MAGA Is Nothing Without Trump

The New York Times ^ | Sept. 8, 2024, 6:00 a.m. ET | David French

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I spent the Labor Day weekend in Chicago, America’s greatest summer city. Sunday afternoon in particular was glorious. The temperatures were moderate, the skies were clear and the tourist sections of the city were teeming with happy Pearl Jam fans who’d just attended Saturday’s concert at Wrigley Field. My wife and I took our grandchildren to Navy Pier to visit the Chicago Children’s Museum, and as we walked back toward Michigan Avenue we saw the same sight we see every time we visit Chicago — an impressive, towering skyscraper with the name “Trump” emblazoned in immense letters across the building’s facade.

I was reminded once again that Donald Trump is a singular figure in American politics. There is no one like him, and that means that no one can replace him. While it’s always perilous to make predictions about American politics — or anything else about the future — here’s one that I’m almost certain is correct: If Donald Trump loses in 2024, MAGA will fade. He is the irreplaceable key to its success.

Last month, I wrote a column that generated intense blowback on the right because I argued that as a pro-life conservative I am voting for Kamala Harris. That was controversial enough, but what really seemed to make people angry was one of my stated motivations: that I am voting for Harris to try to save conservatism from MAGA. Defeating Trump, I said, gives conservative Americans a chance to “build something decent from the ruins of a party that was once a force for genuine good in American life.”

The MAGA response was, in essence, you’re fooling yourself. Trump or no Trump, we own the party now.

[Eccl 10:2]

And they thought conservative news was dead after Rush died.

The seeds Rush planted grew into Tucker, Shapiro, Megyn Kelly, and dozens of others.

MAGA is just getting started. Truth will win out in the end.

[IncPen]

A New York Times effete sniffs around the fringes of the unwashed peasants, finds them lacking and repairs to the club fainting couch to recount the horror, deigning to offer ‘suggestions’ for improvement.

Meanwhile the MAGA proletariat look on this creature knowing that if his wish comes true, so will everyone else’s.

[RedMonqey]

French is right in that Trump is irreplaceable but we also said that about Ronald Reagan.
Both are irreplaceable and both will/have left their mark upon America!

[EnderWiggin1970]

Trump is old, and will pass from the scene in 4 years at the most. We had better be cultivating other leaders for the next generation or we will be stuck with fake choices between the far-leftist and the slightly less far leftist leadership choices we were given prior to 2016.

French is delusional, insofar as most Trump voters are strong supporters of MAGA, not being forced into supporting its effort to restore freedom and a constitutional republic.

[jeffersondem]

As far as that goes, who will run the democrat party when Satan is bound and tossed?

I wouldn’t change places with today’s democrats.

[chajin]

This is like living in 1785 and saying that American independence is nothing without Washington.

Or living in 1963 and saying that the Civil Rights movement is nothing without MLK.

Or for that matter that the growth of Christianity is nothing without the earthly Jesus.

There is a spirit to American independence, embodied in Washington but lived out by Americans, particularly MAGA Americans. There was a spirit to the civil rights movement, embodied by MLK but lived out by Americans who fight today’s discrimination, eradication, and institutionalism, instead judging by the content of the character. And Jesus Himself said that He had to leave in order for the Spirit to come and fill those who would be His disciples.

Or to quote a famous movie line, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”

[McGavin999]

MAGA is a movement, they even attempt to kill him it will just become stronger, bolder, more prominent than ever. They are stupid people.

[joe fonebone]

What all the people you mentioned have failed to grasp is....
We are now fully awake, and we know what these people are and what they represent.
We need to chase away those that think like them.
They are now self identifying.
Now that we can easily identify them, it’s easy to remove them from the equasion. We need the willpower to do this.
The solution is to simply not vote for them.
Ever.

[CFW]

There is no one I see on the horizon at the moment that can keep the MAGA movement going after Trump unless it is JD Vance. But he can’t fall for the “reach across the aisle b.s.” and keep the MAGA movement going at the same time. We will see.

No other GOP representative that I can think of can do it. I had hopes for Chip Roy and a couple of others, but they all quickly got in line when the GOP leadership insisted they do so. Too many are afraid of both GOP elders and media criticism.

[Karoo]

“There is no one like him, and that means that no one can replace him.”

Billy Graham, Rush Limbaugh, Churchill, Reagan.....

there are others that cannot be replaced.

So glad I have lived during these times.

I like to think on these things

[algore]

There are a lot of useful stupid people on both sides.

unfortunately I do not agree with your assessment of outcome.

There are forces trying to foment a civil war, and they want it to kill many millions but that is maybe 20 years away?

but they want it so badly they can feel tingles going up their legs

[pax_et_bonum]

God bless you, Jim.

❤️

[enumerated]

Me either

[Prince of Space]

Good analogy!

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Here’s my shot at an analogy. Tornado weather systems are caused by a large low-pressure area adjacent to a high-pressure area. Along the boundary tornados form. There’s a huge high pressure MAGA centered in the country, and it is rubbing up against a low pressure “trans-zone.” Political tornadoes form. One of them is named Trump. But if that one petters out, another will form. The cause is not the tornado or the man, it’s the huge pressure zones.

Good analogy. I agree. Trump was and is the necessary man for conservatives from 2016 to today, but populism is not going to die out after he leaves the scene. The RINO frauds - the Cheneys, Bushes, Romneys, McCains - they'll always be around. But they can never again pretend to represent conservatism. Either the GOP changes to reflect the wishes of conservatives, or conservatives kick the GOP into the ash-heap of history.

[cpdiii]

There is Trump junior and JD Vance to pick up the flag on this battlefield and carry the MAGA spirit after Trumps 4 years in office and eventual demise, hopefully far in the future.

The MAGA philosophy has always been here. Trump united it into a potent political force. MAGA does not die when Trump is no more. MAGA is not Trump. MAGA is us, the freedom loving patriotic Americans.

[Gaffer]

I was reminded once again that Donald Trump is a singular figure in American politics. There is no one like him, and that means that no one can replace him.

And that's why you people tried to ASSASSINATE him. Meanwhile, you nits complain that Donald Trump is a racist and is sundowning her - all the while you guys just got finished trying to ASSASSINATE him and are in the midst of covering up all the scheming and planning you did to try and accomplish that. YOU TRIED TO ASSASSINATE HIM!!!

[Bobbyvotes]

If Trump loses in 2024, Vance would be the principle reason in a close election. Vance did not bring any additional voters to Trump. OTOH if Trump wins in 2024, Vance is best to carry MAGA forward.

[teeman8r]

i’ll do it.

i can piss off the deep staters

[jerod]

Trump could win without Vance... But Vance will fit in nicely for 28 and 32, with his youthfulness and military experience.