It’s exactly like every other cult, in that you only hear people criticizing it after they’re out.
**[Edit]** True in general, but this article is about Adam Kinzinger, who *did* criticize Trump while still in office.
Ban-Circumcision-Now on
The cult of Donald Trump but with backing of an organization of religious extremists
ZZartin on
Well that’s what happens when your shitty policies require you to keep recruiting bigots and hate mongers to up the voter count, enjoy.
misterlakatos on
True conservatism is filled with flaws as well. One awful aspect that has come out of the rejection of MAGA by conservatives/former conservatives is the normalization of conservatism and the damage it has done to society. Liz Cheney might hate TGF/MAGA, but she will still denounce women’s rights and support things that harm millions of people.
TintedApostle on
Conservatism was designed by the aristocracy which lost its power in a republic to give it a political party to use to regain its “divine right” to rule.
It was always evil.
Spare_Philosopher893 on
But Ronald Reagan was a game show host and dementia case cult leader back in the 80s. Conservatives were always abhorrent and cult like.
The only thing that’s changed is the degree to which their masks have slipped off. When people pine for the conservatives of yore, all they mean is they miss when the mask fit better. Same evil idiots underneath the mask though.
ins0ma_ on
“Conservatives” have been wrong about everything important in the world for the past 400 years.
It’s time to move on.
FanDry5374 on
Republicans haven’t been conservative for at least the past decade. Reactionary is the correct term, “make America like it was in the 1940’s” is not conservative.
ELeeMacFall on
Oh fuck off. “True conservatism” has always been about preserving social hierarchies and making an ever-shrinking in-group wealthy at everyone else’s expense. The only difference is that the in-group has shrunk to exclude a lot more conservatives than before.
OodalollyOodalolly on
True conservatives are under the Democratic umbrella now. They have been for a while. Republicans don’t spend less. They just spend it on tax cuts for the wealthy and Bush spent it on Iraq and Afghanistan. Dem presidents balance the budget or try to.
One could argue that making healthcare and school lunches affordable is conservative in that is saves and generates untold revenue by having a a healthy, productive population. Those healthy people are more likely to work (or will grow up to work) and pay taxes instead of living on government assistance.
AlDHydeAndTheKetones on
I’m no fan of “true” conservatism, but it’s miles better than authoritarianism
greatunknownpub on
Conservatives have always been the enemy of progress. Fuck ’em.
Shido_Ohtori on
The *sole* value of conservatism is respect for and obedience to traditionally established hierarchy.
It has always — and always will be — a cult which demands that those on top [of social hierarchy] be given privileges, credibility, and resources, while those on the bottom are bound by restrictions, scrutiny, and lack of resources.
fermat9990 on
Can we name any accomplishments of conservatism?
pechinburger on
They have groomed their base to be rabid, hate-addicted, wedge issue fanatics for decades. The republicans are reaching the natural conclusion of their greedy experiment in radicalizing a base to vote for them so that they can pass economic policy only benefiting themselves and the ultra wealthy. The leopards are now eating face.
Lanolin_The_Sheep on
we’re getting to “True Conservatism has never been tried”. Face it, you’re a bunch of bigots and tax dodgers taped together with hatred. There was never a principled ideology.
Captain-Nodnarb on
Maga didn’t just happen to an innocent GOP. They welcomed the cult rhetoric of hate and fear to get votes and it created the platform for Trump. It was all good while it worked for them, but now they have to pay the price.
Environmental-Arm365 on
As conservatives go, Kinzinger seems pretty reasonable and grounded, but of course that’s all relative with republicans. It’s always been a cult with a twisted desire to abandon the ideals and sacrifice upon which American was founded in order to clear the way for a system that allows them to project their “values” alone on all the dirty unwashed masses. Trump unwittingly pulled open the curtain and exposed the GOP for the regressive, greedy, racist, misogynistic, and power hungry party they always have been.
TL;DR: The mission of the right hasn’t changed. After Trump they will slither back to the shadows and try, try, again to push American into a repressive theocratic system.
spirit-mush on
I’m not convinced conservatism is anything but a cult.
Ok-disaster2022 on
True conservatism has been replaced by regressivism. We call true conservatives “centrists” now.
I like conservatism, it helps to hold liberalism and progressive accountable. Some policy makers may be willing to base policy off of pop science articles and while we’ll intentioned can do as much harm. Forcing such a policy maker to maybe dedicate resources to confirm the results and do small scale studies for efficacy is a wiser choice. To me a conservative still moves forward, but only when everything has been confirmed and validated.
Regressivism is a return to the past, even with all the known limitations.
Because heres the thing, the DNC may finally be back on track to continue the mid century liberalism ended by Reagan. From FDR to Carter, Liberalism was the policy if the day. Even Nixon passed environmental reforms, and his Republican supreme court chief justice ruled in favor of Roe V Wade. But Nixon was a moderate conservative. Reagan was a regressive. Wanting to roll back women ls rights and civil rights.
Today the GOP doesn’t want to return to the 50s, the height if American Liberalism, with high tax rates and growing civil rights movement. They want to return to the 1880s with robber barrons, and no such thing as civil rights, women’s rights, or worker’s rights.
Designer_Buy_1650 on
A cult lead by a man that has 5 children from 3 different women, has declared bankruptcy 6 times, and has been adjudicated for millions of dollars for raping a woman. Bravo Republicans!
thepcpirate on
True conservatism hasnt been replaced, it just stopped trying to hide what it really wanted.
Sure_Quality5354 on
Let this party go the way of the whigs. They are not compatible with modern society and anyone who wants that way of life can live in russia or north korea
bsep4 on
Started with Reagan
SedativeComet on
Can’t believe it took them 8 years to realize that
Nfl_porn_throwaway on
True and real. I actually have a love of moderate views but the cult ain’t it. Leave it to the states to decide! Smaller government for sure. But shit man Republican cult is not my jam
26 Comments
It’s exactly like every other cult, in that you only hear people criticizing it after they’re out.
**[Edit]** True in general, but this article is about Adam Kinzinger, who *did* criticize Trump while still in office.
The cult of Donald Trump but with backing of an organization of religious extremists
Well that’s what happens when your shitty policies require you to keep recruiting bigots and hate mongers to up the voter count, enjoy.
True conservatism is filled with flaws as well. One awful aspect that has come out of the rejection of MAGA by conservatives/former conservatives is the normalization of conservatism and the damage it has done to society. Liz Cheney might hate TGF/MAGA, but she will still denounce women’s rights and support things that harm millions of people.
Conservatism was designed by the aristocracy which lost its power in a republic to give it a political party to use to regain its “divine right” to rule.
It was always evil.
But Ronald Reagan was a game show host and dementia case cult leader back in the 80s. Conservatives were always abhorrent and cult like.
The only thing that’s changed is the degree to which their masks have slipped off. When people pine for the conservatives of yore, all they mean is they miss when the mask fit better. Same evil idiots underneath the mask though.
“Conservatives” have been wrong about everything important in the world for the past 400 years.
It’s time to move on.
Republicans haven’t been conservative for at least the past decade. Reactionary is the correct term, “make America like it was in the 1940’s” is not conservative.
Oh fuck off. “True conservatism” has always been about preserving social hierarchies and making an ever-shrinking in-group wealthy at everyone else’s expense. The only difference is that the in-group has shrunk to exclude a lot more conservatives than before.
True conservatives are under the Democratic umbrella now. They have been for a while. Republicans don’t spend less. They just spend it on tax cuts for the wealthy and Bush spent it on Iraq and Afghanistan. Dem presidents balance the budget or try to.
One could argue that making healthcare and school lunches affordable is conservative in that is saves and generates untold revenue by having a a healthy, productive population. Those healthy people are more likely to work (or will grow up to work) and pay taxes instead of living on government assistance.
I’m no fan of “true” conservatism, but it’s miles better than authoritarianism
Conservatives have always been the enemy of progress. Fuck ’em.
The *sole* value of conservatism is respect for and obedience to traditionally established hierarchy.
It has always — and always will be — a cult which demands that those on top [of social hierarchy] be given privileges, credibility, and resources, while those on the bottom are bound by restrictions, scrutiny, and lack of resources.
Can we name any accomplishments of conservatism?
They have groomed their base to be rabid, hate-addicted, wedge issue fanatics for decades. The republicans are reaching the natural conclusion of their greedy experiment in radicalizing a base to vote for them so that they can pass economic policy only benefiting themselves and the ultra wealthy. The leopards are now eating face.
we’re getting to “True Conservatism has never been tried”. Face it, you’re a bunch of bigots and tax dodgers taped together with hatred. There was never a principled ideology.
Maga didn’t just happen to an innocent GOP. They welcomed the cult rhetoric of hate and fear to get votes and it created the platform for Trump. It was all good while it worked for them, but now they have to pay the price.
As conservatives go, Kinzinger seems pretty reasonable and grounded, but of course that’s all relative with republicans. It’s always been a cult with a twisted desire to abandon the ideals and sacrifice upon which American was founded in order to clear the way for a system that allows them to project their “values” alone on all the dirty unwashed masses. Trump unwittingly pulled open the curtain and exposed the GOP for the regressive, greedy, racist, misogynistic, and power hungry party they always have been.
TL;DR: The mission of the right hasn’t changed. After Trump they will slither back to the shadows and try, try, again to push American into a repressive theocratic system.
I’m not convinced conservatism is anything but a cult.
True conservatism has been replaced by regressivism. We call true conservatives “centrists” now.
I like conservatism, it helps to hold liberalism and progressive accountable. Some policy makers may be willing to base policy off of pop science articles and while we’ll intentioned can do as much harm. Forcing such a policy maker to maybe dedicate resources to confirm the results and do small scale studies for efficacy is a wiser choice. To me a conservative still moves forward, but only when everything has been confirmed and validated.
Regressivism is a return to the past, even with all the known limitations.
Because heres the thing, the DNC may finally be back on track to continue the mid century liberalism ended by Reagan. From FDR to Carter, Liberalism was the policy if the day. Even Nixon passed environmental reforms, and his Republican supreme court chief justice ruled in favor of Roe V Wade. But Nixon was a moderate conservative. Reagan was a regressive. Wanting to roll back women ls rights and civil rights.
Today the GOP doesn’t want to return to the 50s, the height if American Liberalism, with high tax rates and growing civil rights movement. They want to return to the 1880s with robber barrons, and no such thing as civil rights, women’s rights, or worker’s rights.
A cult lead by a man that has 5 children from 3 different women, has declared bankruptcy 6 times, and has been adjudicated for millions of dollars for raping a woman. Bravo Republicans!
True conservatism hasnt been replaced, it just stopped trying to hide what it really wanted.
Let this party go the way of the whigs. They are not compatible with modern society and anyone who wants that way of life can live in russia or north korea
Started with Reagan
Can’t believe it took them 8 years to realize that
True and real. I actually have a love of moderate views but the cult ain’t it. Leave it to the states to decide! Smaller government for sure. But shit man Republican cult is not my jam