I've observed that one's capacity for empathy tends to drive one's political character. Libertarians lack any shred of empathy, Traditional Conservatives possess the ability to be moderately empathetic - to their tribe, and Liberals tend to be globally empathetic. This is demonstrated by attitudes towards social welfare, immigration and equal opportunity. I think empathy is simply the ability to put your self in someone else's shoes, to understand what they are going through.
I used to believe that a great leader gets the people to want what he/she wants. But lately, I've concluded that an effective leader wants what the followers want. Trump, the consummate faker, has been effective by getting a lot of people to believe he "gets" them, by appealing to their fears and lesser angels. Others (like me) correctly see him as an autocrat who thinks everything is (or should be) about him. He cares nothing for others. Just look at how he treats Mike Pence -- the textbook brown-noser and loyal sycophant for 4 years. Think of how he treats anyone who disagrees with him. The streets are figuratively littered with the bodies of those enablers who may have acted, however briefly, to set things right -- and were tossed under the bus.
I think empathy and morality are coupled. I notice that many on the right of the political spectrum display a situational morality. The may preach a message of lofty ideals (patriotism, sanctity of life, strong national borders) but many lack the capacity to feel the pain of starvation, hopelessness and fear in their fellow humans on this planet and even in their own communities. Further, we note that 70% of Republicans would overturn results of the 2020 election. They have no credible proof that there was fraud but the fact is, they do not care about Democracy. The calculus is about winning, not about principles, or honor, or even decency. They would toss the Constitution in the dumpster to get Trump or someone like him back in power. Several Republican run states have already passed new laws cynically designed to keep minority voters from casting ballots in the next election. This is immoral and wrong.
