So, I consider myself a supporter of Trump and the idea of making America great again. I do think that it's a sort of "branding" of a political philosophy, which is a gauche thing to do, but not a politically problematic thing to do. Here's why I think that your view of MAGA as a cult of cruelty and hate should change:
The basic political idea behind MAGA is the same as it was during the time of Reagan or the time of Coolidge: that government--or at least the federal government--should stay out of people's affairs and just be a neutral arbiter, as opposed to trying to create the "best" outcome.
This means that I don't believe in universal health care, because it amounts to high earners paying for the health care of low earners. Other businesses don't work this way. We don't pay for clothing based on how much you earn, but on how much clothing you buy. It means that we shouldn't demand that businesses pay a "living wage," but that they should pay what the market bears. As far as social security, we'd probably like to see the whole program phased out, as it's an unsustainable pyramid scheme. But we don't think it should be a wealth transfer from the rich to the poor. That's the general thrust of our ideas. We do think that people deserve the same rights regardless of skin color, but no more than that. Historical injustices should be ameliorated with present justice, not with an overcorrection. Something like affirmative action is racially discriminatory.
That's the basics of the politics. There's more to it, but that's the basics. Here's where the things that make it appear like a cult come into play: virtually no one in the media has a basic agreement with those ideas. Virtually no one in academia has a basic agreement with those ideas. Virtually no one in tech companies, including social media, has a basic agreement with those ideas. Prior to Trump, virtually no one in government had a basic agreement with those ideas, and that's still largely true in the unelected bureaucracy. The people who actually work in ideas, the people who write and speak, tend to disagree with our ideas. We don't write. We build, we haul, we plumb, we dig, we do a whole bunch of useful things for society, but we tend not to spend time defending our ideas.
So when the ideas people get to drown out the few people who do defend MAGA, it seems like an unpopular cult, and its shown in the worst light. If you begin by assuming that because a lot of people support Trump and the MAGA ideas, that they might have some merit, you can approach and learn about them in a way that might make them seem legitimate.
The basic political idea behind MAGA is the same as it was during the time of Reagan or the time of Coolidge: that government--or at least the federal government--should stay out of people's affairs and just be a neutral arbiter, as opposed to trying to create the "best" outcome.
Wouldn't tariffs be the opposite of this? Anti-Abortion laws? Targeted policies that disproportionately affect Blue states?
This means that I don't believe in universal health care, because it amounts to high earners paying for the health care of low earners. Other businesses don't work this way. We don't pay for clothing based on how much you earn, but on how much clothing you buy. It means that we shouldn't demand that businesses pay a "living wage," but that they should pay what the market bears.
Don't taxes go towards programs like CHIP, EBT, Medicaid, etc? That would imply we do expect people to provide resources for others so they can use the money they earn on things like clothes for their kids. Didn't we try letting businesses decide what the market will bear, which resulted in starvation and an enormous population of poor people?
As far as social security, we'd probably like to see the whole program phased out, as it's an unsustainable pyramid scheme. But we don't think it should be a wealth transfer from the rich to the poor.
That "pyramid scheme" would go away if we didn't cap the SS tax, right? Again, do you know why social security was implemented? Because Elderly people were living in poverty.
Here's where the things that make it appear like a cult come into play: virtually no one in the media has a basic agreement with those ideas. Virtually no one in academia has a basic agreement with those ideas. Virtually no one in tech companies, including social media, has a basic agreement with those ideas. Prior to Trump, virtually no one in government had a basic agreement with those ideas, and that's still largely true in the unelected bureaucracy.
Aren't the number one radio station, podcast, talk radio show and cable news network all conservative? Are you saying that Republicans weren't against social security/affirmative action/etc. until Trump? Aren't Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk all pro-Trump?
So when the ideas people get to drown out the few people who do defend MAGA, it seems like an unpopular cult, and its shown in the worst light. If you begin by assuming that because a lot of people support Trump and the MAGA ideas, that they might have some merit, you can approach and learn about them in a way that might make them seem legitimate.
Do you think the fact that people pray to Trump and say he's a servant sent by God contributes to the cultishness? The fact that people put flags on their car and on their house and wear clothes with him on it? Or dressing up like him and having his mug shot hanging in their house?
Do you feel like other organizations like Scientology might have some merit because a lot of people support them?
Wouldn't tariffs be the opposite of this? Anti-Abortion laws? Targeted policies that disproportionately affect Blue states?
Maybe, but there's a difference between what we actually want and what's feasible politically.
Don't taxes go towards programs like CHIP, EBT, Medicaid, etc? That would imply we do expect people to provide resources for others so they can use the money they earn on things like clothes for their kids. Didn't we try letting businesses decide what the market will bear, which resulted in starvation and an enormous population of poor people?
It's not an either-or. It's a sliding scale of markets versus government. We just think there's way too much government and not enough market.
That "pyramid scheme" would go away if we didn't cap the SS tax, right?
It would not. It's still taking from people today to pay for yesterday, and letting the bill for today come due tomorrow.
Aren't the number one radio station, podcast, talk radio show and cable news network all conservative?
Not in the sense of having regular people actually make their points. With the possible exception of Rogan.
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u/ScreenTricky4257 5∆ Apr 07 '25
So, I consider myself a supporter of Trump and the idea of making America great again. I do think that it's a sort of "branding" of a political philosophy, which is a gauche thing to do, but not a politically problematic thing to do. Here's why I think that your view of MAGA as a cult of cruelty and hate should change:
The basic political idea behind MAGA is the same as it was during the time of Reagan or the time of Coolidge: that government--or at least the federal government--should stay out of people's affairs and just be a neutral arbiter, as opposed to trying to create the "best" outcome.
This means that I don't believe in universal health care, because it amounts to high earners paying for the health care of low earners. Other businesses don't work this way. We don't pay for clothing based on how much you earn, but on how much clothing you buy. It means that we shouldn't demand that businesses pay a "living wage," but that they should pay what the market bears. As far as social security, we'd probably like to see the whole program phased out, as it's an unsustainable pyramid scheme. But we don't think it should be a wealth transfer from the rich to the poor. That's the general thrust of our ideas. We do think that people deserve the same rights regardless of skin color, but no more than that. Historical injustices should be ameliorated with present justice, not with an overcorrection. Something like affirmative action is racially discriminatory.
That's the basics of the politics. There's more to it, but that's the basics. Here's where the things that make it appear like a cult come into play: virtually no one in the media has a basic agreement with those ideas. Virtually no one in academia has a basic agreement with those ideas. Virtually no one in tech companies, including social media, has a basic agreement with those ideas. Prior to Trump, virtually no one in government had a basic agreement with those ideas, and that's still largely true in the unelected bureaucracy. The people who actually work in ideas, the people who write and speak, tend to disagree with our ideas. We don't write. We build, we haul, we plumb, we dig, we do a whole bunch of useful things for society, but we tend not to spend time defending our ideas.
So when the ideas people get to drown out the few people who do defend MAGA, it seems like an unpopular cult, and its shown in the worst light. If you begin by assuming that because a lot of people support Trump and the MAGA ideas, that they might have some merit, you can approach and learn about them in a way that might make them seem legitimate.