Letter to the Editor: What is a "rigged" election?

To the Editor:

Whether or not an election is “rigged” depends so much upon one’s own perceptions and criteria, as well as upon the facts on the ground and which of all these elements are in play for the individual voter.

Yet there is one enormously distorting factor that can seriously impair one’s political judgment, as professionally described below.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoid_personality_disorder

People with PPD [Paranoid Personality Disorder] may have a tendency to bear grudges, suspiciousness, tendency to interpret others' actions as hostile, persistent tendency to self-reference, or a tenacious sense of personal right.  Patients with this disorder can also have significant comorbidity with other personality disorders.

Subtype	Features
Obdurate (including compulsive features)	Self-assertive, unyielding, stubborn, steely, implacable, unrelenting, dyspeptic, peevish, and cranky stance; legalistic and self-righteous; discharges previously restrained hostility; renounces self-other conflict.
Fanatic (including narcissistic features)	Grandiose delusions are irrational and flimsy; pretentious, expensive supercilious contempt and arrogance toward others; lost pride reestablished with extravagant claims and fantasies.
Querulous (including negativistic features)	Contentious, caviling, fractious, argumentative, faultfinding, unaccommodating, resentful, choleric, jealous, peevish, sullen, endless wrangles, whiny, waspish, snappish.
Malignant (including sadistic features)	Belligerent, cantankerous, intimidating, vengeful, callous, and tyrannical; hostility vented primarily in fantasy; projects own venomous outlook onto others; persecutory delusions.

Elaine Phelps

Shoreline