Quote:
Originally Posted by 81MC
And conservatives aren’t on the cusp of a nazi regime.
The general hyperbole and inflammatory terms are thrown towards the right far more.
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Conservatives are not. And I think it’s very important to point out that conservatism is not inherently or even naturally a fascist ideology.
But Trump isn’t really a true conservative either. He is a “Trumpist.” We have seen what “Trumpism” is for the past 4 years. It’s a vehicle for voicing aggrieved white male aggression, and giving voice and credence to the most bizarre conspiracy theories as well as the vilest racists in American society. And it is an ideology that rejects majority rule and the very concept of checks and balances on executive power and on whether an executive abuses that power. It also rejects the notion that the executive branch should be in any way separate from the judiciary or from the LAW enforcement branches of government—and if that last one doesn’t scare you, you weren’t paying attention in high school social studies class.
And to make all of that worse, Trump is undeniably dangerous to small d democratic values, and his all but open calling to violence and unrest if he loses is an incredibly toxic mix. And he does show signs of openly wanting to undermine the key democratic norms that underpin liberal democracy (one of which is peaceful transfer of power; another is securing access to the ballot for those legally entitled to vote).
Now what does all of that add up to? For me, that doesn’t look like “conservatism”. For one thing it’s way too radical. It reimagines the social order with Trump as a strongman at its Center who can act with total authority and absolute immunity. He has not yet succeeded in bringing that about, but we KNOW he wants to because he says so. He has been saying the quiet part out loud for FOUR YEARS!
That is why many conservatives are actually voting against Trump. It’s why the Lincoln Project opposes him. It’s why Michael Steele, former chairman of the GOP, opposes Trump. It’s why arch-conservative David Frum opposes Trump. It’s why Bill Kristol hates and rejects Trumpism.
The reason is pretty simple. True conservatives reject fascism, including this sort of nascent not-yet-fully-realized proto-fascism. I hope enough of them see who Trump is to make the right choice for the American democracy. Polls suggest they do but we will see, starting today.
This election, to me, is not about conservative vs liberal ideology. It is about restoring normal operations in one of the largest and most influential democratic societies (yes, I know it’s a “Republic..”) in the world, and stemming the tide of extremist politics that is happening throughout the west.
That’s why it’s not hyperbole to say that American democracy is on the ballot. It really and truly is.