This is important information and should be widely read for understanding the direction we seem to be headed in should the malign forces so desirous of this goal, win. That said, I wish this were more brief; more condensed so that eyes wouldn’t glaze over a third of the way through. I’m retired and have nothing better to do than read every word here but that is me. I know my history. I’ve lived quite a bit of it but others don’t and haven’t yet and I fear that the very ones who need to have this knowledge would scroll on by and miss what is written here.
This is just my observation. Make of it as you will. I have it filed to refer to later.
We certainly agree with you that a publication interested in defending liberalism and opposing illiberalism can't just publish long essays and that's it. I mean, they *can*, but they won't be very effective. Full agreement there. But that's why we're invested in a number of different formats and channels: short articles, longreads, short video clips, longer video essays, longform audio discussions, short audio clips, social media threads, etc.
My personal preference, like you, is the substantive essay. But, as you noted, that's not everyone's cup of tea.
For what it’s worth, I usually love the long form essays. I also just followed the podcast on Apple. The writers here are first rate. I’ve just ended two of my other paid substacks subscriptions so I can finally afford to contribute here. Thanks for all your hard work!
Spreading lies and conspiracy theories as a way of life, scapegoating refugees and transexuals, cult of personality, supporting armed militias, supporting and encouraging mass resentment, calling for internment camps for undesirables, destroying the rule of law and weaponizing the justice system, advocating violence and the worship of power: I call it fascism.
I usually appreciate academic perspectives but this seems like an unnecessary and unproductive exercise in splitting hairs. As a legal (not that it matters) Muslim immigrant from a country that Trump would categorize as a place only suited for depositing excrement, all this seems ridiculous.
If Trump prevails in the election and makes Stephen Miller the head of DHS. And Miller sends troops to my door to determine if I should be deported, the first thing on my mind will not be to ask them “Hey, can you please clarify if you think your leader is a “populist fascist” or someone who considers himself to be more of an “Orbanist” because I really want to get the semantics correct in my memoir about the camps”
If he ends up caving to the religious zealots in his party and enacts an abortion ban so my niece is denied treatment for her ectopic pregnancy and ends up bleeding in a hospital parking lot, I doubt she’ll be wondering if it’s accurate to describe Trump’s goals as “totalitarian” in nature.
So please forgive me for not spending more time trying to discover the most precise definition of Trumpism. Let me know when you’ve concluded the debate and settled on an answer. In the meantime, I’ll continue to call it what I always have - “madness” and I’ll be busy spending the remaining 49 days making sure the man who unleashed the madness does not get re-elected. Thanks ;)
So good to hear from someone who faces the actual existential threat of a Trump regime. You have put it perfectly. So many of us who are talking about the theoretical threat of Trump are living in the privileged sphere of male whiteness for whom the threat may be inconvenient but mostly abstract.
I found it bizarre during the debate when searching for a leader who thinks Trump is great he fell back on Orban as his recommendation. Granted a lot of the audience hadn't a clue who Orban was but anyone slightly aware of his rule in Hungary could only drop their jaw at the level of self-unawareness that Trump was revealing in the moment.
Orbanism is the closest thing to Trumpism because as Tucker Carlson understands it is the most "marketable" for of illiberalism to the American public. Full fledged fascism just has too many economic consequences for our market economy to be put in place.
I have always thought that Trump himself stylistically was closer to Mussolini than Hitler. His fascism is more performative than real. His supporters are not racially pure and though they may be manipulated by Christian nationalism most of them have no deep religious faith. They are often libertarian nihilists.
The Heritage Foundation is the thing which alarms me most and comes closest to an organized authoritarian threat against America. Trump will do whatever he thinks will make him look good and bolsters his ego and self image. Heritage is populated with plenty of sycophants and faltterers to make them singularly influential ina future Trump regime.
What another ridiculous, biased, self inflating article that completely ignores the authoritarian tendencies and already successful authoritarian accomplishments of the left, who
- locked people down against their will ruining millions of lives
- lied abut the severity of Covid
- coerced people into taking an experimental drug they didn't want and many didn't need
- lied about the Hunter Biden Laptop story and affected the outcome of the 2020 election
- violated the 1st amendment and censored the free speech of Americans by suppressing truths spoken by experts about the pandemic and pushed lies for political gain
And all you people can do is pretend Trump is the evil one.
The general public sees through it all and that awareness of the Left's lies and lack of accountability increases every single day. This is why the Zuckerbergs and the Cuomos are apologizing to Trump, because they know that accountability is coming.
This publication is just a Left wing propaganda publication with almost no credibility. Maybe it'll take a 3rd assassination attempt on Trump before the Left realizes they're inciting the general public against a presidential candidate?
If Trump is guilty of J6, the DNC is guilty of inciting two assassination attempts.
Seems like some guy is livid that anyone dare even 😱… criticise his dear leader. So all they can do is to deflect with whataboutisms based on dubious claims with virtually no substantiation.
Not everyone who doesn’t fantasise about giving blowjobs to your supreme leader 24/7 is a “leftist”.
You need to reread my post. It's not in support of Trump, it's critical of the Left.
So the Left is guilty of all of these heinous crimes against humanity, democracy and freedom of speech, and all you can do is argue with a random on the internet about it?
This is important information and should be widely read for understanding the direction we seem to be headed in should the malign forces so desirous of this goal, win. That said, I wish this were more brief; more condensed so that eyes wouldn’t glaze over a third of the way through. I’m retired and have nothing better to do than read every word here but that is me. I know my history. I’ve lived quite a bit of it but others don’t and haven’t yet and I fear that the very ones who need to have this knowledge would scroll on by and miss what is written here.
This is just my observation. Make of it as you will. I have it filed to refer to later.
Thank you, sincerely, for reading.
We certainly agree with you that a publication interested in defending liberalism and opposing illiberalism can't just publish long essays and that's it. I mean, they *can*, but they won't be very effective. Full agreement there. But that's why we're invested in a number of different formats and channels: short articles, longreads, short video clips, longer video essays, longform audio discussions, short audio clips, social media threads, etc.
My personal preference, like you, is the substantive essay. But, as you noted, that's not everyone's cup of tea.
For what it’s worth, I usually love the long form essays. I also just followed the podcast on Apple. The writers here are first rate. I’ve just ended two of my other paid substacks subscriptions so I can finally afford to contribute here. Thanks for all your hard work!
A very objective and insightful text regarding political theory and behaviours. Thanks!
Spreading lies and conspiracy theories as a way of life, scapegoating refugees and transexuals, cult of personality, supporting armed militias, supporting and encouraging mass resentment, calling for internment camps for undesirables, destroying the rule of law and weaponizing the justice system, advocating violence and the worship of power: I call it fascism.
I usually appreciate academic perspectives but this seems like an unnecessary and unproductive exercise in splitting hairs. As a legal (not that it matters) Muslim immigrant from a country that Trump would categorize as a place only suited for depositing excrement, all this seems ridiculous.
If Trump prevails in the election and makes Stephen Miller the head of DHS. And Miller sends troops to my door to determine if I should be deported, the first thing on my mind will not be to ask them “Hey, can you please clarify if you think your leader is a “populist fascist” or someone who considers himself to be more of an “Orbanist” because I really want to get the semantics correct in my memoir about the camps”
If he ends up caving to the religious zealots in his party and enacts an abortion ban so my niece is denied treatment for her ectopic pregnancy and ends up bleeding in a hospital parking lot, I doubt she’ll be wondering if it’s accurate to describe Trump’s goals as “totalitarian” in nature.
So please forgive me for not spending more time trying to discover the most precise definition of Trumpism. Let me know when you’ve concluded the debate and settled on an answer. In the meantime, I’ll continue to call it what I always have - “madness” and I’ll be busy spending the remaining 49 days making sure the man who unleashed the madness does not get re-elected. Thanks ;)
So good to hear from someone who faces the actual existential threat of a Trump regime. You have put it perfectly. So many of us who are talking about the theoretical threat of Trump are living in the privileged sphere of male whiteness for whom the threat may be inconvenient but mostly abstract.
Thanks so much for contributing.
Another great read!
I found it bizarre during the debate when searching for a leader who thinks Trump is great he fell back on Orban as his recommendation. Granted a lot of the audience hadn't a clue who Orban was but anyone slightly aware of his rule in Hungary could only drop their jaw at the level of self-unawareness that Trump was revealing in the moment.
Orbanism is the closest thing to Trumpism because as Tucker Carlson understands it is the most "marketable" for of illiberalism to the American public. Full fledged fascism just has too many economic consequences for our market economy to be put in place.
I have always thought that Trump himself stylistically was closer to Mussolini than Hitler. His fascism is more performative than real. His supporters are not racially pure and though they may be manipulated by Christian nationalism most of them have no deep religious faith. They are often libertarian nihilists.
The Heritage Foundation is the thing which alarms me most and comes closest to an organized authoritarian threat against America. Trump will do whatever he thinks will make him look good and bolsters his ego and self image. Heritage is populated with plenty of sycophants and faltterers to make them singularly influential ina future Trump regime.
What another ridiculous, biased, self inflating article that completely ignores the authoritarian tendencies and already successful authoritarian accomplishments of the left, who
- locked people down against their will ruining millions of lives
- lied abut the severity of Covid
- coerced people into taking an experimental drug they didn't want and many didn't need
- lied about the Hunter Biden Laptop story and affected the outcome of the 2020 election
- violated the 1st amendment and censored the free speech of Americans by suppressing truths spoken by experts about the pandemic and pushed lies for political gain
And all you people can do is pretend Trump is the evil one.
The general public sees through it all and that awareness of the Left's lies and lack of accountability increases every single day. This is why the Zuckerbergs and the Cuomos are apologizing to Trump, because they know that accountability is coming.
This publication is just a Left wing propaganda publication with almost no credibility. Maybe it'll take a 3rd assassination attempt on Trump before the Left realizes they're inciting the general public against a presidential candidate?
If Trump is guilty of J6, the DNC is guilty of inciting two assassination attempts.
Seems like some guy is livid that anyone dare even 😱… criticise his dear leader. So all they can do is to deflect with whataboutisms based on dubious claims with virtually no substantiation.
Not everyone who doesn’t fantasise about giving blowjobs to your supreme leader 24/7 is a “leftist”.
You need to reread my post. It's not in support of Trump, it's critical of the Left.
So the Left is guilty of all of these heinous crimes against humanity, democracy and freedom of speech, and all you can do is argue with a random on the internet about it?
Sounds about right these days.