Jonah Goldberg: Why the ‘Cult of Trump’ Has Taken Hold

National Review ^ | February 7, 2018 | Jonah Goldberg

[EveningStar]

... Liberals roll their eyes at the claim that President Obama violated democratic norms or abused his power. But putting aside the specific arguments, conservatives saw plenty of abuses and violations, from the IRS scandals and Benghazi to the Iran deal. Obama said many times he couldn’t unilaterally implement the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program because he wasn’t a “king.” Then he did it anyway.

And the process repeats itself, getting worse and more egregious each time. When I criticize Trump, the first response from countless Republicans is, “Oh yeah, why was it okay for Obama!?” If I point out it wasn’t and that I said as much, they switch gears to how we need a fighter who gets things done and doesn’t care about the “old rules.” ...

Yes, there is a cult of Trump. But that’s because we have a cult of the presidency in this country. It infects not just our understanding of the office, but of the person holding it. When Obama acted like a king — by his own definition — liberals cheered, because their loyalty was to the man, not the office. It’s getting worse with Trump, but this dynamic has been getting worse for decades. And I suspect it won’t improve much when he’s gone.

[sargon]

What balderdash from Goldberg. President Trump is undoing all of the "Cult of Obama" EO's. He's rescinding much of Obama's abuses. And somehow he's acting "the same as Obama"?

I don't see where President Trump is abusing his Executive power—and I don't see Jonah Goldberg citing any valid examples of it either.

Jonah Goldberg is as full of sh!t as the day is long. More reactionary National Review #NeverTrump tripe...

[Pelham]

Eff you, Jonah.

If not for your mommy’s influence you would have had to get a real job.

[central_va]

President Trump is the titular head of a pro America movement. It is not a Trump cult it is an America first cult. Jonah is an idiot.

[Louis Foxwell]

Aberrant nonsense.

[tennmountainman]

This NeverTrumper always sounds like a broken record.

[central_va]

Globalist Free Traitors™ are a cult and they falsely call themselves Conservatives. Explain that.

[Pelham]

bump

[Luke21]

Don’t waste your time. I meant Lucianne.com is better, not National Review, and Jonah plain sucks.

[sargon]

I went over to NR and read this entire piece from Goldberg.Just as I though, he doesn't bother to cite any examples of President Trump abusing his power. And he mentions things like "the tribal belief that the other party is an existential enemy that will do anything".

Has Jonah not been paying attention to what's been going on for the last two years? Is he not aware of the fact that the Democrats, Hillary, and Obama have been willing to do anything, and that they and the Deep State are an "existential enemy".

Is this f-cking moron really that blind to the criminality coming from the Swamp and Deep State? Thatwe're headed straight towards civil war?

Is this kind of naive tripe the best that National Review can muster?

My God! These fools really don't understand what's at stake here, do they? They think this is some kind of game.

Jonah Goldberg exposes himself as more of an intellectual dwarf with every article he writes.

Do us a favor, Jonah. Just join the Democrat Party and be done with it, because you don't belong with the Deplorables...

[jospehm20]

I don’t think he turned, he always was a douche. This is the guy that Trump said doesn’t even know how to buy pants back in 2015.

[abclily]

Jonah doesn’t know much history, or he would recognize that Trump is our Winston Churchill. Jonah should be ashamed of himself.

[Maris Crane]

I think Jonah is desperate to have people read his drivel.

And I just fell into the trap.

[bagster]

Ya, I was trying to be sly. My point was, and I did read the entire article after I posted, that Goldberg listed a couple of Obama's unconstitutional abuses of power. He failed, however to list any of the Donald's while accusing him of the same behavior.

These anti-Trumpers do this constantly. They just say stuff without any backup for it. It's getting old.

[Fiji Hill]

All of that stuff about Trump being a “fighter” who “counterpunches” and isn’t “politically correct” is...this attitude is not new to the GOP, nor to our politics generally.

For Republicans, this attitude might not be new, but it's been missing for a generation. Ronald Reagan was the last real fighter we had in the White House. The Bushes rarely fought hard or counter-punched, and they made sure to stay "politically correct."

[tennmountainman]

Speaking of Nevertrumpers, what ever happened to that lard ass
Erick Erickson?

[ExTxMarine]

Goldberg is part of a camp that simply can’t cope that their (odd) brand of Republican conservatism (exemplified by Bush, Dole, Bush, McCain, Romney, Rubio, etc.) has a busted hand and it doesn’t look like they are going to have a comeback anytime soon.

Goldbrick and the other "kinder, gentler Republican" partiers - you know, Democrat-lite or Republican Globalism (versus Democrat Globalism) - are just like SOCIALISTS!
Our system will work, it just hasn't been implemented correctly yet!

BOVINE EXCREMENT!

The problem with Democrat-lite is or Republican Globalism is that it always fails for the AMERICANS! Bush I was all about the One World Order: let's all come together and bend America over the barrel! Bush II, did just enough to seem tough, all the while spending my great, great grand-kids into debt! I didn't mention the stupidity of Clinton and Obama, because we KNOW where their loyalties lie: money and Muslims, respectively!

The reason people support Trump is because he genuinely seems like he actually LOVES America and Americans! What a surprise that Americans could support such a President?!?

[Steve_Seattle]

"There are cults everywhere. They just don’t belong in conservatism."

The "cult" of Trump is opposed by many traditional conservatives, by the Democrats, and by the vast majority of the media. Hence, it operates under severe restrictions.

But charismatic Democrats - which Obama was said to be, though I personally couldn't see it - do not have the restraints imposed by a skeptical press. Hence, for the past thirty years, the press has portrayed every Democratic nominee - and his/her spouse - as the smartest, coolest, most fashionable, most noble people on earth. THAT is the "cult" I fear.

[Steve_Seattle]

"the tribal belief that the other party is an existential enemy that will do anything"

Is Goldberg unaware that that is exactly the position taken by the DEMOCRATS for the past thirty years?

[RegulatorCountry]

Is Goldberg aware that this is exactly how he views Donald Trump?

[Hostage]

Jonah has become too full of himself.

He has all the answers, just ask him and watch him weave answers for everything.