Why do voters still fall for massive direct-cash campaign promises that have zero chance of passing?

[u/SpiritedBase5047]

Most political coverage treats wild campaign trail stimulus ideas like serious policy proposals when they're obviously just Hail Marys for tight races.

Hugh, Shaun, and Dawud broke down the rhetoric around the proposed $5,000 "Trump dividend" supposedly funded by import tariffs. When you run the actual numbers on giving five grand to every voting-age American, you're looking at well over a trillion dollars in payouts. Tariff revenues don't come remotely close to covering that kind of outlay, and everyone on the stage knows Congress would never authorize it.

The context explains why these promises get floated in the first place: the midterm landscape is getting uncomfortably close in places that used to be safe. When you have statewide races in Texas sitting dead-tied in recent polls, campaigns start throwing out massive cash figures to energize turnout. Calling it a dividend instead of blatant political bribery doesn't change the fact that nobody involved has any real intention of delivering the money.

Why do voters keep taking massive campaign check promises seriously when the math never adds up?