whole numbers of persons in each state” … not citizens … so illegal aliens are (or can be) counted.

  26. You are correct. There are nuts and useful idiots that have done tremendous harm to the party of JFK, Truman, and FDR. I have not considered who and who may have borderline personality disorder in the party leadership, but you are on to something. May I suggest the addition of some Godless souls that are just plain evil also being part of the confederacy of loons? There are always power hungry lazy people that want political power, but they are not all evil. The evil people take it to the next level. They use the government agencies to spy on and ruin the lives of others for their own political gain. And sometimes they will point one finger at an innocent and call them fascist while having four fingers pointing right back at them. Ben Franklin was right, we have a Republic, if we can keep it. God help us.

  30. Excellent column, Jim! I didn’t know you could write so well. A nuthouse is right! I have many family, friends, and former colleagues who are lovely, intelligent, and normal people until the subject of politics comes up. They immediately turn into lefty loons. And quite a number on Facebook were in our class at OPRFHS. I have never in my life seen anything like this.

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