Posts
Observations and thoughts about how things are going with MAGA.
Whatever the Reason
Whatever the reason that Trump isn’t get most of what he said he wanted to do get done, he isn’t. Whether he wants to but can’t, or if he doesn’t want to and never wanted to, it doesn’t make a difference. It just proves, perhaps more powerfully than ever – given the wave of support Trump had – nothing meaningful will change based on who you vote for.
The best way to kill a movement? Give it what it wants. Trump, with a majority in both houses of congress; some of the best anti-war / pro-transparency people in his cabinet. Then prove that nothing important changes; they laughingly put your impotence right in your face.
But, a reminder to not forget what has changed. Yes, the border seems to be reasonably closed – except for more H1-B visas and more foreign college students. And yes, we don’t hear as much openly about how terrible you are if you are a straight white male. So, that’s something.
Civil War
It was clear all along: supporting genocide was sure to split the republican base, just as it did the democratic elite from their base. Note the difference: on the democrat side, the split is fundamentally between the elite and the base. On the republican side, the split is in the base. For both the democrat and republican elite, there is no split – they are all in.
It is tough to keep in mind, but while the people vote for revolution (e.g. Trump three times, Bernie Sanders in 2016, Mamdani today), the elite want civil war – keep the plebes fighting against each other, and that way they won’t revolt against the elite.
Problem Solved
In the first few months of Trump’s presidency, I wrote something about not being sure what to make of Trump 2.0. The answer has become clearer to me, and not because I have deciphered his 17-D chess moves or anything like that.
When you want Thomas Massie out, and when Marjorie Taylor Greene is a traitor and resigns (read her resignation statement here, and see if this isn’t more like what people thought they voted for with Trump), and throw Rand Paul in there as some other kind of bad guy, there is no cause for confusion. The most “America First” people in congress are enemy number one for Trump.
Need more be said?
Couldn't be any clearer than what you've spelled out.
ReplyDeleteSpot on. Fr. Harry Bamires in "The Christian Mind" reminds us that loyalty is not always a virtue. He is thinking primarily of partisan political loyalty. What we are witnessing currently centers upon loyalty. For Potus, loyalty is unconditional support of Potus himself, who declared that in his person he is MAGA, just as King Louis identified himself as l'etat and Pius IX as la traditione. For Representative Massie and Senator Paul, loyalty is not exclusively to a person or to the head of the (Republican) Party but to republican principle. And that kind of loyalty involves a risk, sometimes grave (like the January 6 imprisonments), but always serious: Potus's vile character assaults on two exemplary gentlemen. Representative Greene seemed to have identified the idea animating MAGA with Potus, but learned too late that this was a costly mistake. She seems to me a genuinely good citizen, but, say, a bit naive. She has learned (as a lot of us have) the mistake she made, the unmerited trust she placed in Potus. I think that neither Mr. Massie or Sen. Paul ever had illusions about you know who. Hence, they are still willing to fight. Potus wants to be loved, whereas these gentleman want to follow the promptings of their conscience. They care little about being demeaned.
ReplyDeleteFully concur. I now avoid the MAGA distinction instead referring to myself as America First.
DeleteMany are still clinging to hope, loyal to Trump no matter what he does (or doesn't do) and despite all the whiplash sustained from his flip-flopping. Offering the useless, "give him time, the swamp runs deep" or some apologist variation. It's not lost on me that he had years to consider and VET! those would carry out the HARD tasks to hold the Left accountable.Instead and yet again taking bad advice to give us the likes of Bondi for perhaps the most critical role.
It's easy to cut to the chase. Simply follow the money.
Trump, taking no salary, will leave the White House RICHER THAN EVER and set up for even more for him, family.
No idea how long it will take my diehard MAGA pals to open their eyes to THAT data point but when they do and fully absorb, I'll be there with big hugs as I too was duped. 3x.
The Empire Struck Back
ReplyDeletethose 3 guys aren't fools to go against the steam roller. they are part of the elite as you noted, the cohort of 535, and they are inside the script, they are the hedge, the casino doesn't play blind.
ReplyDelete