Let’s see… person, man, camera, woman, TV. Okay. I’m still good to go.
Dan is saying what many of us who live in the South have known for years. This will be history for most of you, but those of us who actually remember George Wallace, Lester Maddox, and Jim Eastland (and too many others) realize that these days they would be MAGA leaders. There was a moment in the 60s when these guys thought they could push the Dem party in their direction. Thankfully, they were intellectually outgunned by the Kennedy brothers, Johnson and many others.
But they were cold-blooded operators, inured to to physical violence and political apostasy. Today’s Trumpists are direct descendants of these, plus Nixon and Reagan.
But each generation has learned from the earlier ones, and today’s MAGAs aren’t looking just for a generation of dominance or some satisfaction of personal ambition. They are America’s Taliban who want to set our society back 250 years, and reset the Constitution to its original form, minus all the amendments.
History seems inevitable to us: it has already happened and we weren’t there for the uncertainty of outcome. Well, today’s outcome is still uncertain. We have to challenge the MAGAs at every level, for every office in every way we can. Organization, donations, messaging, grass roots action, and never miss an election.
I’ve always argued it started with Reagan who believe it or not was far worse than Trump. For all his bombast what did Trump actually accomplish? Not much. Reagan, otoh, had 8 years and used intelligent albeit evil henchmen.
Two things I've been screaming into the void since 2015:
1 - Trump didn't do anything Republicans haven't done for decades, he just turned it up to eleven.
2 - Aside from the true believers, the fundamental reason Republican politicians and media ignore, wink at, condone, or directly spew hate and violent ideation is because that's what their base wants to hear. If that wasn't the case, Republicans wouldn't be rewarded with votes.
I'm so grateful to see a political professional say so - gives me hope that maybe I'm not crazy afterall.
I think there are 2 things going on. Trumpism is shorthand for the worst policies - anti-immigrant, anti-LGBT, anti-environment, take us back to the "good ol' days". And, i think most Republican politicians have embraced these whole-heartedly. Its why they vote with Trump 90+% of the time. Then, there is MAGA which is more of a personality. It's the victim, the aggrieved fighting back, saying whatever they want no matter how impolite or belittling or abusive. Trump represents both. Trump's endorsement is based on who gives him the most money or the most allegiance or both. So, i think the primaries are more a test of how strong MAGA is. Can the MAGA candidate win even when Trump doesnt endorse them?
Its why i think the MAGA label as a negative can be particularly effective among independents. The most extreme Trumpist policies can turn people off but when you say MAGA, a particular person comes to mind. I'm in suburban, southwest Ohio and when you say MAGA, everyone thinks of that jerk in the neighborhood who drives the pickup truck with 8 flags waving off the back or the most annoying, rude people at the grocery store. Many people vote based on the personality or vibe of the candidate so the more MAGA candidate may win a primary but will turn off more independents. Regardless of who wins the primary, we should make sure they all carry the MAGA label.
Let’s see… person, man, camera, woman, TV. Okay. I’m still good to go.
Dan is saying what many of us who live in the South have known for years. This will be history for most of you, but those of us who actually remember George Wallace, Lester Maddox, and Jim Eastland (and too many others) realize that these days they would be MAGA leaders. There was a moment in the 60s when these guys thought they could push the Dem party in their direction. Thankfully, they were intellectually outgunned by the Kennedy brothers, Johnson and many others.
But they were cold-blooded operators, inured to to physical violence and political apostasy. Today’s Trumpists are direct descendants of these, plus Nixon and Reagan.
But each generation has learned from the earlier ones, and today’s MAGAs aren’t looking just for a generation of dominance or some satisfaction of personal ambition. They are America’s Taliban who want to set our society back 250 years, and reset the Constitution to its original form, minus all the amendments.
History seems inevitable to us: it has already happened and we weren’t there for the uncertainty of outcome. Well, today’s outcome is still uncertain. We have to challenge the MAGAs at every level, for every office in every way we can. Organization, donations, messaging, grass roots action, and never miss an election.
Agree with all of this. The Tea Party was marching in 4th of July parades in the early 2010s
I’ve always argued it started with Reagan who believe it or not was far worse than Trump. For all his bombast what did Trump actually accomplish? Not much. Reagan, otoh, had 8 years and used intelligent albeit evil henchmen.
Two things I've been screaming into the void since 2015:
1 - Trump didn't do anything Republicans haven't done for decades, he just turned it up to eleven.
2 - Aside from the true believers, the fundamental reason Republican politicians and media ignore, wink at, condone, or directly spew hate and violent ideation is because that's what their base wants to hear. If that wasn't the case, Republicans wouldn't be rewarded with votes.
I'm so grateful to see a political professional say so - gives me hope that maybe I'm not crazy afterall.
Trump is only the latest most visible symptom of what constitutes the Republican group and what endangers America.
I think there are 2 things going on. Trumpism is shorthand for the worst policies - anti-immigrant, anti-LGBT, anti-environment, take us back to the "good ol' days". And, i think most Republican politicians have embraced these whole-heartedly. Its why they vote with Trump 90+% of the time. Then, there is MAGA which is more of a personality. It's the victim, the aggrieved fighting back, saying whatever they want no matter how impolite or belittling or abusive. Trump represents both. Trump's endorsement is based on who gives him the most money or the most allegiance or both. So, i think the primaries are more a test of how strong MAGA is. Can the MAGA candidate win even when Trump doesnt endorse them?
Its why i think the MAGA label as a negative can be particularly effective among independents. The most extreme Trumpist policies can turn people off but when you say MAGA, a particular person comes to mind. I'm in suburban, southwest Ohio and when you say MAGA, everyone thinks of that jerk in the neighborhood who drives the pickup truck with 8 flags waving off the back or the most annoying, rude people at the grocery store. Many people vote based on the personality or vibe of the candidate so the more MAGA candidate may win a primary but will turn off more independents. Regardless of who wins the primary, we should make sure they all carry the MAGA label.
Great post, as usual. I did have to look up apocryphal. Congratulations.