So over the last few weeks, including this weekend, I saw a couple of blog columns about MAGA and what it really is. The first from Jonathan V. Last (from The Bulwark) arguing that what's called "conservatism" today, is basically just the 2020s version of fascism. He didn't put it that way, but that's what he's arguing.
Jon Last argues that what's called "MAGA", is really just a "domination fetish" by these folks to take down everyone who tries to oppose them, even through government force. And if you look at the indictments of President Trump's former national security advisor, (John Bolton) his first FBI Director, (James Comey) and now the Attorney General of New York State, (Leticia James) you could certainly argue what Jon Last is arguing here:
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| Source:Britannica with a look at Donald J. Trump's political cult movement. |
"So let’s start at the very beginning: What did “conservatism” used to mean?
At the foundational, philosophical level, conservatism was about slowing the pace of change in order to avoid unintended consequences. Which is why the obverse of conservatism wasn’t “liberalism,” it was “radicalism.”1
Radicals wanted rapid, systemic changes. Conservatives prioritized three things that buffered systemic change:
The rule of law
Subsidiarity
Institutions...
From The Bulwark
Jon Last would go onto say in making his arguing about conservatism versus radicalism:
"Radicalism insisted that change must come, as quickly as possible and by any means necessary. If laws stood in the way, then they should be overturned or obviated. If local or state governments were recalcitrant, then the federal government must overrule them. If institutions slowed change, then they must be either captured or scuttled...
Last is arguing that "MAGA" is not about conserving, but imposing their radical vision of change on the rest of the country: And if you try to oppose them, they'll use government force to try to stop you:
"You are with us 100% of the time, or we'll treat you like criminals".
Just saw that last week with U.S. Representative Jim Jordan in an interview saying that he would be open to impeaching Federal judges, simply for ruling against President Trump.
This is what I wrote about 3 weeks ago about what's called MAGA today and their relationship with Christianity:
"Now, based on what I showed you from URI, does that sound like MAGA today?
Does their Dear Leader Donald John Trump sound like a man who believes:
"love of God and neighbor, emphasized a God of love and mercy, and taught a form of virtue ethics focused on compassion and selfless living, as best summarized by his command to love God and love your neighbor as yourself and his use of parables to convey moral lessons..."?
Is what you hear from FOX News, or Newsmax every night (assuming you even watch FOX News or Newsmax) sound like people who believe:
"love of God and neighbor, emphasized a God of love and mercy, and taught a form of virtue ethics focused on compassion and selfless living, as best summarized by his command to love God and love your neighbor as yourself and his use of parables to convey moral lessons..."?
Do you think any of these MAGA podcasters, their reality TV stars, their religious zealots who bash people to their face, for being gay, or simply using their First Amendment of free speech, to speak out against the President of the United States... do those people sound like people who believe:
"love of God and neighbor, emphasized a God of love and mercy, and taught a form of virtue ethics focused on compassion and selfless living...
From The New Democrat
If there is any religion that "MAGA" follows, (and of course there are exceptions to every rule in the rule book) it's a religion that was founded by Donald John Trump back in 2015. And the core of this religion is essentially this:
"We're the real Americans. Anyone who tries to oppose us, are the Un-Americans, including Conservative Republicans".
And if this "MAGA" religion has any core to it, it's everything is about The Donald and yourself in this movement. Get everything that you can for yourself. Don't worry about breaking any laws or rules because as long as MAGA is in power, The Donald will protect you. Which is a long way from the conservative rule of law value of:
"Government of laws, not men"
So 1 of the main reasons why I call Donald Trump's movement a political reality TV show, because if you look at lot of his cast members, they look like reality TV show characters, starting with his wife.
I''m not in the habit of speaking ill of Melania Trump, but that "marriage", is nothing more than a business relationship. As long as the money is good for her, she'll probably never leave him. And as long as she meets her husband's political needs, like having a wife in public, etc, he'll keep her around.
But you look at the President's cabinet with his Secretary of Homeland Security Krsti Noem and her $50,000 Rolex. She doesn't look like a public servant. But a reality TV character on some show that films her high-end lifestyle.
The Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth... he's there because he looks and sound good on TV and his 100% loyal to The Donald. Not because of anything that he knows about national security policy.
The press secretary Karonline Levitt... she's not there to inform the American people about what The White House is doing, what the President is up to, for the most part. She's there to talk about how great she thinks her boss is and bash everyone who opposes them. And she like her boss sees the mainstream media as "the enemy of the American people". So she's there to bash them, every time she gets a serious question.
A couple final points about "MAGA" and then I will close. MAGA originally stood for "Make America Great Again". Well, if even you took that seriously 10 years ago, it implies that America wasn't already a great country. Which is insulting to a lot of Americans, including Republicans. But that's not what they're about. They're about:
"Get mine and as much as I can after that. And defend The Donald 100% of the time regardless of the costs of the consequences. Never treat him anything less that God himself".
MAGA is not just an insult to conservatism, with their beliefs in radicalism and blowing up the system and see the Constitution and the rule of law as annoyances to their political agenda, but they're an insult or Christianity as well. Because they don't believe in "love my neighbor as myself", "do onto others as done to myself". They believe in the opposites of that.
"MAGA" believe in a political philosophy and religion, that up until 10 years ago, didn't exist in America... or certainly wasn't out in the open. Which is just 1 reason why and also because Donald John Trump is the founder of this movement, I call "MAGA", just his political reality TV show.
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