What I continue to better understand, in the near-2 years since leaving MAGA, is just how persuasive so many conservative mythologies are, and how MAGA is the latest---but not the last---iteration of conservative mythologies.
The panic about change occurring too rapidly is much more a right-wing, than left, mythology. Name a constitutional freedom that was enacted reasonably quickly, with 1776 as the start date.
Abolition of slavery took 89 years.
Prohibiting racial discrimination to exercise the franchise: 94 years.
Women’s suffrage: 144 years.
Desegregation: 178 years.
Eliminating the poll tax to vote: 188 years.
Full vesting in democracy for Black Americans: 189 years.
Recognition of inter-racial marriage: 191 years.
Right to vote for 18-20 year-olds: 195 years.
Right to marriage for gay Americans: 239 years.
Which of these freedoms happened quickly? None. But our Homo sapiens species is averse to change; thus, we perceive changes happening around us as moving too fast for our liking. Anti-Black racists, homophobes, misogynists, etc., have long exploited this perception, and always will. If one is inculcated enough that the America of yesteryear was our apogee of greatness, one will perpetually feel desperate and panicked; equality will be viewed as preferential legal treatment.
And it’s important to note that even though these freedoms became enshrined in law, they were, nonetheless, challenged (with some continuing to be challenged).
There is a mass denial within conservatism over their culpability in empowering the forces that produced Trump and MAGA. Not saying the Democrats don’t share some blame, but it is not equal to conservatives. The majority of conservatives are older, White, and 60s and older. There is a prevailing belief that because they voted for Reagan and the Bushes (and McCain and Romney) that, somehow, they are exempt from any culpability from the rise of MAGA.
Conservatism has begun to realize that while it’s not wholly incompatible with liberal democracy, over time, conservatism accedes to liberal democracy (usually unwillingly). Retaining power from minoritarian rule and reduced voting access doesn’t mean conservatism has majority support. (I might also add gerrymandering; although, both parties do it—yes, GOP does it more—and, there is some data to suggest that gerrymandering is a wash between both parties.)
Most Republicans and conservatives are good people; just as most MAGA Americans are. But Republicans and conservatives seem to be collectively very naïve/oblivious to—or in denial over—whatever vulnerabilities the GOP had, which made it easier for MAGA to overtake the party.
In hindsight, one of the reasons I never really viewed myself as conservative was because "Make America Great Again" was not nostalgic for me; if one is attracted to obliterating the established political order—as I was—conservation is in polar opposition.
Why are so many Republicans so shocked that MAGA has overtaken their party? Answering that question is a gateway; perhaps MAGA, conservatism and the GOP are much more similar than these good Republicans/conservatives want to acknowledge.
From a sales and marketing approach, the question conservatism can’t cogently answer is: what is it that you are asking Americans to buy? What is the product?
Conservatives are staring into their own abyss, and will need to take responsibility for the fact that the GOP, and many of the candidates they supported, were the precursors to MAGA.
A reckoning of conservatism is imminent, whether conservatives want to accept that, or not. The foundation of conservatism isn't principled; it's gelatinous.
The first set of mythologies we buy into—more than historical or political ones—are our own; and because we are so heavily invested in our own mythologies, seeing what is in front of us (and how the past led to the present) requires a constant struggle.
The mythology of conservatism is: who are really the conservative icons of the last half-century? Goldwater. Nixon. Reagan. Gingrich. Trump. Is Trump the worst of these? Yes. But there are *enough* similarities between all of them. If one wants to argue that Nixon, Reagan, et al. were more different than similar, fine; I think that’s a nuanced argument, but let’s say more different, than similar. Yes, certain blind spots and mythologies amongst the Democrats paved some of the way for MAGA, but LBJ, Carter, Clinton, Obama and Biden were nowhere near as culpable as has been conservatism.
There have been many conservatives rebrands over the last many years:
Morning in America -- Reagan
A Thousand Points of Light -- first President Bush
The Counter Counterculture
The Gingrich Revolution
Compassionate conservatism (the best of the rebrands)
Young Guns
Tea party/soccer moms
Job creators-- Mitt Romey
MAGA
But all are constructed to appeal to the minority of Americans.
American conservatism is a minority belief system. It still has a strong grip because the GOP has done an effective job at consolidating minority rule power; funding numerous state elections; and installing right-wing federal judges/Justices.
The fact that MAGA could be so easily subsumed into the GOP shows that the party wasn’t really guided by any principles. Conservatism, in my view, is simply too close for comfort with MAGA, and the association inseparable.
There has long been a desperate dread amongst conservatives that their grip was weakening. Because the public is mostly apolitical, conservatism has been a zombie, and never quite been killed. At this moment, that dread is more acute than ever, because I do think a lot of conservatives are expecting to be electorally routed next year, especially because of young and single-issue voters.
Conservatism, despite its malleable foundation, has succeeded in pushing the Democrats more toward the center/center-right. I always point out that Bill Clinton wanted to "make America great again”; the mythologies of a liberal press; the Democrats have moved more left; etc. are objectively incorrect. But trauma and relative objectivity are always in conflict.
What conservatism sees as “changes,” everyone else sees as progress.
Conservatism and right-wing politics are inextricably linked. The wager the right-wing made—in America, or anywhere—is that not enough will realize what’s happening until it’s too late.
In the short-term, the GOP must be electorally mercy-killed. Come Nov., I do believe the GOP will be historically repudiated. This is the potential good news.
Realistically, however, victory doesn’t conquer the right-wing machine, because it never goes away, and has never relented.
The right-wing/GOP/MAGA are all interchangeable; separate heads of a singular hydra. The right-wing is wholly shameless, and it’s difficult to compete against the shameless. Something I came to understand so well, as an ex-MAGA activist who left, now empowering others to leave, is: most politicians stretch the truth, and sometimes lie. Lying is the oxygen of the right-wing; they lie so breathlessly frequently, eventually, others—not inclined to support right-wing ideas—slowly, and unsuspectingly, find themselves believing some of the lies.
Many decades ago, the right-wing saw the imminent demographic changes, and knew that if they had to compete solely on democracy, they’d go the way of the dinosaurs. Thus, they built an activist, media, legislative and judicial apparatus; and they’ve had, proportionally speaking, a lot more success than the left. The left also saw the imminent demographic changes, but thought that would be enough to defeat the right-wing. Clearly, the left was wrong.
So, who, really, is the conservative right-wing? How do they function? Who are its leaders?
It’s comprised of “behind the curtain” activists who have made Faustian bargains in the name of permanent minoritarian rule: Leonard Leo, who heads The Federalist Society; The Leadership Institute; The Council for National Policy; Hillsdale College; the Heritage Foundation (the creator of The 2025 Project); the Manhattan Institute; Turning Point USA, and the Claremont Institute, amongst some others. These groups craft the product of the right-wing mythologies, which have traumatized MAGA Americans, and kept them desperate and panicked.
The “behind the curtain” influencers are really the ones whose activism shapes our lives at home and work, personally and professionally: the judiciary (state, federal and Supreme Court), state congressional lines, and the training of activists. The product is mostly the same, with each organization assuming a specialty.
Every product needs salespeople and marketers: needed are politicians and pundits who are most obsequious and willing to say anything, irrespective of how absurd and outlandish it is.
And who’s the best sales/marketer of all? Trump. He’s not, however, the only one. Within right-wing media, those such as Steve Bannon, Alex Jones and Tucker Carlson, as examples, tend to originate points that appear on Fox; Fox can amplify them more than the others can, because its bandwidth is simply more massive. Trump and these MAGA pundits have never had an original thought. Ever. The MAGA influencers take their cues from those behind the curtain—not the other way around.
It’s faster to count times when Trump hasn’t lied, than when he has.
The left and right say the same about each other: the opposition is always united; always sticks together, etc. Yes, there is some overlap, but one mythology is that the left has played the long-game superior to the right; this is provably incorrect. Identifying these organizations isn’t a conspiracy theory, but it’s accurate to say they conspire, and never take days off.
Organizationally conservatism and moneyed interests have incestuous relationships. The MAGA/right-wing playbook is quite predictable, once one scouts MAGA.
Those who gravitated to MAGA based on lies can take responsibility, and also learn, as I did, that falling prey to these traumatic mythologies says much more about the liars than it does we. I did gravitate to MAGA based on some lies, but the lies were more influential after the 2016 election. As much as this may seem illogical, MAGA Americans don’t take into consideration Trump’s general election chances; they stand with him because he is their Golden Calf, Christ-like martyr. Succumbing to conservative mythologies does not make someone unintelligent, or a bad person; admitting mistakes empowers ourselves, our communities and America.
Moving forward, we hope for—but cannot depend on—left-leaning groups and our national press to devote resources to edifying the public about the nefarious and pernicious motives of the right-wing. MAGA is the latest—but not the last—of its iterations.
Education and empathy are how grassroots activists and journalists can push back against the right-wing, who are omnipresent and persistent. Our nonviolent offenses will counter trauma, desperation and panic with empathy; will counter lies with education and patience.
Knowledge is emancipating. Ignorance is oppression.
Looking forward to reading your book. Thank you.
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