I thoroughly reject the notion that MAGA is "conservative." Some of Trump's biggest and most articulate opponents are solid, rock-ribbed conservatives. Is George Will a "moderate?" Is Bill Kristol? No and no. Yet some of my moderate Republican friends are devout Trumpists. That's because they had squishy principles and don't mind gravita…
I thoroughly reject the notion that MAGA is "conservative." Some of Trump's biggest and most articulate opponents are solid, rock-ribbed conservatives. Is George Will a "moderate?" Is Bill Kristol? No and no. Yet some of my moderate Republican friends are devout Trumpists. That's because they had squishy principles and don't mind gravitating to an unprincipled movement like Trumpism. No, true conservatives don't want anything to do with Donald J. Trump.
MAGA IS conservatism. It just isn't establishment conservatism.
It isn't the conservatism that a lot of the more intellectually inclined (or the rich/powerful) want to see conservatism as. It is the conservatism of the people. It is ALL about culture and race and religion sex--because those are the actual concerns of the people.
It is the conservatism that you wake up to after a bout of drinking and partying. The conservatism you got into bed with the night before so that you could have a good time (in political parlance, get elected).
Conservatism, like liberalism or progressivism, is not unitary--not focused only on particular things. Basis (MAGA) conservatism is the conservatism that makes the other conservatism possible, because there are more MAGA conservatives than establishment conservatives...
and you dance with the people that brought you here.
I don't see fascism and conservatism as different things, necessarily. TBH, I think a lot of people are picking nits so that they can say that conservatism and fascism are different things.
To me, it is simply another strain of conservatism.
Because, as I have said before, the essence of conservatism is "conserving" something. even if that something never REALLY existed as believed.
Intellectual conservatives (who do most of the writing and get most of the face time, especially in the late 20th century) don't like the broader strain of conservatism that is often based upon religion and ethnicity and making sure that the Right People are in charge, for the Right Reasons. They try very hard to elevate their own particular portrayal of conservatism. Make it a matter of principle.
And yet they always seem to be in bed with those Other conservatives. In a democratic society they need the votes, for some reason. Hmmmm.
There isn't really anything pseudo-about those Other conservatives--except in the minds of the people that want to use them for their own ends in favor of "their" conservatism.
I thoroughly reject the notion that MAGA is "conservative." Some of Trump's biggest and most articulate opponents are solid, rock-ribbed conservatives. Is George Will a "moderate?" Is Bill Kristol? No and no. Yet some of my moderate Republican friends are devout Trumpists. That's because they had squishy principles and don't mind gravitating to an unprincipled movement like Trumpism. No, true conservatives don't want anything to do with Donald J. Trump.
That makes a lot of sense.
MAGA IS conservatism. It just isn't establishment conservatism.
It isn't the conservatism that a lot of the more intellectually inclined (or the rich/powerful) want to see conservatism as. It is the conservatism of the people. It is ALL about culture and race and religion sex--because those are the actual concerns of the people.
It is the conservatism that you wake up to after a bout of drinking and partying. The conservatism you got into bed with the night before so that you could have a good time (in political parlance, get elected).
Conservatism, like liberalism or progressivism, is not unitary--not focused only on particular things. Basis (MAGA) conservatism is the conservatism that makes the other conservatism possible, because there are more MAGA conservatives than establishment conservatives...
and you dance with the people that brought you here.
I don't see fascism and conservatism as different things, necessarily. TBH, I think a lot of people are picking nits so that they can say that conservatism and fascism are different things.
To me, it is simply another strain of conservatism.
Because, as I have said before, the essence of conservatism is "conserving" something. even if that something never REALLY existed as believed.
Intellectual conservatives (who do most of the writing and get most of the face time, especially in the late 20th century) don't like the broader strain of conservatism that is often based upon religion and ethnicity and making sure that the Right People are in charge, for the Right Reasons. They try very hard to elevate their own particular portrayal of conservatism. Make it a matter of principle.
And yet they always seem to be in bed with those Other conservatives. In a democratic society they need the votes, for some reason. Hmmmm.
There isn't really anything pseudo-about those Other conservatives--except in the minds of the people that want to use them for their own ends in favor of "their" conservatism.
Conservatism is not a monolithic thing.
And yet, a poor conclusion. Trump, et. al. are radicals.
You can be a radical conservative. Doesn't make you any less of a conservative (and arguably more).